HUDDLED IN THE CORNER of the room, Alice could hear the raised voice that drifted up to her from downstairs. She couldn’t make out what was being said, but the angry tone was enough to keep her where she was. She didn’t want to do anything that might draw attention to her, though she did take the opportunity, now that she could, thanks to the light she had been brought, to examine the room she was in. It was barren of furniture, even the carpet had been removed, exposing the bare floorboards she felt under her, while from the ceiling hung a light fitting that was missing a bulb; there was no handle on the door, and a sheet of wood was on the wall across from the door – she assumed it covered a window, though she couldn’t be certain.
Finally, her eyes came to rest on the plate and the bott
