The Adventures of Alice and Max
Chapter 26: Rapture Ruins the Fun
“Sorry to spoil the fun, children,” Captain Rapture said sinisterly. “But time is up! Your leader is dead, time to go!” Gliding in the dark evening by his jetpack strapped to his back, Rapture swooshed down on the sea of children, pointing his rifle.
The terrible winter-colored flying spaceship floated above the chaos. It was a giant machine with mechanical claws that reached down and grabbed children in the crowd. Picking them up, they would throw them back if a buzzing noise was heard relieving them once their identity was known. Then the many tentacular claws would resume the mayhem.
Soldiers slid down on white ropes from tiny holes in the spacecraft descending on the insanity. Assault rifles colored in white paint pointed at everyone they came across.
Rapture shouted as he glided in the air, “Alice and Max come out, come out, wherever you are! Muze was a great help in finding you. Of course, he had to reveal his little secret and, of course, the Queen was most displeased so she had us dispose of him like the traitor he was.”
He flew down with his jet pack on and saw from a distance Alice, the blond girl, the illegal girl. Swooping down, he was right in front of her. His bald head shone in the hazy lights. It startled her as she stepped back wide-eyed.
“It is good, to see you again,” Rapture chuckled. “If only I knew it was you that day with Reginald. I would’ve killed you then, but no worries…” His mechanical sword unsheathed. He pressed a button and it sprung out further.
Menacingly he raised it. “I’ll kill you here. Now,” he grunted deeply.
Rapture swung but Alice spun out of the way. He sliced and diced, but she evaded every blow. He tried hooking her body, but Alice deflected with her double knives and cut him on the sleeve. Blood flowed out.
Chuckling, he came back furiously, but Tye came, pipe in hand, and they struggled for leverage. Rapture being the stronger one, twisted it and Tye fell right into his blade.
“Run, Alice! Run!” Tye screamed as blood poured down his mouth.
Alice obeyed, not out of coercion, but love and fear. She ran and didn’t look back. Seeing a guard, Alice punched him using a clothes hanger move. He fell and she retrieved his pistol.
You bastard, Alice thought.
Tye looked up terrified and then Rapture ripped out his sword from Tye’s stomach and threw the kid a few feet away. Murdered, Tye was left to rot in the ground.
Rapture motioned to some of his guards, “Get them! Get the kids!”
“Which ones, sir?” a guard called. He approached him quickly and hit his comrade with the hilt, forcing him down.
“The blond girl and her ugly boyfriend,” he said mockingly.
Alice found Max and grabbed him and ran toward the fence. Alice led the way. She handed him her knives and she held the gun as they raced down jumping the fence near the tree line.
Stopping for a second, Alice saw the three guards chasing after them. Smiling, she ran into the woods.
The two guards tried following them but stopped both looking at one another before the fence. Rapture followed and lagged behind.
“What’re you two doing? I swear-” Rapture breathed hard.
“Captain,” one said.
“What?”
“That’s the King’s country, isn’t it?”
Fists clenched, Captain Rapture drew his sword and screaming like thunder had erupted, he fell to his knees suddenly, his head bowed. “It is, but we’re going in.”
“Sir-”
“Enough! This time they’re not gettin’ away. Go. After them!”
To Be Continued…
