Part the first:
Three months. Alice made a scoffing sound. Seemed more like three lifetimes. But the Hatter figured it to be three months "by the hands of my butter-watch!" he would say, crossing himself the wrong way. Alice was too tired to argue so she left.
Three months.
She lived in a village south of the Caterpillars Garden, Of which he was the ruler and sole occupant), except for the birds and worms,but they didn't listen to him.She liked it in the village, she lived alone above the barbers shop.
Three excruciating lifetimes ago: She fell from the sky into a maimed Wonderland. Everything was swollen, fragmented, and carniverous.
The card gaurds?, They'd seemed so harmless before. But now she had knelt amidst thier corpses, barely alive and covered in blood. Hers and thiers. "Damn", she thought. "I didn't know cards had pulmonary systems." But secretly, silently she was sure that the Red Queen had shot them full of juices, like a filled donut, so it'd be messier when she executed them. Which would mean that Alice would have been rather a delicacy to the Queen, who would have dug beneath her skin and pulled out her veins to hang about the room, tossed her organs into the courtyard for the crows."Oh well" ,thought Alice,"I'll have to kill the bitch as long as I'm stuck here.
And so it Began:Her time had been a blur of bones crunching, fluids dripping, skin tearing, de-humanizing rage.She shuddered, hearing the echoes of her screams, piercing, feral.
The Hatter in his Whorehouse, covered with syphilitic sores. That one had been euthanasia. She could still see the flames. However, the Duchess had been her first kill. Regrettable, considering she had been the only tolerable person in Wonderland before. The Cheshire Cat was as aloof as ever. However half of his ear was gone, he got sassy. Tweedle-dee, and Tweedle-dum had grown into evil, lecherous men, they tried to use her. And the queen was more disgusting than ever! After her death the people wanted Alice in the Queens place. Alice hid most of the time.
One day she came into the caterpillars garden.
Moments of peace were rare, so she was carefull to stay in the
shadows of the mushroom patch, nearly jumping out of her skin when a wheezy drawl came from behind her. "Alice?" came the pietulant voice of the caterpillar. "Want a drag?" he queried holding the mouthpiece of his pipe towards her.
Alice was wary.
"Why are you offering all of a sudden?" She asked testily. The caterpillar shrugged and went back to smoking. "Fine way to act!" he said," towards one you looked so hard for!"
Alice wrinkled her nose,"I didn't come looking for you!" The caterpillar clucked a little, "Ah, but you found me though! And isn't that what happens when you look for someone? You find them!" He held out the pipe again. "Don't be foolish Alice, I'm only offering the second time because you're the new queen!" He hissed between a
sadistic grin.
Just like he'd pushed a button Alice grabbed the stem and took a deep pull, anything that could keep him so blissfully unaware she needed to try.
Immediately everything grew dark, and swirled about her. As if covered by a mist, a great stone ceiling came into view. While in the distance, the sound of metal twisting and tearing.
As the room became clearer she realized that it was not the sound of broken machines squealing, but the tortured screams of humans all around her.
She sat up slowly in her thin cotton smock, then fell back into the squeaky musty bed. She felt weak, as if she hadn't moved in ages. Her limbs heavy and cold. Silent grey forms moved past the small, screened, window in her door. One seemed to look in and shake it's head sadly before moving on. There was a thumbnail moon outside, gently bathing a sparse yet green courtyard outside her window. And in a few windows there were flickering lights, she flinched at the light.
She laid there a while, breathing heavily, and letting the screams and moans slowly die out as they mingled with the tatters of conversations that floated inside her head. Was I in Wonderland again? she thought.
With a great effort she sat up, desperately trying to figure out where she was. Hot tears welled up in her eyes as dark sobs wracked her body, flooding her skin with blood again. Noone heard her.
After a while it became easier to move and breathe.
