Kitabı oku: «Alice in Zombieland / Алиса в Стране зомби», sayfa 9

“Wait here,” the Rabbit had said sharply, not bothering to look back before disappearing into the shadows.

“As if I could go anywhere else,” Alice muttered then, glancing around the lifeless chamber with a sigh.

A sudden flourish of trumpets shattered the uneasy silence, making Alice start. The towering doors swung open, and two lines of elaborately dressed heralds stepped forward, their movements perfectly synchronized as though controlled by a single will.

“Her Majesty summons you,” one intoned, his voice hollow and resonant. Without waiting for a reply, they turned in unison, their pale faces powdered and their expressions eerily identical.

Alice followed them through a corridor that seemed to stretch endlessly, her steps echoing until she entered the throne room. It was a cavernous hall, dazzling and grand in a way that momentarily took Alice's breath away. Chandeliers dripped with crystal teardrops, casting refracted light over the courtiers who lined the room. They were adorned in vibrant silks and elaborate jewelry, their faces powdered to perfection, gleaming with an almost ethereal beauty. A few of them leaned toward one another, whispering behind jeweled fans, their eyes flicking briefly in Alice's direction.

At the far end, on a throne of twisted thorns and glimmering obsidian, sat the Queen. Her skin was pale as paper, a stark contrast to the deep crimson of her flowing gown. Jewels sparkled at her throat and wrists, but they only served to highlight the stillness of her form. She did not rise, but as Alice entered, the Queen slowly raised one elegant hand, and the entire room fell silent at once – not a murmur, not a shuffle. The gesture was graceful, deliberate, and so assured it seemed to command not just attention, but absolute obedience.

With a majestic voice that rang through the throne room, the Queen proclaimed, “The prophecy speaks, and today it comes alive! Alice, the chosen one, has come to deliver us from ruin!” The entire throne room erupted into a symphony of cheers, their voices harmonizing as though rehearsed for this very moment. Alice jerked in surprise, the sound crashing over her like a wave. The courtiers smiled warmly at her, but she felt every gaze like a touch, unwelcome and pressing. Her arms wrapped around herself, one hand gripping the opposite elbow, as if trying to shrink away from the attention, to fold inward and vanish. Then, with the same elegant authority, the Queen lifted her hand once more, and the throne room fell into an immediate, reverent silence. “The Rot spreads, child, devouring all that we hold dear. Only you – you alone – have the power to restore balance, to bring us back from the brink!”

The words were woven with a near hypnotic cadence, their sweetness almost intoxicating. The courtiers remained utterly silent, their gazes fixed on Alice with a kind of reverence that made her skin crawl. No one moved, no one whispered – only their eyes flicked, wide and expectant, watching her like she were a living miracle or a beast in a cage.

Alice stood frozen, her heartbeat loud in her ears. Her limbs felt too stiff, her mouth too dry. She wanted to disappear, or at the very least shrink behind one of the columns and pretend none of this was happening.

The Queen tilted her head slightly, her pale eyes scanning the chamber before flicking her chin in a small, decisive motion toward the grand doors – a gesture that sent a clear command rippling through the silent court. “Leave us,” she said, the command soft but iron-bound.

Without hesitation, the courtiers bowed as one, their movements unified, and swept from the room in silence, like a single thought exhaled all at once. The grand doors shut behind them, sealing Alice and the Queen in the hollow quiet.

The Queen's gaze softened, or so it seemed to Alice, as she leaned slightly forward. “Do you know why you are here, child?” the Queen began, her tone shifting to something almost maternal.

Alice gave a tiny shake of her head, too overwhelmed to speak.

“Wonderland is dying. The Rot spreads unchecked, consuming the beauty and magic of these lands. It began as a whisper, a crack in the foundation, and now it threatens to devour us all.”

Her words, though steeped in urgency, carried a melodious cadence that lulled Alice into a strange calm. “Only someone like you, Alice, can save us. You are not here by chance; you were chosen. It is your destiny to heal what has been broken.”

Alice tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly. “Chosen? By whom? And how does anyone expect me to fix something I barely understand?” she asked, her voice tinged with defiance and curiosity. “This 'Rot' you speak of… where did it come from? And why can't someone else deal with it? Surely you have others far more qualified than me.”

The Queen's expression softened further, her smile serene yet tinged with sorrow.

She paused, her gaze turning distant, and when she spoke again, it was slower, more thoughtful, like a thread unwinding.

“Oh, Alice,” she said gently, her voice seemed to envelop the room, “If only it were that simple. The Rot began long ago, a shadow creeping into Wonderland's heart. I still remember the first time I encountered it… an ordinary day, or so it seemed. I found one of my subjects stricken – his skin discolored, his movements sluggish, his eyes clouded with a sorrow I could not comprehend.

“At first, just like you – ” for a moment, her eyes focused on Alice, “I thought it an illness, something that could be cured with care and rest. But no salve or spell could touch it.

“Fear spread through the land like wildfire. The voices of my people, once bright with song and laughter, turned first to hushed worry, then to silence, as more and more fell under the Rot's touch. I tried to protect them, Alice. I gathered those untouched into the castle, offering sanctuary. For the others, the ones too far gone… I…” The Queen hesitated, her voice catching for the first time, before continuing, “I hid them deep in the forest, not out of hope, but because I feared what their presence would do to the rest of my people. The sight of them, their suffering… it spread panic, and panic, I thought, would hasten the Rot's advance.” As she spoke, her hand drifted to her necklace, fingers lightly tracing the delicate chain as if seeking comfort. “I told myself it was to protect the kingdom, but the shame of it has never left me. Even now, I wonder if I abandoned them to their fate because I did not know how else to face it. But it was not enough.