she is so happy, what a perfect day,
Alice wishes forever could be this way.
But then the waves stop crashing,
no longer onto the shore are they smashing,
waves still form but face the other way,
Alice is mesmerised by this unusual display,
wave after wave rolls back into the sea,
which now starts to retreat, ever so slightly.
Strider stops running, then turns around,
to speak to Alice, words profound,
his voice is distinct, a voice of authority,
each word spoken with absolute clarity,
‘Look Alice, the tide has turned,
’tis time now, for your return,
your wait is over to break the spell,
and destroy the demon, its evil to dispel,
for time and chance is now here,
show supreme courage, use the demon’s fear,
it is scared of your divine power,
you must look to destroy the tower.’
Instantly, Alice is alone once more,
standing on the receding seashore,
Strider has gone, mama and papa too,
the ocean now far away, almost out of view.
From shore to horizon, about half way,
a tower sits, with ascending, twisting walkway,
’tis a jagged, twisted column of stone,
dark grey, with moss overgrown,
it reaches high, into wisping cloud,
a small white house on top, clouds partly shroud,
the house is circular, one window and door,
a domed sky blue roof, Alice has never seen this
before.
Upon the house, the sun is shining,
together with wispy clouds, they are both combining,
to create a golden haze,
that glows in the sun’s rays.
Around the tower now, is an ocean of fire,
black, demonic flames, an unholy hellfire,
a huge chain of fire now ascends,
out of the ocean, around the tower it extends,
twisting slowly up to the house,
like a snake, wrapping itself around a mouse.
Suddenly, Alice is alone in total darkness,
surrounded by a silence of absoluteness,
she hears a feint voice in the distance,
calling her name with much persistence,
Alice heads towards the voice,
as though compelled, with no choice.
Her name is called, time and time again,
from where is hard to ascertain,
it seems so far, but yet so near,
a lightless beacon, in the dark so very clear.
PHOENIX
Alice is now waking up in her cell,
reborn again, after the horror of the death bell.
‘Alice! Alice! Wake up,’ a voice says,
over and over, growing nearer through a dark haze,
Alice’s eyes open, as someone strokes her shoulder,
today she feels different, the daily excitement not
within her,
she sits up then turns towards somebody,
sitting beside her is a smiling Minty,
Alice’s body and gown again renewed,
another cursed day, met with brave fortitude.
Only now, can Minty see the true age of the child,
before damnation by Scobberlotcher, so reviled,
she might be four or might be five,
but within here, centuries she has been alive,
with golden skin, lovely blue eyes,
pretty features, her look before her cursed demise,
Alice looks shocked at what she sees,
then stands to face Minty, showing great unease.
She sees Minty looking quite a state,
no wonder! Minty has had it rough of late,
bedraggled and dirty, cuts upon hands and face,
then, Alice sees something looking like lace,
upon Minty’s lap, a silver object lay,
neatly folded, somehow her fears start to allay.
‘You are the one,’ says Alice, ‘The one out of your
cell,
before Scobberlotcher returned, to confine you to hell,
forgive me for saying, you look worse for wear,
cut and bleeding, clothes in disrepair,
tell me what happened, who set you free?
You are the first ever escapee.’
‘There is no time,’ says Minty, ‘For an explanation,
but today your remaining light can reawaken,
someone special has sent you a gift,
you must wear it, for your soul to uplift,
it will protect you against the demon’s curse,
the hold on you will forever disperse,
come with me, leave this hall,
destroy Scobberlotcher once and for all.’
Minty takes the matter into her own hands,
unfolding the shawl, Alice watches as it slowly
expands,
the shawl sparkles in the dim light,
Minty stands,’tis time for Alice’s fate to rewrite,
the shawl is placed around Alice’s shoulders,
her hair placed on top, then something changes,
All around Alice, a lightning storm rages,
she slumps to the floor as a battle engages,
countless strands fizz and crackle,
the shawl’s power, breaking the demon’s shackle,
soon Alice is completely surrounded,
laying helplessly, as the curse is rejected.
Eventually, the lightning storm fades,
Alice slowly stands, free at last after so many decades,
around the shawl is a radiant aura,
‘Come, Alice,’ Minty says, ‘Time to leave this
bedevilled area.’
