Retrace 12 || [Broadcast Mind]
[In the darkness, a child's voice sings.]
The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts
All on a hot summer’s day
The knave of hearts, he stole those tarts
The Mad Queen said, “Off with his head!
Off with his head! Off with his-”
[Static.]
---
The mansion is burning. Heads are rolling. Your best friend is dead. What will you do?
Ignore it all. Walk away. As the plumes of smoke crawl into the night sky, you can hear their screaming. You don’t stop. You don’t look back.
You’re a coward.
---
There is more to life than war.
---
A little girl with white hair and a pretty dress sits at a long table, set perfectly for tea time. Her back is to you, and she doesn’t turn to look, but of course she knows you’re here.
“You’re late.”
You have no excuses for her.
[The picture glitches. Whining static. Snow and noise. Then-]
A close up of the snow-white head. “You’re a liar, Hatter-san. You aren’t going to save me.”
She doesn’t sound like a girl anymore. She sounds like a sewer rat.
In the distance, cruel laughter. The floor is littered with doll parts and the stuffing of teddy bears. You’re holding scissors.
Who are you, again?
---
A sunny room. Nothing is in focus. Nothing is ever in focus. You close your eyes and Rapunzel wraps her braid around your forehead, over your eyes. She smells sweet, good enough to taste.
You miss Sharon. You want to go back.
Rapunzel’s voice: “Is it working?”
Of course it’s not.
---
I would rather fight than lie down.
---
You’re searching for an enemy you can’t see, but that’s nothing new. But you don’t know what he looks like, and you don’t know where he is. But you will find him, and you will surely die.
Somewhere, a clock is ticking. Somewhere, Ukitake says, “You are a terribly selfish man, Xerxes Break.” Somewhere, Kaien is crying. Somewhere, Miyako offers you cake. You can never resist cake.
It’s very dark where you are. You’re lonely.
--
Dancing with Sharon while the mansion burns in the night. Dancing with Yachiru while the lanterns burn in the trees. Swap one life for another, I dare you.
Lalalalaaa-daa. Lalalalaaaa-daa. Lullabies you no longer sing, because the ears who heard them are dead.
---
[More static. Then, abruptly:]
"-Off with his head!”
The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts
All on a hot summer’s day
The knave of hearts, he stole those tarts
The Mad Queen said, “Off with his head!
Off with his head! Off with his-”
[Static.]
---
The mansion is burning. Heads are rolling. Your best friend is dead. What will you do?
Ignore it all. Walk away. As the plumes of smoke crawl into the night sky, you can hear their screaming. You don’t stop. You don’t look back.
You’re a coward.
---
There is more to life than war.
---
A little girl with white hair and a pretty dress sits at a long table, set perfectly for tea time. Her back is to you, and she doesn’t turn to look, but of course she knows you’re here.
“You’re late.”
You have no excuses for her.
[The picture glitches. Whining static. Snow and noise. Then-]
A close up of the snow-white head. “You’re a liar, Hatter-san. You aren’t going to save me.”
She doesn’t sound like a girl anymore. She sounds like a sewer rat.
In the distance, cruel laughter. The floor is littered with doll parts and the stuffing of teddy bears. You’re holding scissors.
Who are you, again?
---
A sunny room. Nothing is in focus. Nothing is ever in focus. You close your eyes and Rapunzel wraps her braid around your forehead, over your eyes. She smells sweet, good enough to taste.
You miss Sharon. You want to go back.
Rapunzel’s voice: “Is it working?”
Of course it’s not.
---
I would rather fight than lie down.
---
You’re searching for an enemy you can’t see, but that’s nothing new. But you don’t know what he looks like, and you don’t know where he is. But you will find him, and you will surely die.
Somewhere, a clock is ticking. Somewhere, Ukitake says, “You are a terribly selfish man, Xerxes Break.” Somewhere, Kaien is crying. Somewhere, Miyako offers you cake. You can never resist cake.
It’s very dark where you are. You’re lonely.
--
Dancing with Sharon while the mansion burns in the night. Dancing with Yachiru while the lanterns burn in the trees. Swap one life for another, I dare you.
Lalalalaaa-daa. Lalalalaaaa-daa. Lullabies you no longer sing, because the ears who heard them are dead.
---
[More static. Then, abruptly:]
"-Off with his head!”