Snippet #1869470

The castle's walls are cracking

Days seemed to pass, the waves coming and going, yet she still sat in the sand. By now the doll had moved closer to the sand castle, though Gina had no idea how; she saw no one else here, and surely dolls could not walk about on their own, right? The sand castle was huge, big enough that even if she stood tippy-toed she couldn't see over the outer wall. Detail had gone into the individual stones, the turrets even had small flags. In her head she saw a small king and queen living there; her mother and father's faces pasted in place, while a princess played in a garden. Yet even in these private thoughts..the doll waited: next to the king's throne, in the queen's lap..even in the garden, next to a rose bush. It was everywhere.

Gina looked at the doll closer, noting it's wet looking texture, as if it had been dipped in oil. In an attempt at bravery she walked closer, and bent over the infernal thing. Button eyes, zig-zag of thread for a mouth..it looked like any rag-doll..only pitch black. With a gulp of fear, and a holding of breath...she nudged it with her toe. Expecting nothing, yet fearing anything, she shuddered at the thing's warmth. It felt alive. Her ears still heard the whispers..but the words no longer made sense.

Without her noticing, a wide crack split the side of the castle's wall. The whispers got louder. The doll simply lay, a fake smile on it's face.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jabberwocky felt great; the pit had been so boring. It would be fun to drop in on it's old friends; Cheshire was the closest, that damned cat lived in these woods. If memory served correctly it's tree was somewhere to the East of where Jabberwocky now stood; Mr.Tibbs had been sent off, back to the pit itself, to gather more of the Essence. For now Jabberwocky was on it's own two feet..rather, Gina's borrowed feet. But soon they would be one. Already it could feel the girl's resolve weakening. Soon that castle would fall, and the child would beg for a contract. Once the host accepted Jabberwocky..the binding was complete; Jabberwocky would once again have full control over it's powers.

A small army of corrupted forest creatures cavorted in it's wake, each one a pair of eyes and a set of teeth for the being to employ. It was unfortunate that the lizard was resistant, once complete no being would be able to resist corruption..for now only the humans and lesser creatures were vulnerable..and even then only those that had not committed to a Chain. The link provided a measure of protection...for now.

The monster strode through the forest..it's destination in mind..time to visit the cat.