Careful with the tea

Part 10

Hatter arrived.

"It's time. Duck has the looking glass."

Owl and I stood up.

"Kate..." – he stepped closer to me, and I nodded with wet eyes.

"I'm ready."

He shook his head.

"I just can't believe you're leaving like this. I can't imagine, that you keep on with your life right there, where you stopped before. You cannot forget, what happened to us here. You cannot be that heartless..."

"I'm not, David..." Just as I said his name, he took my hand and he wanted to hold me.

But I slipped away.

"The truth is, that the pain kills me, as I know I see you for the last time... But it was only the tea, David...." And I started to cry.

"I love you, Kate, and I don't give a damn, if I'm dreaming, or just died because of a Suit's bullet, and I'm in heaven. I know what I feel, because my heart is not in its place..."

I laughed at fate in all tears, as it chose such a cruel fun for itself.

"I have already found my medicine." I stepped back, so that he couldn't reach me, and I pulled the bottle out of my pocket. "You see? You don't have to worry that I might feel bad. It will pass as soon as I get my feet out of here."

Hatter ran the Tea House. He knew each and every bottle by heart, I guess.

Because as soon as he saw mine, he tried to stop me desperately at opening it.

"Kate, don't... Not Forgetting... No, please, don't do this..."

"It's the only way to give back your freedom." I pulled out the tiny little glass plug, and took a snip.

"No!" Hatter shouted, and tore away the bottle from my lips. I couldn't drink it all.

"It was just the tea, David... Don't worry, it was just a tea..." I whispered, and felt these few little drops smooth down my throat like ice. The cold crawled on inside of me, along my limbs, and in my head. But my heart was still beating in my chest with a rush.

Hatter held me close by the waist, but I didn't resist any more.

I was already over.

I heard Owl crying out loud in the back. She just couldn't watch me practically committing a murder.

Against my heart and our love.

Hatter looked into my eyes, and drank the last drops of the tea. The bottle fell out of his hands, and landed on the carped with a dull thud.

I never imagined, that he would do it, but I was grateful for it.

I had to be selfish and enable myself to throw this love away, as its despair would've killed me. But this way I could be sure at least, that he would forget everything.

But you know, teas have no immediate effect, right after they've been tasted.

The stunning cold couldn't overrun my heart yet, and his eyes were still shining with passion.

I couldn't continue it with such cruelty. I had to tell him the truth, even if I knew that soon none of us would remember a thing.

"I love you, David... Goodbye..." I whispered.

"Kate..." he kissed my name upon my lips, and held me as strong as he could.

Owl cried as she watched the suffering of the young ones, and felt herself helpless. When the girl fainted, and David fell beside her on the floor, she cried for help.

Duck helped to take Alison through the looking glass. They made sure, that a passer-by with eagle eyes would find her lying at the throat of the passage. Somebody of those, who just crowded out of the movie theatre right then.

Hatter woke up in Owl's room with a terrible headache. She scolded him, as he worked too much helping the refugees, and didn't have enough rest.

He kissed her on her cheek, and didn't see the tears in her eyes at all.

He returned to the Tea House to check the auction of the newest teas.

He was sitting in his office room, drinking a cup of real tea, when Ratty turned up, saying he'd brought a pretty, but totally drenched girl, a fresh Oyster.

Hatter adjusted the straw hat upon his head, and sent Ratty to bring the girl to him.

I woke up to the laughs of a few younger boys. They sat me on a bench, and they were laughing about why women these days shouldn't wear high heels, when they keep on falling and hitting their heads.

They called the ambulance for me, but as soon as I managed to convince the doctor, that I'm alright, and my head isn't hurting so badly, they took me home and left me alone.

I felt weird for a few days, but as far as no serious symptoms arose, my life went on just like before.

Last week I bought a hat for myself from sudden excitement. It's a light brownish straw hat. I have no idea, why I spent such an amount on it. But it fits me, they say, and when I have it on, some kind of good feeling runs over me.