Mad As A Hatter (Completed 2015) [WATTY AWARD WINNER *Featured Story*]

chapter twenty five - evif ytnewt retpahc

+++NOT EDITED-WARNING+++

My eyes flashed open and I jerked up.  I cast a quick look over the walls drowning in Marvel posters, stacks of comic books taking up the desk, crushed soda cans and empty pizza boxes littered along the brown carpet floor (it seemed to be initially white). 

As soon as I sat up, a squeak noise was made and I froze.  I leaned in and it squeaked again.  Slowly, I lightly bounced up and down and the bed squeaked louder.  I pushed the Captain America blanket aside and it was like crossing a minefield as I navigated my way to the door.  On one foot (the other was dangerously hovering over what looked to be a copy of Playboy), I opened the Hulk poster stapled door and stepped out. 

I heard the kitchen sink running and I didn't have to look that far—this the only other room of the small apartment.  Levi was occupying the kitchen, his wings casually bumping into the pots on the counter. Grim and Isaac shared a couch the in the living room with their backs to me and Cameron was on the one seat chair, watching television with them.  Mind you, the kitchen, living room and bathroom were in the same space so I didn't have to look much. 

I checked the time on the microwave and instantly snapped, "Why didn't you wake me?"

But Grim's voice was strained.  "Alice, look at the T.V."

"I've been sleeping for over twenty four hours.  Just because I'm half human doesn't mean you shouldn't wake someone up if they've been sleeping for a day.  I could've been dead."

Grim didn't even turn—none of them did.

Frustrated, I stomped over and was about to shout until the voice of a reporter caught my attention. With a smile that probably won her the job, the red lipped lady talked in a happy tone that made my insides twist.  Happy people never brought me good news.

Plus, they annoyed the hell out of me.   

"We're here today in the city's biggest mall.  If you look to my right, you will see the insane lineup at Jimmy's comics.  It's unbelievable!  No one could've guessed this overnight sensation!"  The camera man zoomed in on the people lining up. It was a whole range of anxious citizens, kids to teens to adults and grandparents. The line went around the corner of the store, it seeming endless.  "Merchandise has been through the roof here at Jimmy's!"  The reporter wrestled her way into the packed store, the camera bouncing as shots of shoulders and up close faces filled the screen.  Finally they made it to the cash register where people were screaming, and the staff were frantically running behind the counter. 

"Jimmy!  Do you have a second?" the reporter called. 

A bald man bent over the counter and said, "Only for a moment.  We're really busy." 

"That's fine!" she said in a cheer voice.  It amazed me how humans like her could make such a happy face during a situation where everything was clearly not okay.  She shoved the microphone in his face and asked with a big, bright smile, "What is all the commotion about?  How come everyone is so jittery and desperate?" 

He waved a box with three action figures inside and a poster in the other hand.  "These are some parts of our new collection!  It's the Team Wonderland line.  The demon slaying threesome!"  He shoved a doll in the lense that looked exactly like—

"My lips are huge!" Isaac screamed and bolted out of his seat, grasping the television with both hands.  "Oh my god!" 

Jimmy shoved the tall male action figure into the camera. The doll's dark hair was slicked up in a spike and it wore large square glasses and a black, leather trench coat.  With a click of a button on his shoe, his muscles enlarged and his facial expression stretched into a mad 'I'm going to kill you' stare.  Literally.  The doll said "I'm going to kill you," in a deep, masculine tone.