The door creaked and in came a bent little man, with thick spectacles and a long white coat, turned gray with dust and sweat. "Could it be!?" he chirped, beady eyes growing behind the tele-scope lenses he called glasses. He shuffled up, taking her wrist,mumbling somthing about "his most confounding case" and putting his hand to her head while attempting to put his stethescope on her bare back. Alice had the sense that she'd fallen ill, but under no circumstance was she to be molested in such a manner. "My good man!" she cried. "You will withdraw your hands from my person at this very moment!" He fell back a little, obviously stunned. "My father!" she continued," would not accept this behaviour, and as soon as I contact him..." but she was cut off. The doctor attempted a look of pity but only succeeded in making the knowing smile jerk even more disturbingly across his face. Orderlies and nurses swirled up behind him like a great ghostly bird and pinned her screaming as the Doctor inserted somthing sharp and cold into her left buttock.
After strapping her to the bed the orderlies and nurses were dismissed while the doctor stayed. Alice ranted and tore at the leather straps, the restraints driving her mad.
After about a minute she began to feel woozy and tired and the words became quieter. The room became fuzzy and her body still. Out of the consuming darkness came that wheedley voice again," oh my poor girl", it said as her eye-lids were peeled open and a bright light shined into them, "your parents have been dead since the fire. How could you have forgotten?"
The fall didn't phase her. But as she lay beneath a swath of greenery the wind came up and pushed the branches aside, exposing her eyes to the sun. Light, dark, light, dark, and over and over. Her eyelids fluttered and her white hand went to her face. Slowly though, and the caterpillar was no help. He just sat and smoked, staring at a moldy patch in the fabric of the tubes of his hookah.
The haze in her head clung like the smell of sickness, like rotten fruit and bile. She sat up and breathed heavily holding her face to keep it from dripping off. Her hands were red with pulsing flowers coming out of the blue stems in her palms.
She was out of place in the garden, in which birds chirped merrily as drifts of pollen and rose petals danced on invisible lines, glowing in the late afternoon sun.
"What the hell was in that?" she grumbled. But there was no answer from the caterpillar. After a long pause he answered, "go to the north, to Arnica". He puffed his pipe, "She'll help".
Then it began: A milky white substance had begun seeping out of every pore of his body and covering him in a papery shell. Right before he dissapeared completely, he fixed Alice with frightened eyes. "I'm sorry", he mouthed, and then dissapeared into his chrysalis.
The water was cold, it cleared her thoughts. She was disturbed by the caterpillars transformation, "sorry for what?" she asked herself over and over. Over her shoulder the shell of the caterpillar taunted her in silence. And then she turned and headed north, away from the villagers, away from the responsibility. All she wanted was a normal life, a boyfriend maybe, a cat that didn't piss her off. Somehow it seemed there was another life waiting for her.
In a few days she reached a valley with a stream. Beyond a few trees lay a grey wasteland of stone. Alice could see the pathways of the mountain had been smoothed, in fact she could see the ridges resembling stairs on some of the nearer slopes.
"How very odd", she thought. That even after the Queens death there are barren places here. But something smelled different about it,like incense and spice. It didn't feel like the Wonderland she knew. "This must be it," she thought.
A strange grunting noise awoke her.
The smell of body odor and surgical lubricant was overpowering as she noticed a large burly man attempting to take her underwear off.She didn't think, she didn't scream she merely bashed her palm into his ribcage with all her strength. There was a satisfying crunch as she broke his sternum and a few ribs. He gasped and fell to the floor. There were no thoughts now, she didn't know where she was, but it was bad, and she was leaving,right now. There was a knife in her hand. "Where did that come from?" she wondered as she used the orderlies keys to open the door. With one last look of disgust she went into the hall.
Usually there was an orderly stationed at either end of the hall. But noone was there. Alice did not notice this since she remembered nothing of Rutledge's Asylum. But as she skulked down the hall she saw that a fire had started in one of the wings, and that everyone was there trying to stop it. People were screaming. "How the fuck did a fire get started in here?!" A mans voice answered,"maybe a lamp fell over!" The first man screamed that it didn't make any sense, how did stone get lit? This struck Alice as odd as well, but she considered it an act of God and continued looking for an entryway of escape. And there it was, a door leading outside to a field where she could see the glow of a city on the horizon she was home free, almost. "Stop right there!" shouted the doctor as he lunged at Alice, slamming her against the wall. She twisted around and slashed his face,and stabbed him in the thigh. "He screams like a woman", thought Alice as she un-locked the door and into a cool spring night.
