Heart of Spades

Chapter Six

    Everything aches. My bones, my head. My pride. Goodness. My pride is very much wounded. Everyone else was fine, but not me. Nope, never me. I open my eyes and I at once shut them again. I feel like I'm about to vomit, and my head is spinning and spinning. Then almost immediately, shouting sounds through the room. Ringing in my ears. I want to beg them to shut up, but I can't move my mouth. I force my eyes open again and start sitting up. I'm in a bed, and Alice is standing in front of me, an annoyed look on her face. She blows, "You have absolutely no idea how much trouble you just caused me!"

"You'd be surprised." I say, a habit. But my voice is thick like syrup.

She shoots me a glare, "anyway, everyone returned to their classes except for you! And your partner had to work alone. Oh, and the amount of time you spent! What will happen now!" I keep myself from rolling my eyes. "Now, get ready. Dinner is right now, and after that we are announcing the game for this week to the public. And you are required to go." At that she stomps out of the room. I scoff once she closes the door. I rub my forehead with the palm of my hand. I start standing up, and have to grab the bed pole for support. The room isn't very inviting. The bed is creaky and the room is covered in medical tools and the bricks have moss growing in them. Instead of electricity in here, there are candles burning and smelling like roses.

I walk towards the door where Queen Alice left and force it open. The stairs are tall and I realize I must be underground. A little bit of nervousness creeps up on me, but I push it away. I could get ready in time, not that I want to, but it seems necessary. On my way up, the stairs smell musty and I can almost feel the spiders crawling on my skin. When I get to the top, I force the door open and find myself even more lost. I swallow a groan and start walking through the Castle again. This hallway is darker than the rest. Even in here the hallway doesn't contain any electricity, and it has the same musty and moldy smell. Screams and pleas echo through my head and the hallway. I can see another staircase, which must lead to the throne room, or a nicer hallway full of Nobles and the 'players.'

But curiosity tugs at me, almost as if your a child seeing a large lollipop at a carnival and want to take a taste but your mother won't let you. My throat still feels thick and something is telling me to run. Run up the stairs change and get ready for the announcement.

I ignore that feeling.

I start down the hallway and water drips from the ceiling.

Drip

Drop

Drip.

My shoes click on the floor. And I can imagine this is a game set up by Alice, watching me, waiting for a mess up. I know that she isn't playing. This is as real as it is fake. She tells us were playing a game but is it a game when here you may take your last breath?

Drip

Drop

Drip.

I stop in my tracks as I see a tarot card from a deck fall too the floor in front of me. I slowly reach down and pick it up, afraid of it for some reason. A gasp escapes my lips. My fingers tremble as I hold the card. There's a picture of a girl in a bloody gown her eyes are covered by a thorny cloth and her lips are pulled into a frown. She is on her knees with a dagger in her hand, too close to slitting her throat. Gold outlines the picture and blackness on the edge of the card. At the bottom it reads:

THE FOOL

It takes me too long to realize that the girl is me. I swallow a scream. But I can't let this go. I stuff it into my pocket and start running for the stairs. I feel an ill feeling spread in my stomach. I can feel it grow heavy in my pocket, as if it is begging for me to look at it again. Another card appears at my feet, and I stop. This isn't a coincidence. I pick it up and stare. There's a big clock on it, and the hands are still ticking.

Tick

Tock.

It tells me. I look down at the bottom and see what it's called:

TIME

I shove it my pocket along with the other one and keep running up the stairs until I'm in the throne room. I stop to a slow walk, but all I can think about is the clock ticking in my pocket. I start running again through the hall until I'm in my room again. I slam the door shut and lock the door. I take out The Fool again and stare at it. These cards, almost seem alive.

I wipe sweat from my brown and sit down at my vanity. My heart is beating to fast. I shove them into my drawer. But they cling to me. Literally, I look in my pocket again, and there they are. I almost rip them to shreds but I calm myself. Taking deep breaths through my nose. My hands shake as I feel the clock continue to tick and it seems as if the gown just gets more blood. I take off my dress and am only in my undergarments when someone knocks on the door, I scream and accidentally knock over the wine on my vanity. I mutter a couple curses and as "yes?" but it comes out all wrong. My voice is shaky with fear. "It's Travis, I was just wondering if you were okay?"

"Yes. Yes I'm perfectly fine."

"Okay..." He can tell I'm lying. I wait until he leaves and I let out a breath. I'm sweating in places I didn't think I could and I feel sick. I rush to my closet and take out a cherry red gown but that makes me feel sicker. All I have in there are deep reds and blacks. I shake my head and lay it down on my bed. It has a tight red corset with golden buttons and off the shoulder sleeves. It tightens on my breasts, accentuating them much to my liking, but I'm not in the mood to party or have some boy kissing me. The sleeves spread into red lace gloves and the skirt is full of ruffles and black lace. I slip on a petticoat and corset. Then I put the dress on. It feels too tight, and I can feel tears bubbling in my eyes. I blink them away. I don't cry.

I look down at the dress I was just wearing. I look in the pockets and the cards are gone. I see them on my vanity and I release a sigh of relief. I take down my hair and it falls around my shoulders, I then grab a black headband and put it around my head. I look in the vanity and smile. I look around and then back at where the cards were. I mutter a few curses and look back in the mirror. They are in my headband. They cannot go there. I have a tight feeling that Queen Alice will not be happy if she see's them. I move down to the bottom of my dress and rip it slightly, creating a small pocket. I put the cards in and pin it closed with a needle. My fingers shake as I reach for the door. This announcement is supposed to create new generations of death. But we are celebrating with wine and cookies. I open the door and everyone is already heading towards the throne room. Someone takes my hand and I turn to find Sylvia. Her eyes are watching me carefully and I have a feeling she knows I am up to no good.