Fall of Wonderland!

Seven

JUDE'S CHECKMATE

If they were forgotten, at least they were forgotten together.

Nearly two months had been spent rotting in a cell. Two months. It was as if the White Queen had immediately dismissed their existence once out of sight. At least they were provided with necessities. Their cell was actually not terrible, but not enjoyable to spend two months inside either.

There was a stall bathroom, a bunk bed, a drinking fountain, small table with a single chair, and a drab, beat-up rug. Of course, they would be allowed shower use every few days, and plenty of feminine hygiene products. The White Queen still wanted them to live in humane conditions, just out of her sight and still in an amount of psychological misery that punished them. There was that, and a few equally drab books, that Alice couldn't help but read. Five times, actually. She was thoroughly knowledgeable in the politics of mercy, had memorized at least thirteen of Lucy Adams II's poems, and knew every detail to the script of a certain Scottish tragedy.

The day they were called to finally meet with the White Queen again was a day for celebration. The dirty, low-morales group trudged up the stone steps back into the throne room. The sun shining through each window burned their eyes. Nobody spoke, nobody had any fight left in them, at this point.

"I always allow my prisoners one chance to be freed." The Whitt Queen said. "This may surprise you, but that is the extent of my mercy. You may think me a cruel monarch, but I would expect that from the people from the land of sense."

"What is your chance?" Alice spoke up.

"You must beat me in a game of chess. One of you. I must warn you, I'm rather good. Isn't that right, General Wisteria?"

"The fact that no prisoner has ever been freed speaks for itself." He replied gruffly.

"So, you're saying that if one of us beats you at chess, we all get to be free?"

The White Queen nodded. "No tricks here, of course, because you simply will not be able to win."

"I can beat her." Jude's small, shy voice croaked from the back of the group. "I've been playing chess my whole life. It's practically all I do." She muttered to her friends, before walking up to the White Queen. Her face and stature had confidence that she rarely showed.

Alice wasn't religious, but she prayed in that moment. She prayed and prayed that Jude had the skill to beat the White Queen. Otherwise, they would rot here for the rest of their lives. That is, until we start fighting back. We have magic unlike anybody in this realm. I just hope it doesn't come down to that. Because then we'll have to wander and wander until we wander out of Wonderland.

I miss Lori. I miss my mom. I miss my home. It hit Alice hard in that moment, like a punch to the gut. Even rotting in that cell, she had so much more confidence in their return.

Jude sat down at a table across from the White Queen. "I'll be white, and you'll be red, of course. White always goes first." She moved the rook in front of her bishop forward twice. The game began slowly at first, but then their moves became faster and faster... until...

"Checkmate." Jude whispered, voice echoing.

A portal opened up in the back of the room. "No." The White Queen stammered. "There is no way some silly little girl from Dinah City..."

Alice began running, pulling Valentina and Mali along with her. "Come on, Jude!" They shouted, bolting toward the portal.

"No!" The White Queen was bawling. Her castle was shaking, the intensity growing as seconds passed. She moved her hands from her face, and Jude saw her perfect face was crumbling and shriveling, along with the rest of her body.

I don't want to know why. I just want to get out of here. Jude decided. She took a running leap, straight back to Dinah City.

Their home.