Elizabeth and Alice in Otherland: Part 10

True to his word something much worse had bubbled to the surface upon Atlas' death: a plague of shadows that consumed all that it touched. And now she was lost, separated from her friends and wandering the darkness without any clear aim.

At irregular intervals the shadows seemed to nip at her, stinging her hands and feet. She knew that if she didn't find a way out that the darkness would soon consume her as well.

She thought about Finder and Alice, both lost in the shadows like her. She hoped they were okay. She had confidence in Alice, but When she had last seen Finder his body had been limp and defenseless, easy pickings for the predatory shadows.

After wandering for what felt like hours her thoughts began to turn inward. She questioned why she was even here, and and what she hoped to accomplish. As her thoughts reached their darkest point she noticed something up ahead. She couldn't see it, but she felt it was there.

Blindly wandering forward she bumped into something. As she felt it with her hands she felt the material give way to reveal small shafts of light. There was something inside this shape she realized as she tried to peer inside. Curled in the center of the briny cocoon was a young woman with long hair. Her youthful features and dress were intimately familiar to Elizabeth.

"It's...me."

Elizabeth threw up her arms to protect herself. Shadows lashed against her, producing small bloodless cuts where they made contact with skin. Elizabeth winced in pain, but steeled herself.

Reaching out, Elizabeth grasped at the ropey strands that kept the other her in place. In response the other her cried out and the fibers began to violently resist, forcing Elizabeth back. "Go away!"

"I won't leave us like this."

"You're the reason things are like this in the first place!" Shre replied to Elizabeth, brushing tears from her eyes. "Trusting him! Leaving our home!"

Elizabeth extended her hand in a sympathetic gesture. "You don't mean that."

"And Sally! Look what happened to me because of her. She wasn't my responsibility!"

"Maybe she wasn't. But it was the right thing to do." Elizabeth began to forge through the shadows and into the prison.

"It must be so easy for you to say that. After all, you don't have to live with the consequences."

Elizabeth stopped in her tracks, taken aback by what she heard. "Consequences?"

Again the shadows whipped themselves into a fury. Cuts began to form all along Elizabeth's forearms and exposed shoulders.

"I'm so scared." The other her cried.

Forcing through the pain Elizabeth breached the prison. The umbral fibers fell away without effort as she pulled them away from herself. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. Not of Atlas, not of anything." Elizabeth said, taking the other her into her arms. "You're safe. You did it."

"I'm sorry." She sobbed.

"Don't be."

Elizabeth wordlessly consoled her as she began to fade away. Rather than expressing fear or anger, the other her seemed grateful. The forces that had manifested her no longer held any power over Elizabeth's Wonderland and the shadows retreated.

A wave of relief washed over Elizabeth as she heard Alice's familiar voice. "A little anti-climactic, I'd say. But mission accomplished." When she turned to face Alice she realized that Finder was with her as well.

"I'm not sure what you expected." Elizabeth replied, wiping away a tear.

"Oh, some kind of showdown. Carnage, that sort of thing. But-" Alice interrupted herself with a shrug. "In the end all is well."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a happy ending." Finder chimed in.

Elizabeth kneeled down and stratched Finder behind the ears. He seemed to enjoy that. Looking up, Elizabeth spoke again. "Listen, Alice. when we wake up I'll-"

Alice shook her head. "I'd love to, but that won't be possible."

"What do you mean?"

Alice sighed. "Elizabeth, in my waking world it's 1856. We've never met. Not in the waking world, anyway."

"How is that possible? That would make you..."

"Quite dead, in your time. And I'm afraid that any explanation lies far beyond the rational."

Elizabeth trembled as she searched for some kind of logical answer, something that would make sense of what she was hearing. "That's not..." Abruptly Elizabeth grabbed Alice's hand. "I'll find you." She continued. "Somehow."

"I think I'd very much like that." Alice replied, brushing back a strand of Elizabeth's hair. "You've been a wonderful friend. But you need to wake up now."

Elizabeth's flinched as her eyes caught the sunlight seeping through her blinds. Turning from the light she buried her head in her pillow. But the damage was already done, Elizabeth was wide awake now.

With a groggy realization Elizabeth looked around. Everything seemed normal enough. No odd buildings in the skyline, no strange creatures. Only...

Elizabeth picked up the small book lying next to her bed. A somber smile played on her lips as she read the cover. 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' by Lewis Carroll.