ETTING   OME   O   LFANDRA

---

Anton's Journey chapter 4 - Mouse - Cold-Blooded Killer?

And so it was, just like he’d pictured inside his head. The sand was grainy, and the waves lapped at his heels. The beach stretched on, heading up over numerous embankments where it disappeared into a line of trees. Of course, it was totally absurd, it didn’t make any sense. However, by now Anton had learned to stop looking for good sense, and settle for any.
He noticed that the sky was darker now. Where before there were at least hints of blue sky in the swirling maelstrom above him, now remained mostly only the black clouds. It seemed that the further away from where he had come from, the darker things became. And still there was no purpose to his actions. Everything that had happened so far had happened by chance. He needed to take control of things if ever he was to get home, else he be doomed to wander aimlessly looking for a way out. But deep in his heart, he knew the way things would work; he needn’t look for trouble, because it was going to find him.
Dripping wet, he shook himself to rid his fur of the clinging moisture and salt. His eyes were red and sore from his experiences in the water, and he rubbed them with the back of his paw, only to wince from rubbing more salt into them.  So far, none of the landscape had been very hospitable, from the water to the trees. The sand would probably burn his feet no doubt, or cut them to ribbons. Something nasty was bound to be lurking here.
But his fears were put to rest when he treaded gingerly onto the main part of the beach. The sand was in fact cool, and refreshing. And he sighed with relief. The only thing that could make him more comfortable now was to get some food into his stomach… raw rabbit would do just fine right now.
However, a sudden cheer nearby interrupted his train of thought. Anton looked around for a sign of the voices, but could find none. He tried to smell for persons, but the salt still clogged his nose, and there was no wind. Cursing, he listened again, and was rewarded when another cheer was heard, and this time he pinpointed it to the east, where just over a sand embankment he could see a large pillar of stone. Judging that whatever was making the noise was over there, he began to make his way in that direction.
 As he headed over the embankment, he couldn’t help but take awhile to take in the scene that lay before him, even after everything he had seen. Running around a large pillar of stone were a myriad of creatures, each as large as himself. Birds of all shapes and sizes. Mammals, such as monkeys, beavers, two crabs… and the mouse. And still, they frantically ran around and around this pillar, in all different directions, sometimes bumping into each other, or scraping against the rough edges of the pillar. Every now and then, a cheer went up from the participants, before they resumed their running. All in all, it was a sight that could not have existed anywhere aside from Wonderland. Taking a deep breath, Anton began to descend the embankment from where he stood observing this strange scene. He very much doubted that any of the assembled crowd would be of any help at all. In this twisted Wonderland, it was far more likely that they would sooner mob him than
help him, but at least he could gain a clue as to a direction to go. It was a large owl that spotted him first. Hooting at the top of it’s lungs, it called the other animals to stop, and gradually their pace slowed, as the strange wolfish looking creature approached. Anton observed them as he drew near. They all looked fairly ragged, just like rabbit had. What strange transformation had been worked in Wonderland? From child’s play story, to infant nightmare… it was chilling. Only a few feet away now, their mutterings hushed into whispers, before Anton spoke.
“Greetings.”
Silence.
“I come to you in peace.”
Still silence. No-one moved.
He was getting annoyed. “…Does anyone know the way out of here?”
Then laughter. The entire throng burst into laughter, of a maniacal, cackling sort, like they knew a joke which Anton did not. Then, at the hushings of the owl, they drew quiet again.
Unsure of what to make of this turn of events, Anton’s annoyance grew. “Can you not speak? Will you not? Where is the mouse, I know he can. Show yourself, or I shall come and find you!”
“Leave us alone!” The mouse said, pushing his way past a puffin and a n otter. “We haven’t done anything to you!”
Crossing his arms across his chest, he growled, “I’m not leaving until I get some answers.”
The mouse shook his head, the crowd of creatures along with him “When will you learn, there are no answers to be found here. Not anywhere. Now please go, before you condemn us all!”
“It’s not as simple as that, I’m stuck here. What were you all doing just now, running around this rock?”
“We were racing”, a large bird spoke out ah the rear of the crowd. As it stepped forward, Anton saw that it was in fact a Dodo. A most bizarre creature, from it’s wings sprouted a pair of hands, in one of which was a tattered wooden cane, which it used as it hobbled along. “Due to the circumstances of our being here, we decided upon the immediate adoption of more energetic remedies---”
“Speak English!” An Eagle shouted from the back, “I don’t know the meaning of half these long words, and I don’t believe you do either.”
“If you don’t mind, I was speaking, I suggest you keep your beak shut, or I shall break it for you!” The old bird squawked. Obviously it had a bit of a temper…
“I’m sorry, but what circumstances?” Anton enquired, hoping not to upset it.
“Well, we too were trapped in that accursed pool, and one has to dry off does one not? Have you never seen a Caucus-race before?”
“I can’t say that I have, but I am pressed for time so…”
“It used to be fun,” The Dodo continued, interrupting Anton, “It was a game. But we’ve been running for so long now… and I grow weary.”
Anton raised an eyebrow, “Then why not just stop?”
“Oh no!” It squawked again, “We couldn’t do that!”
“Why not?” This conversation was getting no-where, but it intrigued him.
“We have to. We’ll lose our heads if we don’t.”
“Why, the Red Queen of course. We’re prisoners here.” It said, rather forlornly.
“Prisoners? Well, that’s different. I never knew the Red Queen was that much of a tyrant.”
“Oh yes, oh yes, she is. But she never used to be. Lately though, she’s become rather cruel, don’t you think so mouse?”
The mouse crossed it’s arms and looked at the Dodo spitefully, “Haven’t you said enough? You’ll bring the Red Queen’s wrath upon us all!”
“Oh come now, come now, we haven’t had a visitor since… well, that girl. You know the one.”
“Alice? I keep hearing about her…”
“Must you say her name?!” Mouse squeaked.
“Well, yes, her...” Dodo said, looking down at his hands. “As I recall, it was after that girl came here that the Red Queen started acting all funny, eh mouse?”
“Shut up! Just shut up!” The mouse said, leaping at the bird. Anton stood back, taken by surprise, as the Dodo and the mouse scrabbled about on the floor. The fight was actually quite vicious. Pretty soon, the crowd of assembled animals had formed a tightly drawn ring around the combatants. Pushing the mouse off of him, the Dodo picked himself off of the floor and swung his cane, waiting for the mouse to leap at him again. The mouse obliged and dived towards Dodo, it’s teeth gnashing, but was clubbed off with another blow from the cane. Lying on the floor, it picked itself up, with a shriek, it lashed its tail around Dodo’s leg and pulled it over. Quicker than anyone could blink, the mouse had leapt upon the fallen bird, and tore at it’s neck.
“No!” Anton shouted. But he could not be heard above the cheers of the animals. Blood spurted out as the mouse’s fangs ripped through skin and feather, covering the sand with wet sin, until finally the Dodo gave one last muted squawk, before laying silent.
Turning to Anton, it’s teeth dripping with blood and breathing heavily, the mouse fixed Anton in the eye. The crowd of animals drew tight around him.  “Go.” It whispered, “Just go.”
Anton obliged.