Malcolm stood up and turned to the rest of us. “We will take turns keeping watch. I will take first round. Everyone else, get as much rest as you can. You will need it.”
I peered around to only find rock around me. Since Malcolm acted like he used to stay here when he lived in the forest, I figured it would have a little more to it. I was wrong, it was just like any other cave one would find. I sighed, knowing that there was no way I would be able to sleep tonight. What did one have to do to get some good sleep in Wonderland?
Oh, that’s right, destroy the Circus.
CHAPTER 25
Tink. Tink. Tink.
I opened my eyes to see the little trising flying into the glass bottle. It tried so desperately to get out.
Tink. Tink. Tink.
I felt sorry for it, a helpless little being trapped in such a small space. I wondered what its life was like, living in this forest, being so small. Malcolm had said they only come out at night. How did it survive with all the horrible creatures that Kenny mentioned? Was it just because it let off light that all the other creatures didn’t bother it?
Malcolm was next to the trising, staring at the little creature. He looked as if he were in another place, staring off into the memories of his past. He used to live here and after what I had seen, I wondered how he could have survived so long, and what all he could have seen when he resided here.
“Is there something on my face?” he whispered.
I blinked. “What?”
“You keep staring at me. I thought maybe I had something on my face.”
“Oh,” I blushed. “You looked deep in thought and I was just wondering what you could have been thinking about.”
He gestured to come sit up next to him. I hesitated but decided if I sat next to him, then we wouldn’t wake anyone while trying to talk across the cave.
“I was thinking of what to do next,” he whispered.
“And?” I asked.
“And I don’t know. We can’t stay in here forever, it’s too dangerous. If we leave, we will probably be captured by Bill. We need to face Morpheus, but...” he trailed off.
“But I’m not ready for it?” I finished. It was exactly what I was thinking as well, and honestly I didn’t know how I would ever be ready. I wasn’t strong enough to face my fears, I was just a kid in high school. How could I do anything to face my fears?
“It’s not your fault, nothing in your world would have prepared you for this. You don’t have people that can get into your mind like him.”
I didn’t think that was the truth, it was more than just that. “I know I’m weak, Malcolm, you don’t have to sugarcoat it.”
He shook his head. “No, even the strong fall under Morpheus’ influence. He has most of Wonderland under his thumb. It has nothing to do with being weak.”
Tink. Tink. Tink.
I looked down at the little creature. It was trying its hardest to get out of the little cell it found itself in. “I feel sorry for it.”
Malcolm let out a slight laugh. “Why?”
“Because it’s in this scary world and it is so small.”
“Trisings are monsters, demons really.”
I looked at him puzzled. “But it’s so small.”
He pointed at it. “Look at it, do you see its fangs and claws? You think that kind of body is meant for sweetness?”
I looked closer. He was right, instead of fingers, there were long claws and as I brought my face closer, it opened its mouth as if it was hissing at me. Its mouth was full of sharp teeth, just like a shark’s.
“Ew!” I backed away.
“You don’t want to come across one of these in the middle of the night. They will tear your skin right off.”
“That’s morbid,” I said.
He shrugged. “That’s the Dark Forest. Everything here is morbid.”
We sat in silence and I imagined all the things that could be out there, waiting to kill us. Kenny had said that the creatures wouldn’t come into the light. So, I figured, the light was safe, other than the light that was really a small, pixie-like monster that could kill me. I tried not to think about that. Stay positive, I told myself, you will get through this. You have a bunch of friends who would protect you.
I glanced over at Malcolm, whose blinking seemed to get slower and slower. He was tired, especially after everything that had happened. Hell, he probably slept less than I had in the past few days.
“You can go sleep, if you want. I will keep watch,” I said straightening up as if I wasn’t tired. Truthfully, I was.
He shook his head. “No, it’s fine. You should sleep.”
“If you want to protect me, then you need your strength. Go sleep.”
He smiled. “Well, when you put it that way.”
Moving over to what I guess was a comfier spot, which seemed unlikely since everything was rock, he lay down and stared up at the ceiling. “If you need anything, just wake me up. Even if it’s just to talk.”
“Go to sleep already.”
I watched as he shut his eyes. I kept an eye on him for a few moments before I decided he really was trying to sleep. Bringing my knees close to me, I leaned my head on them and watched the trising trying to escape the jar.
Time passed as the others slept. I heard a few mumbles, as if someone was waking up, but whoever it was would just roll over and fall back asleep. Mainly that was Kenny, he was a very active sleeper, which didn’t surprise
