The Adventures of Alice and Max
Chapter 24: Alice Realizes a Horrible Thing
Alice had won the kickball game and was suddenly struck with tiredness. Max wanted to keep playing and so she excused herself.
Exhausted, she went back to her little tent. But as she was about to take a nap, Abe who looked like a twenty-something man loomed over her.
“Boss wants to see ya.”
“Are you kidding me?” she moaned.
“Nah, he wants to see you now.”
“I’m tired.”
“He’s not gonna take no for an answer.”
“What if I do say, ‘no’?”
“Don’t,” he said without an expression or indication of what he would do.
“Fine, but don’t touch me,” Alice said crudely.
Their ascent seemed an eternity. Abe opened the door making way for Alice to come in with royal treatment.
“Sir,” he said.
“Thanks, Abe.” Muze gave him a pouch of coins. “Go crazy. Leave us.” Abe nodded and was gone.
“Whaddya want, Muze,” Alice asked.
“Nothing. You seem tired. You want some water?”
“No, I was just about to sleep when your manservant came and got me.”
“Inconvenient, I know. Water?” He came over with a glass.
She rolled her eyes. “I guess. Thanks.” He had one and they toasted. “So…What do you do all day?”
“Protect all of you,” he said smiling as he sat down next to her on the couch.
“No, I mean really… what do you actually do?”
“Actually, I come here and work out my future plans. Expand my horizon. Nothing will get in my way.”
“Does the Queen know we’re here?” Alice asked, rolling her eyes.
“No, honey, and she’ll never find us.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Nothing’s certain.”
“True, but you can avoid certain things.”
“Like what?” Muze got closer to her.
“Well, like this-” She forced her blade next to his throat.
He smiled wide, “I like you, Alice.”
“Stop saying that. You don’t know me, bud,” she said annoyed.
“You’re right, but I know it hasn’t been easy.”
“What would you know?” Alice said still holding the blade up to strike if he tried anything.
“You’re probably scared. It’s understandable. You ever get the feeling that nobody understands you? I know I do, Alice. I know I do.”
“So? Who cares?”
“I know you’re not just a brain on a stick, Alice. You’re more than that. You got a heart.”
“Bud, I don’t know where you’re going with this, but I have to go.”
“You ever feel like gettin’ out of here? Goin’ away far from this place, this City? You must?” His voice was calming to the ear and his breath was like a warm summer evening. She loosened her grip on the handle.
“Nobody gets me, Alice. I feel as if I’m all alone in this world.” Then she lowered her knife. “I was orphaned - like you. Nothin’ but loneliness. It’s all I’ve known.”
“Yeah, I get that,” she said quietly, bowing her head and twiddling her knife.
He headed towards the windowstool. “I sometimes gaze out the window and look to that horizon and I see… Nothing. It’s all empty, this world. All light’s gone. Darkness. That’s it. Nothing else.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Why wouldn’t I? My brother died right before my eyes. You don’t know.” Alice did know. Her father was lost forever.
“Your brother?” Alice’s guard was down and trust had compelled her. His voice was soothing to her ears and for the first time, she felt compassion for him.
“Yes, my comrade, my partner in crime. We went to every orphanage we could and everyone… was worse than the last. Beatings… other things. Terrible things, Alice. But you know that. Don’t you?”
She nodded, “That’s why we escaped. Max is like a brother to me. He’s always been there.”
“Then you understand that’s why we’re here away from all the grown-ups, the filth, the lies, the betrayal - All of it! We left too and we were OK for a while, then it all changed when he was killed. A car came out of nowhere in the City. Took off his head. Death came and took him. I was never the same.”
She hesitated and walked over to Muze, “I’m… sorry, Muze.”
He turned and smiled genuinely. “Thanks, kid. But that’s why I brought you up here. To understand where I’m coming from and to know that my door is always open if you need anything. If you just wanna talk. Sound good?”
“Yeah, thanks Muze,” she grinned and turned to leave. She hesitated at the door and looked back. He gazed out at the black sky. There was nothing, nothing but a blanket of death out there. And she turned and bumped into Abe who stared down menacingly at her.
“You alright, kid,” he smiled wickedly. “Had fun?”
“Loads.” She brushed past him as she squeezed her way around the corner. He didn’t move but let her pass. “I’ll be on my way, now.”
“You’re always welcome, sweetheart.” He turned to Muze’s office and slammed the door abruptly. She ran fast like lightning down the creaking wooden stairs. Flying past other thugs, she came outside and found where Max was on the brown field.
“Max, can I talk to you?”
He was laughing among a group of kids. Turning, his face dropped. “You alright?” Alice was pale, frightened by a spirit.
“No, it’s-its Muze, he’s… he’s…” The other kids noticed her exchange and the words she was saying.
“What?” Max said and they went to the side, whispering. “Where were you? Did he do anything to you?”
“No, but he… he did something.”
“What?” Anger boiled up in him.
“Physically, he didn’t do anything, but his words… they… they did something to me.”
“You’re not making sense. Did he force you to do anything?” he asked sternly.
“No, no, but it was strange like a weird command from his voice that I must obey… like he had some sort of… power.”
“Hey, it’s been a long few days. Why don’t you rest? Huh? Maybe you’re just tired.”
“I don’t know, Max. I don’t like it here.”
“Hey, we won’t stay for long. But we gotta catch out breath.”
“I know, it just terrifies me of what he could possibly do.”
“Nothing will happen, Alice.”
“Not just to me, but everyone. He’s…”
“It’s going to be fine,” Max reassured her.
“You can’t always protect me, Max,” she said angrily. “Nobody told you to do that. I can fend for myself.” Nobody understood her. Muze’s words echoed in her mind.
Maybe he was right. Maybe he had a point.
“I didn’t mean-” Max began. “You told me-”
“Save it.” She walked away back to her tent. Then a message came from the intercom system of the building and surrounding area. Muze spoke with great ferocity and authority.
“Tonight, we shall celebrate our new refugees to our camp: Alice and Max!” All of the kids and teens ear’s were fixated on the message. “And they were the ones who killed the shadow man from Life or Death! They vanquished him! And we shall celebrate this great victory!”
Everyone applauded and even Alice couldn’t help but cheer and shout with excitement, but there was a certain voice in the back of her head.
Get out!
She snapped out of it. The allure of his voice echoed and remained in her mind, it blurred her vision and darkened her senses; it dulled her emotions forcing her to do what he told her. Breathing heavily, she looked around as he still spoke with a charm that enticed all.
Gazing around, she saw everyone motionless standing erect with shoulders back and eyes forward, awaiting his calm and gentle speech that aroused them and forced them to listen and obey his every word.
To Be Continued…
