Chapter Four Piercing The Darkness

The wind howled loudly over the desolate, empty halls of Salazen Grum. Stayne wandered from room to room, desperately looking around for any signs of anyone living.

"Hello!" He shouted, his voice cracking, and the echoes answered him… "Lo Lo". The silence was deafening, pressing on his eardrums until he fancied he would go mad from it.

Suddenly, he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned quickly. He screamed in terror at the sight that he beheld. A Card Guard was walking down the hall towards him, its arms outstretched. Blood flowed from the stump where the head had been.

Stayne gave a strangled cry of terror, and turned to run, only to be confronted by more Guards, as well as Frog Footmen and Fish Butlers coming from the nearby rooms. They were all headless, and stalked with a single minded purpose towards Stayne. Stayne screamed and ran down the hall, pursued by his ghastly entourage. He ran blindly, propelled by sheer terror.

All of a sudden, he screeched to a halt, and screamed louder at the sight before him. The King was walking towards him, head in his hand and blood flowing from the stump on his neck. Stayne wailed in terror and dropped to his knees.

"I'M SORRY!! I'M SORRY!!" he wailed, hands to his head.

The ghastly specters continued to advance on him, and now he fancied he could hear his name being whispered through invisible lips.

"Stayne….Stayne….Stayne"

"STAYNE!! WAKE UP!!" The scream pierced the veil of his nightmare, and he awoke gasping.

Alannah looked at him, relief plain on her face. She had heard him screaming, and come running down the hall. Now she steadied his hands as they flailed about, and spoke in a calm voice.

"You're alright. It was only a nightmare. You're alright".

Stayne gave a choked sob. "No. I'm not alright. I….Alannah, if you knew what I've done! I deserve every nightmare I get. I am a murderer! I KILLED THE KING!!" he wailed in anguish.

Alannah looked at him, shocked. "What?"

Stayne nodded dumbly, then looked away and spoke in a dull voice. "The Queen suspected him of being unfaithful to her. He denied it, but she refused to believe him. Unfortunately for me, I was eavesdropping outside their chambers and the Queen caught me. She ordered me to…execute her husband. I refused at first, but then she told me if I didn't, I would die. Coward that I was, I valued my life more than another's."

Stayne looked over at Alannah, who was gazing at him with a very thoughtful expression on her face. "So now you know the type of man I am. Do you regret helping me yet?"

Alannah shook her head. "That is something I will never regret. But I also doubt that you are that man. There's more to you than you think, Ilosivic."

Stayne smiled sadly. "I wish I could believe that."

Alannah placed her hand on his face and turned his head so that she was staring into his eye, and spoke solemnly. "I believe it. That is why I am helping you."

Stayne felt himself relaxing as her gaze pierced his very soul. The feel of her flesh on his own made him feel like he was on fire. 'She is so beautiful.'

Alannah removed her hand, and Stayne found himself nearly whimpering at the loss.

"Alannah, would you do me a favor? Sing for me."

Alannah smiled. "Of course." She took a breath, and then began…and Stayne was transfixed.

He thought he saw an Elephant,
That practiced on a fife:
He looked again, and found it was
A letter from his wife.
'At length I realize,' he said,
'The bitterness of Life!'

He thought he saw a Buffalo
Upon the chimney-piece:
He looked again, and found it was
His Sister's Husband's Niece.
'Unless you leave this house,' he said,
'I'll send for the Police!'

He thought he saw a Rattlesnake
That questioned him in Greek:
He looked again, and found it was
The Middle of Next Week.
'The one thing I regret,' he said,
'Is that it cannot speak!'

He thought he saw a Banker's Clerk
Descending from the bus:
He looked again, and found it was
A Hippopotamus.
'If this should stay to dine,' he said,
'There won't be much for us!'

He thought he saw a Kangaroo
That worked a coffee-mill:
He looked again, and found it was
A Vegetable-Pill.
'Were I to swallow this,' he said,
'I should be very ill!'

He thought he saw a Coach-and-Four
That stood beside his bed:
He looked again, and found it was
A Bear without a Head.
'Poor thing,' he said, 'poor silly thing!
It's waiting to be fed!'

He thought he saw an Albatross
That fluttered round the lamp:
He looked again, and found it was
A Penny-Postage Stamp.
'You'd best be getting home,' he said:
'The nights are very damp!'

He thought he saw a Garden-Door
That opened with a key:
He looked again, and found it was
A Double Rule of Three:
'And all its mystery,' he said,
'Is clear as day to me!'

He thought he saw a Argument
That proved he was the Pope:
He looked again, and found it was
A Bar of Mottled Soap.
'A fact so dread,' he faintly said,
'Extinguishes all hope!