Page 83 of Madness Becomes Her

After hours of wandering, Beau and I stand in the middle of a four-way intersection, ignoring a tree’s moans as we try to catch our breath.

I wipe sweat from my brow. “I’m so lost.”

“There isn’t even a way to find our way back to where we began, either,” Beau adds, plopping onto the ground in defeat.

“Falvious? Are you there? Come out, please?” I urge, scanning the large mushroom caps and trees above for any sign of him.

“Falvious?” Beau gets back on all fours. “I’ve heard of him. He’s a two-timing, riddle-speaking beast!”

“I resent that,” Falvious hisses, becoming corporeal as his cat-like form swirls before us.

Hanging upside down, his massive smile illuminates as his figure pulses between transparent and fleshly, Falvious crosses his arms. “What can I help you with tonight, dearies?”

His mocking tone makes anger fizzle through me like fireworks. “What do you mean? You’ve been watching! You know we’re lost!”

“How do you know I’ve been watching? I have better things to do with my life than watching Eleanor get lost for thehundredth time. I don’t know why you don’t just ask for help at the entrance. It’s what you always used to do.”

I swallow, feeling foolish. However, it’s not my fault that all my memories haven’t returned.

“Can you please help us get to the Bog?”

“Oh, you’ve an actual destination this time. Things have changed.”

“What?”

“To know where you’re going is the first step,” he teases, transforming into a naked man before us, his hands perched on his hips.

Beau growls. “Put your clothes on!”

Falvious rolls his eyes, snapping his fingers. Clothes appear on his body, clinging to every sinuous muscle.

Looking down at Beau, I smirk. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

Beau smiles. “I didn’t either.”

“I don’t have time for riddles, Falvious. I need help to get to the Bog. I’ve lost enough time already. Hatter might be in trouble. He’s late!”

Falvious turns, leading us down the path directly in front of us. “What is everyone’s obsession with time around here? It’s fluid, don’t they know that?” he rants.

Beau and I look at each other momentarily before following Falvious through the woods, praying he’s not leading us to our eventual demise—or to his home to do unseemly things to us.

We approach the edge of the woods, and I realize the Bog is just on the other side. Taking a deep breath, I thank Falvious, promising to return and solve his riddle.

“You shouldn’t have done that. The man seems like a menace,” Beau says as we step out of the trees.

“He’s not a man. He’s a cat,” I correct.

“This place is bonkers,” Beau mutters, and I grin.

My eyes scan the Bog, searching for anything or anyone out of place.

Nothing.

Silence.

The table Hatter spread me out on is bare. Nary a teacup atop it. The chairs are all pushed beneath it, and the clock at its head ticks almost too loudly.

Dropping my bag by Beau, I run up the hill and into the house.