by Lotus Rose
“Piffle,” the Jabberwock says. He approaches the pedestal.
Malice says, “I’m afraid the hammer’s not there. It flew out of my hand.” She stops short, because the hammer is resting atop the pedestal. “Oops. It seems to have returned to its rightful place. It’s like a boomerang hammer.”
The Horseman body, meanwhile, is standing in an awkward position so the Jabberwock’s head can read the instructions. “Righto,” he says, “And here we go.” He picks the hammer up, stands in front of the mirror.
There’s the dazed expression. There’s the glow in the mirror. The reflection that appears is of the Jabberwock with a complete jabberwock body—the reflection seems shrunken in order to fit inside the borders of the mirror.
The Jabberwock gasps. “Oh, how I’ve missed having a proper body.” His reflection doesn’t mirror his movements, merely stands quietly holding a hammer, looking fierce.
Malice places her hand upon her hip. “What? Human bodies aren’t posh enough for you?”
“I meant no offense, My Queen. I just meant—”
“Relax, Jabby! I was just messing with ya! I know you’re just salivating over the sight of that spiffy, undecapitated jabberwock body.”
The Jabberwock does his best nod, which involves moving the entire Horseman body. “Quite.”
“Ah, so this shall be an easy one. With no hemming and hawing, as with Sleepy B, previously. You’re much better behaved than that brat, Jabby. I almost killed her, I did.”
The Jabberwock cringes. He seems to be holding back, as he says, “That would’ve been most regrettable.”
She waves a dismissive hand through the air. “Yes, it would’ve been an inconvenience. Oh, by the way, I have no intention of killing you. You’re of no use to me dead.”
“You flatter me, Your Highness. I must admit, I don’t wish to murder you or mangle your body either.”
“Indeed you don’t.” She quirks her mouth and teases, “In fact, you want quite the opposite, don’t you, my affectionate little monster?”
“Begging your pardon?”
“I bet you would just love to cuddle me, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course not! Especially with your heart not working.”
She arches her brow. “Because I’m liable to tear your head off? I grant you, I’m not as cute as Sleepy B, but I’m the queen. Doesn’t my power and fierceness make you want to cuddle me?”
“You know I’m fond of you, and respect you greatly, but this is not the time for affections. I must embrace my reflection.”
“You dodged my question. Do you, or do you not, have the urge to cuddle me? Answer me, or I shall punch you!”
“I shan’t answer.” The Jabberwock crosses his arms.
The Cat chuckles. “I think you put him off,” he says to Malice.
“Shut up, furball!”
The Jabberwock says, “Please, My Queen, just allow me to embrace my reflection, so that we may be on our way.”
When the Jabberwock gestures to his reflection, Malice takes a couple of steps to the side and glances at it, and the reflection locks eyes with her and smiles.
The Jabberwock continues, “We can talk more, once your heart is running, because as of now, you’re not acting like yourself.”
But Malice is hardly paying any attention, because she’s too busy making goo goo eyes with the reflection. “Hmmm? How curious.”
“What?” the Jabberwock says. Now he glances back and forth between the reflection and Malice, taking special note of the gaze they’re sharing between them. “Oh bother,” he murmurs.
“Yes,” Malice says whilst still gazing in the reflection’s eyes. “I do believe your reflection is flirting with me.”
In response to her words, the reflection blur-waves at Malice.
“He is flirting,” the Jabberwock says, “But in a decidedly non-romantic way, I assure you.”
Malice grins wickedly. “Do you for sure, assure me? I’m just heartless enough to be intrigued by a little bestiality.”
The Jabberwock makes a groan of disgust. “You’re too young to even understand what that means.”
“It’s when two different members of different species hug and kiss, romantically.”
“Of course,” the Jabberwock says, but Malice feels he’s mocking her for some reason. “No, my reflection merely strongly desires to cuddle you, like a pet. But it’s nothing romantic, just as I myself never have romantic inclinations toward humans.”
“Ah, so he’s like you yourself, in that regard? Ah, but he is you! He’s the future you that you aspire to be. And how are you so certain if he’s romantic or not?” She watches with a quirked brow as the reflection shifts its hammer to hold it in its mouth. “Ah, what’s he doing?”
