Chapter 7

I storm my way to the other room, where everyone else is. "Ok, Salandra, you are staying here with Mr. Dodo. Everyone else, come with me." They stare at me. "NOW! There isn't ANY time to waste! We HAVE to save Hatter!"

   "But what are we supposed to do?" the Tweedles ask.

   "Chess, where is the Vorpol Sword?" March Hare's eyes go wide.

   "The Vorpol Sword is-" March hare starts.

   "In the city's gates," Chess says, interrupting.

   "Yes, March Hare. For the Jabberwalk. And for the Jabberwalk only."

   "The Jabberwalk?" Tweedles say in fright and disbelief.

   "Yes. The Jabberwalk. You are only going to help me find the Vorpol Sword. And to guide me, whatever Mr. Dodo meant by that."

   "Then it must be so," Dum says.

   "If Mr. Dodo said it, then it must be!" Dee repeats.

   "Standing here is wasting time." I look up at the Cat. "So is floating." We leave the March Hare's house. Why can't Mr. Dodo help? Why must Salandra stay behind?  We go a different way than normal. We don't follow the pebble path to the woods. Instead, we go to the right of the path, the direction of Trea's house. Why is the Vorpol Sword in the opposite direction of where the Wind took Trea? ARGH!!! Nothing is simply done anymore! One more proof that I'm not making this up. Why am I still proving to myself that this isn't a dream or pretend? What is wrong with me? I reach up and put my hand on my head from frustration. I feel the hat instead of hair. I take it off and look at it. Green ribbon... red flowers... Trea’s eyes... Trea's hair... I put the hat back on, the fire within re-kindled. I will save you, Trea. I promise it.

   "Chess, since you know where the Vorpol Sword is, tell me. What does it look like?" I ask.

   "Knowing where something is and having actually seen it are two very different things," he replies, sounding as bored as ever.

   "Well, then, HAVE you seen it?"

   "No, I'm afraid I have not."

   "Tweedles, have either of you seen it before?"

   "If I had, then he did," Dum says.

   "If I hadn't, the he didn't," Dee replies.

   "I didn't, so Tweedledee hasn't."

   "And I didn't, so we hadn't."

   "Hadn't seen it, no how!" Dum says with finality.

   "Alright, then," I say. "That leaves you, March Hare. Have you seen the Vorpol Sword before?"

   "No, but it has been said by many, that one would know it as soon as you set eyes on it," March Hare replies.

   "I take that to mean that it doesn't look like another sword in existence, then."

   "That would be correct."

   "Hmm... what would that special uniqueness be...?" I ask, more to myself than the group. We fall silent for a while, each consumed in our own thoughts. What was that poem in Lewis Carroll’s book that had to do with the Vorpol Sword? Oh, yes, I remember it now.

"            ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

               Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

             All mimsy were the borogoves

               And the mome raths outgrabe.   "

I say. The Tweedles shout out in tandem as I say:

"            ’Beware the Jabberwock, my son!   "

The boys are silent as Chess and I take the next:

"               The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! "

March Hare cries out with me:

"             Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

               The frumious Bandersnatch!’   "

I, alone, take the next:

"             He took his Vorpol sword in hand:

               Long time the manxome foe he sought–

             So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

               And stood awhile in thought.

             And as in uffish thought he stood,   "

Chess again joins me:

"               The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

             Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

               And burbled as it came!    "

Tweedles chant the next line:

"             One, two!  One, two!  And through and through "

I take this part alone:

"               The Vorpol blade went snicker-snack!

             He left it dead, and with its head

               He went galumphing back.    "

I remain silent as March Hare takes the next:

"             ’And has thou slain the Jabberwock?

               Come to my arms, my beamish boy!   "

Everyone else besides me joins in the final part:

"             O frabjous day!  Callooh!  Callay!’

               He chortled in his joy.

             ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

               Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

             All mimsy were the borogoves,

               And the mome raths outgrabe.   "

 A few more moments of silence ensues. I did not realize the poem was a common one. Of course, I never realized that Dimmerland existed before I came. I always thought that it was just a children’s tale and nothing more. The thought frightens me. This means the Jabberwalk is real. Of course it is. Didn't Mr. Dodo say so himself that I must deal it the death blow? We come upon a wall. A large, brick wall. "Alright, Chess, you got us this far. Now where is it hidden?" I ask.

