SENSELESS

VI - Clockwise

                      ♣ Gentleman-at-Arms ♣

 A body fell to the ground as the bullet sunk into its right temple.

The bloody blade shot back into the wood as I clicked the gold top of the cane.

Gordon Bennet.

The pouring rain merged with the seeping blood. Whirling around, I studied every corpse on the ground as how Hare does it: as if they were recently blooming flowers. Some were shot, the remaining stabbed but all were undoubtedly dead.

I frowned, slipped the cane over my shoulder to be held by the belt strapped over my chest and cocked the gun open.

A flash of metal greeted me as I eyed the cylinder. I sighed inwardly; only one bullet was left in its chambers. Deciding to start indexing, I reached for my pocket and swore. Chambering is absolutely not an option for I have no bullets left in my person.

Blast it. Anyhow, this one shall be saved for the best kill then.

Snapping back the cylinder to its regular position, I shoved the gun down my belt. All nine bodies belong to the Red Queen’s soldiers. Assessing their armour, I saw that they were sent as a Deck: King’s Oppose, Queen’s favoured, Jack or Knave, Joker, Ace, Heart, Clobber, Diamond and Spade. ‘Her Majesty’ would absolutely not rest until she locates us, I knew and sending soldiers after us is an absolute option whether our current location is the Labyrinth—this forest, yes—and if it is deep and filled with species unknown to most of us or not.

And I do not fear them.

I was—no. I am one of them.

I sensed them before I saw them; all were well obscured by the shadows of the trees that I failed to pinpoint their location. It was only until Mistress Alice—wait, Alice or Mistress Alice? It’s absolutely fine to call her Alice but it seems to be absolutely impolite and…improper for myself to call her that way. Not to mention the fact I feel giddy as if I’m drunk once I call her that…but she’s my mistress—

Images of her frowning and smiling flashed over my eyes and before I knew it, I had smacked myself on the head.

 “Agh!” I threw up my hands in utter exasperation. “Curse it. Stick with the Mistress, dimwit!” She’s not here anyway.

The thought of that made me slightly conscious and I waited for a chasm to appear beneath me. Seconds passed and there was none.

Good.

Any road, it was only until I received a kick on the leg—and it was quite agonizing, I have to tell you—that I was able to see them clearly. Alright, maybe not their silhouettes but the glints of metal beneath the trees was a clear indication that there are opponents nearby. They wouldn’t kill Mistress Alice; she’s too valuable. They would kill me but since they are absolutely ineffective in using a gun, they cannot do their task unless if I am in point blank range.

Regardless of my worth to the Red Queen, they’ll kill me. Scaling my significance and Mistress Alice’s, my mistress would absolutely be heavier and more important. All obstructions are to be taken down and the target should be captured at all costs. And allowing the Red Queen to capture Mistress Alice or for I to be killed are not in my list of options.

My hand rested on my gun as I scanned the surroundings. My eyes caught sight of something flying about as I sensed the shaking of the leaves of a tree far ahead. An unknown creature hooted in the shadows as more other sounds sang in the forest.

And yet, nothing is suspicious or a threat whether it is frightening or not.

Labyrinthians would always want to test your fear.