So, wow. Been a long time since I posted a story up around these parts. But after watching Syfy's Alice I was inspired. Disclaimer: Belongs to Syfy Channel & Lewis Carroll
What Shapes The World
Chapter One
"The energy that actually shapes the world springs from emotions." –George Orwell
"Honey, I'm home!" Hatter still felt a little thrill shiver through him every time he said that, even if it was into an empty den. He flipped his black hat onto the stand just inside the door, barely noticing that his wife's purple coat, the one he had brought back to her, was missing. The light was on and water was running in the kitchen. If Al wasn't home, only one person it could be.
Carol jumped three feet when he slipped up to the sink beside her. "Oh, David, hi. Didn't hear you come in." She chucked a dish towel at him with a small grin.
"Not my fault your hearing's goin'." He picked up a metal bowl she had just finished washing and began to wipe it dry. It had taken Carol Hamilton many days longer to warm up to him than it had taken her daughter, they were still on wonky ground most of the time, but at least she had a sense of humor. "Alice not back yet?"
They both glanced at the cat clock over the sink, 6:30 pm. Alice's class ended at 6. "She probably stopped by the store," Carol said, picking up a pot that looked like she had killed a small animal in it. That was when he noticed the smell of pasta and tomatoes wafting through the kitchen.
"Oh, is that what I think it is?" he asked. Carol made a brilliant noodle casserole, on occasion.
She shoved the now scrubbed pot into his hands. "It'll be done soon. Alice should be home by then. Dry."
The two of them fell into silence. Not the good kind. The thick, heavy kind. A year. He had been sharing a home with the woman for a year now and still he needed his wife here to bridge the gap. He liked Carol, respected Carol and not just because she was Alice's mother. She was always nice to him, always polite. But she knew they were hiding something from her, and it always seemed as though she was waiting. Waiting for the moment when he slipped and she would pounce, proving to her daughter that he was not good enough.
Any minute now she would turn into a dragon and eat him, he was sure of it.
"So," she hesitated, she always seemed to be plotting her next move. Or maybe that was just his lifetime of paranoia. Maybe she had just as difficult a time with him as he did with her. "How was work?"
Work, good. Safe subject, mostly. Except that he managed a pub that served a large clientele of ex-pat denizens of Wonderland. Wonderlandians? Wonderlanders? A few had been debating that, loudly, at the bar the other day. He had to shut it down before they had come to a conclusion. No need scaring off the locals, they bought plenty of pints themselves.
Carol was waiting for an answer. "Work, yeah. Oh, excellent." Hatter could have kicked himself. Could he have sounded any dodgier? "Work was excellent. Nobody fell over drunk and no calls to the police. I count it as a good day." The dishes were done, he reached into a cabinet, pulling out the plates for dinner. "But still early yet."
He barely heard her chuckle over the sound of a knock on the door. A very loud insistent knock. "I wonder who that is," she took the plates from him. "I'll get that, you get the silverware." He heard the plates rattle on the table as he counted out knives, forks, and spoons. Hatter was reaching to get some glasses when he heard a voice he never expected to hear again. He had so hoped he would never hear again.
Moving over to the doorway, Hatter saw a stiff Carol facing Jack Hart. A nagging heaviness settled in the bowels of his stomach. It wasn't just that Jack Hart was standing in his living room with his mother in law. The red suit the King of Wonderland was wearing was dirty, wrinkled and unbuttoned. His platinum hair stuck out in every direction, a bit like Hatter's on a good day. Jack leaned in the doorway, trying to catch his breath. There was a man standing behind the King in about the same condition.
"I don't think you should be here." Carol's voice dripped with something Hatter was thankful she had never directed at him. "Alice is married now, I doubt she wants to see you."
"Married?" Jack shook his head. Then his eyes met Hatter's. Was that relief? "Hatter! Where's Alice? Is she here?"
Carol looked between the two of them, her expression the same one he had seen that first day when he kissed Alice until he couldn't breathe anymore. "You two know each other?"
"What're you doin' here?" Hatter asked, worry making it difficult for him to raise his arms and place the cutlery on the table. The King couldn't be here for Alice. She had made her choice clear before she had left Wonderland. She didn't want Jack anymore. He'd been generous when Hatter had come to him after thirty-four days without her and demanded to be allowed to go to her world. If he remembered right, Jack had chucked down the pen he'd been holding, thrown up his hands and said "About time." Hatter had taken that as the King's blessing.
"I'm serious, Hatter. Where is she?" Jack's voice cracked.
"Why do y'want to know?"
Jack jerked his head back at the suit behind him. Hatter recognized the man who came forward as one of the Queen's minions. She had many in her time, most of whom had sworn allegiance to Jack, but probably for the same reason they had sworn their loyalty to Jack's mother – to keep their heads. Hatter also recognized the coat the man carried in his hands. Purple and heavy and it should be hanging on one of the hooks the men were standing next to, when not worn by Alice. The man held it out to Hatter, who took it trying to put two thoughts together. As much as he didn't like the King, he was not a cruel Joker.
