Alice trod on dangerous ground. She knew if she walked any further, she'd be making a life changing decision. She sat by the enormous oak tree and thought through everything. She remembered the whole evening: Three courses of silence and strange looks followed by mild chatter whenever Alice left the room to get some more drinks. Everyone thought that she would have to be sent away, with all the visions she had.
"Wonderland indeed" her mother's friends always said. Alice knew if her father was still here, he would have believed her. She knew deep inside that she was now an embarrassment to the family. Ever since she first explained her adventure to her friends and family, she had been perceived in a totally different way. She was now the strange one. Well maybe this time she could go to Wonderland and wouldn't have to go back to those non-believers.
After the dinner, Alice was on edge. She heard someone mention one of the many adventures she'd had at Wonderland, then sniggering and staring at her. Alice snapped. She silently got up and walked out of the dining room, without asking. She remembered grabbing the raven's feather off of her desk, placing it in the pocket of her dress, and walking out of the house. Her mind was blank after that, as she had walked a long distance to come back to her spot by the tree.
Alice crawled over to the edge of the little rabbit hole, waiting for her friend to come and greet her. She was there for hours, always hopeful that he would arrive to take her back to the place she longed to be. It was dark by the time Alice gave up. A tear trickled down her face as took one last look around her, then at the rabbit hole. Maybe this was it; no more adventures with her friends like she had before. No more growing and shrinking. No more tea parties. No more conversations about things she liked. No more adventures. No more Wonderland.