Many people came to her house after the rumors started going around about March and Dor. After finding out who March and Dor were, children from the neutral zone started to engage in crime outside of the city. This was all because SoYoon did not establish her position as White Rabbit correctly. And that was the reason Heart called SoYoon here.
"Tomorrow night at eleven, we are going to open a Croquet Game at the southeast ruins."
A Croquet Game was never mentioned in Wonderland. Heart discussed it with several people and decided to run the game to decide White Rabbit"s fate.
If the Caucus Race was every man for himself battle royale, the Croquet Game would be one where everyone sought one target, the Croquet Ball.
"I hope you can use your special skills to survive," Heart warned. "If you don"t, your head will roll."
Heart stood behind SoYoon and sliced his finger across her neck. Her thin neck behind her white hair fanned his l.u.s.t. He swallowed hard. It might be time to visit Outhouse soon. He touched her young and smooth skin as he spoke.
"Don"t make me regret making you, White Rabbit."
[1] [2] As it pa.s.sed 10:00 p.m., the southeast ruins were thick with incoming challengers. The Croquet Game"s prize was the elusive position of White Rabbit. As expected, there were many players sporting large swords or axes. The spectators jockeyed for position.
"You sure about this location? There isn"t a lot of cover. It seems you really care for that kid; you sure you"ll be okay if she dies?" the doctor asked Heart as they waited for 11:00 o"clock. He must have come straight from the office because he was still wearing his white gown. Cartons of cigarettes bulged the pockets, and his gown looked about to explode.
Heart laughed and asked heartily, "You must have taken to her too."
"Her reengineering troubles me slightly, but if she takes good care of herself, in about three years, I think something good could come out of it."
The doctor"s opinion of SoYoon was strictly to fulfill his own motive. He looked around at the players getting ready and clicked his tongue.
"They are nothing but fat-filled organs."
"I know what you mean. When I slice through them looking for blood and find just a bunch of fat, it"s quite disappointing."
"Don"t compare your perverted hobby with my honorable pa.s.sion."
The doctor looked offended. His cigarette was shortening by the minute. The one he had been smoking while talking to Heart had burned to the stub of the filter. He looked at it sadly, then took out a portable ashtray and placed it inside. He lit another.
"She"s here," Heart mumbled.
Her smooth cheeks blushed with excitement. The doctor observed the White Rabbit"s entrance with interest.
Small, young, a boy or a girl—the rumors about her strength were exaggerated. Most people a.s.sumed that she had scored the White Rabbit position on pure luck.
Bystanders shouted their bets.
"This is going to be lame! White Rabbit"s head will roll in five minutes. I bet a hundred thousand carol!"
"Seven minutes, fifty thousand carol!"
"Three minutes, one hundred twenty carol!"
"But according to the rumors...I say thirty minutes, a hundred thousand carol."
n.o.body believed White Rabbit would survive. Heart"s minions were busy writing down the bets and raking in the money. When the gambling started to subside, Heart finally opened his mouth.
"I bet that White Rabbit will kill all the challengers. Ten million carol."
Shouldn"t I, at the very least, take her side? Heart shrugged.
A smooth voice broke the silence. "I"m in also. I bet one carol that White Rabbit will win."
The crowd looked around, searching for the owner of the voice. As their attention was directed at Wonderland"s richest man, Mad Hatter, he pulled down his purple crocheted hat in exasperation. Heart spoke as if his toy had just been stolen.
"Why don"t you bet a little more? One carol is pathetic."
"Unfortunately, I don"t have the money to spend on frivolous things."
"My Croquet Game is not frivolous. This is an attack against my name. Are you prepared to duel me like a proper gentleman?"
The air grew cold between the two men. Those stuck between them sat like turtles with their heads slumped inward.
The clock rang 11:00[3] . White Rabbit and the rest of the challengers got ready. The two men"s eyes s.h.i.+fted to the game arena, and the rest of the crowd followed.
Croquet Game"s rule was simple. The players had one target, the Croquet Ball. The person who scored the decapitated head of the Croquet Ball into the goal was the winner. Once the Croquet Ball"s head had been cut off, a secondary game claimed the final win. If every player"s head was removed, then the only remaining person won by default.
SoYoon moved first. The game"s rule may have set her as the enemy, but to her, everyone was her enemy. The most important rule in fighting was to score the first shot! She swung the sword that was as tall as herself and sliced the head off the man closest to her. The others who ran toward her met the same fate.
