Ashes

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

      Alice smiled her strange, twisted, insane smile, her eyes gleaming darkly.

      “You walk through the maze and go through portals.  Those portals are the real challenge.  In each one you will have to find something that lets you proceed back into the maze.  You'll know what it is when you find it,” she giggled.

      “You can request hints if you do a favor for me- an extra task that is,” she added, jumping down to the last few steps.  She lifted her hand and a doll materialized.  “Each object gives you a clue on when you have to get next,” she added.

      It was a little white rabbit dressed in a suit and standing on its hind legs.  The white rabbit was about as tall as Alice.

      It was wearing a golden-rimmed eyeglass and a little black top hat, its hands--looking strangely human--gloved.  In its right hand it held a golden pocket watch that seemed a bit too large for the rabbit.  The rabbit was studying the face of the clock with a slightly annoyed look on his face, his brow furrowed and nose wrinkled.  He then tucked the watch in his pocket and swept the hat off his head to bow respectfully to Alice once he noticed where he was.

      “You called Mistress?” he asked.  He stood back up straight when Alice giggled and waved for him to rise.

      “I called,” Alice nodded.  She jumped down the last two steps, causing her blue dress and apron to bounce.  “I was bored and wanted to play a little game with our guests.  It's not often we receive visitors like this.”

      She then smiled.  “Naru,” she said gesturing over to Markl and Joshua.  “Would you go along with our guests and be their guide?  Don't help them unless they are about to lose and ruin the game completely- at least not yet... . ” she giggled.

      The white rabbit bowed again. "Yes Alice," he said.  “I’ll watch them.”

      "Now then Naru- show them to the game room please," Alice said, tapping her foot lightly against the floor and causing a black liquid to appear.  It was glowing eerily, and black hands came out of it, grabbing onto the boys' feet.  Naru the rabbit sighed and seemed a little annoyed to be grabbed by the hands.

      Alice was strangely happy.  The hands gently engulfed her as if in a warm hug.  The hands were not sticky at all, nor wet, even though they looked like they should be.

      There were some dark reds and purple swirling around in the black.  Then the hands wrapped around Sharon.  They pulled her into the nothingness of the black from which they came.

      Joshua was overcome by a sudden panic as the hands reached to wrap around him.  He struggled and saw that Markl was already completely covered in hands and being pulled down.

      Joshua gasped for air and was surprised to find he could still breathe.  He opened his eyes and found himself in a thick ocean of swirling darkness.  He could have sworn a few hands had gone for his neck.

      He felt almost weightless and could move with the slightest movement, but could feel the hands guide him along and suddenly felt as though he was being forced through a tube.

      A moment later he sat sputtering on the floor, gasping for air next to Markl.

      "What the ruddy hell was that?" Markl gasped, looking around to find himself in a large room.

      The floor was checkered black and white and there was nothing around, they could see for almost forever.  The sky above looked like what the hands were made of--liquid swirling darkness.  Colorful, sharply pointed triangular candles floated around in the air.  There were also orbs of colorful light floating around like little stars.