Destructive Memories

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Simple as that.

5. Heart of Fire

The heat from the fiery maze was smoldering, making Alice back up. She looked for the entrance to it, but there wasn't one.

But how does anyone get inside if there isn't an opening to the gate?

Alice sprinted around a few times to look for any little gaps she may have missed, but there wasn't one place she could have entered through the maze without being burnt like toast. Sighing, Alice turned around.

Surely there's another way into the castle.

Alice glanced around, and something caught her eye. A few steps off from the burning maze was a stairway type rock. Vines and bramble twisted their way through the cracks and crevices, dead leaves resting on the steps. Alice followed the path with her eyes. She grinned.

It leads around the maze! Now I can get to the castle.

Alice jumped onto the first stone and jumped up each one like a little kid playing hopscotch. She jumped higher and higher, scaling the rock staircase. Looking down, she saw the maze was far below her. Moving closer to the edge, she almost lost her balance.

Aw man, if I fall from this height I really will be a ghost.

Alice moved close to the center of the path and dashed forward. The castle came closer and closer, and so did the flames. Alice saw further ahead that a large tree trunk had fallen on the path, flames and fire eating away at the bark. Alice quickened her speed, and once she had closed almost all the distance, she lept over the tree, her dress barely escaping the gnawing fire.

Note to self: Never do that again!

With her heart pounding inside her chest, Alice entered the castle. Blood had been right. Just like everything else, the Castle was in ruins. The main throne room was practically dismembered, all the chairs and tables thrown aside, smalls fires lit on the edges. Alice looked up. The pedestal. The chair were Vivaldi once sat was destroyed beyond repair. The heart centerpiece was crumbling away, just like the curtains, drapes, and anything else that could stay on the wall.

" Peter, where are you!" Alice yelled, her voice echoing through the empty halls.

She strayed from the throne room, finding her self in the audience chamber, then the dining hall, then to the many vacant rooms Vivaldi had always kept in case anyone were ever in need of one. " Peter, come out! It's me, Alice!" her voice echoed again. The quiet halls were beginning to get to Alice. Everything was far too quiet. Inhumanly quiet, like something was there. So quiet you could have heard a pin fall on the floor from the other side of the castle.

Alice walked forward, hoping to abandon the eerie hallways and find her way to the garden. The only sound was the clanking of her shoes against the metal flooring, along with.. breathing?

Aw dang, I'm not the only person here.

Alice turned around, dreading the fact that someone could be right behind her. She turned completely. Not a soul in sight. Huffing out a sigh of relief, Alice turned back around..

..and went face-to-face with the tip of a steel blade at her forehead. Screaming, Alice fell backwards, landing on her side. A piece of glass shoved against her arm, cutting into skin and blood dripped out. She looked at her attacker. He wore a red cloak with a burgundy cloth sash, a sheath made of silver strapped around his waist. He took a step closer, his metal boots clanking against the glass on the floor. Trying to get a look at his face, Alice saw that his mouth and nose were covered by red cloth, almost like a bandana. He pointed his sword down, touching her legs with the cold steel. Alice glanced at his face once more. From behind this hooded face, she saw white tips of hair streaking down from the hood, and whoever this hooded figure was, he was glaring at her with gory blood red eyes.

Alice, having no other choice but to either try and run or face the masked menace, stood up shakily. " Peter White, if you're the one doing this it needs to end!" Alice screamed. She was shaking to no ends on the inside but she kept her composure. Slowly, the figure lowered his sword, eventually putting his back in his sheath. He took another step towards her, but Alice didn't back away.

I was never able to stand up to Peter, but this has gone on far enough.

"... " he said nothing.

Alice stamped against the glass covered floor. " So, what, now you won't say anything even though this is your fault!" She held out her arm, blood dripping from the glass cut. " You must not be Peter, then. The Peter I knew would probably take up for himself, but since you're not going to I don't have any reason to hang around you or this garbage of a castle!"

Alice jerked away, her body pulsating with anger. What nerve! She turned around, the hooded man still stood there, solid like a statue.
" Thanks for nothing!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the ragged hallways.

She stomped away, distraught and furious at the same time. That was Peter, I know it was.

Alice stopped in her tracks. I could have sworn I heard my name. If that was Peter, I'l knock his lights out, just you wait and-
She crashed to the ground, something on top of her like a heavy weight. Two arms wrapped around her in a bone crushing hug, and someone nuzzled into her neck.

" Oh, Alice dear, you're really here! You really came back after all these years! But how, the portal shouldn't have been opened, but either way, my Alice has come back to me!"

" P-peter, l-let me g-go," Alice breathed. His grip loosened around her, she gasped for air. Peter stood up, pulling her my the arm.
" Oww! Let go!" Unknown to him, Peter had pulled on her cut, stretching the skin and deepening the gap. " My dear, forgive me! I know just what to do! Come with me to tea, we'll patch you up and have you better in no time!"

This time Peter grabbed her opposite arm and pulled her along the path she once followed.

Well, there's no point in running away now.

As he dragged he through the maze of hallways, Alice tuned out to his ranting about love and fate, lost in her thoughts.

Nightmare, you better come see me tonight. I don't think I can take much more.

Man, it took WAY too long to do this. Next time won't be as long.

And yes, the Amusement Park is coming soon!

Any ideas for characters? Anything could work considering their all past the Point of Insanity ( or nut palace as I call it) Next chapter coming soon