“The Cheshire.”
I say nothing for a moment. I know how much the Pillar and the Cheshire hate each other. I also have no idea how the Cheshire might help.
“He’s lost his mind in the future. Really lost his mind. He is homeless now. Like most cats in this life.”
I glance back at the dog we saved. He’s sleeping serenely after a big meal. “Homeless? The Cheshire?”
“I know it doesn’t make sense. He should be Black Chess’s favorite monster, after all he did for them to win the war.”
“Then what happened to him?”
The Pillar stops the car near an abandoned building. “He’s fallen in love.”
“The Cheshire?” I laugh. “No way.”
“Yes way,” the Pillar says. “You didn’t ask with whom.”
“I don’t think I want to know. First I need the fact that he fell in love to sink in,” I say. “I mean how? He doesn’t even have a real face. Who’d love someone with no face?”
“I didn’t say he was loved back.”
“Wow. That’s even more surprising. Are you saying the evil Cheshire is a hapless romantic now?”
“Indeed.” He jumps out of the car, pulling his cane along.
I follow him down. Apparently we’re entering that abandoned building. “So who’s the unlucky girl? Or is it a cat?”
“No, it’s a girl,” the Pillar says slowly. “And it’s someone you know very well.”
“Waltraud Wagner, my warden, would be a candidate.”
“No, Alice. The Cheshire is in love with you.”
Chapter 21
We step into the abandoned building, passing by a few homeless people. Insane ones, the Pillar says. That’s why he has his rifle with him. I follow him, awaiting an answer to my question: Why would the Cheshire be in love with me?
“It’s complicated,” the Pillar says, looking sideways, in case we get attacked by another group of mad people. “Let’s start with him not really looking like a Cheshire at the moment.”
“What’s new? I wouldn’t be surprised if he is possessing a priest.”
“Worse.” The Pillar ducks, scanning the place. “This time he is possessing someone dear to you.”
“Dear to me?” I grimace. “All the people I know are Wonderlanders. I thought he can’t possess Wonderlanders.”
“Only if they’re still alive,” the Pillar says.
I stop, taking a moment to assess the possibilities. But who am I fooling? There is only one Wonderlander who’s practically dead, and so dear to me. And he has been missing for some time. “Jack?” I cup my hands on my mouth.
The Pillar nods. “Try not to scream. We don’t want to attract loonies.”
“Jack?” I whisper, gritting my teeth.
“Lowering your voice isn’t going to change my answer.” He rolls his eyes. “Yes. Jack.”
“But we’re in the future. How long has he been possessing Jack’s body?”
“Fourteen years.”
“How is that possible? This means I never saw Jack again since he disappeared from the asylum.”
“You got that right.” He crawls on all fours, and I follow him into a tunnel.
“That’s why I am not married to him.” The words are tasteless on my tongue. Not that I was sure I wanted to marry Jack. The thought just occurred to me as the natural progress of events. “This is why I am married to that stranger back home.”
“Exactly. Handsome man.”
“I didn’t meet him or see him. Couldn’t bring myself to it,” I say. “I freaked out when he called me ‘baby.’”
“Nothing wrong with your husband calling you baby once in a while.”
“Shut up.” I pout, still crawling toward a scant light in the distance. “Poor Jack.”
“The guy is a jinx,” the Pillar says. “Killed by his girlfriend, possessed by her enemy. He was better off dead.”
“Stop it, Pillar.” I grunt. “Tell me what all of this has to do with the Cheshire being in love with me. You know how creepy this feels?”
“Don’t you like his grin? I thought chicks always dig the grin.” He stops for a second. “That sounded too American. Didn’t it?”
“It did.”
“I’m not really myself in the future, am I?”
“More smartass than you usually are,” I say. “And how do you look young? You’re not a day older than when I last saw you.”
“Good genes.” He winks, and then crawls on all fours again. “Smoking hookah is good for the skin.”
“Spare me the cheesiness.” I sigh. “Now how — ”
I was going to ask about the Cheshire being in love with me again, but then it hits me. “Are you saying the Cheshire was exposed to Jack’s mind and soul?”
“We’ve arrived.” The Pillar kicks a small door open and steps out. “Try not to let the Cheshire see you before I talk to him first.”
I follow him into what looks like a large hall in a sewer. Then when I stand up, I see the Cheshire. Oh my God. What happened to him?
Chapter 22