The cool night air re-freshed her as fleeting memories came back to her as she pounded bare-foot through the
field. The fire, Wendys tears, the chortling landlord right before she....she. In the distance an alarm began, they had noticed her dissapearance. and she remembered her knife. "Where did I get it?" she thought, but it was gone, probably dropped. Time to go though. it wouldn't be hard to guess which direction she'd gone. The city was her best bet. She needed to find some clothes.
As she cut across an intersecting path she nearly got run-over by a man on horse back. The horse neighed, rearing up dangerously. But she jumped out of the way unhurt. She was up in a flash imploring the man. "Please help me sir! Cut-throats! all of them! Rapists and thieves!" A dark grinning face looked down at her and said nothing. Alice feared she'd come across a real cut-throat when the man said,"we couldn't have that now could we?"his voice was smooth and deep. He extended his hand and pulled Alice into the saddle behind him, and they took off towards the eastern side of the city. Alice was still unnerved by the mans smile but this was the best chance she had.
The dark and the hooting of owls accompanied the horses light canter. The rythym was soothing and she looked about as if she'd never seen the outside before. But soon she came to herself and thanked the man. She could hear his smile as he spoke. "No problem maam' I never liked them doctors anyways, bunch'a crazy folk." Alice sniggered. "You can call me Emil. What should I call you miss?." " Alice", she breathed. He grunted," fine name maam...er Alice." Alice was charmed, but would not show it,"thank you." they were silent for a while when Emil spoke up again. "So what's that place like? Is it as bad as I imagine?" Alice grunted her assent. "Yeah", he said. "I knew it. It aint right for folks to act like they've got any better idea about this world. Me and Molly,(Molly's my wife y'hear? Bless her soul), we always said that if any of our children had a problem that thier family could deal with it. That's what familiy's for." Alice liked him. His voice put her at ease and she even felt a bit drowsy and had unwittingly laid her head against his back. Emil continued," Where're you going maam?" Alice looked around, she was shortwalk from the city. "right here," she said. Emil stopped the horse, and she got off with one final thank you.
As Alice ran away, Emil noticed that Alice wasn't wearing much, the darkness grew brighter around his face.
Stones and branches cut her feet but soon she came onto the city. She was relieved to find herself in a drab dark place where noone could find her. She skulked up the streets btween the pale brick walls as quietly as possible, carefull not to wake the men asleep on the street. "Jack-pot!" exclaimed Alice under her breath. She had found a clothing shop. The door was locked but the shop-keep had forgotten to lock the window. She was in in a moment and went straight for the slacks and shoes. "Perfect. All I need now is a baggy shirt, maybe a scarf." She thought. She found both and even grabbed a mans coat on the way out.
A little down the street she changed behind a dumpster, shoving her hair in the hat and tying her breasts down with the scarf. As she left the alleyway she saw a glittering necklace in the window of a shop. And as she stared at it she found herself remembering.
It was all so wrong, she thought as a few tears spilled down her face. Flashes of the past year flitted through her brain creating more questions than answers. She remembered what had happened before the hospital and she felt terribly alone. She began to drift off, a thousand voices murmuring at the back of her mind all saying the same thing.
"Should we wake it?" Said a raspy little voice in her ear. Alice heard a womans voice, "hold your horses Sam." The voice was smooth and buttery, Alice was sure she was dreaming. At least until a sharp nail poked her and she awoke with a start. Above her and backing away slowly was a tall woman in an elegant dress and corset, and a ring in her nose, smiling. Beside her were two green little gremlin things. Alice sat up, not very scared since they all looked terrified. "Are you Arnica?' She said sleepily. The first gremlin screeched it had red eyes. Arnica looked even more wary now,"How do you know my name? Who sent you?" Alice tittered,"oh don't be silly! The caterpillar sent me!" They all smiled as one and moved forward hands curved over like a Nosferatu picture. "How is the Caterpillar darling?" Crooned Arnica. Alice stood up slowly," oh he's fine. Gone into his chrysalis you know." Arnica clasped her hands in delight and so did the gremlins, 'Oh wonderful! I'm sure he'll be a beautifull butterfly!"
