Elizabeth and Alice in Otherland: Part 5

Smirking, Alice drew out her weapon. The long polearm terminated in a silver horse's head. It reminded Elizabeth of the hobby horse she used to play with as a child.

Teeth of needles and broken glass unsheathed themselves from the creatures shadowy flesh. Each ragged edge seemed to twist and writhe on it's own as the creature bellowed a challenge.

The Skyhook roared to life in Elizabeth's hands as she stepped forward to meet Alice. The two met each other's gaze briefly, before readying themselves against the creature.

Just as the creature tensed it's body the Mariner delivered a powerful shoulder tackle the caught the creature off-guard. Pressing the advantage Alice raised the hobby horse above her head and brought it down on the creature. It's head caved in with a sickening pop but rapidly began to reform itself.

Darting to the side Elizabeth caught one of the creatures legs in the metal prongs of her Skyhook. The rotary blades chewed through the murky flesh, but were halted by the creatures continued regeneration.

With a pained cry the beast lashed out with it's scything limbs, shearing sections of walkway and cable alike.

"Grab onta somethin'!"

Elizabeth felt the walkway under her feet give way. She reached out desperately with her Skyhook and managed to latch on to a piece of cable that slowed her descent. Suddenly the cable snapped and she once again found herself tumbling to the water below.

Closing her eyes and throwing her arms in front of herself Elizabeth prepared for impact. But the impact never came. When she opened her eyes she saw Alice looking down at her. In Alice's hand was a bright red umbrella that seemed, against all logic, to actually be slowing their descent.

The sound of rending metal made Elizabeth jerk her head over her shoulder. The umbral beast had lost it's footing and lashed out in all directions with it's limbs as it tumbled down, causing pressurized water and sheets of metal to fly about the chamber with monsterous force.

"Girls! We'll come find ya!" Mariner could be heard bellowing.

Landing safely on a piece of cleaved pipeline Elizabeth and Alice desperately held on to the sides. The pressurized water shot their makeshift raft out through one of the massive tunnels and deeper into the sewers.

Rocketing around a turn a low-hanging pipe came into view. "Duck!" Elizabeth cried out. Alice hesitated only for a moment, but that was nearly enough to knock her head from her shoulders.

As they flowed deeper and deeper into the tunnels their raft began to slow down. Eventually it evened out into a slow, steady dift that afforded Elizabeth and Alice some room to catch their breath.

"What are we going to do? We're separated from Mariner and Finder." Elizabeth asked.

"Well we can't stop here. Let's see if we drift into another junction."

The two fell silent and let the slapping of water against metal fill their ears. It was a calming noise that threatened to disarm their senses. Possibly aware of this Alice spoke up.

"You miss him a lot don't you? Booker, I mean."

Once again Elizabeth was filled with questions. How could she know about Booker? But she felt compelled to answer. "I miss him so much. Sometimes I feel like...that I'll never feel better again." She let the words hanging the air before adding. "Have you ever felt that way?"

Alice smiled knowingly and touched her necklace. "I lost my family when I was only seven. They all died in a house fire."

"That's terrible, I'm so sorry."

"Eventually you just learn to live with what happened. But you never forget the pain." She tilted her head and looked at Elizabeth's brooch. "I suppose that's not what you wanted to hear, though. Was it?"

"It's not that, I-wait, do you hear that?" An off-rhythm thumping could be heard coming through the nearby wall.

"That sounds like our friend Mariner. How fortuitous."

Stretching out her arms to steady herself Alice leapt onto the small walkway and began to shimmy along the wall. Elizabeth joined her and the two began to follow the sound. Soon enough Alice found a small access door. She carefully opened the door and peered in at the adjoining tunnel. Mariner and Finder were making their way deeper into the sewer, unaware of her presence.

"One wonders how you could make it down here so quick."

At this Finder let out a feminine shriek and ran under Mariner's legs. But calmed himself as soon as he realized it was Alice that was speaking.

"There ya are. I knew ye'd end up around these parts. Well come on, come on. We've got places to go."

For the better part of an hour the group followed Mariner through a seemingly nonsensical path that appeared to double-back, go around in a circles, and occasional turns that seemed to be chosen entirely at random. But eventually Mariner's sense of direction won out and the group found themselves climbing up a long ladder to the surface.

"Finally." Finder exclaimed, clinging to Mariner's broad back as he ascended the staircase. "My feet are killing me."

Elizabeth, the first to reach the top, slid the manhole cover aside and peered out at the street. Ragged figures in dirty clothes went about their business, including several small creatures like Finder. Across the street was a large theater with two large spotlights tracing patterns in the jet-black sky.

Nobody seemed to notice Alice and the others joining her on the street. Or if they did they didn't seem to care. They seemed mostly to keep to themselves.

 As they walked down the street towards the theater a loose piece of paper caught her attention. It was some kind of poster. Curious, she bent down and straightened it out so she could read the contents. It was her face. They were looking for her.


'Wanted: dead or alive by order of King Atlas.'