Prefix:
8 years earlier:
"Aunt Alice?" A small, blonde girl, about the age of 6, asked.
"Yes, Rose?" A, somewhat older, yet similar looking girl replied, sitting down on the bed with her.
"Can you tell me a bed time story?" The young girl, Rose asked quietly.
"Sure." Alice said with a soft smile. Alice Kingsleigh, age 14 at the time, had been baby-sitting her niece Rose. Her sister, Margaret, who was 13 years older than Alice, was out working late again, for her husband was always away on "business trips", so she had to work to keep up the income for her family.
"And, boy, do I have a story for you."
"Is it scary? Is it a true story?" Rose asked, curiously.
"If you believe its true, than it is. And, it is only scary if you think of it as scary." Alice replied calmly. "This tale is a repetitive dream of mine. It all started when I was about your age…"
Alice told a story of rabbits with stopwatches, evil queens, cards that painted roses red, disappearing cats, talking caterpillars, and a land where you must be as mad as a hatter to survive. Rose stared at Alice as she told her tale, wide-eyes and filled with awe. Towards the end, Rose began to grow sleepy.
"Good night, Rose." Alice said, turning out the lamp and leaving the small, pastel pink bedroom.
***
About a half hour later, Rose, wearing a pale purple nightgown, came into the den of her home. In the den was her aunt, Alice, reading her favorite story, Wuthering Heights, by the lit fireplace.
"Aunt Alice?" Rose asked
"Rose? Why are you awake at this hour?" Alice asked.
"I…I had a…. a nightmare." She said quietly.
"Oh, my." Alice said, putting her book down on the end table. She stood up, walked over to Rose, and picked her up. She held her like a child in her arms.
"Can you re-tuck me in?" Rose asked with a puppy-dog face. Alice nodded.
She carried her back to her small bedroom and placed her down on her bed. Rose scrambled under the covers and Alice tucker her in.
"I think I know how to avoid nightmares…" Alice said, smiling.
"Oh! What? What is it?" the small girl asked excitedly.
"All you have to do is pinch yourself and you'll wake up from the nightmare. That's what my father told me when I was your age. And when you wake, tell yourself that it was all…." Alice trailed off into thought.
"All what, Aunt Alice?" Rose asked, curiously."
"It was all just a dream…?" Alice said quietly. "Curiouser and curiouser." She mumbled to herself.
"Well, sweet dreams, dear Rose. Your mother will be home shortly. I'll see you soon." Alice said, leaving the room once more.