Rafferty watched from above as the witch entered the room, and felt something bordering on relief. She was wedged into the upper corner of the room, pushing on the walls with both hands and both feet, every bit the human spider. She had practiced something like this once before during a Stealth module, but that had been two years ago. There wasn't a lot of call for sneaking when you hunted Gods out in the Breaks. Rafferty couldn't use her bracelets to make this easier either, the glow would give her away. She had to rely on her own muscles, and they were really burning now.

All those squats with Leslie are paying off. And to think you practically wanted to punch her in the face every time you finished.

The girl was talking as she entered the room.

"Hey beautiful, it occurs to me that I don't know your name. I feel like I really should, given some of things I'm planning to do to you. I'm Se—"

The witch stopped in mid-sentence, looking at the broken pile of bed. She turned and looked around the rest of the room, pulling a large knife out of her dark clothes.

"Sneaky, sneaky bitch," she said, sounding more amused than anything.

Rafferty decided she couldn't wait any longer. If she was spotted up here, she wouldn't be able to dodge or block if this girl decided to throw that knife. Plus, she was losing feeling in her fingers and toes.

She dropped the ground, seeing the witch turn in her direction. Rafferty lunged for her opponent as quickly as she could. Her steps were awkward due to her sore calves, and she was sure Leslie would have plenty to say about that. Still, she was a bit faster than the witch was expecting, and closed the gap before the knife was in a ready position. Rafferty swung her fist hard, bracelets glittering in the dark room, and connected with the mask.

Right under the HA.

The witch sprawled backwards into the jumble of plastic figures, sending animal parts scattering across the floor.

Rafferty stepped forward and stood over her fallen opponent.

"Where are my friends?" she asked.

The witch's hand was in her clothes. She pulled it out, opened her fist, and blew across the palm.

Rafferty was hit in the face with a mixture of grit and liquid. She gave a short little shout, and reached to rub her eyes. She felt the witch push past her.

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Eyes burning, Rafferty tried to look around the room. She couldn't see the girl, couldn't really see much of anything. Since she wasn't being stabbed, Rafferty figured the witch had left the room.

Possibly to get a few of her friends. Or that stupid dog.

As Rafferty stumbled around the room, a couple of the animal figures snarled and swiped at her. One figure, roughly half an owl, called her a very bad word from its place on the floor.

I need to get out of this room. Now.

She blundered her way through the doorway, blinking through painful bits of grit. She couldn't see anything in the hallway, but at least she could feel her way along the wall. Her hand brushed against part of the wall that felt smooth and slick. Two bright eyes opened in the darkness, one blue, one green, and an angry, booming voice told her that she was only good for one thing and she knew what that was.

Welcome to Wonderland, the most wonderful place there is.

Eventually, she pushed on a door and felt fresh air. She stepped outside.

She heard a click. The hammer of a gun.

Rafferty spun around and saw a blurry Lena standing in the moonlight.

Lena's eyes were wild, unhinged.

She was pointing her weapon straight at Rafferty.

Rafferty watched from above as the witch entered the room, and felt something bordering on relief. She was wedged into the upper corner of the room, pushing on the walls with both hands and both feet, every bit the human spider. She had practiced something like this once before during a Stealth module, but that had been two years ago. There wasn't a lot of call for sneaking when you hunted Gods out in the Breaks. Rafferty couldn't use her bracelets to make this easier either, the glow would give her away. She had to rely on her own muscles, and they were really burning now.

All those squats with Leslie are paying off. And to think you practically wanted to punch her in the face every time you finished.

The girl was talking as she entered the room.

"Hey beautiful, it occurs to me that I don't know your name. I feel like I really should, given some of things I'm planning to do to you. I'm Se—"

The witch stopped in mid-sentence, looking at the broken pile of bed. She turned and looked around the rest of the room, pulling a large knife out of her dark clothes.

"Sneaky, sneaky bitch," she said, sounding more amused than anything.

Rafferty decided she couldn't wait any longer. If she was spotted up here, she wouldn't be able to dodge or block if this girl decided to throw that knife. Plus, she was losing feeling in her fingers and toes.

She dropped the ground, seeing the witch turn in her direction. Rafferty lunged for her opponent as quickly as she could. Her steps were awkward due to her sore calves, and she was sure Leslie would have plenty to say about that. Still, she was a bit faster than the witch was expecting, and closed the gap before the knife was in a ready position. Rafferty swung her fist hard, bracelets glittering in the dark room, and connected with the mask.

Right under the HA.

The witch sprawled backwards into the jumble of plastic figures, sending animal parts scattering across the floor.

Rafferty stepped forward and stood over her fallen opponent.

"Where are my friends?" she asked.

The witch's hand was in her clothes. She pulled it out, opened her fist, and blew across the palm.

Rafferty was hit in the face with a mixture of grit and liquid. She gave a short little shout, and reached to rub her eyes. She felt the witch push past her.

Eyes burning, Rafferty tried to look around the room. She couldn't see the girl, couldn't really see much of anything. Since she wasn't being stabbed, Rafferty figured the witch had left the room.

Possibly to get a few of her friends. Or that stupid dog.

As Rafferty stumbled around the room, a couple of the animal figures snarled and swiped at her. One figure, roughly half an owl, called her a very bad word from its place on the floor.

I need to get out of this room. Now.

She blundered her way through the doorway, blinking through painful bits of grit. She couldn't see anything in the hallway, but at least she could feel her way along the wall. Her hand brushed against part of the wall that felt smooth and slick. Two bright eyes opened in the darkness, one blue, one green, and an angry, booming voice told her that she was only good for one thing and she knew what that was.

Welcome to Wonderland, the most wonderful place there is.

Eventually, she pushed on a door and felt fresh air. She stepped outside.

She heard a click. The hammer of a gun.

Rafferty spun around and saw a blurry Lena standing in the moonlight.

Lena's eyes were wild, unhinged.

She was pointing her weapon straight at Rafferty.