Shadowing Alice [Soon To Be Rewritten]

Ch. 10

Leaving the Forest of Honesty made the journey feel like it would last even longer.  The trees had obscured the infinite path, which seemed like it was going to continue all around the world before we reached Autumn Morning.  It was safe to say that it made our mood quite sour.

            "Why isn't there a sun here?  Where's all the light coming from?"  The sky was blue and the grass was green, so where was the damned yellow sun?

            I don't know, Alice.  I don't know every little thing about the spirit realm, so would you please stop asking so many freaking questions?

            "I'm just curious."

            Yeah… I was too.  Maybe that's why I was beaten up.

            "How did that—… never mind."      

            The path started to feel like it was declining.  Maybe the forest had been on a wide, barely noticeable hill.  I looked ahead at the wide valley and froze.

            Why'd you stop?

            The valley went on forever.  There were only patches of woods and very far-off mountains.  The path stretched on forever, and heading in our direction was what appeared to be a small horse-drawn carriage.  It was too far for me to tell how many people were on it or in it. 

            "Should I wait for it?"

            I don't know.  It could be Hugh's friend… but no one comes out this far.

            "Why not?"

            Why would they?

            I frowned even more.  "So what do I do?"

            I don't know.  It could be anybody.

            I was starting to freak out at all the indecision, biting my lip a little.  It would take about an hour for the person to reach us if we just stood there.

            "We should just walk by.  Maybe he'll ignore us."

            To him, there is no 'us', Alice, just you.  And you're just a girl all alone in the middle of nowhere.  There's no telling if that guy's even nice; you have me for a friend.  Maybe nice guys aren't in your future.

            "Now you're scaring me."

            It's basically your call.  I can't help you.  I think you should run.

            "There's no place to run to.  If he wants to catch me, he can; he's got a horse."  I shrugged off my backpack.

            What are you doing?

            "If that guy wants to hurt me, then it'll have to be a fight.  And I really don't plan on losing."  I had to take out only the dresses.  Hugh had wrapped the dagger in a rag and placed it at the bottom of the bag.  My hands shook as I took it out and uncovered it.  It looked about eight inches long with a black hilt, pretty fancy with intricate silver filigree.  It didn't look like it'd been used much.  It was disconcertingly shiny.

            What the—?!  Where the heck did you get that?!

            "Hugh gave it to me… just in case."