He stood right before me.
I shook with rage. I shook as anger-driven energy surged through me, and my legs propelled me forward. I had only taken three steps before my footing faltered. Suddenly I was falling. I screamed as I fell . . . down and down. Until I hit something beneath me. Something soft broke my fall. I looked up, dread and absolute terror holding me captive.
A hole . . . a hole above me . . . a rabbit hole.
“No,” I whispered and searched around me. I was in a room: a room with three doors. Jumping from whatever I was sitting on—I looked back to find it was a bed—I ran to the first door. It was locked. I ran to the second. It too was locked. “No!” I called louder, my voice cracking in my throat. I approached the third door, dragging my feet. I reached out . . . It was locked.
I shook my head. I shook my head so fast that I became dizzy. Something clattered on the floor. When I looked down, I saw that my knife was on the hard wood. I backed away. I backed away until my legs hit the mattress.
My bottom lip shook as I took in the four walls surrounding me. The three doors . . . it was a replica of the room I had been trapped in for years.
I was back in the room of doors.
A sob crept up my throat. Strength seeped from my body, like blood draining from a wound. My body automatically curled on the bed, arms wrapped around my waist for protection. I closed my eyes, trying to fight the dark and the sinking pit that was forming in my stomach.
Suddenly the door to my right opened. My eyes snapped open, ice-cold fear freezing my bones. I watched as a man walked through. I stared at his feet, at his polished black leather shoes . . . That was all I needed to know who had trapped me.
His legs were in my vision as he reached the bed. I closed my eyes when a hand pushed through my hair. I wanted to move, I wanted to run away, but the room of doors kept me trapped. My body wouldn’t move. My hand wouldn’t slap his touch away.
“Ellis . . .” he whispered. I felt his voice slice down to my soul. Felt its talons scrape the fragile glass that was my heart, tapping at the weak spots, until it shattered apart, finally draining all my courage and hope.
The Jabberwock’s hand stroked roughly down my face, replacing the sensuous path that Rabbit’s had traced a short while ago. I wanted Rabbit’s touch. I wanted his gentle touch caressing my skin.
I wanted Rabbit, full stop. I wanted Rabbit. But he wouldn’t find me in this room. He wouldn’t be able to get it in—all the doors were locked. Only the Jabberwock had the keys.
“My Ellis,” the Jabberwock whispered. The bed dipped at the side. I felt the Jabberwock’s body move closer. I smelled his scent—whiskey and smoke.
I hated the smell of whiskey and smoke.
“You think I didn’t know you were coming?” He chuckled. The sound hurt my ears. “As soon as I heard the victims’ names, as soon as I saw the picture on the news, I knew you’d be coming for me.” A finger slid under my chin. He forced my head to the side. “Open your eyes.”
Unable to resist his command, I did as ordered. The instant I saw his face, I felt the makeup Rabbit had bought me fall from my face. I felt my dress fade from blue to black. I felt Dolly disappearing. Felt her bravery and courage evaporating into the dank air. I shook with fear.
“Ellis Earnshaw,” the Jabberwock said. Only when I looked into his eyes, I saw that he wasn’t the Jabberwock. Instead Uncle John sat beside me, holding my face.
“Uncle John,” I whispered. He grinned.
“There she is,” he said and traced his hand down my side until it rested on my bare thigh. “My little Ellis. With an English accent, no less.” His eyes flared when they fell on my dress. “You always did like to play, didn’t you?” And then he began to lift it. My breathing quivered as his calloused hand crept up my thigh toward my bottom. I choked down a sob when he pushed my knickers aside and flattened his palm on my buttock. I squeezed my eyes shut as he moved to kneel beside me.
Uncle John rolled me onto my back. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling as he lifted my dress. Lifted my dress until it bunched around my waist. His hands hooked into the waistband of my knickers, and he rolled them down my legs, slid them over my boots and tossed them on the floor.