"It was found in Wonderland," Jack said.
Hatter had been punched in the gut before, many times in his life. This was worse. He jerked his phone out of his pocket, punching the button that would connect to her number.
"One of you needs to explain what is going on," Carol said. "Wonderland?"
Alice's phone was ringing.
"You never told her?"
More ringing.
"Wasn't sure how, exactly."
More ringing.
"Tell me what?"
It picked up, and he breathed a sigh. "Hi, you've reached Alice Hatter." Hatter froze, head to foot. The mechanical woman came on giving him instructions even he knew. Everyone knew the damn procedure, why'd they feel the need to remind you every time you made a call? Breathe. He had to remember to breathe. He closed his eyes and took several gulps of air, trying to force whatever was squeezing his throat to relax. He needed to control his voice. "Al, it's Hatter. Jack's here. You need to give me or your mum a call when you get this."
He turned to face the others again, trying to not give in to the panic flooding his body and telling him to begin tearing the world apart to find her. Carol was shifting from foot to foot. She knew as well as he did, if Alice's phone was on, she would answer. Class was over, the phone had rung, it was on, but Alice had not answered.
Hatter glanced down at the limp coat in his hand. "You found this in Wonderland," his voice sounded hollow and far away. "When?"
"We came through as soon as my men found it."
Hatter crossed his arms across his chest, the warmth of the coat pressing against him. "The Looking Glass. How'd she be able to-"
Jack glanced at the floor. "It's guards were found dead one morning, about a week ago. No one's come or gone since, except for us."
"Alice would never-"
"Of course not," Jack was offended Hatter would even accuse him of thinking Alice capable of cold blooded murder.
There weren't many reasons for someone to attack the guards of the Looking Glass. "Where's the ring?"
"Where she placed it, powering the Looking Glass."
"So someone came for Alice." A week ago.
"I was hoping it was a mistake," Jack said.
"Of course it's a mistake," Carol jumped in. Hatter had forgotten she was there. "Alice has only been gone a few hours. Not a week."
Mirror temporal distortion was not his field, Hatter barely understood it. Actually, Hatter didn't understand it at all. Time itself was a screwy thing to him. Five minutes here a day and a half there, sometimes it was the other way around. He and Alice couldn't figure out a way to explain what had happened to her in that hour that was three days. Assuming Carol would have believed them. So Hatter was some guy she met that tried to help her find Jack and then called the police when she fell. They thought it would be for the best. Especially since Wonderland was in the past for both of them.
Until it wasn't.
"Carol, it's complicated," Hatter said, knowing before he finished that he probably should have kept his mouth shut.
Her eyes widened, even while she planted her feet and crossed her arms. The dragon was awake. "Un-complicate it."
He opened his mouth to try to explain, but nothing came out. He had no idea where to start.
Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. "He is not being thick, Mrs. Hamilton. It is a difficult concept for even our most brilliant to understand." He had to give it, Jack was smooth. "I swear I will make sure it is explained to you as soon as we find Alice."
"We have to do that first," Hatter said. "Find Alice."
"I will get her back to you both," Jack said, raising his chin in the air, or more specifically, his nose.
"'Course y'are," Hatter replied. "Because I am comin' with ya." The King was unsurprised.
"So am I," Carol said.
Hatter sighed, trying to ignore the thought of what Alice would do to him if he let her mother run around Wonderland. "Might be best if you stayed here. I mean, what if we are overreacting and she comes here lookin' for us."
Carol's determination only wavered for a second. "You don't believe that, David. You think she is in danger. That's why you don't want me to go."
"No," he insisted, failing miserably. "Yes. Your daughter is goin' to murder me if she finds I've let you come."
Carol gave him a smile. "I don't see the problem."
Hatter couldn't tell if she was joking. "Jack, help me out here." Jack furrowed his brow a bit. He was considering it! "You can't be serious."
"It might not be a bad idea," he said. Wonderland had overthrown one insane monarch for another.
Hatter took the few steps and was right in Jack's face. The King flinched a bit, but stood his ground. "You know, if Alice finds out, it's not just me that'll end up in six feet under."
"Think about it this way, Hatter. Wonderland will be easier to explain, if she sees it. I will make sure she stays out of trouble."
Stays out of trouble? "This is Alice's mother. Remember, the woman who overthrew your mother? Trust me, she didn't get it from her dad."
Jack's chin stiffened. Hatter could almost hear his teeth grinding. "I like to think I deserve my throne."
"My point is, you can't keep her out of trouble any more than I could Alice."
"Excuse me, gentlemen," Carol put a strange emphasis on 'gentlemen', as though it was difficult for her to say. "But this is not your decision. I am going to find my daughter. If you know where she is you will take me to her. It's not up for negotiation."
