"Thrown Away"

Chapter Five - Alice

Chapter Five

We got to Mad Hatter's condo quickly and rather safely and Mad Hatter told me to make myself comfortable. I sit at a round kitchen table, tired, and I fall asleep, listening to him ramble of a 'caucus race'...

I awake in a bed that is not my own. It's narrow yet long... Why am I here? I sit up, and look around... I'm in a small bare bedroom and I stand up and walk to the door when I hear a loud knocking from somewhere beyond the door. I crack the door open just a little to peek out and see Mad Hatter pass quickly, and almost scream... But I catch myself just in time. He walks beyond what I can see, and I hear a door open. I tip toe out of the room I'm in and look for a different way out of the house, sneaking past wherever Mad Hatter went and just as I open a window I hear the door close, which makes my heart jump into my throat.

"Where do you think you're going Alice?" I hear Mad Hatter ask exasperated and I turn to him, to see a young girl beside him, with bunny ears atop her head but in a hat, so if they are real or not, I am not sure.

"Getting some air?" I ask and he sighs.

"Sit down at the table Alice." He says and I nod, and go to the table. The young girl may be around 14, and I stare at her out of the corner of my eye.

"It's not polite to stare Alice." She says, turning to look at me and I blush beet red.

"I- I am sorry! Y- You are right!" I say stumbling over my words and I watch her smile wide. She shrugs, and it almost seems like her ears do too.

"It's okay! I'm Mitsuki!" She says and I nod, unsure.

"Okay Mitsuki..." I trail off and Mad Hatter comes to the table and sets a teacup full of a steaming liquid before Mitsuki, before going to sit on the couch and reading a newspaper.

"Alice, catch." He says and he tosses me a small revolver. I catch it, and turn the safety on immediately.

"Why would you throw a gun at me? It could have fired and killed one of us!" I snap at him and he gets up and holds his newspaper so tightly it crinkles.

"Do not yell at me Alice! I am your protector and I know what the heck I'm doing so shut your mouth!" He says and I leave his condo before he can say a thing to me. I storm down the streets until I reach an ally and turn around, pointing my gun at whoever there is, turning the safety off as I turn, and see Mitsuki, gun raised to my chest, staring at me.

"I... Mitsuki?" I ask surprised and she smiles.

"Lower your gun and I'll lower mine." She says smiling and I slowly lower mine and she mimics my actions.

"Smart rabbit." I mutter under my breath.

"Dumb human; these ears aren't just for show." She says plainly and I raise my eyebrows.

"Someone has a mouth on them." I mutter and she smiles sweetly, tucking her gun into the back of her pants.

"You know Mad Hatter told me I couldn't use this gun to kill Alice, but I suppose it really is just to kill the white rabbit." She says and I am shocked.

"You are trying to kill the white rabbit?" I ask surprised and she nods.

"Yes... Because then we can be done playing this game... Even you have to kill him if you want to be done with this silly game Alice." She says and she walks past me a bit and then turns around to face me.

"But you don't get it, do you Alice?" She asks and I shake my head slowly.

"Not really, no." I admit and she flashes me another smile.

"I'm useless right now. I am only a piece that comes into play if the white rabbit is killed." She states plainly and my eyes widen.

"Wow." Is all I can utter and she shrugs and takes my hand, her own hand warm and small.

"Come! You have to go back to Mad Hatter. He'll be scared by now." She says and she leads me back to him...

Why would he care where I am?