Slip, Slappity, Hop, the Rain Drops Plop
An "Alice in Wonderland" Story
By: Draculamomma
Author's Note: Hello dear readers. I am going all over the place this year, I just saw Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" and I thought it was pretty decent, not the best work he's done in his career, but not half bad either! You should check it out for yourselves! Just a few things before we get to the main course. First off, if you haven't seen the film yet, I encourage you to do so, and I also at the same time DISCOURAGE you from reading this, because I will be referring and carrying on from where the film left off, so no surprises there. Second of all, I have also written a whole bunch of other amazing stories, so do go ahead and feel free to check those out as well, and leave a nice review if you like. I hope you guys enjoy this story as I have writing it! Comment on it if you will, but be nice, this is my first "Alice in Wonderland" story.
All rights go to Tim Burton's version of the story! ENJOY! FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!
Chapter 1: News from the white rabbit
Alice couldn't stand it anymore. She slammed her small fists down onto the wooden table in front of her, not caring that she frightened nearly ten men to death in the process. She didn't care, she was beyond caring anymore. All that had mattered to her, and seemed important, suddenly wasn't.
She began noticing this change in herself weeks ago. It had started from the smallest things, and built its way up, eating at her slowly from the inside. All the food had suddenly lost its taste, the water and wine lost its appeal and color in her eyes, all her fellow friends and co-workers seemed…boring.
She knew she shouldn't be thinking so little of the ones who had helped her the most, but she felt that these men weren't the ones who really cared about her, and wanted her to succeed. They were all here on business.
When Alice had refused to marry Hamish five years ago, she truly thought she was safe from the world and its cruel chains upon her neck. She was a free spirited young woman, just celebrating her twenty-forth birthday, and she was suddenly in no mood to be around these…people.
But could she ever voice these thoughts out loud to anyone? Certainly not! It was considered un-ladylike and very rude. Society had once again put limits on her behavior and spirit. Alice had thought she had truly gown over all her childish yearnings, but the more she thought about it, the more she found she hadn't changed in the slightest.
Her hair had grown a little longer over the years, and darkened in its tinge a bit, now adopting a dirt blonde tinge. Her eyes had always remained true to her soul, so there was no change in them, except, if you looked ever so carefully into them, you could see Alice's soul being tortured behind her eyes. There lay a sheet of pain, and white ager behind those beautiful eyes.
"Alice? Whatever is troubling you, my dear?" She looked up from the shiny wood of the desk she was firmly seated at and into the old, kind eyes of Lord Ascot.
The old man had changed a bit, opposite to Alice. His eyes were more shrunken, and every day, the fire in them seemed to diminish. He had grown more lines in his forehead, and his hair was nearly frizzled and worn out.
Alice felt a great deal of pity on the man whom she had nearly thought of as a father figure all these years. He had taken such great care of her; she felt she owed him more than her life at the most.
She reached over and grabbed his hand in her own, smiling at him. "Yes, everything is fine, sorry, I was just…I'm not myself these days. I apologize." Her lady manners were settled back in and she soon forgot what it was she had been so upset about.
She looked down at the stack of papers being placed in front of her, and suddenly it all came back…
FLASHBACK
"You could stay." The Mad Hatter suggested, smiling at her in a friendly way, keeping his strange eyes fixed on her.
She wished she had said yes then. She wanted to say yes so very badly, if only one could turn back time…
She smiled at him warmly, very eager to accept, but she suddenly remembered what it was she had to do…
"But I can't." She answered. She wished she hadn't said that immediately after setting eyes on his reaction. The Mad Hatter's warm smile faded ever so quickly, and his eyes darkened, but not with anger, with sadness and a longing destroyed within him.
It tore her soul apart, and she wanted to throw her arms around him and tell him how she wanted to stay with him and him alone, and have tea parties with him all day long, and dance the futterwagon all night long. They would never tire of each other, and have only each other for comfort. She wanted that very much, and she knew he did too. But it was something that simply couldn't be done, but Alice knew the Mad Hatter would eventually understand.
"There are questions I have to answer…" She continued, feeling her heart pound as the Mad Hatter's eyes searched through hers.
