OMG! THIS ONE'S SO LONG! BY FAR MY LONGEST! ANYWAY, PLEASE READ, RELAX, AND ENJOY! REVIEWS ARE WELCOME; EVEN FLAMES! I OWN NOTHING!

CH.9: Friends, Foes, and a Past Revived

All of the Clover Tower residents leaned in for me to begin. I sighed, "Alright, but it's a long story, so I don't want to hear any complaining. I've never really told it, so don't expect me to go into much detail." I glanced at the three males at the table. "If you've got a question, go ahead and raise your hand, I guess." The all nodded at my ground rules. "And this wasn't a real case, but it made me want to be a detective." I rubbed my temples and gave a reminiscent sigh as I recalled the life changing events from so long ago.

"I was about 12 when it happened. A friend who worked at the dinner I sometimes loaded boxes for, Nina Trivet, decided she wanted to bring a friend with her to her parents for Thanksgiving. She was 16, but all her same-age friends had plans and mine were the Thanksgiving special at Denny's." I looked around for questions. Grey actually raised his hand. "Umm… what's Thanksgiving and Denny's?" I almost wacked my forehead. Chill C.J. Different world, different holidays. "Thanksgiving is an annual feast in celebration of the day my ancestors landed in my country from their original one. Denny's is a place to eat decent food, for moderate prices."

I continued with my story after they all absorbed the new (rather useless) knowledge. "So she brought me along. I got to meet her big sister, brother, her parents, and some other guests. They were all really nice and we had the big feast." A remorseful smile tweaked at my lips. "… I admit, I had a lot of fun. It was the first time in a long time I… never mind. I just wish it had lasted longer." Alice cocked her head, confused. "After dinner and hanging around her family, I went up to the guest room they gave me. I wasn't really all that tired, but everyone else was turning in, so I just went ahead and went to bed. Though I never went to sleep… I never really slept well in other people's houses." I scratched my head, slightly embarrassed by my childlike paranoia that I'd never totally outgrown. "So, I just sat in a rocking chair and read a book I'd brought. I eventually fell asleep. I remember waking up to this… noise. Even now … I remember it like it was yesterday." I leaned my head back. "I will never forget that noise…"

"The Nina there came in. She was panicking. She said kept saying 'he's coming! He's coming!' over and over. I remember how scared I was. Mind you, I was only 12. So, when I heard these really heavy footsteps in the hall, I grabbed her hand and pushed her under the bed. Once we were under there, I put my hand over her mouth and hushed her. Then the door flung open and all I saw was these big, muddy boots." I couldn't help but shiver a little. Thankfully, the only one who seemed to notice was Gray, who raised an eyebrow.

"He…looked in the closet and the bathroom. Then he stopped in front of the bed. Then he …dropped this bloody pocket knife, practically in front of my face. When he got it… if he had leaned down just a bit more, I probably wouldn't be here in front you today. Then he just walked out and closed the door behind him. After I couldn't hear his footsteps, I told Nina to stay put till I got back. I told her that if I didn't come back, to wait till sunup and find help. She kept begging me not to go after him… maybe she was right, but I guess that if I hadn't… I wouldn't be the person I am today." Alice was still listing intently, absorbing every detail.

"I left the room and checked each room. Then I found her parents room…" I closed my eyes. "Mr. and Mrs. Trivet…the looks on their faces… so much blood. It was just… they had been so alive no less than 3 hours ago. Laughing, joking and having fun with their kids. And HE ended it, for no reason other than for his own entertainment." I let the bitterness flow freely through my voice. Gray had a mixture of confusion and bewilderment. "I ran outside and found his car. I searched it for keys, a phone, anything. Then…I heard this knocking coming from the trunk. I opened it and…" I put a hand over my face. "It was Nina's big sis, Rya, all bloody and only half alive." Alice looked mortified while the other three gave us a calculating look.

I gave a bitter laugh. "3 hours. Not 3 hours before that, she'd been all pretty and carefree. Then he showed up. I tried. I tried to pull her out of that trunk, but she was so heavy and limp and I was so scared and trembling. Then I heard him coming. I shut the trunk and hid behind a nearby tree. I just left her there. She died in there in the dark. Scared, alone and hurting. And it's all my fault." My voice cracked on the last part as bitter tears of regret and anger began to well up. I guess now you know why I never told anyone the whole story.