And so, Minty takes Alice by the hand,
to lead her away from this hall of the damned,
as they leave, they are not alone,
all the children now leave cells of their own,
in single file, they descend the stairs,
in gowns of white, trapped in a living nightmare,
slowly they walk, bald heads bowed,
compelled to their purpose, some crying out loud.
Minty leads Alice to the bridge before the tower,
and the door bedecked with springtime flower,
but their path is blocked, something waits,
upon the walkway they must negate,
Minty fears something is wrong,
as in the middle, about half way along,
a large black egg shaped object sits,
a powerful sense of doom it emits.
Minty tries to move, but her legs are frozen,
and her voice is without activation,
Alice carries on alone,
towards the object, sinister and unknown.
The object pulsates, as though breathing out and in,
then, there is movement, is there something within?
Alice continues on, unafraid,
Minty can only watch, trapped by invisible blockade,
Alice’s aura glows even brighter,
perhaps power increases within her.
Two bat like wings suddenly unfold,
the object turns, a truly terrifying sight to behold,
Scobberlotcher’s face contorts with rage and fear,
a hissing mouth full of terrifying teeth, show its
intention is clear,
&
nbsp; Scobberlotcher stands, then screams at Alice,
but then steps back, away from its own nemesis.
Alice does not allow the monster to speak,
she sings her song, to make the demon shriek,
but she sings it softly, as though to a child,
not to a demon, in which so much hate is compiled.
‘Shush-a-bye monster, hear my song,
set us free, we do not belong.
Shush-a-bye monster, release my light,
give it back, let us reunite.’
Alice continues forwards, the demon falls to its knees,
the time is here, this moment Alice must seize,
once again she starts to sing,
Scobberlotcher wails and cries, a pathetic thing.
And so it is, the demon of cowardice,
is brought to its knees by poor, poor Alice,
reborn from fire and combustion,
like the Phoenix, a totem of transformation,
a paragon of strength and purity,
from death comes life, a resurrection of divinity.
Scobberlotcher tries to crawl away,
but Alice has much, much more to say,
‘Shush-a-bye monster, calm your soul,
let me in, to take control…’
Alice’s aura now starts to faulter,
flickering rapidly, no longer protecting her,
luckily Scobberlotcher is bested, weak and whimpering,
as it lay on the floor, curled up and cowering,
the demon starts to slowly crawl away,
wailing and shaking its head, in despair and dismay,
Alice follows the monster, now weak and stricken,
with intent to use gentle attrition,
Alice’s shawl regains its light,
her aura, once again nice and bright.
Scobberlotcher tries to rally its mist,
but Alice just smiles,’tis easy to resist,
with a wave of the hand, the mist is gone,
the demon now helpless and forlorn,
Scobberlotcher now struggles for breath,
well aware of its impending death,
once again Alice starts to sing,
as her hair begins gently wavering,
rising up and reaching forward,
searching for the monster, soon to be captured.
‘Shush-a-bye monster, let us embrace,
let me give you holy grace.
Shush-a-bye monster, demon of brutalities,
I forgive all of your atrocities.
Shush-a-bye monster, evil incarnate,
surrender all of your hate.’
Alice’s verse is again interrupted,
the castle groans loudly, as though corrupted,
its very foundations start to shake,
with a rumble and a grumble, as though awake,
Alice stops walking, Scobberlotcher crawls away,
perhaps the castle itself, has its own part to play.
The bridge now shakes violently,
as stonework from above falls alarmingly,
a tear appears across the bridge,
in front of Alice, loud and savage,
she steps back, uneasy on her feet,
away from Scobberlotcher, so close to defeat.
A large, falling black boulder comes into view,
and lands on Scobberlotcher, splitting the bridge in two,
the demon and bridge fall into oblivion,
swallowed by darkness, into annihilation,
a dense cloud of dust now hovers,
above the broken bridge, it silently covers.
Minty is now free of her invisible chains,
so races over to Alice, then explains,
‘Quickly!’ She says, whilst taking Alice’s hand,
‘Come this way, I must follow command,
we must enter the door bedecked with flower,
to reach the top of the ascension tower,
for someone waits to give you council,
but time is short, we cannot dawdle.’
But as the dust starts to clear,
only now can Minty see a problem appear,
part of the bridge is no longer there,
their only way out of this nightmare,
the castle still shakes and grumbles,
stonework above still crumbles.
Alice says calmly, ‘Our path is clear,
think of home, it shall appear.’
