Page 87 of Madness

He slowly turns his head towards me, his eyes vacant, “The white queen with the bloody, big, big, big head,” he whispers, his eyes darting around the room as if Nurse White is going to appear out of nowhere. “She came and turned everything upside down… She wanted Alice’s plans. Escape, escape, escape. Fly, fly, fly away on the dragon.”

“Al!” I shout, grasping his face with my hands, “You’ve lost your bloody head.”

“I’m mad, Dusty… I’m utterly mad.”

I shake my head, “You’re lost. A pawn in her game in this fucked up place.”

“I’m scared, and I feel funny… funny, funny, funny. The voices in my head are real, and they want me to…” he stops, clutching his head, his hands overlapping mine.

I can feel how he’s trembling, his skin cold and clammy, “Come on, let’s get you to lie down. Maybe sleep will help.”

I fix his bed, remake the duvet and decide that the clothes can be left until later.

“Thank you,” he says as I tuck the blanket around him, “I’ve never had a friend before… well, not one that’s real, so thank you.”

“You have all of us now, Al. But I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me now,” I tell him honestly, then leave him to sleep.

Slipping from the room, I startle when the others are all standing outside waiting.

“Is he ok?” Red peers past me to catch a glimpse of him.

“He’s lost his mind a bit, but I think White’s drugging him,” I sigh, running a hand over my face, “we need to keep her away from him.”

Hare runs past at that moment, coming to a screeching halt when he sees the picture in tatters on the floor, tears well in his eyes, “Alice mad?”

“Naw, buddy, someone broke it. Can yi make him another ane to cheer him up?” Harry asks Hare, picking the pieces of paper up from the floor and stuffing them into his pocket.

Hare nods enthusiastically, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand. “Yup, yup, yup!” he chirps, taking off and running towards the warden’s office where his drawing materials are kept away safely.

Red turns to me, “We need a plan and fast.”

Desmond nods along with me, both of us rubbing our temples, “We need to get him out of here.”

“And Red. She’s just as much of a target,” Harry says also, pressing closer to Red’s side.

“Then we need to talk to Jameson and Bander, too. Maybe they’ll have a plan.”

“Me and Des will go speak to Jameson. See if he has a plan,” Red says, squeezing Harry’s hand as they both leave.

Harry stares after them both, worrying his bottom lip, “I hope we can do something. I hate seeing them like this.”

“Me too,” I say as I slide down the wall to sit on the cold floor.

“What are yi doing?” Harry asks.

“Standing… well, sitting guard.”

Harry joins me, and I glance at him from the side of my eyes, “Whit? It may surprise yi, but a dae like the wee bastard. He’s just a wee bit mad, y’know?”

“Aren’t we all a bit mad in here?” Harry chuckles.

Before I can respond, the door behind me creaks open, and Al steps out. His eyes are wide,filled with confusion, looking as if he’s just stepped out of a dream.

“Where are you going, Al?” I call out, trying my best to keep my tone as gentle as I can.

He pauses, turning to where we are both sitting, “I’m following the white rabbit,” he says, “He said I have to paint the flowers… Alice will be mad, mad, mad.”

Harry and I exchange worried glances, “There’s no white rabbit, Al.”

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