Alice bolted from her seat and dashed over to me and griped my hand. I looked up at her turquoise orbs as tears actually started to well up in hers. I just couldn't believe she would cry for me. Or for Nina, Rya and their parents. "It's OK C.J, you don't have to finish. I'm sorry I made you tell it when it pains you so much." The guys were taken back by our actions, not quite sure how to react. I took a deep breath, "No, it's alright. It happened a long time ago, I've just never really talked about it to anyone." I half-turn to the guys and give a sheepish smile, embarrassed by my minor brake down. "Sorry, I guess you must be pretty confused. A car is a machine on wheels people use to get around my world with and a trunk is a hollow space with a lid in the back of a car for storage." They all seemed a little creped out by my rapid mood changes.

I smiled at Alice, "I'm all right, I can finish." She gave me a suspicious look and went back to her seat. I turned back to my story. "After I hid behind the tree, he came and got in the car and left. I wanted nothing more than to run. Run as far away as I could. But I was frozen. I don't remember how long I was standing there. Eventually I snapped out of it and went back in to get Nina. On my way back I found her big brother, Ray." I shook my head. "He'd butchered with one of their kitchen knives. I finally found Nina, under the bed where I'd left her. I tried to get her out of the house. She in such hysterics. I managed to get her to calm down and we went down stairs and… I made sure she didn't see Ray. I pulled out the knife I'd been carrying. Little bitty thing, only 2" blade. Now that I think about it, I don't know what I thought it would do. We made it outside when I saw a car coming up." I let a distant expression creep up my face. "That moment… I got this…premonition that if the guy in that car saw me…I was going to die. Even now, I don't know how, I just knew. I got this dreading feeling deep in my gut. I grabbed Nina and ran for the old barn near the house. I told her to hide up in the hayloft while I hid behind some hay bales on the ground. Then he walked in quietly, like he didn't want to scare us. He started talking, trying to get us to come out."

I didn't bother to cover my shiver as the memory of his voice, deep and rich as honey, echoed through my mind as though it had been branded upon my brain. "It was almost like he didn't know there were 2 of us. He kept yelling 'Miss, where are you! I'm here to help; I promise I won't hurt you.'" I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "I swear I could hear the lies in his voice. And then he started climbing the ladder to the hayloft. I almost had a panic attack. Nina hadn't given away that she was up there, but if he went up there, he would have found her. He was about halfway up the ladder when I started to follow." I closed my eyes, "I almost tripped on something. When I looked down, it was this big 5 inch knife. I picked it up and put the handle between my teeth and started up the ladder after him."

I noticed Julius's hand slightly raised. I nodded to him, signaling that he could ask his question. He looked a little nervous. "Well…you never saw or heard that man before in the barn, right? How did you know it was really him and not somebody who would help you?" I gave him a weak smile. "His boots. I saw them from under the bed. He hadn't even bothered to wipe the mud off them." I turned back to the others, checking for other questions. Finding none, I returned to my tale. "When I got to the top, I saw him walking around on the platform, looking for her. When he was almost there, I got on the platform and started after him. Then…he found her. She started screaming and he tried to grab her, but she was struggling so much he couldn't get a grip on her. When I saw him go for the gun in his back pocket, I rushed him and then…" I trailed off, relying on them to put the pieces together.

I looked down to my plate, the food barely warm. "We walked about a mile to Nina's nearest neighbor. They called the police and tried to help Nina out of her shock. When the police came, we told them what happened, how we survived, all that stuff. They got all the bodies out of there and, a few weeks later, had the funeral. I went back to working at the loading dock like I always did and Nina moved to go live with her grandparents. After the funeral, I never saw her again. Last I heard, she was going to school to be a doctor." I looked up to meet each one of them in the eyes. "And, that's pretty much it. I grew up and became a detective…and now I'm here." I scratched my head as I finished, feeling awkward.

I looked around the table. Alice had stars in her eyes; pleased with my crappy telling of the story for reasons I don't think I'd understand. The others all had distant looks on their faces. Alice clapped her hands once. "That's amazing C.J!" I give her a shocked look. "R-r-r-really?" Her face lit up even more; if that was even possible. "Oh yes! You were so brave then! And only 12? C.J, if you wouldn't mind, would it be alright if I wrote a book based on your experiences? I've always wanted to write a true detective story!" I pondered her proposition. "U-umm, O.K?" she squealed in childish delight and hugged me. "YAY! Maybe we could even write a series based on your cases!" I was almost too stunned to speak. Most people got a little depressed after hearing one of my cases, or they just didn't care. So her flattery was almost too much for me to handle.