Minty does as asked without question,
there is no time nor point in argumentation,
the bridge now feels unstable,
swaying slightly, its weakening audible.
The springtime flowers on the door come alive,
dancing together, perhaps to contrive,
a way for Minty and Alice to yet endure,
and cleanse the castle of all things impure,
a walkway is created from stem, vine and leaf,
from door to bridge, softly lit underneath.
The door opens, but impossible to see beyond,
Alice and Minty step forward to quickly abscond,
Alice skips merrily, humming a song,
her hair bounces freely as they go along,
finally, at long last, Alice is a joyful child,
soul free, from the demon exiled,
a warm summer breeze blows upon their face,
they step through the door, and escape this place.
SHORES OF THE SEVEN
Behind them, the door closes,
leaving Alice and Minty, in a field of a thousand roses,
a sweet, musky aroma of violets and lemon,
rides upon the wind, of a summer awoken,
summer green grasses dance on the breeze,
strangely, Minty feels completely at ease.
On the horizon, behind forested hill,
stands solitary mountain, ominous yet tranquil,
a snow capped peak reaches into the sky,
a sky of blue, with silver clouds to beautify.
A twisting white path meanders through the roses,
towards a lake, a sense of purity it imposes,
the lake is large and twinkles like glitter,
the mountain’s reflection, perfect on the water,
suddenly, a calm voice speaks from every direction,
soft, yet commanding, filled with affection,
‘Roses of the purest white,
are the flower of holy light,
love is stronger than death,
remaining always, beyond the final breath,
come join us, on the shore of the undying,
we seven are here, Alice. To end your agonizing.’
Alice and Minty follow the path, hand in hand,
towards the lakeshore, there they stand,
the reflections break, as two giant white swans near,
whilst on the far side of the lake, figures start to appear,
over the water, two giant swans glide,
towards Alice and Minty, watching on the lakeside,
soon the swans arrive, stopping with grace,
one speaks to Alice, who wears a smile upon her face,
‘Hello Alice, my name is Holly,
’tis time for you to abandon your melancholy,
I must take you across the lake,
Minty also, we shall not forsake,
the seven wait upon lakeside,
waiting our return, to bless and guide.’
Alice and Minty climb upon their swan,
snuggling into soft feathers, as they glide along,
very soo
n they reach the far shore,
Alice and Minty climb off, then Holly speaks some more,
‘The seven have been given grace,
to shine light through the darkness of this evil place,
go now, behold the seven,
a blessing granted only to those in heaven.’
Alice and Minty walk on, hand in hand,
towards the seven, as was Holly’s command,
just ahead, seven angels with wings of gold,
wait, wearing gowns coloured sevenfold,
red, yellow, pink and blue,
purple, white and green gowns to view,
they stand around gushing fountain,
shaped like the snow capped mountain.
The angel in blue steps forward, then stands before
Alice,
its words spoken are tender, full of solace.
‘Dear Alice, I am the archangel, Michael,
here for your salvation,
Uriel, Raphael, Zadkiel come to aid you,
Chamuel, Japhiel and Gabriel too.
Your suffering and torment is now over,
come with us, you can now crossover,
your parents and Strider wait on the beach,
for your return they longingly beseech.’
Alice says, ‘I cannot leave, I am incomplete,
I can only leave upon my lights receipt,
and what of the children? Thralls to the beast,
condemned forever, never to be released,
what of Minty? My brave rescuer,
cursed herself, then trapped by Scobberlotcher,
together we are bound, to retrieving the spinning wheel,
the wheel of Juhee, Scobberlotcher did steal.’
Michael says, ‘Your path to choose is yours alone,
but it could be one to bemoan,
please, come with us, set yourself free,
Minty will be taken to a place of safety,
to fulfil all your ambitions, the demon must be slain,
this chance of salvation may never come again,
this demon is powerful, wicked and cruel,
come with us, do not be a fool.’
Minty says, ‘But the demon is slain,
falling beneath rock, into the bowels of its domain,
we saw it crushed, we saw it fall,
the castle crumbled, facing its own downfall.’
Michael turns to Minty, shaking his head,
saying, ‘No, the demon is not dead,
we seven would not be here, if that is so,
as all those trapped, would be free to go,
the castle freed Scobberlotcher from Alice’s spell,
it will return, trapping you in its hell.’
The Lambshank Redemption Page 11