Reverse Universe

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The Queen is wearing a poufy green dress, an incredibly large amount of blush, and tons and tons of red lipstick. She looks creepily and unnaturally beautiful, like a ghoul.

"My, my, my, looky what we have here," the Queen purrs, her mouth curling into a sneer.

"You're not talking backwards," Laeci points out.

"Because you wouldn't understand it, human-from-another-dimension-who-somehow-found-a-loophole," the Queen drawls.

Laeci has been thinking of perhaps running back, but guards have quietly moved behind her, blocking her exit. "What do you want with me?" Laeci blurts out.

"Aw, cutie pie, not much, really, fry you in some oil, feed you to the cuckerdoolings, make your death as slow as possible. Is that too much to ask?"

"Ah, I forgot! Before all of that, I'd like you to meet four very nice people!" The Queen says.

Oh no. It can't be.

"Chesteren, would you mind bringing them in?"

Chesteren?

In strolls a lanky man with a very pointy nose. He drags four cages behind him, each containing a person who has helped her. Madelyn, Luke, Papa Sam, William.

Her hands fly up to her mouth. She had put all of them here, just by landing here. She looks up to the so called Chesteren, and realization hits her in the stomach.

"You."

Chesteren looks up. "Hello, Butternut."

"I trusted you! And you were working with the Queen this whole time! It's my fault in the first place; who trusts annoying talking doorknobs anyway?"

Chester smirks. "I'm glad you feel that way."

Laeci shakes her head. She can't see even a hint of regret or sadness in Chester. Everything must of been just an act.

She looks at everyone in the cages in turn. Papa Sam is looking regretful, Madelyn won't look into her eyes, Luke is picking at his fingernails, and William's eyes are darting right. Laeci's eyes follow them and land on the hallway Chester had came from. He was trying to send her a message, Laeci thinks. She looks to the Queen, who is musing about which tortures to take her through.

Laeci's heart is pounding. Her eyes dart left to right as she counts down. Three...two...

Laeci suddenly bursts out into a sprint-luckily she wasn't in chains or anything. She hears shouts behind her and the whole lot of guards chasing her.

Down the hallway is a flight of stairs. The only problem, though-everything is upside down-the stairs are slanting the wrong way, making it impossible to reach the second floor. Panicking, Laeci looks up, as if the second floor would magically lower and let her up. Spending so much time here has made her delirious.

Delirious, Laeci jumps up and down in frustration. And magically, she jumps to the second floor. Laeci has no time to stand around and wonder, since the guards seem to know the trick as well. Tons of guards are springing up from the ground, each chasing after her. Laeci bolts forward to whatever lies ahead.

Fortunately, Laeci is much faster than the guards, in their clunky and tedious armor. She soon outruns them and comes to a wooden door. She pushes it open, thinking that she has reached her destination.

Inside looks like a museum, with no doubt priceless artifacts in crystal cases. A skylight showcases a twinkling night sky. Smack in the middle is a crown, magnificently carved and bedazzled to death with jewels. She reaches forward to touch it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a voice sounds from the corner.

Laeci whips around with a gasp. Chester is standing nonchalantly, picking at his fingernails. "What are you doing here?"

"I can teleport, or did you forget that, Butternut?"

"So you're here to kill me."

"Nah, the Queen doesn't know I'm up here. I'm simply...giving you advice."

"Why would I take advice from a talking, back-stabbing doorknob?"

"You don't have to take it, Butternut, unless you'd prefer losing your free will."

Laeci pauses for a moment, thinking. Meanwhile Chester continues to speak. "See, if you'd touched that crown, your soul would've been tied to the crown, and therefore the Queen. Do you know the Soothsayer's Legend?"

When Laeci shakes her head, Chester sighs and continues. "The Queen was once thirsty for power, but she kept losing every battle. Her soothsayer made a deal-she'd be invincible if she tied her life force to her crown. Now, most people say it's a glorious and bejeweled crown-that's why the Queen created that trap-but I for one know it's not. It's here."

Chester points to a rotting table pushed to the back. On top was a simple, wooden crown.

"Oh, so you're going to trick me again?"

Chester shrugs. "As I said, you don't have to take my suggestion."

The crown is in a terrible state, cracks covering almost every inch. Cautiously, Laeci pokes it, immediately withdrawing her hand. She doesn't feel any different, just the same. She keeps poking it, testing if Chester had spoken correctly.

"The Queen can feel that, y'know." Chester comments from the corner.

Sighing, Laeci decides to end this once and for all. Swiftly grabbing the crown, she slams it against her knee, marveling at the now two broken pieces.

But it seems fate wasn't done yet. Orange and red tendrils slowly rise up and swirl around, until they form a circular hole in front of Laeci.

"There's your path back home," Chester says.

"But what about Madelyn, Luke, Papa Sam, and William?"

"It's now or never, Laeci."

"You called me Laeci."

"I certainly did not, Butternut."

Laeci comments, "You're not such a bad guy, Chester. You could help so many people."

Turning her back to Chester, Laeci takes a breath and jumps quickly into the portal, the stars seeming to wink above.