Lane had gone with the Queen to her private golf course. Strangely enough, the clubs they were using were actual living, breathing flamingoes, what was even more odd was that the flamingoes didn't seem to mind too much about being used to hit balls.
'Poor things have probably had their spirits broken by this crazy bitch.' Lane thought.
"It's your turn, dear." The Queen said.
"Oh right." Lane said pulling herself out of her thoughts.
Lane got into position with her flamingo club; she tried her best not to look the creature in the eye for fear of not being able to follow through. She gave the ball a hard enough whack that it would travel a decent distance, but not enough so to hurt the animal too badly.
"Ah, good shot dear." The Queen said praising her for her distance.
Lane simply let out a 'Mhm', doing her best to not be too mannerly.
"Later on we shall be visiting the casinos and see how production is going. I know I've yet to take you." The Queen said taking another swing at her ball.
"Of course." Lane said taking her shot after the Queen.
"This is the casino. It's where we take the Oysters to draw emotions from them." The Queen said.
"Where are the Oysters?" Lane said while looking around confused.
"Ha! Don't be silly dear, they're all around us. We've already talked about this." The Queen said.
"So these people are all 'Oysters'?" Lane said.
"Just the ones engaging in the activities, apart from a few of our own people manipulating how they feel." The Queen said.
Lane looked around at all the people in the room and how all of them had strange shaped tattoos. All of the tattoos were the same they just happened to be different shapes and sizes around their bodies.
"So the tea that Hatter is selling at his shop is coming from these people, and the emotions are there actual emotions?" Lane said, looking to the Queen for conformation after saying the last part.
"Yes, that's exactly right. It's amazing how much people are willing to pay in order to obtain a certain emotion." The Queen said in a pleased manner.
"Have any of these people ever actually been drained of their emotions before?" Lane said walking around the casino and watching as the people obliviously gave their emotions to a vacuum under their bare feet.
"Yes, they have. They only have so much to give." One of the casino workers said.
"What happens to the once they're drained of their emotions. Are they taken away to rest? Are more people put in their place until then?" Lane said.
"One we have depleted an Oyster of all the emotion we need from it we simply throw them out." The worker said.
"You mean you send them home?" Lane said
"No. We dispose of them like trash." The worker said.
"How is that possible? Don't they complain?" Lane said.
"People hardly do much of anything when they're dead, kid." The worker said.
His words hit Lane like a brick to the stomach. They looped around in her mind, stopping particularly on the word dead. Lane felt her stomach her head felt like it was about to explode at any moment from built up pressure. She stumbled backwards before catching herself against the table.
"Are you alright, kid?" the worker said.
"I just need some air." Lane said clutching at her head and stomach before walking away.
"Where are you going?" The Queen called after Lane.
Lane didn't bother to answer she kept going and never looked back.