Lyssa in the Country of Hearts: Chapter 1: A World Where Everyone Loved You:
"So, wait...let me get this straight." I say to my older sister beside me. We were hanging out in our backyard behind our little log cabin. We are orphans, but we are free and strong.
"A girl named Alice Liddell...was asleep in her garden. A white rabbit pops out of the no where and tells her to follow him. Before she could respond the rabbit turns into a white haired, red eyed, man and takes her all the way down the rabbit hole. Forces her to drink a liquid that made her have to stay in the Country of Hearts until the vile was filled again and she had the choice of going back home or to stay..but then Blood the re-image of the Mad Hatter got her to stay..." I clarified.
"Yep! Great story huh?" My older sister: Shelby asked.
"Yeah...I guess..since I love Alice in Wonderland, it's one of my favorite stories. As well as the sequel..I loved it when Mom used to read it to me, over and over..it was the only thing to get me to go to sleep..." I said, as I began to rock myself back and forth the way our Mom did to me, and reminisced on those loving times.
Only to have the cruel and dark memories rise again. Our Mother died a few months ago. She was emotionally and mentally depressed and committed suicide..our father never loved us, that's how mom got so depressed, he was a sick and twisted man. Who forced my mother upon marriage. She would always tell us how we were the only positive outcome of her and our dad's marriage. When Shelby was around 18, and when I was around 16, was when our Mom committed suicide, and we obeyed the last thing she told us to do...run.
We've been living in this old cabin for about 4 weeks now. It's not the best place to call home, but at least it's worthy of the name.
My name is Lyssa, I've got shoulder length blonde hair. I always keep in a ponytail. I've got eyes that change from green to blue depending on the light and the way I'm facing it. There's nothing special to say about me...except that I'm a tomboy, I don't take crap from anyone, I'm independent, and I have a bad habit to thinking of only the negative.
My older sister: Shelby. Has waist length brown curly hair. The most beautiful pair of brown eyes that looked like smooth chocolate ice cream. She looks so much like our mother..so graceful, beautiful, and she was our mother. We were complete opposites, if no one knew we were sisters they'd think we were just people who just knew one another, like friends. The poor girl tries all she can to push me toward the positive things in life, but I can't it's like all I can think of is the negative.
Shelby says it's because, I've experienced nothing but negative in my life. She would tell me how Mom would tell her things like:
"It's such a sad thing...Lyssa knows better, she knows what's really going on..I don't know why I try to cover it.."
"A word of advice about your sister. Shelby, you can't hide anything from her. She'll keep pushing and pushing you to were your saying more than what she wanted to know."
I'm not sure if I should take that as a good thing or a bad thing. My sister says it's a perfect mixture of both, but I'm not so sure about that.
"Where did you hear that re-image of Alice in Wonderland, Shelby?" I ask her, as she set out the vegetables we were going to cut up for dinner. We were back in our log cabin. Shelby was going to make our Mom's famous homemade vegetable soup. I could make it too, but when Shelby makes it..it's like Mom made it already. I started cutting up a tomato as she started explaining.
"I overheard some girls my age talking about it, as I got the vegetables from the store. I figured it might suit your interest since you love Alice in Wonderland." Shelby explained as she started cutting up a potato.
"Besides what you told me, is there anything else about that story..?" I ask, grabbing another vegetable to cut.
"Hm...oh yes...the residents in the Country of Hearts. Right after meeting everyone, Alice learned how they all would fall in love with her...and how the Country itself was at war. Life is meaningless to some..for their hearts are clocks...and when dead...a person picks them up and takes them to a watch maker to repair them. They might be reborn, but they won't be the same person they once was..That's all I could comprehend." Shelby informed.
"Oh! That reminds me I got something for you!" Shelby reached into the bag and searched all inside.
As she searched. I decided to reply to her explanation. "A whole Country where everyone loves you...wow...that would seem a bit annoying for Alice..but wait don't they have a choice not to?" I ask.
"Well, I-I'm not sure..I didn't catch everything those girls said...but you would think they would be able to have a choice to love someone or not..." Shelby answered.
"I hope they did..." I replied silently, but not to were Shelby could hear, or it really didn't matter.
"Wait! Did you say you got something for me?" I ask in a cheery voice.
"Yep, and I made sure I got extra. So we could also have some for the soup itself..and some for you to snack on..." Whatever it was she hid it behind her back as she came closer to me.
"What! What is it?" I asked.