The razor-sharp sword cut through the cold autumn air. From the well-cared-for sword came the smell of metal and blood. SoYoon chopped the legs off a tall man to reduce him to her height and swung her sword. The sword looked like a chef"s cleaver, and so it looked as easy as if she were prepping a meal.
She kicked the heads that were spilling blood toward a girl up ahead. The girl kicked it back to her, causing SoYoon to hesitate for a split second. A man with an ax came at her, but she maneuvered out of his way.
The move caused the man to stab the girl following SoYoon. She took the opportunity to slice the man in two.
Another man, hit by the spray of blood, cursed.
"F*ck, is that even human?"
"Everyone at once!"
"Surround! Surround her!"
The reason the Croquet Ball was at a blatant disadvantage in the Croquet Game was that the rest of the players could create alliances. SoYoon hit the ground hard and jumped. Men surrounded her from above.
The crowd, unable to see the White Rabbit hidden in the midst of the large men, could only a.s.sume what was happening by the sounds and smells—the blood-drenched white hair, her black clothes cloaked in darkness, the mask that hid most of her face.
The flying pig fell back to earth swinging her giant sword. The smell of blood filled the night air, and screams and cursing echoed through the arena. SoYoon spun using the weight of her sword. Another head caught on its edge as it bounced like a ball into the air.
Heart trembled with excitement. She knocked them unconscious with the heavy handle then chopped a head. She sliced off his leg then chopped a head. She flew into the air and chopped a head. She kicked a spray of blood and chopped a head. Yes, she chopped them all! He laughed and yelled as each player fell.
"White Rabbit"s seat! Isn"t that what you wanted? If you don"t do it properly, your head will be chopped off!"
Heart was not the only one excited. As the crowd watched, astonished, he screamed. On one side, those who had already lost their bets were cursing. Mad Hatter looked at them pathetically.
"What a shame. Should have bet a little more."
He suddenly caught sight of Duke. He was whispering to Heart"s minions, probably asking for SoYoon"s corpse at the end of the game. Mad Hatter"s crooked lips twitched upward. If he thought she"d lose even after seeing that, he must be blind.
Tens of headless players were spread across the field. The last player was slowly backing away in fear. The crowd booed, and Heart threatened him. But all he could see was the monster in front of him.
F*ck, how am I supposed to kill that! He turned and ran. Exactly two steps later, his eyes met with the monster"s. They were clear and bright like gla.s.s, the scariest eyes he"d ever seen. That was his last memory.
SoYoon flew up after catching the fleeing player. She blocked the player as she fell upside down, slicing her sword across his neck. Blood sprayed like a geyser. Covered in spatter, she landed.
The clock read 11:57.
She hid her exhaustion and asked, "Are there any more?"
SoYoon looked at the Croquet Game"s maker, Heart. He looked at her l.u.s.tfully. He looked as if he wanted to rip the clothes off her right now.
Heart licked his red lips as she approached. His energy and pheromones seeped into the air around him.
The SoYoon in front of him looked sweet. He took his hand and swept her hair back. Although it was matted with blood and sweat, he could see her forehead clearly. Heart cleaned off the blood from her forehead with his fingers.
"It"s over. Whatever you want, just let me know."
"Give me water."
The voice that responded to his seduction was a bland request. Heart laughed lightly and handed her water. SoYoon dropped her blood-soaked mask to the ground and drank heartily. Even her lips were pale. Heart couldn"t take his eyes off her wet lips, and he yelled.
"Did you all see it? This is White Rabbit!"
Those left had lost their money, however. Instead of applause, cursing echoed through the crowd. As the boos got louder, SoYoon slapped down her sheath. The sound made them all close their mouths. She spoke, invoking fear.
"Quit murmuring in hiding and come at me. I"ll remove all your heads."
Her voice was small, but because they were all quiet, it echoed in all corners. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. SoYoon looked around at the crowd and left. Heart soon joined her.
"Are you going home now?
"I"m sleepy."
"How about this, then? You can relax your body with a warm shower, eat a delicious midnight snack, then go to sleep. Then when you open your eyes again, another scrumptious breakfast will be ready. Wouldn"t that be nice?"
"Sounds good."
"So nice, my little Whitey."
SoYoon could only take so much lightly. As she looked up at Heart, her young face showed her offense.
"Am I a dog?"
"You"re a bird."
"What does that mean?"
"You"re my Whitey."
Is he crazy? Oh, he is actually crazy. SoYoon gave up arguing with him. As she walked, drops of blood marked her path.