They all stood there grinning at eachother when Arnica started, "Well shall we go? We never get geusts and I'd be ever so happy to hear your story." "Sure!" , said Alice and flanked Arnica.
As they rounded the corner a large black carriage with golden edging came into view. The cab was curtained and smelled heavily of perfume. The smell made Alice giddy.
Instead of horses there were slaves strapped in. Wearing the heads of black stallions, and horsehair loin-cloths. On the heads, where the manes had been, one had straw sticking out all hurdy gurdy, one wore Peacock feathers for it's mane, and the third had gold threads. The straw-headed one out front,
Arnica pulled back the curtain, and Alice began to laugh. Everything twisted as many hands reached out an pulled her in, Arnica following. The carriage very nearly flew as it tipped and turned in slow loops, rattling the whole time Inside Alice felt that she was floating as she was stripped of her clothes. A match flame lit up Arnicas face as she began to smoke a ciggarette, her breasts exposed. Alice could see the glint of metal in her nipples.
Alice was nuzzling and tangling herself in the silk sheets while the hands were pinching and playing, rubbing warm, fragrant, oils into her body.
then the carriage slowed and stopped. The hands dissapeared with a rush of wind. Alice knew they were gone. Dazed she lay there, breathing hard and trying to focus her eyes when she saw Arnica again.
Her body became visible as she blew light into an orb in the carriage wall her smooth back turned to Alice. Then crawling over Arnica straddled her. Alice giggled.
"Yes, you'll make a fine slave." breathed arnica. Alice felt somthing warm and rubbery on her stomach but still closed her eyes as Arnica stroked her face.
Arnica mused for a moment then began speaking again."But I have to break her first. Alices eyes flew open but it was too late. Lights flashed in her brain and then she passed out vaguely noticing the cold breeze on her naked body as she was carried into the castle.
She woke up in a cold dungeon, chained to the wall.
Three months. Alice made a scoffing sound. Seemed more like three lifetimes. But the Hatter figured it to be three months "by the hands of my butter-watch!" he would say, crossing himself the wrong way. Alice was too tired to argue so she left.
Three months.
She lived in a village south of the Caterpillars Garden, Of which he was the ruler and sole occupant), except for the birds and worms,but they didn't listen to him.She liked it in the village, she lived alone above the barbers shop.
Three excruciating lifetimes ago: She fell from the sky into a maimed Wonderland. Everything was swollen, fragmented, and carniverous.
The card gaurds?, They'd seemed so harmless before. But now she had knelt amidst thier corpses, barely alive and covered in blood. Hers and thiers. "Damn", she thought. "I didn't know cards had pulmonary systems." But secretly, silently she was sure that the Red Queen had shot them full of juices, like a filled donut, so it'd be messier when she executed them. Which would mean that Alice would have been rather a delicacy to the Queen, who would have dug beneath her skin and pulled out her veins to hang about the room, tossed her organs into the courtyard for the crows."Oh well" ,thought Alice,"I'll have to kill the bitch as long as I'm stuck here.
And so it Began:Her time had been a blur of bones crunching, fluids dripping, skin tearing, de-humanizing rage.She shuddered, hearing the echoes of her screams, piercing, feral.
The Hatter in his Whorehouse, covered with syphilitic sores. That one had been euthanasia. She could still see the flames. However, the Duchess had been her first kill. Regrettable, considering she had been the only tolerable person in Wonderland before. The Cheshire Cat was as aloof as ever. However half of his ear was gone, he got sassy. Tweedle-dee, and Tweedle-dum had grown into evil, lecherous men, they tried to use her. And the queen was more disgusting than ever! After her death the people wanted Alice in the Queens place. Alice hid most of the time.
One day she came into the caterpillars garden.
Moments of peace were rare, so she was carefull to stay in the
shadows of the mushroom patch, nearly jumping out of her skin when a wheezy drawl came from behind her. "Alice?" came the pietulant voice of the caterpillar. "Want a drag?" he queried holding the mouthpiece of his pipe towards her.
