“The scamp has disturbed the flow of our story,” the Queen said. “His presence has sent a ripple through everything—changing dialogue, themes, and even characters. At this very moment I am supposed to be having an argument about beheading the Cheshire Cat, but as you can see, the cat is nowhere to be seen.”
“I’m sure he’s just running a bit late, Your Majesty,” the White Rabbit said as he eyed a golden pocket watch fastened to a chain around his waist.
“Here comes the troublemaker,” the King said, gesturing across the lawn.
Sabrina recognized the angry little boy at once. Pinocchio had a pointy nose, buckteeth, and little ears. He was wearing overalls and a red cap, and his hands were tied behind his back. Still, he struggled to get free from the guards, one of whom carried a birdcage in his hand. As they drew closer, Sabrina could see Pinocchio’s marionettes were locked inside.
“You!” Pinocchio snarled as he glared at the children. “Why won’t you let me be?”
“You betrayed us!” Sabrina said. “You think you can help Mirror kidnap a member of our family and we will just let it go? I thought you were some great intellect.”
Daphne threw a punch into her open palm. “Let me at him.”
“I didn’t want to help the Master, but he was the only one who could provide me with this opportunity. When I asked the Blue Fairy to make me into a real boy, I never imagined her magic would cruelly keep me this age forever. I was desperate for something everyone else takes for granted. I just want to become an adult and take advantage of my life.”
“I’ve been this age for almost four thousand years,” Puck said. “I kind of dig it.”
“I suppose you’re taking me back to the real world?” Pinocchio said.
Sabrina shook her head. “Not at all. We’re turning you over to the Editor. What he plans to do with you, I don’t know and I don’t care.”
Just then, four guards with axes on their shoulders approached. All wore black hoods that covered their faces, but their playing card bodies revealed them to be Aces from all four suits: diamonds, hearts, spades, and clubs. Behind them were more card soldiers, many of whom were carrying tree stumps on their shoulders.
“What’s all this?” Daphne said, as the soldiers set up their tree stumps.
“Clearly we are going to execute this boy for crimes against our story,” the Queen barked. “Off with his head!”
One of the hooded soldiers forced Pinocchio’s head onto the stump while another sharpened his ax on a black stone.
“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” Sabrina cried. “You can’t kill him!”
“We can’t?” the King of Hearts said. “We have everything we need at our disposal to kill this criminal. Show her one of the axes.”
The hooded guard flashed the deadly blade in Sabrina’s eyes. “See, it’s very sharp!” he said proudly.
“I’m not arguing that you can kill him,” Sabrina exclaimed. “I’m saying that you shouldn’t. The Editor wants him out of this story. He’s caused enough problems and the more you change, the more has to be fixed.”
The Queen let out a frustrated harrumph. “The Editor does what the Editor does. As the Queen of this Wonderland, my obligation is to pass judgment on every accused criminal here. Pinocchio entered our story with his marionettes and quickly went to work destroying it. That is a crime punishable by death.”
“Don’t let them kill me,” Pinocchio pleaded as he fought against the much stronger men.
“The Editor can fix all this,” Daphne said. “But if you kill the puppet, that’s permanent.”
“I’m not a puppet!” Pinocchio said.
“Dear, dear, I think I understand what the girl is saying,” the King said, patting the Queen on the back. “The other children are jealous that they aren’t being executed.”
“Very well,” the Queen said. “Consider it a gift from me to you. Off with their heads!”
“Keep your little butter knives to yourselves,” Puck said. His sword was immediately in hand, but the card soldiers snatched him from behind, knocked his weapon to the ground, and tied his hands behind his back. Before Sabrina could react, the card soldiers had grabbed her and dragged her over to one of the stumps. Daphne was soon tied up as well, though she did manage to bite one of the guards on the hand.
“I’m sure you understand,” the Queen said, “this is the only true deterrent to crime. In the hundreds of beheadings I have ordered, only a handful of the criminals have become repeat offenders.”
“They were incorrigible, dear,” the King said.
“On your command, Your Majesty,” a hooded guard said.
Sabrina could not move. All she could do was look helplessly from the corner of her eye at the sharp ax above her.
The Queen cleared her throat. “Indeed. We can’t very well be bothered by this inconvenience all day. We have a game of croquet to play. Good sirs! Prepare your axes!”
5