Alice's plan to overthrow the Queen of Hearts is thwarted by a dashing pirate with a hook. Years later, after the curse is broken, they reunite once again.
---------------------------------
slowly editing! You'll see at the end of each chapter if th...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Emma's apartment is silent when I open the door, which is unusual. Around this time is when Henry's video game can be heard around the apartment. I was surprised Emma had asked me to come over today. Typically speaking, Emma usually spends Fridays at home with Henry. I don't think much of the silence, though. Despite Henry's obsession with his games, he's also an avid reader.
"It's me!" I call out. I begin to take my coat off. "Hey, you remember that guy at the gas station I've been telling you about? He asked me out on a date!" I make my way into the apartment, a little unnerved when I don't hear Emma respond. I stop dead in my tracks at the sight of Killian sitting casually at the kitchen table, a glass of whiskey in front of him. I feel my heart start to pound in my chest. Please tell me he didn't hurt them.
"Hello, love," he says with a small smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.
"Where's Emma?" I ask sternly.
"Up on the roof—" I don't let him finish before I begin storming past him. He goes to stand up.
"Sit back down," I demand, and, to my surprise, he does. I tear up the stairs as quickly as possible, my palms becoming clammy. I try not to jump to conclusions, but it's pretty hard to when the man who's been stalking me broke into my friend's apartment. The memory of me pulling a gun on Killian flashes through my mind, and I wonder if that had pushed him over the edge. About halfway up, I hear a loud crash and pick up my speed, footsteps echoing loudly on the wooden steps. I throw open the door to the roof, the wind up here hitting my face.
"Emma?" I call out and spot her standing by the edge of the roof, completely fine. I realize there's a second person standing in front of me, with his back facing me. I realize it's Walsh and let my shoulders relax. But my relief doesn't last long; Walsh runs toward Emma as she ducks down. Walsh vaults over the side of the brick ledge, falling from the roof. "Oh my God! Walsh!"
I gasp, running over to the edge of the roof. My breathing is ragged as I look for any sign of the man, but I don't see him. It's like he disappeared. Emma soon joins me, standing by my side. I look over at her with tears in my eyes, expecting her to be devastated. Instead, she looks scared. Out of nowhere, something begins to fly up toward us. My stomach is in knots, unable to comprehend what I'm seeing.
"What the hell is that?" I shout, looking down at the creature. It has the body of a monkey, its black fur shiny and glossy, and a set of wings. The closer it gets, I can see its red, beady eyes trained on the blonde next to me.
"Get down, Alice!" Emma exclaims, pulling me out of the way in time to avoid the claws of the monkey. I stumble backward, falling down onto the hard concrete in the process. Emma grabs a metal pipe as the flying monkey goes to attack her. I put my hands over my mouth in horror as she fends it off with a heavy whack of the pipe.
"Is that Walsh?" I scream out, but she's too preoccupied to respond. This can't be happening. This has to be some kind of dream. Maybe I got into a car accident on the way home and now I'm comatose somewhere in the hospital. The monkey only staggers back for a moment before lunging at her again. She swings the metal pipe like one would a baseball bat, hitting it across the head.