Alice was wary.
"Why are you offering all of a sudden?" She asked testily. The caterpillar shrugged and went back to smoking. "Fine way to act!" he said," towards one you looked so hard for!"
Alice wrinkled her nose,"I didn't come looking for you!" The caterpillar clucked a little, "Ah, but you found me though! And isn't that what happens when you look for someone? You find them!" He held out the pipe again. "Don't be foolish Alice, I'm only offering the second time because you're the new queen!" He hissed between a
sadistic grin.
Just like he'd pushed a button Alice grabbed the stem and took a deep pull, anything that could keep him so blissfully unaware she needed to try.
Immediately everything grew dark, and swirled about her. As if covered by a mist, a great stone ceiling came into view. While in the distance, the sound of metal twisting and tearing.
As the room became clearer she realized that it was not the sound of broken machines squealing, but the tortured screams of humans all around her.
She sat up slowly in her thin cotton smock, then fell back into the squeaky musty bed. She felt weak, as if she hadn't moved in ages. Her limbs heavy and cold. Silent grey forms moved past the small, screened, window in her door. One seemed to look in and shake it's head sadly before moving on. There was a thumbnail moon outside, gently bathing a sparse yet green courtyard outside her window. And in a few windows there were flickering lights, she flinched at the light.
She laid there a while, breathing heavily, and letting the screams and moans slowly die out as they mingled with the tatters of conversations that floated inside her head. Was I in Wonderland again? she thought.
With a great effort she sat up, desperately trying to figure out where she was. Hot tears welled up in her eyes as dark sobs wracked her body, flooding her skin with blood again. Noone heard her.
After a while it became easier to move and breathe.
The door creaked and in came a bent little man, with thick spectacles and a long white coat, turned gray with dust and sweat. "Could it be!?" he chirped, beady eyes growing behind the tele-scope lenses he called glasses. He shuffled up, taking her wrist,mumbling somthing about "his most confounding case" and putting his hand to her head while attempting to put his stethescope on her bare back. Alice had the sense that she'd fallen ill, but under no circumstance was she to be molested in such a manner. "My good man!" she cried. "You will withdraw your hands from my person at this very moment!" He fell back a little, obviously stunned. "My father!" she continued," would not accept this behaviour, and as soon as I contact him..." but she was cut off. The doctor attempted a look of pity but only succeeded in making the knowing smile jerk even more disturbingly across his face. Orderlies and nurses swirled up behind him like a great ghostly bird and pinned her screaming as the Doctor inserted somthing sharp and cold into her left buttock.
After strapping her to the bed the orderlies and nurses were dismissed while the doctor stayed. Alice ranted and tore at the leather straps, the restraints driving her mad.
After about a minute she began to feel woozy and tired and the words became quieter. The room became fuzzy and her body still. Out of the consuming darkness came that wheedley voice again," oh my poor girl", it said as her eye-lids were peeled open and a bright light shined into them, "your parents have been dead since the fire. How could you have forgotten?"
The fall didn't phase her. But as she lay beneath a swath of greenery the wind came up and pushed the branches aside, exposing her eyes to the sun. Light, dark, light, dark, and over and over. Her eyelids fluttered and her white hand went to her face. Slowly though, and the caterpillar was no help. He just sat and smoked, staring at a moldy patch in the fabric of the tubes of his hookah.
The haze in her head clung like the smell of sickness, like rotten fruit and bile. She sat up and breathed heavily holding her face to keep it from dripping off. Her hands were red with pulsing flowers coming out of the blue stems in her palms.
She was out of place in the garden, in which birds chirped merrily as drifts of pollen and rose petals danced on invisible lines, glowing in the late afternoon sun.
"What the hell was in that?" she grumbled. But there was no answer from the caterpillar. After a long pause he answered, "go to the north, to Arnica". He puffed his pipe, "She'll help".
Then it began: A milky white substance had begun seeping out of every pore of his body and covering him in a papery shell. Right before he dissapeared completely, he fixed Alice with frightened eyes. "I'm sorry", he mouthed, and then dissapeared into his chrysalis.
