CHAPTER TWENTY THREE:
The Castle of Hearts
Naging malinaw na ang paningin ni Charle, yinugugyog siya ni Alice na tila bang ginigising siya mula sa matagal na pagkakahimlay.
"Charle, thank God you woke up" Alice sighed on relief. She sat down beside Charle.
"Asan ba tayo?" Sabi ni Charle habang dahan dahan siyang umupo mula sa pagkakahiga niya.
"I can ask you the same thing" sagot ni Alice habang pinagmamasdan ang lugar kung nasaan sila.
Nakakulong sila sa isang puting-puti na kwarto, and tanging palamuti lamang ng apat na puting dingding ay mga pusong kulay dugo.
Ang mga kasangkapan naman sa buong silid ay kulay pula din.
"I tried looking for exit but even the windows are locked" Alice said and pointed to a heart shaped window.
"Is this the last trials?" Charle asked.
"I think so" Alice replied. Naupo lamang sila doon at nagpatuloy sa pagmamasid ng lugar, umaasang makakahanap ng malalabasan. Napakalawak ngg kwarto ang pinto ay nakakandado at pati ang bintana ay may harang din.
Biglang may kumatok sa kahoy na pintuan, tapos nasundan ng tunog ng mga susi, na parang binubuksan ang pinto.
Tama nga, may nagbukas ng pinto.
Tatlong guwardiya na nakaputing tuxedo ang nakatayo sa may pintuan. Hinanap ng mga ito kung nasaam sila, nang makita sila ay tumingin lamang ito ng walang emosyon kina Alice at Charle.
"You are invited to join the dinner that was prepared by the Hatter" One of the guards said.
Dalawang guwardiya ang humila sa kanila patayo at kinaladkad sila palabas ng kwarto.
They passed too many white hallways, paintings of different hearts, and more suprisingly, a huge sculpture of Queen was on the middle of one open room.
Nakarating sila sa isang napakalaking kulay dugong pinto na unti-unting bumukas at mula doon, nakita nila ang isang mahabang lamesa na punong-puno ng pagkain at may mga taong nakaupo rin sa bawat silya.
The guests were the subjects they encountered on the first trial, From The blue catterpillar to the nightmare bringer. Each and every subject was there, Jaden and Gordon are also there sitting on the velvet, luxurious looking chair.
Naupo si Alice at si Charle sa dalawang bakanteng upuan at pinanood ang bawat galaw ng lahat ng nasa hapag kainan. Inilibot ni Charle ang kanyang mata at nakita ang mga tali na nakapulupot sa paa at kamay ng mga subject, na tila pumipigil sa kanila makaalis.
"The Hatter wants to say that you are welcome to the Castle of Hearts, enjoy your meal" sabi ng isang guwardya at umalis.
Charle played the 'food' on his plate with his fork. Then he saw an eyeball, the same deep ocean blue eyes, he will never forget.
Their dinner...
Is Tony..
Naguguluhan na siya. Hindi ba matagal na noong namatay si Tony?
Bakit?
Anong nangyayari?
He looked around again and saw the once eating and lively subjects on the dining table was all dead. Their food was different parts of human body. Everything changed, even the masculine guards were just klunks dressed in white tuxedo. Everything in this place are dead except from him, Alice, Jaden and Gordon.
Nageenjoy sa pagkain sina Alice nang ihagis ni Charle ang plato n'yang puno ng pagkain sa sahig na umagaw ng atensyon nina Alice.
"Charle what are--Oh my gosh" Alice finally saw what Charle is seeing, the same as the two other interns.
"What the hell?" Jaden asked.
Nagsilapitan naman agad ang mga klunks sa kanila. "RUN!" Sigaw ni Jaden.
They ran, the faction was separated, Alice with Charle, Jaden with Gordon.
Multiple klunks were running after them, they ran through long white hallways and tried finding an unlocked door and fortunately, they did.
They entered the unlocked door and unlocked it again once they both are in. They panted, gasping for air.
"Who are you and what are you doing in MY castle?" A lady, identical with Queen was there, except she has long straight ebony hair, wearing a black ball gown with silver diamonds attached and her lips were painted black.
"Ako si Charle, sya si Alice, mind telling us who you are?" Charle asked politely.
"I am the duchess and i run this place" She proudly proclaimed.
Nagiba bigla ang kaniyang mood at nagsimulang maglakad ng pabalik-balik.
"I am the ruler of this place, I own this place, not Queen, this is mine!" Paulit-ulit niyang sigaw.
"Calm down" Alice tried calming the panicked Duchess but the Duchess pointed a finger at her.
"You! You will steal my kingdom away! You're working for Queen! Stay away!" She shouted, wide eyed.
"Naku, hindi po, we will not steal your kingdom, we're trying to get out of this castle" Charle slowly spoke.
"You do?" The Duchess asked.
As Charle and Alice nodded, the duchess calmed down and sat on her black mattress.
"So, can you tell us what happened here, your highness?" Alice asked politely.
"One day, when everything is just fine and fair, a colony of the dead leaded by the evil, Mad Hatter and her apprentice came" the duchess paused as tears streamed off her face.
"H-he, T-hey killed everyone, and He imprisoned me here!" She shouted and she started shaking violently.
"Anong itsura niya? Nung Hatter? Anong itsura ng Mad Hatter?" Tanong ni Alice.
Huminga ng malalim ang duchess, upang maisaayos ang kanyang paghinga bago magsalita.
"He has the hair that compares to the fair sands on the beach, he is wearing a neatly sewn coat, as green as the forest. And his eyes! Oh his eyes! His orbs had different colour, one that looked like hawk's and the other one reflects the blue sky above" she continued.
"Alam mo ba kung nasaan siya ngayon?" Tanong ni Charle sa Duchess.
"I believe he's in the biggest room on this castle, in the throne, in MY throne!" She shouted and insisted that she rule this place.
"Thank you" Alice bowed.
The assured that the hallways are empty before going out the Duchess' room.
They went out and slowly walked through the long hallways ahead of them.
"Who do you think is the Mad Hatter? I think its Zch, remember the mark we saw on him?" Alice asked.
"that's impossible Alice, patay na si Zch" Charle said as his forest green eyes darken.
"But how can you explain the subjects that are alive and eating with us earlier?" Alice asked through gritted teeth.
"Patay na sila Alice, Patay na sila, ilusyon lang natin yun. Patay na sila at hindi na sila mabubuhay pa" sabi ni Charle habang pautloy sila sa paghahanap sa Mad Hatter.
"Pero... Papaano?" Alice asked again.
"It's D.E.A.T.H we are talking about here Alice, They can do anything" Charle answered.
They kept on looking for the throne room for hours and hours, but that seems impossible since the castle was too big.
"Where the hell is that throne room?" Alice asked, particularly to no one.
"Where do you think you're going?" a deep, cold voice said behind them.
They faced the voice and saw an old, grumpy looking man staring at them.
"Sino ka?" Tanong ni Charle sa matanda.
"I can ask you the same thing Kid" the old man said.
"I'm Charle and this is Alice, now, who are you?" Charle asked again.
"I'm the gate keeper" the old man proudly said.
"What are you upto?" Tanong niya.
"We're here for the Mad Hatter" Alice stated firmly.
"Will Do" The gate keeper said and crooked a demonic smile.
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All The Love - Z