Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and having nothing to do: once or twice she peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures or conversation?'

"What are you thinking Alice?" Her sister smiled up at where Alice was sitting, her eyebrows creased against the glare of the sun. "What is my little sister thinking of?"

"Nothing," Alice swung her white stockinged legs, half-hearted, as they dangled from the great tree's branch. "I just wish there was something to do." She looked down at her sibling sulkily, her youthful face riddled with lines of discontent. "I've tried to sit quietly, I've tried to read your book. I'm tired and bored of sitting here, and there's nothing to do!"

"Oh Alice! Do you have to be quite so petulant? Mother said to look after you, and look after you I shall. She wanted us both out of the house."

This little piece of information puzzled Alice more than anything else. She was the adored, most spoilt child of the family, and her mother had never wanted her 'out of the house' before. Indeed, she had insisted that Alice was home schooled so she didn't miss her during the day. Alice knew that her sisters were incredibly jealous, but never tried to soften the blow that she was loved most. After all, she was the cleverest, the prettiest, and the most charming. What was there not to love?

"Why was that Lorina?" Alice called down to her sister, who was again immersed in her book. When she failed to respond, Alice kicked her neatly in the back of the head.

"OW!" Lorina jumped, shocked by the unexpected strike. She heard Alice giggling, and looked back up into the tree, her face smiling no longer. "What do you want now, Alice?"

"I said," Alice shifted onto her stomach, and glanced down at her sister lazily, "why did mother want us out of the house? And why couldn't we have gone fishing like the other two?"

"You know too well why you couldn't go fishing. Last time, you jumped into the river on purpose. We had to take you home all muddy and wet, and mother was so cross."

"She wasn't cross with me." Alice looked up at the periwinkle sky, only just masking a smile. She was never in trouble.

"I know," Lorina sounded short. "It's always your sisters that get the blame."

"Nothing I can do about that." Alice didgrin this time, showing all her perfect, pearly teeth and revelling in all her glory. She loved how she could twist everyone around her finger. Sure enough, Lorina's mouth tightened as if she had been struck, or seen something very unpleasant. For Alice, this was common viewing, and it had almost become a pantomime. How far can I push her today? How much will he take if I do this? Alice wasn't a bad person, but hadn't quite developed the concept between right and wrong. She would learn. One day.

"So? Can we go home?" Alice interrupted her sister yet again, and she looked up irritably.

"Don't be silly. Just stay where you are." Lorina was fastlosing her patience. She loved Alice- after all, she was her sister- but she couldn't see why she was the favourite. It was true that she was an unusually attractive child, whilst Lorina herself, along with her three other sisters, were only mildly pretty. It was also true that Alice was almost scarily bright- at three she had the vocabulary of a nine year old. Lorina was clever, but nothing special. She had a wonderful memory, but not the light of imagination that swamped her youngest sister like an aura. Secretly, she supposed, she was jealous. It seemed unfair that she had to work so hard, whilst to her sibling everything came naturally.

Suddenly, she had an idea. Later, she wasn't proud of it, as it was very childish, and much below the intelligence of an eighteen year old. She would freely admit later on, that envy had blitzed her rational vision. She had wanted to get Alice into trouble, simple as that. She would never have envisioned what damage could be done with so few words, a quick lack of judgement. Lorina didn't blame herself- that would have been ridiculous- but she knew that if the offer to go back in time ever presented herself, she would take it like a shot. At that moment, however, it took all her self control not to lash out at her little sister.

"Actually, you can if you like," Lorina gazed at Alice thoughtfully, who was picking acorns from the tree, and throwing them into the grass. "Alice!" Her voice became sharp when she realised that she hadn't got her attention. "You can go home if you would really like to."

Alice stopped her 'game', and stared at her sister, delighted. "Really?" She asked, as if she had been imprisoned in Bedlam for forty years, rather than spending the day up a tree, "I can go home?"

Lorina laughed, knowing full well that if Alice went home, she would be in trouble. "Of course. I'm tired of looking after such an ungrateful child."

"Yes!" Alice dropped from the tree, and landed like a golden cat. "Thank you Lorina, you're the best sister that anyone could ask for!" She rushed up and kissed her sister, not noticing that Lorina's whole body tensed when her lips landed on her cheek. "I'm going home!"

"Yes you are!" Lorina beamed back, feeling the unfamiliar feeling of spite wash through her mentality. She celebrated it, the vicious 'I'm getting you back' sensation momentarily becoming her sunshine. "Go on then, off you go! Tell mother I'll be home by tea-time."