The water was cold, it cleared her thoughts. She was disturbed by the caterpillars transformation, "sorry for what?" she asked herself over and over. Over her shoulder the shell of the caterpillar taunted her in silence. And then she turned and headed north, away from the villagers, away from the responsibility. All she wanted was a normal life, a boyfriend maybe, a cat that didn't piss her off. Somehow it seemed there was another life waiting for her.
In a few days she reached a valley with a stream. Beyond a few trees lay a grey wasteland of stone. Alice could see the pathways of the mountain had been smoothed, in fact she could see the ridges resembling stairs on some of the nearer slopes.
"How very odd", she thought. That even after the Queens death there are barren places here. But something smelled different about it,like incense and spice. It didn't feel like the Wonderland she knew. "This must be it," she thought.
A strange grunting noise awoke her.
The smell of body odor and surgical lubricant was overpowering as she noticed a large burly man attempting to take her underwear off.She didn't think, she didn't scream she merely bashed her palm into his ribcage with all her strength. There was a satisfying crunch as she broke his sternum and a few ribs. He gasped and fell to the floor. There were no thoughts now, she didn't know where she was, but it was bad, and she was leaving,right now. There was a knife in her hand. "Where did that come from?" she wondered as she used the orderlies keys to open the door. With one last look of disgust she went into the hall.
Usually there was an orderly stationed at either end of the hall. But noone was there. Alice did not notice this since she remembered nothing of Rutledge's Asylum. But as she skulked down the hall she saw that a fire had started in one of the wings, and that everyone was there trying to stop it. People were screaming. "How the fuck did a fire get started in here?!" A mans voice answered,"maybe a lamp fell over!" The first man screamed that it didn't make any sense, how did stone get lit? This struck Alice as odd as well, but she considered it an act of God and continued looking for an entryway of escape. And there it was, a door leading outside to a field where she could see the glow of a city on the horizon she was home free, almost. "Stop right there!" shouted the doctor as he lunged at Alice, slamming her against the wall. She twisted around and slashed his face,and stabbed him in the thigh. "He screams like a woman", thought Alice as she un-locked the door and into a cool spring night.
The cool night air re-freshed her as fleeting memories came back to her as she pounded bare-foot through the
field. The fire, Wendys tears, the chortling landlord right before she....she. In the distance an alarm began, they had noticed her dissapearance. and she remembered her knife. "Where did I get it?" she thought, but it was gone, probably dropped. Time to go though. it wouldn't be hard to guess which direction she'd gone. The city was her best bet. She needed to find some clothes.
As she cut across an intersecting path she nearly got run-over by a man on horse back. The horse neighed, rearing up dangerously. But she jumped out of the way unhurt. She was up in a flash imploring the man. "Please help me sir! Cut-throats! all of them! Rapists and thieves!" A dark grinning face looked down at her and said nothing. Alice feared she'd come across a real cut-throat when the man said,"we couldn't have that now could we?"his voice was smooth and deep. He extended his hand and pulled Alice into the saddle behind him, and they took off towards the eastern side of the city. Alice was still unnerved by the mans smile but this was the best chance she had.
The dark and the hooting of owls accompanied the horses light canter. The rythym was soothing and she looked about as if she'd never seen the outside before. But soon she came to herself and thanked the man. She could hear his smile as he spoke. "No problem maam' I never liked them doctors anyways, bunch'a crazy folk." Alice sniggered. "You can call me Emil. What should I call you miss?." " Alice", she breathed. He grunted," fine name maam...er Alice." Alice was charmed, but would not show it,"thank you." they were silent for a while when Emil spoke up again. "So what's that place like? Is it as bad as I imagine?" Alice grunted her assent. "Yeah", he said. "I knew it. It aint right for folks to act like they've got any better idea about this world. Me and Molly,(Molly's my wife y'hear? Bless her soul), we always said that if any of our children had a problem that thier family could deal with it. That's what familiy's for." Alice liked him. His voice put her at ease and she even felt a bit drowsy and had unwittingly laid her head against his back. Emil continued," Where're you going maam?" Alice looked around, she was shortwalk from the city. "right here," she said. Emil stopped the horse, and she got off with one final thank you.
