WONDERLAND

Twenty-seven minutes. That's how long the suits stood there before being addressed by the queen who was having a horrid time picking her nail color schedule for the next week. When they were finally addressed, the queen seemed almost too subdued. There was an eerie calm over the courtyard and none of the queens court seemed to move an inch.

"I have wonderful news." Came from the queen's bright red lips. "As you all are aware, Recently my one and only shade of 'cherry blood' red lipstick was ripped from my hands. I have led a search for the stolen goods and unfortunately have run into a dead end." The crowd was still silent. "This is not my good news obviously." She continued, turning her lips downward more than they usually sat. "My good news is that I have had a wonderful idea!" she said cheerily looking to her court for recognition. They obliged with a polite clap and fell silent again. The queen's ideas that she calls wonderful were never really good ideas, but if you were to suggest otherwise, you would lose your head.

"I have decided," she paused for dramatic effect, "to let the thief step up to take his punishment." The silence continued, only a bird cawing in the background was allowed to ridicule her offer. The punishment for anything that the queen did not approve of was obviously beheading. It was easy enough to replace people. They were just tools anyway.

Still no one volunteered their life to the axe. The queen set her jaw tightly, her lips turning pink from the pressure.

"That is a pitty." She said in a voice that held no form of pity in it at all. "If no one takes responsibility for my ruined day, someone will still have to be punished. A crime cannot go unpunished or ideas may form in the masses heads. An example must be made." She narrowed her eyes in the suits direction; from the hearts all the way over to the spades.

"You." She said decidedly pointing to the Ace of Spades, who bowed her head in acceptance. "Please come forward." The Ace turned on her heel and faced her Jack; her second in command, and saluted. The whole suit of Spades saluted in recognition to what their Ace was about to do. Even if it was a Heart that had stolen from the queen, this Ace was doing what needed to be done. She would be the scapegoat. She would be the sacrifice.

She turned toward her queen and saluted quickly before walking up and kneeling before the chopping block that was permanently built into the ground. It was a light heavy wood but it was stained from its past victims. The horn was blown and the drums began to beat. She closed her eyes and the world was filled with just the booming of the drums; just the beating of her heart. The call came.

"OFF WITH HER HEAD!" shouted the queen. The axe fell into the block. No one said anything because no one knew what to say. The queen growled in rage.

"WHAT?" she screamed, "HOW DID SHE- FIND HER! NOW!" the three remaining aces saluted and the suits began to scramble. The Jack of Spades smiled. He didn't know how the Ace had done it, but maybe this was what people needed. The darkness that swallowed the Ace in a split second was a godsend and more than worry for the Ace's safety, he was excited at the prospect of what this would incite. The queen had been defied.

HALLOWEENTOWN

"I'll miss you-"she said before being cut off by an awful cackling noise that was too familiar for comfort. Ever muscle in her body tensed as she turned quickly to see Oogie waddling up behind her.

"Even me, Hun?" he questioned allowing one of his evil smiles to spread across his wide burlap mug. "Yah shouldn't do anything you'll regret Suga-pie." This made a scowl grow on her face; not only the alliteration but the obvious threat to the people that she loved.

"It's produced 'sugER', not 'sugAH'" she spat at him. His eyes narrowed. "Leave me in peace, Oogie. You'll never get those memories." Her stomach churned at the thought and she audibly gagged. ", Even if you were the last creature in this world." She didn't know what he wanted with them but the means disturbed her and the end couldn't be any better. As she began to walk away he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Nobody leaves Oogie-Boogie hangin'!" he growled pulling a maroon pair of dice out from behind his back. A wave of fear ran over her, but she stood tall.

"Not today, Bastard!" she yelled before delivering a kick to where his privates where supposed to be. He recoiled in shock, despite his apparent lack of business in the area, giving her enough time to wring her wrist free and make off like a mad cat. She took short turns and quick dodges through the alley before finally slowing down to a quick walk. She looked back the way she came and half sighed under her heavy breathing.

"Goodbye." She said before turning back around and finding herself face to face with a light pole. The impact had her falling to her knees as everything went fuzzy. Her eyes stayed open long enough to witness a dark weightless puddle envelope her and found herself blind with her eyes open.

DESTINYISLAND

After extensive testing and constant monitoring, the doctors said that there was nothing wrong with the two girls. There was no physical or brain damage and yet both of them slept on in their beds with their monitors beeping.

The three friends who had found the girls admitted to helping them out of the waters, but not how they got there. If there was no damage, then there was no reason to make themselves seem crazy by talking about girls falling from the sky. No part of their situation made sense to any of the three so they agreed that the only way to answer the questions they had, was to wait for the girls to wake up. They would be waiting for three whole days before they would know anything, even if it was of little substance.


I appreciate all comments, questions, and concerns. The review button is your best friend.

Thanks to everyone sticking with me through this editing process as well as those willing to sit through these first few chapters on Destiny Islands. Love to EVERYONE.