The Jabberwock says, “I can somehow sense the emotions he’s feeling, and they are of course, the same ones I would feel should I ever actually become the poor perverted sod.”
“Eh?” She glances at the Jabberwock, to see a pained expression upon his face. “Perverted? You aren’t having second thoughts, are you? Because that’d be quite irritating.”
The Jabberwock opens his mouth to reply, but before he can, both he and Malice jump from a loud thump sound from the mirror, shortly followed by another loud thump.
“Blimey!” the Cat exclaims in his surprise.
As Malice turns her head, she sees the reflection clap his hands together, whilst still holding the hammer in his mouth. The reflection slams one palm into the inner surface of the mirror, slams the other, claps, holds Malice’s eyes, waiting for something in expectation.
The Jabberwock sighs. “When I said ‘perverted’, I did not mean it in the adult way of which you are not privy to understand. I mean perverted in the sense of being unnatural to the other jabberwocks—” He points at the mirror. “—for behold, how my reflection wishes to play patty cake with you!”
“Ah, won’t you be his playmate!” the Cat exclaims with a chuckle.
Malice shoots him a glare, as again, the reflection initiates the thump and thump and clap.
Malice sighs. “A child’s game? Why must I yet again proclaim I’m not a little girl? I seem to repeat myself incessantly, to no avail. I repeat again, I’m not a little girl. Do you not see these?” She points at her chest.
The Jabberwock stares at her chest with a curious expression. “Yes I do. I find them most odd, as grown female jabberwocks are flat-chested. Nonetheless, you’re the only girl here, and hence, by default, the littlest one hereabouts. And so he wishes to play with you. Oh, it is disgraceful!”
Malice shrugs to herself and gently pushes the Jabberwock aside so that she may be in a good patty-caking position. She consoles the Jabberwock, “But it is how you are, it is how you’ve always been, and so it is, how you shall be once you regain a full body. Just learn to accept it, and embrace the you of the future...this patty-caking monster!” She giggles and slaps her palm against the mirror. The reflection thwaps his hand out, too—if there wasn’t a mirror between them, their hands would have met—instead Malice only feels the mirror surface and the strong vibration of the reflection’s hard thumping blows. She says, “He strikes too hard, methinks.”
Malice and the reflection continue playing patty cake as Malice cackles.
“You shouldn’t encourage him,” the Jabberwock mutters sulkily.
“But the sight of you as a patty-caking monster amuses me greatly!”
“Bah!” the Jabberwock exclaims disgustedly. “I find it an atrocious sight! Don’t you see? If I am ever amongst my fellow monsters whilst possessed of such unnatural inclinations? Why, I shall be a disgrace, in their eyes!”
Malice is struck with a sudden pang of compassion. “Aww, my dear Jabby.”
Jabby merely looks at her and conveys his question by arching his brow ridge (he doesn’t have eyebrows).
“Ah,” she says. She presses her hand to her chest. “I daresay my heart is sputtering into usefulness again.”
“I’m
glad to hear it. You were being quite a little nuisance, Your Highness.”
The Cat says to Malice, “Oh, bother. You aren’t going to act all sappy now, are ya?”
“Yes, I am,” Malice replies. To Jabby, she says, “Now that my heart is working, I shan’t mock you any further. Instead, I wish to give you a big squishy hug for being so blooming adorable!” She spreads wide her arms.
“I’m a blasted jabberwock! They hate little girls!”
“I’m not little! And so, you’re not like the others! So what?”
“So, if I am ever to regain my family name so I can live amongst my monsters again, I can’t be that way. Oh, but just look at that daft bloke!” He points at the reflection, who is now standing with his arms spread wide, fixing a “come hither” grin upon Malice. “The wanton sod wishes to cuddle you!”
“Aww, how sweet!” Malice proclaims, and clasps her hands together in delight, before stretching her arms out wide.
“No! Not sweet!” the Jabberwock despairs. “Okay, it’s sweet, but that’s the opposite of how a true monster should be! And if what you see in that mirror is how I shall be, then it’s better that I stay as I am!”