She straitened herself and regained her composure, embarrassed by her action in front of the guys; who all looked a little more than surprised by her childish behavior. She cleared her throat, "Well, it's rather late." She beamed at me, "C.J, I'm sure you must be tired after such a long day." Now that she mentioned it, I was exhausted. I hadn't slept since coming to this bizarre world. I gave her a broad grin, "Actually, I am really tired."

Alice's smile grew, "Alright, you can sleep in the room next to mine! I'll show you the way!" She took my hand and led me to the door. She turned and bid the three men goodnight. I threw a quick "night" over my shoulder and hurried along after Alice. After some walking, she stopped in front of a door and opened it. She motioned me in,"You can stay here. My room is just next door. There are sleeping gowns in the dresser, and if you throw your clothes down that chute," she gestured to it, "you can have them washed by tomorrow morning." I nodded to her and scanned the room.

It was actually nicer than my room back home. It had a medium sized bed with, like many other things in the tower, a green and gold trimmed comforter and matching pillows. On the left of the bed was a nightstand with a lamp resting on top. To the right, the laundry chute Alice had mentioned. Against the opposing deep green wall were a large dresser and, to the right of that, a bureau. Next to that was a narrow door that leads to what looked like a half-bath. The floor was covered by a soft, cream colored carpet that went well with the rooms deep, holly green walls. And the wall opposite of the door was a large window with thick, green white and gold curtains with a clover pattern.

I walked over to the dresser to find that, indeed, there were multiple night gowns of various size and color inside. I wasn't a big fan of night gowns, but if it meant my clothes would get washed, I was happy to oblige. I looked to Alice and gave her the largest, brightest, most honest grin I think I'd ever given anyone. "This is perfect Alice! Thanks!" She giggled a bit and yawned, "Well, I'll be turning in. Just call me if you need anything." With that, she turned and entered the room next to mine, closing the door behind her.

I turned back to the dresser and started to look for a gown that would fit my small frame. After some rummaging, I found a long- sleeved dark gray gown that looked like it was supposed to stop mid-thigh. After putting it on however, I found it fell down just bellow my knees. After cursing my shortness, I sighed and gave up the search, sticking with the gray gown. It was warm and fit right in the chest and shoulders. I can't wear the same thing every day. I'll have to go shopping sooner or later. I threw my clothes down the chute, took my hat off, and set it on the nightstand. I pulled my spiky blonde hair out of its braid and ran the brush from the bureau through it. Then I collapsed onto the bed, fully realizing my exhaustion. These pillows are so soft and fluffy, I thought dreamily as I buried my face in them.

I rolled over onto my back and held up the glass vial; which I had pulled out of my pants pocket before throwing them down the chute. The game for foreigners is that they have to interact with the inhabitants of Wonderland. As you do that, the vial will get fuller. When the vial is full, you can either chose to go home or stay here. The darker Joker's words echoed through my mind. The vial, which had previously been empty, now held a tiny amount of clear liquid; though the vial's blue color made it seem light blue.

I allowed a sigh to pass my lips. I had met the Jokers, the Hatters, and the Clover Tower's inhabitants all in one day. I had only just arrived, so I was still unsure about who was friend or foe. The Jokers, despite Gray's warning, had been nice enough to help me. I suppose it was possible for them to have alerter motives, but…I don't know. The Hatter's Mansion was very iffy. The twins were adorable, but kinda scary with the whole 'blood-lust' thing they had going. Granted, he did try to kill me, but Elliot was just doing his job. He seemed like a really nice guy at the tea party. And if what Alice said rings true, Blood Dupre was defiantly an enemy. Maybe he hadn't done anything to deserve my mistrust yet, but I have a feeling he would. And on top of all that, they were mafia! Gray, Nightmare and Julius were all pretty nice. Nightmare was a little weird and annoying, and Gray and Julius seemed a bit cold and distant, but I got the feeling they were all good guys.

I sighed again and put the vial next to my hat on the nightstand. I put an arm over my face in exasperation. I had still had to meet the inhabitants of 2 more territories, and I had no idea what they'd be like. I rolled over onto my side. At least I know I have one friend here. Alice. I remembered the joy that she showed at finally having found another foreigner; someone else in the same boat as her, and how egger she was to learn about me when no one else ever had.

I may be lost in this crazy world, but at least I'm not totally alone. That was the final thought that drifted through my mind as the dark abyss of a deep sleep finally beckoned me into its lulling silence.

-_- FEW! THAT'S DONE WITH! I WONDER WHO C.J WILL MEET NEXT! FIND OUT NEXT TIME! PLEASE VOTE ON MY PROFILE! UNLESS YOU WANT HER TO BE WITH BLACK!