"You really think you can try to stop me?" the Cheshire woman seems insulted by my attempt. She bends over me while I am on the floor, Constance choking in her grip. "Can't you see you're not the real Alice?" she says. "I have to admit, the Pillar had me fooled into believing it was you when you saved Constance in the Great Hall. This is why I invited you here, to see if you're the real Alice. But you're not. You have none of her strength. The real Alice is dead!"
The Cheshire keeps bending over me and grinning. I stretch my arm, hoping to find a stone to throw at him. I have succeeded in stalling him, but I have no idea what to do next. My hand comes across that useless umbrella again. I pull it near, knowing that it's not good enough to hit the Cheshire. All I do is point it at him to keep distance. I do it as if I am holding a gun. Wouldn't it be frabjous if this umbrella turned to a sword, like the one the White Queen had?
My hand accidentally pushes the umbrella's button and it springs open, separating me from the Cheshire who has already stretched back to suck Constance’s soul. It all happens so fast, but the umbrella doesn't really block the view. It's rather transparent on my side, in the craziest way. I see coordinates and measurements all over it, as if it's a soldier’s navigator.
Through the umbrella, I watch the Cheshire open Constance’s mouth and start to inhale from it.
Suddenly, I realize there is a small trigger on my side of the umbrella. This little thing turns out to be one nonsensical gun. In a flash, I adjust the target on the Cheshire and pull the trigger.
If I was in my sane mind, I'd contemplate and try to find a meaning to of all this. But this is the mad world I am a living in. I watch as a surge of rainbow lightning hits the Cheshire like an electric current. The old woman falls on her knees. Not dead, but she lets Constance go and meows in pain.
I look at the umbrella in my hand in wonder. This is the silliest, most provocative weapon ever. I mean, it's even better than the Pillar's hookah.
The light gets the activists’ attention. Seeing their tribal leader in pain, they let go of the Pillar and turn to me, all claws, all fangs, all mad.
I stand up and take Constance by the hand, running to the door leading down the stairs. The activists block the door and purr at me. I am a weakened human in Catland.
"If the umbrella is a gun, it must do other things too," the Pillar shouts. He is nodding at the cloistered windows while he’s whipping at the activists with his hookah. I am not sure it's a good idea, but there is no way out and the Cheshire will be back on his feet soon. "Go on, Alice. I'll take care of these silly cats," the Pillar says.
I take a deep breath and run with Constance toward the window. No one stops me because there is nowhere for me to go. I stand on the edge and pull Constance up with me.
"What are you going to do, Alice?" Constance asks with horrified eyes, looking down at the massacre. It's too far below.
"You trust me, right?" I squeeze her hand. My other hand is holding the umbrella.
Constance nods and squeezes my hand back. "Are we going to jump?"
"Yes." My heart is racing. There is no other way out.
"You're like Mary Poppins."
"I don't know who that is. I have spent too much time in an asylum," I say. "Now, you are a brave girl and you will jump with me, right?"
She nods reluctantly.
"It's easy, Constance. All you have to do is believe."
"Believe in what, Alice?"
"Madness." I pull her tighter and jump.
Chapter 65
While people are getting killed below us, we land gently down on the ground with my umbrella. It's even easier than if I had a parachute. Constance giggles at the magic. I pray to God that this is really happening and that I am not insane. While we land, cats fall from the sky all around us.
"The madness begins, Alice!" the Pillar shouts from above, before he gets back to his fight. I doubt he will survive this one.
But the Pillar is right. Landing with the umbrella is nothing compared to the madness happening around us. Big cats run after humans left and right, slashing at them and killing them. Many humans die because their minds can’t comprehend the absurd reality of what's happening. When the sky rains cats, I believe it takes everyone some time to realize it's really happening.
I run with Constance next to me, shooting cats with my umbrella. I don't know if I should feel bad about it, but these aren't real cats. They are beasts made by the Cheshire. It's all wrong, but I promised a little girl that I would save her and I am working on it. All I need is to bring her back to her parents. We run together through the narrow streets, wishing for the main road.
Out on the streets, Belgium police and ambulances are everywhere. But none of them want to take me and Constance. A nurse tells me that they figure we're alright and they better save the others. Seconds later, she gets bitten by one of the big cats.