“What?!” Malice lowers her arms, and the reflection frowns and lowers his arms in rejection. “It’s not an affliction you have! You could persuade your fellow monsters not to hate little girls. After all, they aren’t so horrible, right?”
The Cat says, “I don’t know about that. Sleepy B can be quite the terror.”
“Sleepy B is wonderful,” the Jabberwock says. To Malice, he says, “You just don’t understand how it is amongst my monsters. The hatred of little girls is strong, it’s a part of my monsters’ entire culture. I would not be able to sway their minds.”
“So hide your affections.”
The Jabberwock shakes his head by twisting the Horseman body. “I wouldn’t be able to hide it for long. Oh, I often consider my feelings to be a curse! Even though they bring me such joy, they also bring me such disgrace, for I feel I am not a true jabberwock. Why, my fondness for human little girls, makes me like a human, no offense.”
“None taken. But Jabby—”
“No, I am already more than halfway human.” He gestures with his hand at the Horseman body. “I think it best I stay this way. No, I shan’t embrace that reflection version of me. I won’t, for I have no right to be a jabberwock, because of how I am.”
“But if you don’t embrace it, you shall be stuck forever in the Den of Mirrors, because of the magic.”
The Jabberwock looks perplexed. “What you just said was all gobbledygook to me.”
“Enchanted,” the Cat says.
Malice sighs. “Just making sure. It seems I must appeal to his inner motivations and desires. Very well, Jabby, dear, I propose a solution. Once you get your jabberwock body, you needn’t live in Jabberwock Valley. Return to Wonderland, with us. Stay with me and Sleepy B. Oh, and when you have your new body that is capable of receiving our affections, oh how we shall bestow you with hugs and kisses!”
“I don’t deserve that,” the Jabberwock says. “I’m a disgrace. I am no real monster.”
“Of course you are, Jabby! You’re our monster. You’re still fierce and woesome. You’re just different, in a marvelous way! And we are glad for that, because it means we can be your friend.”
“I can still be your friend, using this body I’ve borrowed.”
“But you so much desire to possess a jabberwock body. And what about our needs?”
“Your needs?”
“Yes, me and Sleepy B’s needs. Because we want you to be happy and complete, with a full monster body. And, you told me how you can’t really feel cuddles, with the Horseman body, and how the whole experience really creeps you out...”
The Jabberwock’s head is frowning. “Yes, that’s why I haven’t been able— Why I asked you...it’s nothing personal, Maly.”
“Yes, ever since you got the Horseman body, you asked us to stop touching you, didn’t you!” She points at him accusingly—she regrets somewhat being mean, but she knows she’s being ‘mean to be kind’, so her ticktock heart allows it.
“Yes, but I can’t help it. It’s just that I can’t feel—”
“But you can help it!” Malice shouts. She steps toward him. “You can go to the Wizard, and acquire your jabberwock body, whilst on the inside, staying your same sweet adorable girl-loving self.” She pokes the Jabberwock’s head on his forehead. “And you can return with us to Wonderland, where we shall be your family.” (Poke of forehead.) “You got that?” (Another poke.)
The Jabberwock thinks for a moment. “I suppose if I can’t change my feelings, I could do worse than staying in Wonderland. It’s become my home, anyway, filled with friends.” He grins.
“Jolly good, my sweet Jabby.” She pats his head like a pet, while giggling at his grin. “You know, if you had refused, I would have oh-so-dramatically hugged the reflection as the next-best alternative to the real thing...” The reflection straightens at being mentioned. “But now I shan’t.” The reflection’s shoulders slump in disappointment. “Do you wish to know why, Jabby?”
“Why?”
“Because some day, I shall be able to hug the real thing.”
The Jabberwock grins and waggles his brow. The hammer clatters on the ground, as he drops it.
“Go on and embrace the future you,” Malice says.
The Jabberwock steps up to the mirror. “I look forward to being you, ya daft, hug-crazy—”
“Utterly dashing,” Malice adds.
“Aye. Daft, yet utterly dashing bloke. I embrace ya, ya sodding me of the future.” He wraps the Horseman body’s arms over the edges of the mirror.
