Wilson didn't remember much. He remembered that someone was on the throne before him. He remembered the games he played to get here. He didn't remember what time it was when he left. 1906? 1907? Time moves differently here, did it not? That's what Maxwell had told him while he held the throne. Now it was Wilson's time to sit on the horrible throne. Its grasp clutched him like a paper doll, telling him beautiful, terrifying things. He must wait patiently. Patiently for someone else to stumble into his trap. For someone to stagger into his web. Perhaps the gods heard his wish. The ever-burning torches extinguished as someone approached. A beautiful woman, with nightmare black locks and the face of a goddess. She extended a hand for Wilson to grasp, but he was just too far. He wanted to hold her delicate paper skin, caress the pale complexion of her face, but she was too far. The women chuckled, and tapped the restraints, setting Wilson free from the throne. Suddenly, the women Wilson had loved turned into a monster. Black goo etched up the side of her face as her Once beautiful dress blended in with the shadows. She grasped Wilson with two large shadowy hands as she effectively sucked the thrones' magic straight from his bloodstream. Wilson did scream, and the lady knew it would be painful. But her sweet doll wouldn't remember anything he had seen. The monster shook away her wild temper and stared calmly back at the throne. She grasped the arm of the chair and it poofed into a beautiful piece of furniture. The night monster took over again, turning the throne to a jagged chair, just waiting for someone to fall into its trap. The monster had a fight with both sides, before finding a middle ground.
Charlie stood tall as she approached her throne. She plucked a rose from a bush and stuck it in her luxurious hair. Her black gown split, revealing a white underskirt as she waltzed to her reign. The Shadow Queen sat on her throne and marveled at her kingdom. At her puppets. At her reign, her fingertips, her commands.
The portal shook, shivered and trembled. A woman was standing by the Florid Postern, trying to light a fire. She stared at the Postern, horror in her white eyes.
Someone fell from the portal. someone with bizarre hair, a white undershirt with a red vest, and a pale face. Willow stopped, stared, before stumbling over to the stranger. She picked up a stick she was using to make a fire and poked the body.
The man's head raised. Suddenly, the man shot up, beginning to back away. He reached around, looking for a weapon.
"Hey...Hey....don't be scared..."
The lady said, calmly.
"I'm not a rabbit!"
The stranger spat at the lady. He examined her, her spiraling pigtails, her red top and black skirt, her...
"It's the eyes isn't it?"
The woman pointed to her irisless eyes. They were just a void of white. She smiled as she extended her hand.
"My names Willow."
Wilson grabbed Willow's hand eagerly.
"I never thought I'd see another human again. Wilson. Wilson Percival Higgsbury."
Willow took her hand away and stared at the sun. The deadly darkness would be approaching soon.
"Quickly now, I'll take you to our camp."
"Our...?" Wilson questioned.
"Just come on, boy."
Willow lightly hit Wilson in the shoulder. Wilson smiled softly, maybe this stranger wasn't so bad.
Willow arrived at her camp with Wilson. It was in the middle of the woods. There were a few things scattered around, like a firepit and a science machine, along with a few chests.
"It's alright to come out now."
She called. A smaller girl with blonde pigtails and a pale dress came out from the trees. She had the same pale eyes as Willow. She held a delicate flower in her hand.
"Miss Willow, whos the stranger?" The child asked.
"This is Wilson. Wilson, Wendy. Wendy, Wilson." Willow smiled as she introduced them. Wendy just gave a simple wave. A hiss sounded from behind Wilson. The scientist whipped around and let out a high pitch scream. It was a rather large spider, the size of a human child. Wilson quickly backed away as Willow stepped in between them.
"This is Webber. He's our friend and is completely harmless!"
"Who's the stranger?" The spider asked. He stared at the scientist, who was still catching his breath.
"Is he afraid of spiders?" Webber asked
"I think so. Whoops."
Wilson cleared his throat and straightened his vest. He extended his hand.
"Wilson."
Webber reached out and gripped Wilson's hand, shaking it firmly. He cringed as he felt the spiders' rough fur. Wendy tossed a log on the fire as the sun finally set.
"So, Higgsbury. Where'd you come from?"
Willow asked as she sat by the fire. Wilson took a deep breath.
"Well...I was on an adventure. For Maxwell. I...I met him on the throne and...I ended up here. I've been here for a while, but I've never seen anyone else before. At least not another human."
The crew seemed to freeze at the name Maxwell.
"The KING! The king maxwell!" Webber exclaimed.
"You met him?" Willow made a sour face.
"That hooligan that trapped us all here!."
"You know him?" Wilson questioned
"Of course we do," Wendy said softly.
Webber crosses his arms, Seemingly getting agitated as the spider legs on the side of his head twitched
"Maxwell tore me from my family! My mum, my dad, and my grandpa! And my farm!"
Wilson's eyes widened. Spiders didn't have farms, did they? That meant that Webber had to have been a human. A human trapped in spider skin. The kid sat by the fire as well, his head in his hands.
"Maxwell knew me. And he knew me well. He reunited me with my sister." Wendy carefully held up the flower.
Willow stared at the fire.
"You uh have a little..."
Wilson wiped his thumb across his own cheek to tell Willow she had a mark there. A stain of ash.
"You must be hungry." Willow got up and stepped over to a chest. Wendy and Webber were silently speaking to each other in the corner of the camp.
Willow tossed Wilson a chunk of meat.
"I'll be gathering. I'll take them with me so you have some alone time." She gestured towards the two children. Wilson nodded as he already saw the sun rising. The woman stepped over to the children and ushered them off into the deep woods.
Wilson kept his meal by the fire, waiting for it to cook. He looked around, hearing the crunching of pine needles behind him. When the scientist turned around, no one was to be seen. After a short while, the sound started again. Wilson decided it was just a rabbit. Or a bird. Or a mole. Wilson held the meat by the bone and carefully turned it around as he waited for it to cook properly. A furred hand reached out from the woods and tapped Wilson on the shoulder.
"Huh?" He exclaimed.
"Hey! Wait!"
He felt his meal being ripped from his hands. Whatever took it already ran off. He sighed angrily as he stared back a the fire. He'd just have to wait for Willow, Webber, and Wendy to be back to get something to eat.
