Allice in Mysterious Land (ON HOLD)

10: Aflame

A throaty growl greets us once the dimly lit treehouse is in sight. The bulky tiger holds its stance, its shiny fur glowering vaguely under the orange-streaked sky.

Roy taps his phone screen and presses it to his ear. Amongst his other advanced devices, why does he have a modest phone? With all the access he's got, he might afford an Air Phone, which only has a floating screen, even within Dogson's billboards.

"Roy?" Sandra bellows, rising Ax's velvety ears. "I told you not to wander around with Allice. You're as stubborn as a snail."

Roy rolls his eyes, as if he's done this dozens of times before. "I only showed him my lab. Now come here and control your bloodlust tiger."

"And if I don't?"

"Allice, have I told you about Sandra's tendency to wet—"

She cuts the call off as her rapid stomps descend the spiral stairs.

Both Roy and I exchange snorts as Sandra tends to Ax, brushing its nose with civetone and combing its fur. Roy tugs my wrist and hints at the treehouse. "On three." Roy scoops Xin-Yo into his arms. With shaky legs, I stumble behind Roy and ascend the stairs.

When Roy bangs the door shut after I slip through, our laughs compete against Sandra's wails. Tears trickle out amidst my laughs; it's been a while since they do.

"Didn't you always do this to your mom, whenever you peed your sheets and she dried them out after insulting you like a sailor? Gān gà de!"

"Shut up, baka. Let me in!"

A tug on my sleeve jerks me back to reality. Miro stares at me with brimming tears, immediately drying up my laughter.

He points at the TV. It's muted, but it's already bad news if a mugshot of Auntie Morgan is there. Her skin is tightened around the cheekbones, and the circles under her eyes grow darker. Her expression—that of a challenging contender—is the last sign of her insanity.

No. I've been meaning to tell him—why should he find out first?

The news anchor is the same bald eagle-like man. Only this time, more gray appears on his hair. I ask Lindra to unmute the news. "... the new suspect in the Zoobreak Case, Morgan Sweds. She's been given a year in prison for slandering the government for manipulating Dogson City. Mrs. Sweds has also been proven guilty of stealing property from a government institution—in this case, nine Mantis shrimps from Ornamental City Zoo."

The screen shows footage of Auntie Morgan treading in our flat, her jumbled, brown hair cascading down her bowing head. Four officers guard her sides. She pauses at the storage room; is she making sure that the shrimps are gone?

Wait—but what about her researches? Have they been taken as well?

"The second search of the flat results in nothing. It is also reported that there was a commotion during the first search. Security cameras show several youngsters fleeing the scene—one being police fugitive and nephew of Mrs. Sweds, Allice Worke." Having my name spilled to thousands of other ears drives me nauseous.

Auntie Morgan is guilty, and I'm next?

"It's wrong, isn't it?" Miro stares at the carpet, as if it can dry his tears away. "Why didn't you tell me, Allice?"

I should've. But would it be any different? His mom's freedom is traded for mine. From whichever angle, it's my fault. "I'm sorry. I really am." It might sound shallow, but I already bare all my honesty into it.