She revealed it..my favorite vegetable...a perfectly washed, orange colored carrot. I loved carrots ever since that's all we had to eat when our Dad was "out" and there was nothing else for me, Shelby, or our mom to eat. To be honest, I actually drove myself to liking them. Since, my negativity drove me to thinking this might be all I ever get to eat for the rest of my life. I quickly snatched it from my sister's hand and became chewing on it.
My sister giggled. "Lyssa, I swear you'd make an excellent rabbit."
I stopped chewing like a hyped rabbit/bunny/hare and softly said. "And you'd make an excellent mother.."
My sister softly smiled at me and hugged me. "Thanks, Lyssa..your an excellent sister.."
"No, I'm not! I'm nothing special...all I do is be negative and be all tough and stubborn." I insisted.
"Lyssa, Lyssa, Lyssa...you are looking at it all wrong...Your strong and independent, you let no one fool you. You know better when people are trying to hide something from you. And you have some sort of pull on people to were when they look dead into your blue/green eyes...they just can't never lie to you.." Shelby said to me as she kissed my head and then started cooking up the broth. I looked back down at my half eaten carrot. I thought more of what my sister said...and if it's true. I took a bite of my carrot.
"Soup's done!" She called out. She really didn't need to. The log cabin has only one floor, and I was just over in the corner of the room. Shelby handed me a bowl and spoon. Just the sweet, warm blend of all the vegetables scents and the broth's scent mixed together, could of filled me up. I took a bite. I smiled, as joyful memories of me, Shelby, and our Mom came back to me.
I was only 6. Shelby was 8. My Mom was cooking some soup. While I was reading Alice in Wonderland . I was at the part where Alice arrives at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. That was one of my most favorite chapters. Shelby was reading one of our Dad's geography books. I felt sorry for my sister. While I was reading a funny, imaginative, nonsense story. She was reading a obvious, fact-full, and serious book.
"Shelby...wanna read Alice in Wonderland with me?" I ask her.
"I would love too Lyssa..but Dad said I have to read this to at least chapter 13 before he gets home.." Shelby reminded me.
"What for? It's not like your going to need to know that stuff any time soon!" I argued, as if I was talking to Dad myself.
Shelby sighed.
"Lyssa's right..Shelby...you put that book down and read with Lyssa..." Our mom was stirring up the broth in a pan she held.
"But what about..Dad.." Shelby reminded.
"Don't you worry about him...Now read with your sister...you too might find it a bit interesting.." Mom said as she left back into the kitchen.
Shelby put the book down and sat down beside me. I went back all the way back to Chapter 1, so she can understand it all. When we reached to the chapter about the Knaves' of Hearts' trial, when the soup was done. We head to the Kitchen and sat down at the dinner table. I was on our mom's right. Shelby was on our mom's left. As we ate. My mom asked. "So Shelby..what do you think of the story?".
"Brilliantly written! But now I can't help but wonder...why is a raven like a writing desk...?" My sister answered in a wondering tone.
"It gets more curiouser and curiouser by the second!" I claimed. My mom and sister, both laughed.
"Mom...why do you think Dad wanted me to read such a boring book?" Shelby asked.
"I'm not sure sweetie...I teach y'all everything you two need to know at your age..." Mom said taking a sip of the broth.
"Well, I would of stood up to him! Say how we're to young for such things! Some of us want some fun in our lives! And not waste it on reading information we'll probably never need in the future and how that was big waste of our childhood!" I exclaimed.
"Lyssa...if I didn't agree with you, I'd say you better not talk like that! But I guess as long as he's not here..it's okay...but you need to watch what you say sweetie..okay?" My mom warned me.
"Yes, ma'am." I replied, as I took a spoonful of soup.
"Mom, why did you marry such a horrid man like Dad.." Shelby asked.
"Oh, please! The man doesn't even deserve to be called Dad, or Father or anything else along those lines!" I scoffed.
"Girls...I know..I know...Eric isn't the most...wonderful person in the world...but...but..." Mom was losing her words.
"Mom...did he force you to marry him? It's okay to tell us...let it out...it helps.." I tell her. She gave me a loving smile.
"Oh, Lyssa...Oh, Shelby...I don't care much about your father...I hate him just as much as you two do...but...if it wasn't for him you two wouldn't be here...and I don't know where I would be without you two..." Mom explained, as she brought all three of us into a group hug.
When the memory finished, I too was finished with my soup, and before I knew it..I was also asleep in my little corner of the room. Even though I couldn't see it. I pictured it in my head. A smile over my sister's face as she places a blanket she knitted over me and a soft pillow behind my head.
I also hear her say softly to me. "I love you, Lyssa. Sweet dreams." I replied the same to her.
Though while I was dreaming sweet dreams...reality was slowing becoming...a nightmare.