As Alice ran away, Emil noticed that Alice wasn't wearing much, the darkness grew brighter around his face.
Stones and branches cut her feet but soon she came onto the city. She was relieved to find herself in a drab dark place where noone could find her. She skulked up the streets btween the pale brick walls as quietly as possible, carefull not to wake the men asleep on the street. "Jack-pot!" exclaimed Alice under her breath. She had found a clothing shop. The door was locked but the shop-keep had forgotten to lock the window. She was in in a moment and went straight for the slacks and shoes. "Perfect. All I need now is a baggy shirt, maybe a scarf." She thought. She found both and even grabbed a mans coat on the way out.
A little down the street she changed behind a dumpster, shoving her hair in the hat and tying her breasts down with the scarf. As she left the alleyway she saw a glittering necklace in the window of a shop. And as she stared at it she found herself remembering.
It was all so wrong, she thought as a few tears spilled down her face. Flashes of the past year flitted through her brain creating more questions than answers. She remembered what had happened before the hospital and she felt terribly alone. She began to drift off, a thousand voices murmuring at the back of her mind all saying the same thing.
"Should we wake it?" Said a raspy little voice in her ear. Alice heard a womans voice, "hold your horses Sam." The voice was smooth and buttery, Alice was sure she was dreaming. At least until a sharp nail poked her and she awoke with a start. Above her and backing away slowly was a tall woman in an elegant dress and corset, and a ring in her nose, smiling. Beside her were two green little gremlin things. Alice sat up, not very scared since they all looked terrified. "Are you Arnica?' She said sleepily. The first gremlin screeched it had red eyes. Arnica looked even more wary now,"How do you know my name? Who sent you?" Alice tittered,"oh don't be silly! The caterpillar sent me!" They all smiled as one and moved forward hands curved over like a Nosferatu picture. "How is the Caterpillar darling?" Crooned Arnica. Alice stood up slowly," oh he's fine. Gone into his chrysalis you know." Arnica clasped her hands in delight and so did the gremlins, 'Oh wonderful! I'm sure he'll be a beautifull butterfly!"
They all stood there grinning at eachother when Arnica started, "Well shall we go? We never get geusts and I'd be ever so happy to hear your story." "Sure!" , said Alice and flanked Arnica.
As they rounded the corner a large black carriage with golden edging came into view. The cab was curtained and smelled heavily of perfume. The smell made Alice giddy.
Instead of horses there were slaves strapped in. Wearing the heads of black stallions, and horsehair loin-cloths. On the heads, where the manes had been, one had straw sticking out all hurdy gurdy, one wore Peacock feathers for it's mane, and the third had gold threads. The straw-headed one out front,
Arnica pulled back the curtain, and Alice began to laugh. Everything twisted as many hands reached out an pulled her in, Arnica following. The carriage very nearly flew as it tipped and turned in slow loops, rattling the whole time Inside Alice felt that she was floating as she was stripped of her clothes. A match flame lit up Arnicas face as she began to smoke a ciggarette, her breasts exposed. Alice could see the glint of metal in her nipples.
Alice was nuzzling and tangling herself in the silk sheets while the hands were pinching and playing, rubbing warm, fragrant, oils into her body.
then the carriage slowed and stopped. The hands dissapeared with a rush of wind. Alice knew they were gone. Dazed she lay there, breathing hard and trying to focus her eyes when she saw Arnica again.
Her body became visible as she blew light into an orb in the carriage wall her smooth back turned to Alice. Then crawling over Arnica straddled her. Alice giggled.
"Yes, you'll make a fine slave." breathed arnica. Alice felt somthing warm and rubbery on her stomach but still closed her eyes as Arnica stroked her face.
Arnica mused for a moment then began speaking again."But I have to break her first. Alices eyes flew open but it was too late. Lights flashed in her brain and then she passed out vaguely noticing the cold breeze on her naked body as she was carried into the castle.
She woke up in a cold dungeon, chained to the wall.