ALICE
Chapter 1: Alice
Sheets of ice covered the pavement, the sky was a dark, heavy gray, and intricate snowflakes drifted silently onto the earth. Winter had finally arrived in Baskerville, Boston. With cautious, slow steps, Alice Lockwood, age fourteen, sneaked behind the old bakery shop to greet her daily arrival.
Sure enough, the familiar tabby cat circled around the back door, while the obsidian-haired teen leaned in to watch. Quietly, she tossed a warm, crunchy bagel near the orange-tinged feline, causing the furry mammal to look up. Swiftly, the cat dashed to snatch the oven-baked treat, and disappeared just as quickly. Alice sighed.
Even though she truly dreamed to, Lockwood could never smile or act friendly in front of people. It was a horrid habit that prevented her from even socializing normally with others, let alone gaining a few friends. In fact, Alice even spoke to others in a rude, scoffing manner, which made her seem like a haughty young woman. Little did the passersby know how desperately the tiny, ebony-haired girl wished for a friend.
The only thing that Lockwood kept close to her heart was a satin blue ribbon, which was given to her by her precious mother as a child. Her mom always wore that very same ribbon in her hair, for it was a treasure in her eyes. She was always cheerful and jubilantly optimistic, and everyone wanted to chat with Ms. Lockwood. Yet sadly, Alice's mother had passed away after a brutal car accident, before the bright child had even turned seven. As she was laying on her death bed, Miss Lockwood smiled weakly and handed the valuable ribbon to her sole child, saying, "Someday, you will find your own Wonderland, Alice."
After that incident, Alice was never friendly with others, and could not even smile with pure joy. Her mother was everything. Her mother was hers.
With an aching heart, the slate-eyed woman got up from her crouching position, and strolled through Boston's frosty streets, her long, sleek locks of black hair waving in the chilly breeze. Since it was still winter break, Alice decided to stop by the library for a quick read.
Another long sigh escaped Lockwood's lips as she pulled her cream-colored coat around her body and stepped inside Willowbend Library. After entering, the petite girl loosened the bright, ruby scarf around her neck and flipped through a random novel. "Alice in Wonderland".
It's title was large and bold, each letter as dandelion as gold. 'How cliché,' the almond faced woman chuckled to herself, reminiscing about her childhood.
She recalled how, as a toddler, she used to climb onto her mother's lap, and the two read that very same storybook every night. Oh, how the dark-eyed girl dreamed to attain such soft, gorgeous, golden hair, and such sparkling blue eyes! But, reality stopped all thoughts of ever having such beauty. A low voice caused Alice to jump in surprise.
"Is everything alright, miss?" the aged librarian pushed her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose, then smiled pleasantly. Before she could think, Alice spouted bitter words that could never be taken back. "Ha! Even if I was, you wouldn't be able to help—so, mind your own business!" Shocked, the librarian watched the cold woman toss the book into her hands and leave the library.
'What have I done?' Alice slapped herself as she exited Willowbend Library, and frowned. Was she ever going to make any friends? Lockwood was already in high school, yet rarely spoke to anyone without getting on their nerves.
After calming down, Alice flipped her phone open, and stared at the time. 10:36 am. Well, it wasn't as if the silky-haired girl had anything to do—she was all alone, once again. No one understood Alice Lockwood. No one ever dared.
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With the navy cloth clutched tightly in hand, Alice lifted her scarf up to her nose and headed home, dodging joggers who carelessly roamed the sidewalks. 'Another boring day.' she thought, staring out into the cloudy sky, her mind elsewhere. Every step seemed endless, and the bitter cold finally caught up to Lockwood. Shivering, Alice tightened her grasp around the soft bow and shut her eyes...BAM!
In a matter of seconds, Alice fell to the frosted ground, crystal snowflakes falling off of her smooth hair. "O-oww..." Groaning, Lockwood glanced up to find that she'd tripped over a beautiful, snowy white rabbit, it's fur as light as marshmallows. It was the most dazzling bunny Alice had ever seen! Suddenly, the short girl realized that her royal blue ribbon was no longer in her hands. Swiftly, Alice dusted herself off and scanned the area with rising anxiety. 'Where did I drop my bow?!' she wondered nervously.
Oh no.
Not only did Alice trip over a rabbit, she'd lost her ribbon! As the jet-eyed girl noticed, it was now in the possession of the milky white mammal, who held it firmly in its mouth. No!
Alice would have screamed, but thought quickly and began to run. With burning determination, Alice raced through the streets, hunting down the speedy bunny who had stolen her treasure. Her only reminder of the sparkling, lovely woman who had nurtured Alice since she was a baby was now in the hands—paws—of an animal.
There was no way the onyx-eyed girl was going to let such a priceless item vanish into thin air. Lockwood brushed off the odd fact that a rabbit had actually wanted to snatch the delicate ribbon, and followed the creature into an intimidatingly giant forest.
Immense oak trees towered above both the human and animal as they leaped past rocks, thorns, and rough bushes. Alice heard her long, brown boots crush piles of dead leaves as she chased the sly bunny, and escaped into the unknown. The raven-haired woman had no idea where she was headed, but knew that she HAD to get her gift before it fell into a horrid state. Not only that, a strange feeling of curiosity creeped into Lockwood's heart, which only urged the cold young woman to sprint further.
Further, further, further...the endless horde of greenery began to entwine with one another, casting an eerie shadow across the land. Soon, everything in the forest became still, and the darkness enveloped the land entirely.
The rabbit froze.