The Glass Slipper

Jack woke with a start. For a moment, all he could remember was fire. The inferno licking at his heels as he ran. Then the last memory came to him. Sinbad, his surrogate father, was dead. Murdered by the Hatter at the whim of someone else.

Why would anyone want to kill him? Sure he was a thief, but he was a good man. He never kept any profits for himself. He bought that building just to house those without a home. Jack closed his eyes again. He hoped he could just go back to sleep and not have to face it, but he had no such luck.

Sitting up, Jack, for the first time, noticed his was in a carriage. Ali had apparently already gotten everyone moving. They had planned for emergencies like this. Well Sinbad had. Jack and Ali never thought it would happen. In case of any kind of problem that threatens the residents of their building, they would lead the residents away from the city to Old Lady Tia’s shoe. She always had room for stragglers. Jack knew this was the right call. This was about as threatening as the problems would get.

Hopping out of the carriage, Jack looked up the line of people and saw Ali walking point. For the first time Jack had ever seen, Ali was quiet. Taking a deep breath, Jack began to stride up the line and looked everyone over. Smoke stains marred all their clothes alongside patches of melted cotton. They were alive though. As far as Jack could tell, Sinbad was the only causality, which was what Sinbad would’ve wanted.

Reaching the front of the line, Jack fell into step with Ali and tried to think of what to do. Something to make it all better. Jack wished again that he could speak. Just for a moment. Just to tell Ali that it will be okay. He didn’t know if that was true, but it was the thought that would keep them going.

“I saw the Hatter run down an alley away from the building,” Ali said, finally breaking into the silence, “Did he…?”

He didn’t finish the question, but Jack knew what it was. Nodding, Ali went silent again and kept walking. That was truthfully the most disconcerting thing to Jack. Ali was only ever quiet when he slept and even then he snored. As long as Jack had known him, Ali never purposely stopped making jokes. No that he had, Jack just became more worried.

“I was going to send someone ahead, but I figured you’d want to,” Ali said quietly. Jack nodded and dashed off. He didn’t want to stick around. He couldn’t make anything better.

Running down the dirt road, Jack looked out at the fields. Miles stretched over on miles of pure farmland. Golden fields of barley alongside of snow white cotton and tall stalks of corn. It was very different from the city, but it was relaxing and that made Jack calm down a bit.

As Jack passed a pumpkin patch, he saw Tia’s shoe. A three story boot shaped building that Tia used to house those who needed a place. Every summer for as long as Jack and Ali could remember, they had been here working in the vegetable garden behind the place and keeping Tia’s house protected from bandits. It was Jack’s second home and usually he would be happy to see it. Usually.

Jack eventually reached the front of the shoe and looked out across the stone walk way. Scanning the area, Jack decided on stepping into the garden. It was there Jack saw Peter Cottontail. The five foot tall hare was tending to Tia’s crops. His brown fur covered only partially by a loose cotton shirt and his long ears were tied up for some reason.

Peter’s ears twitched when Jack got close. Turning, the hare smiled and said, “My friend, good to see you. What’s the occasion?”

Jack smiled and shook Peter’s hand. Peter used to be bugged by Jack’s silent nature, but after a few years, they had become good friends. Jack knew Peter from a few years back. A group of bandits from the Great Wood had thought Tia’s shoe to be an easy mark. They didn’t know that Jack and Ali were there. They two fought off the thieves as best they could, but eventually would’ve been overwhelmed. Then Peter came in. Picking up a nearby knife, Peter fought alongside Jack and Ali. After that, Jack had spent the summer training Peter in more techniques in knife fighting and ever summer since had spent their summers mock fighting. Peter learned this because he had begun to protect Tia’s place since then.

Breaking away from the list of how the year went, Peter asked, “So why are you here, Jack?”

Jack wasn’t sure how he was going to answer, but he didn’t have to. Tia already knew. She had walked out of the shoe and was looking at Jack. Tia was a short black lady with a habit of wearing bright sundresses. Her eyes were red from crying when she noticed Jack. She didn’t even have to say anything for Jack to break down.

Crashing into Tia’s arms, Jack cried.