Lambi
Legacy Name: Lambi

When you open your eyes again, you're surprised to realize your eyes have begun to adjust to the darkness and you can now see the shapes of what appear to be trees. You can also see a makeshift trail in front of you. It twists and bends until it disappears out of sight. Having nothing better to do, and still unsure of where you are, you decide to follow the trail. After all, how could things get any worse? Maybe you will run into someone who knows where you are. With your courage slightly fortified by the proposition, you stand up cautiously. You brush the dirt and who knows what else off of your clothes, cringing slightly. Steeling yourself against the unknown, you slowly head down the trail.

Suddenly you hear a voice coming from somewhere in the darkness. "Welcome to Wonderland." Your eyes scan the darkness frantically. Out of the corner of your left eye, you glimpse a shadow moving deep in the woods. You whip your head around and immediately regret the action as your muscles protest, sending sharp pains up and down your neck. Rubbing your neck to ease the ache, you narrow your eyes, trying to get them to focus in the darkness. The woods are eerily still, and you begin to wonder if you'd seen anything at all.

You jerk with a start when you hear the voice again. "This isn't your mother's Wonderland," it says. The source of the voice stays hidden but you are now certain it is coming from this direction. "We don't have little white rabbits bouncing around, going on about how late they are. Nor do we have fat little queens threatening to chop your head clean off your shoulders." The voice pauses, and you wonder if it's waiting for you to say something. But before you can decide on what to say, it speaks again. "No pot smoking caterpillars either." What an odd thing to say. You wonder what the voice is going on about, and decide to venture in the direction of it. As you take one step forward, something throws you off balance, and you stumble backwards. As you struggle to right yourself, the shadow appears again and steps forward allowing you to focus upon him in the dim light. It seems to be a tall man with a skeleton frame and long dark hair. Upon his face he wears a twisted smile of sorts. You also take note of his top hat and his dirty, tattered suit. "This isn't the place for smiles and frills. Happy endings are old wives' tales and your nightmares are the only truth.' With this he bows and tips his hat in a very gentlemanly manner. As he disappears back into the shadows, you hear him whisper, "Welcome to Wonderland. Welcome to my nightmare."

You stand in place for a while, scanning the woods, afraid to venture off the path now but curious as to whether he'll appear again. Eventually you give up on that idea and decide to follow the path. As you continue along, the path becomes shrouded in fog, but up ahead you see a light. Your footsteps become more hurried as you venture towards it. Eventually, the fog lifts just enough for you to make out the shape of a lamp post. You rush towards it, but you stop when you see two figures standing together in the minimal light.

Squinting, you recognize the skeleton frame and top hat. The figure standing with him is much shorter, the top of its head barely equal with his shoulders. "I don't like the night noises," you hear a female voice quietly say, barely audible. She wraps her arms around his waist and buries her face into his chest. You venture closer, to get a better look, but not so close as to intrude. He strokes her long raven hair, and then cups her face in his hands. He gently tilts her head back so he can look into her eyes. "My dear Lamb," he says gently, "I would never let anything bad happen to you." He then kisses her forehead, then the tip of her nose, and finally her lips.

She smiles a small smile, and then lowers her head back onto his chest. When she lifts her face a little, she looks directly at you, but she doesn't seem to notice you. Does she even see you? You wonder how she could miss you since you're right in her line of vision. But there she is, staring right past you. "Can I ask you something?" she inquires softly, her eyes fixed. His head tilts slightly, and his eyes follow hers. "Anything, my love." She continues to look in your direction, seemingly right through you. It's like you don't even exist. Finally she breaks her stare and looks up at him. "Why are you still fighting?"

His hands slide down to the small of her back, and he says, "Why am I still fighting?

Simple. You.

I've never had a girl like you; I've never had a girl wrapped around my finger as much as you. You're unique, in many, many ways. In all seriousness, you're unlike any girl I've met so far in my 19 years of existence. One I wanna keep; one I by any means, do not want to lose. As I was just telling dad, you're a keeper. It's just getting you that is the hard part. So I'm going to stick around and fight whatever battles I must face until I win the war and call you mine. I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted you to be my last relationship. It's just a matter of when you'll be my last relationship. You are serious, you are you, you are precious, and your heart bears no limits. I love you, and everything about you. That, my love, is why I have stayed and played the games I've played."

The light fades and everything becomes dark again.