   "This way," he says, floating on his way. He must find it slow going to have to keep a slow pace so that we may catch up with him. The mere realization of this is almost enough to make me laugh! I suppress it due to the emergency that we are in. After all, my Hatter, as Mr. Dodo said, needs me. And I need to rescue him. But I can't do it without help. "Here it is," Chess says, gesturing to the brick wall. I cock my head in thought. The wall? In the wall? Behind the wall? Below it? On it?

   "Chess, take a look on the other side. Do you see it there?"

   "No..." he again says in his tired voice. "It is not there."

   "How about on top of the Wall?"

   "No... It is not there either." I again cock my head. The Vorpol sword MUST be underneath the wall, then. There is no other rational explanation.

   "Tweedles, I need you to start digging under the wall. We need to find that sword!"

   "Yes, Alyssa!" they reply in unison. While they are digging, I search for signs of the mysterious sword. I walk up and down the wall, turning my head this way and that. Perhaps I am looking for the wrong shape, wrong idea.

 Uh!!! It's so obvious! I feel like an idiot for not noticing it before. I go back to the digging site. "Stop digging for a moment. I have an idea." Something as important as the Vorpol Sword would never be left uncovered. And they wouldn't put it in a bag or a box. Nor would they simply bury it. Nor would they merely have it as part of a structure, in this case, the wall. It would be IN a rock. An unusually long one. And it would both be part of the wall and buried under the ground. That would ensure its complete safety! I crawl into the dig site the boys created- they did some pretty good damage, too- and I look at the lower part of the wall. I see a promising 'rock'. It has a couple of dents in it, forming a ledge... almost like a... handle of sorts... I pull the ledge. Wind pulls at my shirt. I look briefly at my shirt and realize that I still have my pajamas on from early this morning. I need to change. Shaking this thought from my head, I look up from my shirt to the 'rock'. It is hollow. And is far bigger than a rock, by any means. Especially for one that is supposed to be a part of a wall... I climb inside it with little thought.  My shoulders are cramped. If I can get my shoulders through this hole in the wall, I can make it in. I'm hyperventilating. I hate tight spaces. "Are you alright, Alyssa?" I think March Hare said that.

   "I'm fine!" I lie. "But, I could use a little bit of help here. Do you mind pushing my feet?" I stiffen my legs. I wait in anticipation of the push. Pressure on both feet. I bite my tongue as the walls bite into my shoulders. I should have had the boys go through instead. Or Chess. Why am I so impulsive? I give out a scream a land on my stomach.

   "Alyssa!" I hear, in stereo. The boys said that, I'm sure. "Are you alright?"

   "Yes!" I hear whispering above me.

   "Is she alright?"

   "If she is, then she might be-"

   "But if she ain't, then she isn't-" I suppress a giggle and shake my head. Those two boys and the way they carry on... I shake my head again. I can't see a thing.

   "March Hare, do you have a light?" I call out from the hole.

   "I think so. Just a moment," March Hare answers.

   "Sir, with all due respect, we don't have time here!"

   "Here you go, Alyssa." and a lamp falls down, fully lit. That's right. They probably don't have flash lights here. The lamp lights up the whole room. In the far back, is a box. THE box. It is encased in gold. I look it over and marvel at the encasement. The decorations are so intricate... I push the thoughts aside. I must save Trea. I can only do that if I get the Vorpol Sword and 'deal the death blow' to the Jabberwalk. On the side of the box facing the wall, I see a latch with a lock on it. Oh, please. Please let it work anyways. Please don't make us have to go somewhere else for the stupid key. I pull on the lock. Once. Twice. Three times. Nada. GRRR! I search the chamber. There are desks. And shelves-

   "Did you find it?" March Hare asks. -And drawers. What on earth is this chamber for?! I notice a little chest, embellished in bronze and silver, sitting under a chair. I open the chest. Inside, is a key. Masterfully done, too. Grabbing it, I go over to the large gold box. The lock opens easily. Finally, I open the box. And, lo-n-behold: the Vorpol Sword, in all of its dangerous glory.