Hatter tried to hide the grin that wanted to creep onto his face. Crazy as she was, he had to respect her resolve.
"If she gets back," Carol said. "She can call us."
"We don't get good phone reception where we're going," Hatter said. "Or any actually."
Jack turned to the lackey that had come with him. "Number Ten."
The man straightened his back instantly. "Yes, Your M- uh, sir?"
"Wait here until we return. If Alice arrives, return to the Looking Glass and inform us immediately."
Number Ten looked around the apartment, his eyes wide. "Wait. Here? Yes, uh, sir."
"Oh, I'm going to burn down the house," Carol jumped and rushed to the kitchen.
Jack raised an eyebrow, expecting an explanation. "We were cooking dinner. Well, she was."
"Oh, sorry."
Hatter ignored him and grabbed his coat. There were three hats on the stand, he had brought two with him from Wonderland, the third was a birthday present. Black with grey stripes, he popped that one on his head.
"You and Alice are married?" The King sounded…small.
"Yeah, two months now."
"What did you do to convince her?"
Hatter turned to look at him. Jack's expression was blank, but people didn't ask a question like that for no reason. Was Jack was still in love with Alice? She wasn't the kind of girl you forgot after chocolate and cake. Experience had taught him that.
"I asked her to."
Carol returned, her tennis shoes squeaking against the wood floor. She told Number Ten he could have their dinner if he got hungry, to which Hatter groaned. He had been looking forward to that casserole.
"I'll make some more when we get back with Alice," she said. Carol grabbed her coat off the hook and gestured to the still open doorway. "Lead the way."
Jack lead the two of them around the corner to the warehouse where it had all began. It was still derelict. Construction tarps, ladders and tools scattered around, the oysters paid it no mind. Which was the point. It was owned by a guy from Wonderland named Cricker. He kept the locals away as best he could, and people used the mirror stashed inside to visit the folks in Wonderland occasionally. Better than a plane ticket.
The wooden floors creaked underneath them as they tried to keep up with Jack's quick pace. He considered talking to Cricker about the smell, but thought it would be best to leave it. The faint whiff of raw sewage and burning wood probably prevented any funny business from a local teenager trying to impress his girlfriend. Carol covered her nose, her head twisted in every direction she could manage as she tried to take in the dark place they had brought her to.
"This is where they found Alice," she said, her feet halting for just a second long enough for Jack to get just far enough to be out of sight.
Hatter grabbed her arm, pulling her along to catch up. "Yes. Now hurry."
They came around a large pile of construction leftovers to find Jack standing next to the massive mirror that was a portal to the land he had come from. Alice was on the other side of that somewhere.
"What's this?" Carol asked.
Time to give the truth a shot. "See, here's the thing, Carol. Alice is on the other side of that."
Carol's expression soured. Her jaw and fingers twitched. Hatter had the sudden urge to back away slowly. "This is not funny, David."
"My name's not David. It's Hatter. Sort of." Not the time to explain that. "Just Hatter," he said, remembering when Alice had told Charlie something similar. "And last year, your daughter fell through that and into my world. Wonderland. That's where we met."
She threw her hands up, her frustration and disbelief coming out as a growl. "This is ridiculous."
"As difficult as it is to believe, Mrs. Hamilton," Carol's attention snapped to Jack. Hatter stifled a groan. The king's condescending tone was not helping. "It is the truth."
"And I suppose you're in on this, too?" she demanded.
Carol turned away, her steps echoing through the vast room like thunderclaps. Hatter chased after her, pulling her back around before they lost sight. His mother in law was about to eat him, he knew it. Talk fast.
"Carol, I swear to you, this is no joke. Alice is in Wonderland, through there. If you let us, we can prove it." Hatter guided her to face the mirror. Jack hadn't moved since they had caught up. His hands clasped behind his back, waiting for Hatter's move. Tempting as it was to just shove her through the mirror, it seemed…cruel. Besides, she was already on the verge of physical violence. "Uh, Jack, if you wouldn't mind."
The King nodded, stepped up into the frame and then through the mirror's surface with barely a ripple to show he'd passed. Carol's jaw hung open, an odd choking noise came from the back of her throat. For a second Hatter was afraid maybe they'd broken her.
"How did you do that?"
Hatter popped over and hugged the side of the frame, pushing one of his hands through the quicksilver surface. It rippled around his fingers, causing waves across the reflection of the room. His fingers felt nothing but air. He pulled it back and waved at her. "See no harm. This mirror is connected to another mirror in Wonderland. We use it to travel back and forth."
"David, stop this. My daughter is missing. Your wife," the pitch in her voice hurt his ears. "Wonderland is a story in a kid's book."
She needed more proof. Fine. He sighed, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, making sure she was secure. "Don't forget to breathe," and he yanked both of them through the looking glass.
I suck at reviewing & therefore feel like an ass to ask for them, but I hope ya'll enjoyed & will be back when the next chapter is up, sometime in the next week.