5.

~ The Child's courage felt stunted by the sight of the Monster. Just as fearsome as the Red Queen and perhaps more so. The Monster's cave was decorated in rich tapestries of warm orange and yellows. A bright fire blazing in a roughly worked fire place.

"Come in." Arabella Marks offered kindly. "I'll admit, I was looking for you, only to have you come to me."

"Why... why were you looking for me?" The Child stuttered as her legs pulled her inside.

"That's not important right now. What matter's is your here and your going to help me find the Red Queen. I don't have much time left." The Monster confessed.

Arabella Marks was preparing tea for the both of them. Like a gracious lady, offering it to company.

"Do you like sugar?" The Monster asked. Holding a steaming cup up for the girl to take.

"I don't know where the Red Queen is." The little girl said softly. Her bad eye reflecting the light of the fire. Giving it an unnatural glow.
"Of course you don't." Arabella Marks said with a courtly smile. She looked at the Child with a secretive look.

"I... we... came here to find out what you did to those women." The Child said screwing up her courage. "We have to find them."

"You can't find them." The Monster said coldly.

"We have to!" The Child pleaded. "They'll die!"

"You don't understand." Marks said with a sigh. Putting her tea cup down and looking at the child with a hard gaze.

"There are no women. I've murdered no one." The Monster said in a kind and forgiving tone.
"I saw the crime scene photos, I spoke with the D.A and the Doctor. I know what you did." The Child accused.
"Do you now?" The Monster said with and amused smile. "Well, since we know everything, tell me where to find your little counterpart?" She said. Leaning in close to the Child. Her wild, mad eyes flashing in the light.

"My counterpart?" The Child asked.
"When you mind broke, the Red Queen and you came from the same person. She is just as much apart of you as you are of her." Marks said. Her voice course and angry.

"No, your wrong." The child said.

"Really?" The Monster laughed. Sitting up to an impressive height. "Well, no matter. She will come to me now that I have you, Little Bird." The Monster said with an appeased smile.

The magic of the dream bended to the Monster's will as the cave morphed and changed into a deep, dark well. One which the child was suddenly at the bottom of. The water was freezing as she fought to gain a grip on the slippery stones. She couldn't climb her way out. Her fingers, failing to catch hold.

"Help!" She screamed as the cold penetrated her core. "Help!"

The Child's voice echoed through the cave as the Monster stood above the ring of the well. Gazing lazily down at the helpless little girl.
"Please." The Child cried. "I'll die."

"No, you won't." The Monster said kindly. "Don't worry."

~ A strange little melody moved through the walls of the cave. As if aroused by the Child's screams of fright and help. A haunted ghost of a lullaby that had become twisted and used to frighten more then soothe.

"When the rabbit screams the fox comes, but not to help." The Monster said wearily.

~ The Red Queen, in all her great and furious beauty wandered effortlessly through a catacomb of tunnels. Her pet's whispering things to her. Guarding themselves against the light. Hiding in the shadows as they looked forward to their feed.

The Queen could feel the Child was close. Helpless and scared. Screaming for help. A smile played briefly over her fair skin as her dead eye gleamed. Her scissors flashing out from the folds of her red dress.

She knew the Monster was close. She knew that she could vanquish that creature just as easily as she defeated the Joker. Then, her pets would feed. The Child would be destroyed and she would be freed into the waking world.

~ "She's coming!" the little girl screamed from her prison in the well. "Please, I have to get out of here! I can't let her kill me!"

"She won't." The Monster said. Her wild eyes watching an ancient door.
The anticipation of the Red Queen's arrival felt like the horrible beating of a forgotten heart. The pounding the Child's own heart was making all other sounds fall away.

"Please!" She cried helplessly again. "She's close! She's closer now!"

"I know." The Monster said softly. Never taking her gaze off the metal door knob as it slowly started to turn.

"She's here." the Child cried softly.