"Affirmative!" Alice skipped through the gate, her seven year old persona really shining through. How lovely to be able to sit down on a comfortable chair, with a slice of cake in hand! How nice to be able to play with Dinah to ones heart's content! How pleasing it would be to see her parents again!

Alice had already decided in her heart, that the day in the tree, was in fact her being kept captive by an evil apprentice. In her mind, she hadn't seen her parents for moths, when she had actually only seen them three hours previously. It could be described as frightening, seeing such a child that could not distinguish between dreams and reality. Disturbing, but only to a stranger. Everyone who knew Alice, couldn't help but be charmed.

After three lanes of skip-running Alice Liddellreachedher destination. A modest house of white walls, black beam decoration, and a thatched roof. Alice imagined that it was a dolls house, and her and her dearest were the dolls. Such an imaginative girl! Not realising that today had been chosen, that today was her fate, that today, in effect, was a day of God's judgement, Alice opened the door.

***

"NO! No more. Please, I can't take ANY MORE!"

"And how do you suppose you'll be cured? I do this, not only for my own experimental study, but for your freedom, 5837966."

"It's hell! Sheer hell!"

"5837966, you forget yourself." Dr Joubert glared coldly at the cowering wreck opposite. If it was up to him, he would leave; here, now- to him, it didn't matter about the consequences. Places like this made him feel physically ill. To see the creatures of the underworld chained and locked together, seven to a room... madness, terrible utter madness. Half of them were insane. You could hear them screaming at night, clawing the walls, unable to escape from their own despondency. Suicide was almost a daily business. Joubert himself, had seen too many to be rendered completely human. He was an emotionless, grey haired man, that had asked the asylum for patients in order to practise his self-discovered skills. Surprisingly, his request was accepted. Prisoners 4923778, 15679825, 3211678, and 5837966.

Only four, but these four (humans? Could he call them people?) controlled his every waking moment. He didn't want to help them, nay, he didn't even want to cure them. They were his experiments, his playthings. He loved the amount of control, of power, he could wield over them. Craved the light of fear that struck their eyes as soon as he was in their company. All, that is, apart from one. 5837966. But now...

The patient had finally cracked.

"Please, Dr Joubert, let me go back to my cell." 5837966 gazed brokenly at her psychoanalyst, her voice dull. A young woman of twenty three, 5837966 had closely cropped, unwashed blond hair, and startling blue eyes- with some care, a true beauty. This made her immediately different to the other prisoners, whose madness showed on their faces- twisted features, wrinkled skin, hair the texture of rope. However, beauty had a price. Too many times, she had been bundled into dark rooms by 'professionals, and had to undergo humiliation and pain like no other. She used to struggle, to cry out... but she no longer resisted. It was obviously all she was good for.

Dr Joubert did not answer her, and 5837966 to her her horror, felt herself beginning to cry. "Please, can I just go?"

"Who is Alice Liddell?" The Dr was staring at his desk, and at first, 5837966 wasn't sure that it was he who had spoken.

"Pardon?"

The Doctor glanced up, and for the first time there was expression on his face- curiosity. "Who is Alice Liddell?"

"I... I don't know." This was true. 5837966 had never heard such a name, and to her, it was a completely arbitrary question. "Dr, may I...?"

"You spoke of her. When you were under hypnotic influence, you began to account an event that had happened to this woman. Nay, not a woman. A child. Definitely a child. Who is she?"

"I-"

"She didn't sound like an average seven year old. Obviously very bright, looked not unlike yourself. She was just about to enter her house, and you were so ..." he tailed off, his old face growing red with discovery. He leapt to his feet, and placed two hands on her shoulders, forcing his patient to look at him. "Was it you? Is that how you came to be here? Is your name Alice Liddell?"

"No!" 5839766 wrenched herself from his grasp. "My name is merely a number sir. Before I was admitted, the address was Delfine Banner."

"Oh." Joubert returned to his chair, obviously disappointed. "And you recognise nothing?" He sounded incredulous, as if 5839766 was deliberately being difficult.

"No."

"Fine," the Doctor waved a tired hand. "Send in 4923778." His head gaze returned to his desk, and he began to scribble notes, his script indiscernible.

The patient was waiting outside the door, obvioulsy using all self control not to run away. 5839766 smiled at her. "It's your turn now."

4923778 dragged herself into the room, her eyes closed as if she was about to face death. The door slammed behind her.

And the screaming began.