Return to the Madness
Chapter 1
Alice wakes up to the London sun shining through her apartment window. She lifted herself up off the bed. Her small apartment consisted of her room, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. She looked out her window to the view of gloomy London and all its depressing residence. She looks at herself in the mirror by her bed. Pale skin, mid back length black hair, and toxic green eyes. She looked like her Wonderland self from five years ago. She walked away from the mirror trying not to remember her battle for herself. Five years ago her Wonderland was in danger of being destroyed by the hand of the Doll Maker. The Doll Maker took over the Infernal Train and was corrupting her Wonderland. The Doll Maker's London counter part was her psychiatrist Dr. Angus Bumby. Alice pushed though broken memories aside and got herself into a simple grey dress. She walked out into her living room which is covered in paintings and drawings of her Londerland. People found her Londerland art fascinating. The mixture of the gloomy London buildings and the colorful flora of Wonderland amazed people enough to buy her art. The money her art brought in was enough for rent and other things she needed. Alice grabbed the stack of paintings and drawings on the table in her kitchen before heading out the door.
The normal grey skies of gloomy London filled the air with a chill. Alice walked on to the cobble stone streets and headed towards her street stand to sell her art. Children ran through the streets, beggars hoping to get a spare coin, prostitutes trying to sell themselves to drunken men. Alice continued on her way. Several people waved at her or said hello. People have accepted Alice as normal now. At the age of 24 Alice has made a name for herself through her art. She was no longer known as the insane girl that ranted about smiling cats and a killer queen. She was now the woman that created fantastic art that mixed fantasy and reality. She got to her stand and began to hang up her artwork for pedestrians to see. She sat down and waited for the crowd to swarm her. She had other artwork that wasn't Londerland but Londerland was what most people loved so she always had nothing but Londerland art on that day just for her buyers. Alice saw the familiar face of her neighbor, Ms. Crawsworth. It's hard to miss her. Ms. Crawsworth was a short old lady with a wrinkly face. Her nose seemed a bit too big for her face but she had soft brown eyes. She always wore fancy clothes that didn't seem to fit in this part of London. Alice gave a smile as the old lady walked towards her.
"Hello Ms. Crawsworth." Alice said
"Ah Alice deary," Ms. Crawsworth said cheerfully "I see you have more of your wonderful Londerland art out. I might just have to buy another one."
"Actually I have one of you Ms. Crawsworth." Alice smiles and grabs a bright painting from behind her. It's Ms. Crawsworth standing in the garden at the back of the apartments. You can see the old apartment building in the background. Large colorful flora is growing out of it. Ms. Crawsworth is leaning down tending to a rose and small Wonderland flowers surround her and blue butterflies flit around her. Ms. Crawsworth lets out a gasp in surprise.
"Oh Alice it's beautiful." Ms. Crawsworth exclaims "How much for it?"
"I made it for you." Alice explains "As a thank you for helping me when times were tough and being a good neighbor."
"Thank you Alice." Ms. Crawsworth said before leaving Alice. Alice smiled at the old lady's excitement. Alice loved to see people's faces as they looked at her Londerland art. People thought she would come up with how the flora looked but that was far from the truth. Alice saw all of this. Ever since defeating the Doll Maker she has been able to see the flora and sometimes fauna of Wonderland mixed with London. She couldn't always see it but when she did she would draw it.
The day went by quickly. People came to admire Alice's Londerland art. People would come and buy them or talk to Alice on how she got the idea for Londerland. By the end of the day all of the Londerland art was sold and Alice had enough money to last her for the next week. Alice closed off her stand before walking home. As she was walking she saw a smiling cat out of the corner of her eye. She quickly looked but nothing was there. Alice quickly walked home. Her apartment was dark when Alice arrived. She looked around for matches to light a candle but they weren't where they normally are placed. A light was glowing from her room and Alice slowly made her way there.
The mirror by her bed was glowing and flashing images of Wonderland. Alice carefully walked closer to the mirror. She saw the Far East, the Vale of Tears, Queensland, and other places she recognized. Was she hallucinating? She slowly brought her hand foreword and touched the mirror. It wasn't solid anymore. The surface rippled under her touch like water. Before for she could pull her hand back a clawed grey hand grabbed her wrist. Alice only had time to gasp before being pulled into the watery glass surface.
Alice screamed as she fell through a blue vortex. Images of Wonderland flashed along the vortex walls. Alice kept falling for what seemed like for an eternity. She saw a pool of water form and she was falling straight for it. Alice hit the water hard but she quickly swam up to the surface. She gasped for air and swam to the shore. Once she was there something pulled her to her feet. Alice looked up to see a tall man. He has un-natural grey skin with odd black tattoos on his face and arms and ears. His ears were very oddly shaped and one had an earring. He wore a black and grey striped tank top and black pants. His feet look like that of a cat. A bone tail waved back and forth behind him. He had an inhuman grin and orange eyes. Alice stood in disbelief as she looked at an evolved Cheshire Cat.
"Welcome back Alice." The Cat said with a devious grin.