"Things I have to do…" She knew what she had to do, and she knew that the sooner she got those things over with, the better it was going to be for everyone. And so she decided to leave, despite the little voice in the back of her head shouting at her to stay, stay with the Mad Hatter forever.
END OF FLASHBACK
It was ever since that time, those awful, sad memories kept pulling at her hair, throbbing her mind with constant headache, threatening to never leave, until she went back…but she couldn't, she was past Wonderland now…or was she?
She rarely thought about Wonderland, and the reason for this was entirely because of the Mad Hatter. She didn't want to see him in so much pain because of her. He said she would forget him, but she was true to her word, and she thought of him every day, every chance she got.
He was always there, inhabiting the largest parts of her mind and heart, and he would always stay there. He had become a part of her, and would never leave her. This both angered her and made her happy at the same time. She was glad she hadn't forgotten him, but she often wondered if he forgot her…She shook her head rather violently, and found herself wishing she hadn't done so, for her head began to throb once more.
She mustn't think those thoughts; the Mad Hatter was her friend. He would never, ever forget her, he cared for her, he respected her, although he was a loon, he was always going to be her loon.
Two hours later
Alice had a hard time keeping her supper inside her stomach during the carriage ride to her modest Victorian home. The ride was always the longest from Lord Ascot's Mansion to her own home.
She closed her eyes and clutched her long tresses tighter and tighter as the carriage went over bumps and all sorts of potholes. Why were there so many blasted potholes?
She cursed inwardly, and counted to fifty-two before the carriage finally stopped, and the driver helped her out. She felt a little dizzy, but made it to her door safe and sound.
She was nearly inside when the driver called her back.
"Miss! You forgot your bags!"
She turned and laughed as she watched the frail driver struggle with her bags.
She reached out and pulled them from his grasp. "I beg your pardon, sir."
He tipped his hat at her.
"And what do I owe you?" She asked, digging into her purse slowly, still trying to get a balance on her legs.
"A shilling, ma'am." He answered quickly.
She nodded and paid the fee.
Once the carriage pulled away, Alice could have sworn she saw a quick movement among some bushed surrounding her large home.
She set her bags down, and squinted into the sunset. The bushes were a dark green color at this time of day, so she had a hard time seeing anything. She paused for a while, waiting to see if the action repeated itself, but when nothing happened, she shrugged and threw her bags inside the home.
She had barely put a foot inside her home, when the rustling came again. This time she was sure she heard it clearly. She closed the door, and walked down the steps leading to her door.
She wrapped her robes around her skinny frame tightly, feeling a little chilly as the fresh spring breezes blew around her.
"Hello?" She called out gently, hoping to coax whatever was in the bushes out.
The rustling grew in the bushes, and Alice smiled.
"Well, how are you doing on this fine day, oh creature which rustles amongst my garden?" She thought she was a little mad, a twenty-four year old grown woman talking to a bunch of rustling leaves and bushes.
"The Mad Hatter would be so proud to see me talking to inanimate objects." As soon as she heard that thought in her head, she closed her eyes in pain, and shook her head.
Why must he always bring pain to her heart and mind? Why was it so hard to think of him? She rubbed her aching temples and felt her patience wearing thin.
"Alright then, no more monkey business. I want you out here, right now!" She looked around her surroundings to make sure no one else had heard her. When she was sure she was alone, she turned back to the quick darting movements under the bushes.
"What do you want?" She hissed angrily.
Silence was her only answer.
She rolled her eyes, and walked towards the bush.
"Fine then, I have given you my final warning! If you do not come out this instant, I will have no choice to but to resort to very unlady like behavior, and call someone to control my pest problem!" She threatened the bushes.
Silence answered her back.
She tapped a foot on the grassy grounds, and when she decided she had had enough, she ventured toward the bush quickly.
She stomped her feet and thrashed her arms about, mimicking a wild puppet gone insane. She danced about and created as much noise as she could, thinking there might have been some nosy squirrels, or perhaps a small hedgehog at the most.
She was truly surprised and nearly fainted from shock when a little white rabbit shot out from underneath her feet, and sat down on the cool grass behind her, twitching its nose unpleasantly.
