Impossible (A HEARTLESS Fanfic)

Chapter Ten

Both Alice and Ace froze as the Bandersnatch focused its attention on them. A sickening grin revealed its pointed, glistening teeth. With only smoke bombs and a purse that produced Cake, Alice knew that her only hope for survival was to flee. But how could she leave Ace behind to fend off the frumious creature?

"Alice," she heard him whisper slowly from behind her. "Run."

And with that command, Ace pulled out his sword and raced towards the monster. Alice's heart beat madly against her ribcage, and every instinct told her to listen to the guard, to run, to save herself.

But her wild heart would not allow her abandon him.

Racing into the fray, Alice pulled a smoke bomb from one of her pockets. Ace was lunging and striking at the Bandersnatch, but the monster was quick on its massive feet, avoiding every blow. It managed to tear at Ace's shoulder, but he pulled away in time to keep himself out of its grasp. Alice took that moment to jump between the two.

"Alice, what are you doing?" Ace exclaimed.

With one swift movement, Alice threw the bomb to the ground, enveloping the area in a thick smoke. The Bandersnatch hacked and stumbled about, but Alice knew the distraction wouldn't disorient it for long. She grabbed Ace's hand and pulled him away from the chaos. Not wanting to alert the Bandersnatch to their location, Alice tried to hold back her own urge to cough. Alas, the monster would not be defeated by a silly little thief's subterfuge. The Bandersnatch stretched its neck above the thick cloud of smoke and searched for its prey. Upon spotting them fleeing further into the Forest, it let out a wicked snarl and bounded after them.

"You keep running, I'll hold it back," Ace told Alice, tightening his grip on his sword.

"Ace, no!" Alice argued, turning to catch his arm before he could return to battling the beast. But he was too quick and too stubborn. "Stupid boy!"

Alice chased after him, ignoring that little voice in her head that told her to leave him behind. It reasoned that he was going to arrest her anyhow. He was going to bring her back to the Queen who would then have her executed. Saving him was essentially chopping off her own head.

But then her heart began to give its own input. Ace was supposed to arrest her. He was supposed to hand her over to their murderous queen. And yet, here he was battling a Bandersnatch and telling her to run. If he was so bent on her capture, why would he insist that she flee? Why would he risk his life for her?

In that moment, despite her instinct's pleas to think of her own survival, Alice decided to side with her heart and help Ace fight off the monster.

The Bandersnatch was snapping its jaws at Ace as he attempted to strike at it. But with its sharp teeth and stretchable neck, the creature proved to be a difficult target to hit. Desperate to help, Alice thought to pull out another smoke bomb but hesitated. Would it only obscure Ace's vision? The Bandersnatch would just avoid the smoke with its uncanny stretching abilities, anyhow. Likely, her efforts would only put Ace in more danger.

Not knowing what to do, but refusing to abandon the guard, Alice paced at a slight distance, wracking her brain to think of something she could do to help. The Bandersnatch snapped its teeth at Ace. He dodged the bite, but it proved to only be a distraction, as the beast caught him in his claws from the other side. Alice gasped as the monster lifted Ace into the air, pinning his arms, and thereby his sword, to his sides, rendering him defenseless. The guard struggled to escape from the creature's fearsome paw, but to no avail.

Alice let out a horrified cry, furious that she had no way to help him.

"Alice!"

Someone called her name from behind the rubble of her house. Turning, she found Hatta and Haigha motioning furiously for her to join them.