Alice

23. As Close As I Can Get to a Happily Ever After

23. As Close As I Can Get to a Happily Ever After

There was no other word to describe it but "arena". The entire thing was oval-shaped. A high stone wall enclosed the open space. At the top were seats, and a spectator filled every one. They weren't making a sound, however, and the air was deadly still. Twilight dimly lit the scene. For added light, torches were placed every few seats. One illuminated the Queen of Hearts sitting at one end of oval, perched on a throne atop a platform. She was surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting, who held up multiple umbrellas and were fanning her vigorously, even though the evening air was cool.

I looked around at all of the faces peering down at me. I was surprised to see that many of the people I knew were absent. In fact, I could only find one familiar face: Martha's. I was relieved to see that she wasn't crying. On the verge of tears, yes, but still trying very hard to hold them back. For my sake, I guess. Maybe she could tell that if I saw one tear, I would break down sobbing. So, when I saw one forming in her eye, I quickly looked away, studying the rest of the arena instead.

The ground was just dust. In the center stood a round wooden table. On top of it, I could see something shiny, the setting sun's light reflecting off of it. I knew what it was even before I came closer to it: An axe.

The guards pushed Jack and I forward, until we were standing directly in the center of the arena. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Conrad standing near the wall. Then the Queen stood up. Even from far away, I could see the huge, evil grin on her blood red lips.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" she exclaimed, way too cheerfully. Her voice, which was already naturally loud, ran louder in the silence. "Welcome to the event of the century!" Silence. The Queen glared at one of her guards, who then tripped over himself to get the crowd to clap.

Over the clapping, she continued, "This shall be quite a show. For tonight, we do not have just one execution, but two!" On cue from the Queen, the guard had the audience cheer.

"Oh, but you haven't heard the best part!" The Queen looked absolutely giddy as she exclaimed, "These two young people standing before you...... are in love!"

Most of the crowd had gotten it that they were supposed to react to everything Her Majesty said, and this time they needed no prompt to know that they were supposed to gasp.

Anger surged inside me. It wasn't enough that she had to kill us. She had to humiliate us first.

My fists clenched. I glared up at the Queen, sitting high and mighty on her throne. And suddenly, I didn't want to defeat the Queen of Hearts. I wanted to kill her.

Oh, she could tell. Anyone could tell just by looking into my eyes. But she just looked back at me, her eyes black ice.

If possible, she smiled even wider as she went on, "Yes, tragic isn't it? Just like something from one of your precious books, Jack!"

I looked at Jack. He was staring down the Queen, too. His head was held high, and I felt proud that he wasn't looking at the ground. But my pride melted into despair and worry when I saw that his wrists were bloody from straining against the handcuffs, which is exactly what he was doing at that very moment, out of anger, I suppose.

"For this is not a happily ever after, is it?" crooned the Queen. "More like a tragedy. A depressing end to such an exciting tale, yes?"

I wished that she would just shut up and kill me already.

"But, oh well! No use crying over spilled milk!" She pretended to sound slightly discouraged, but she looked thrilled. "Now," she continued, "you probably thought that I would be so cruel as to execute you one at a time, thereby making one of you watch the other die. And normally I would! However, once again I feel like demonstrating the fact that I am a kind, merciful ruler. So, instead, you shall both be killed at the same time! Isn't that wonderful?"