She gasped in surprise as the dewy leaves and grass clippings stuck to her uncovered feet and shoes, slowly seeping into her silky dress and cooling off her heated body. She felt shivers running through her small body, and she tried brushing them away, she didn't want to look foolish in front of a small rabbit.
She gathered herself together, and looked down at the small white rabbit beneath her.
"Right then, what do you want, you mangy thing?" She teased.
The rabbit scratched its ears with a long hind leg. She laughed.
The rabbit suddenly stopped, and glared at her. "And just what is it that you find so amusing about that, Alice?" The rabbit spoke.
Alice immediately felt her breathing stop. She felt her senses leave her body, and she collapsed onto the cold, wet grass like a rag doll.
"You…you just…t-talked…" She whispered.
The rabbit hopped back, as if it were the one who didn't expect her to speak. "What? Alice! Y-you, you haven't forgotten…have you?" He looked at her with sad, beady eyes.
Alice didn't answer for a while. She hadn't forgotten anyone, or anything associated with Wonderland those years ago. She was just so surprised they had come back to her willingly, she didn't have to go after the rabbit this time, and he had come to her!
"I can't believe it…" She whispered, feeling tears rushing to her eyes.
The rabbit sniffed. "Well if I'm a bother, then I shall have to return another time, perhaps when you are yourself…"
He began hopping away, but Alice cried out.
"No! Stop! Please!" She crawled over to him, not caring as her new dress soon became soaked.
The rabbit stopped immediately, and hopped over to her. "So you do remember, Miss Alice!" He cried, his voice lightening up with happiness.
Alice giggled. "How could I ever forget any one of you?" She wanted to grab the rabbit from the grass, and hold him against her body, and never let go. But she knew he would never be pleased with her or let her come near him if she did such an irrational thing.
"Miss Alice, how have you been? You don't look so well of late." He said, in a serious tone of voice which seemed very unusual for a small rabbit.
Alice sighed. "I was asking myself the very same thing."
"You still miss it, don't you?"
"Miss what?" She asked, looking down at her hands.
"Being a child, being and living as the child you once were." The rabbit stated as a matter of factly.
She shook her head, and forced a fake laugh. "Don't be ridiculous, that's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard of!" She backed away from the rabbit, but remained seated in the grass.
The rabbit hopped closer to her. "If you say so."
"Yes! I do say so!" Alice hissed, regaining some control.
"I grew up years ago, I cannot go back…"
The rabbit didn't say anything. He simply sat and sniffed about.
"You are truly being missed, to be honest." He suddenly said.
Alice looked down at him, a small smile playing at her rosy lips. "Am I?" She ventured.
The white rabbit simply nodded, his eyes looking up at her in a pleading manner.
She suddenly frowned. "You don't know what you're saying! I cannot simply ignore all my duties, and stop my life right now! I can't!"
The rabbit backed away at her sudden outburst.
"No one's asking that much of you, Miss. We ask so very little, just a simple visit, won't that do?"
She sighed and felt her heart beating faster and faster. If she came back, she would see him…
The rabbit was growing impatient at her blank outs, and pawed at her gently. She looked down at him once more.
"Alice, please, we need you back in Wonderland."
She got up and shook her head as she picked grass and dirt off her dress. "Look what you've made me do…go and ruin my dress…" She muttered to herself.
"You can have better ones if you come with me." He promised.
Alice threw her hands up in the air in desperation. "That's not the point!" She shouted, feeling very foolish.
The rabbit cowered beneath her tall form.
"I must be dreaming again…I'm dreaming!" She laughed.
The rabbit straightened up at this. "That's what you said the first time, Miss, and look how wrong you were!"
"But this isn't the same! I was nineteen years old! I'm older now, and wiser!" She cried.
The rabbit smiled lightly. "Miss, you were always smart, just as you are now, it hasn't changed, and it never will. You were afraid then, and you still are, which is why you must come back!"
Alice felt tears in her eyes, but she quickly batted them away. "How can I?"
The rabbit snorted. "I already told you, Miss, by following me!"
"No! That's not what I meant; I meant how can I do all that? I'm not the same girl as I was before!"
The rabbit backed away from her once again in confusion. "Oh dear…do you mean to tell me I've gotten the wrong Alice again?" He asked, feeling rather annoyed.