The mirror glows, before the reflection disappears.
Ahead of them, the slab rises, revealing the tunnel and the staircase.
“Time to find out where those stairs lead,” Malice says.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
MALICE AND JABBY CLIMB the stairs (the Cat’s head floats) that lead to the surface. They again find themselves on the rocky gravel of the desert, being greeted by Humpty, Hatter, and Sleepy B.
The munchkins are standing there as well, with pleasant smiles on their faces. Rick is holding a yellow silk bag tied at top with a drawstring.
Ada curtsies. “Congratulations on passing the challenge of the mirror. We wish you the best of luck on your journey, and we hope that, as Queen of Wonderland, you’ll eventually be able to do something about that beastly Dorothy.”
“Yes, godspeed ye,” Rick says and points off on the horizon. “The town you seek lies there. I do hope you acquire the new heart you want, as I’ve been told your current one can be quite bothersome...”
“Quite,” Malice agrees. “Speaking of which, I must apologize to Sleepy for my atrocious behaviour.”
Sleepy B, who for some reason is holding her blankey, says, “It’s okay. I’m sorry for what I said too, I was just so mad at you. Bygones?”
“Bygones. So what’s in the bag, if I may inquire.”
“Oh this?” Rick replies, whilst lifting it up. “This is the poppy dust you must use to gain access to the yellow brick road, so you can visit the Wizard, if you should so wish.”
“Poppy dust?” Malice says. “Does it by any chance alter the senses?” Malice had been distracting her thoughts away from black rose, but mention of poppy dust has amplified the craving—she desperately hopes it might be a good substitute that might offer some relief.
Rick arches his brow. “We’ll discuss that later, but first, we’d promised Sleepy B that we’d tell her about the fairy tale being behind the Den of Mirrors.”
Malice claps her hands once in delight. “Ah, so it’s story time then. That would explain why Sleepy B has her blankey out.”
Sleepy B, who is on her knees now, says, “Indeed. I don’t have a bed with me, so I must engage in my best approximation, in order to hear my bedtime story.”
Malice says, “But it’s still—”
“Yes, it’s still the afternoon,” Sleepy B says. “I know that, quit being such a ninny.” She flops onto her back. “Oof!”
Malice watches the girl pull the blanket over her body, up to her chin, now Malice says, “So you said it’s the tale behind the Den of Mirrors. So you all remember the Den of Mirrors now?”
“Of course, don’t be daft,” Sleepy B says.
Malice huffs and looks around at her teammates, who all nod and agree to their own remembrance.
Malice says, “And you all realize, if you had smashed your reflection, that you would have been stuck there?”
“We remember now,” Humpty says. “But at the time, we were enchanted.”
“Enchanted,” the Cat echoes.
At some point, Sleepy B had pulled her blankey up over her head. She pulls it down, and says, “Quit wasting time, I wish to hear the story!” She pulls her blankey back up over her head.
Malice rolls her eyes. She chooses not to comment on it being too warm outside, to be under a blanket. The faster this story is told, the quicker we can move on to the subject of the poppy dust. She holds her hand toward Rick, eying that delectable silken bag. The vision of her snatching it away from him flashes through her mind, but she knows that would only cause an incident. “Commence,” she says. Sleepy B pulls her blankey back down with a giggle.
So Rick does: “Once there was a man who was very vain, and spent all his time looking in the mirror. But he grew dissatisfied with his reflection—he felt it didn’t truly capture just how handsome he actually was. So he used black magic to create numerous mirrors that would show different kinds of reflections of himself. He kept making more mirrors, until one day he went too far and made some sort of mistake—he switched places, so that he became a reflection, whilst his true self became trapped amongst the magic mirrors, somehow being held captive by them. So from then on, the man would spend his days traveling from mirror to mirror, hoping to find his real self, so that he might trade places with it, and finally be his real self once again. But alas, he never did find his real self again, or if he did, he didn’t recognize it. And then he was flown off to the Outside World, when all the fairy tale beings left Wonderland.” He looks down at the ground, indicating the end of the story.