Alice frowned. "You never got the wrong Alice, you had the right one the entire time, and it was me all along."
"That's what I thought." The rabbit answered, grinning happily.
Alice sighed again. "You still don't understand."
"No, you don't understand, Miss, and we are going to help you understand." It sounded like a threat, and Alice felt herself getting colder by the second.
She gazed up away from the rabbit, and looked across the little piece of land she occupied. The sun had nearly disappeared behind a long row of trees far off into the distance, and it left off a nice glow of orange and red.
There were hardly any clouds, despite the cooler weather this time of the year. A crow cawed somewhere far off in the distance, as if complaining about Alice's situation.
Alice was interrupted by the sound of a small cough. She was brought back down to the grass by the white rabbit, which looked as if he weren't going anywhere until she agreed to go along with him.
"You're a nasty, stubborn little thing, aren't you?" Alice teased.
The rabbit thumped a foot on the ground, as if in applaud.
"Supposing I go along with you, just suppose," she said, choosing her words carefully. "What is to become of me then? Do I have to stay this time? Is there trouble again? Is the Red Queen back? You haven't given me any information!" She said, feeling more hyped by the second.
The rabbit shook its head, as if in wonder at her behavior. "So many questions, Miss, why so many questions? What happened to just tumbling down the old rabbit hole?"
Alice shrugged, feeling younger than she had in years. All her work and time spent away from Wonderland had suddenly made her feel so…old. She shuddered in disgust at the word. There was no way she was ready for that. She had barely begun her life, there still lay a whole bunch of adventures for her to explore!
The rabbit hopped over to Alice once more, and nudged his head against her hands. When he got no recognition, he hopped onto her lap.
"Please Miss, this time, there is no Jabberwocky, I promise."
Alice couldn't help but giggle.
"That was one of the hardest things I ever did in my life." She said more to herself than to the rabbit in her lap.
"And yet you still accomplished it all, Miss. If it weren't for you, we'd all have been ruined by the Red Queen, doomed to be her slaves forever!"
Alice smiled, feeling her confidence grow. "It wasn't that big of a deal…"
"But it was, Miss! To us! You won us our freedom! You saved us all! How can you say that wasn't a big deal?" The rabbit hopped excitedly on her lap.
It was then that Alice suddenly noticed he wasn't wearing his little black jacket…
"Say, why aren't you wearing your little black jacket?" She asked.
The rabbit sniffed. "You have an awful lot of gardeners here; don't you think one of them would find it a little odd if they saw a white rabbit with a black coat on?"
Alice frowned. "But I thought I was the only one who could see you?"
The rabbit shook its head. "Not anymore. This is why I came back to you Miss. There is something going on…something strange..."
Alice suddenly stood up in fright, knocking the rabbit down onto the soft grass.
"Don't tell me she's back! She can't be! Her sister banished her!" She clenched her hands into tiny fists.
The rabbit rolled over and looked up at her, wincing in pain. "That hurt, Miss."
"Sorry." She uttered, feeling her cheeks ignite with embarrassment.
"It's not the Red Queen, Miss. It's something, more so than someone. The Underworld isn't what it used to be...since you left, things took a drastic change for the worse."
"I'm afraid I don't understand…" Alice said sadly.
The rabbit nodded. "I knew you'd answer that way, which is why I came to find you myself on this very night. We cannot wait much longer, we are running out of time, Miss, and we need your help once more."
Alice sighed and paced back and forth on the grass. She didn't want to go back, but a part of her told her this was for her own good. Her friends needed her, and she knew deep down inside that she needed them as well.
A thought suddenly took her by surprise. She leaned forward and faced the rabbit.
"Is it the Mad Hatter? Is he in trouble?" She asked, getting down on her palms to face him.
The rabbit bounced back. "It's not what you think, Miss, you best come and see it for yourself to believe it. I cannot say anymore."
Alice couldn't take the suspense any longer. She knew she had to go back to Wonderland to finish what she had started; she closed her eyes, and nodded before speaking.
"Alright, I will come."
End of chapter 1 I hope you guys liked it, I hope it wasn't too bad of a start, next chapter is coming up soon, and we'll see the Mad Hatter in it! Leave nice reviews, and I'll bring nice chapters.