Something I wrote about three years ago, so please, don't be too harsh…
I don't own Alice, or Hatter, or anyone else mentioned here, bla bla and all the rest…
Enjoy!
She was here. I had her.
The Hatter lies down in the grass, his hat resting on his chest. The sun gently turns the sky pink as it sets behind the white castle. He sighs heavily.
I could have made her stay.
His mind grows blurry. He twists a blade of grass back and forth between his fingers, trying to remember.
Was she really here?
He shakes his head. Ofcourseshewas.Don'tbestupid.
He smiles. A small, sad smile, remembering the first time she stumbled into Underland. He knew she had been special. He knew she would be back.
She didn't have to leave. She could have stayed here with me.
He hears a sound that jolts him from his thoughts. Horses galloping close by. He sits up and places his hat on his head to hide the emotion from his eyes. He hears rustling in the grass. It gets louder and louder and before long he sees the edge of a white crinoline from under the rim of his hat. Then, a soft voice calls to him.
"Hatter."
The Queen. I can't let her see me like this.
"Hatter, look at me."
Still no answer. He plays with the blades of grass like a shy five year old. He hears a sigh and the White Queen's concerned face and gentle eyes come into view. She kneels in the grass and removes his hat, placing it on her lap. Her voice is almost a whisper now.
"She's gone. It's okay."
He feels his cheeks get hot, and closes his eyes to keep the tears in. He lowers his head, ashamed. The queen places one hand on each side of his face, and tilts his head to look at her. He opens his eyes but looks away. She wipes a lone tear from his cheek with her thumb.
"She'll be back."
Suddenly angered, He looks at her.
"No she won't."
The Queen is surprised. "She promised."
A mix of rage and sorrow rises in him. He gets to his feet suddenly and his voice rises to a shout.
"Do you think she cares? Do you think she thinks this was anything else than a dream? She didn't remember us last time! What was so different about it this time? She's gone! And even if she did remember, Do you really think that she would come back just for us? She probably doesn't even think that freaks like us…"
He trails off, his voice cut off with emotion.
…That freaks like us are real.
He looks up. The Queen's cheeks have reddened in contrast to her white skin. She is standing silently, clutching the hatter's top hat tightly in front of her. She looks up.
"But what if she does remember?"
Flustered and unsure what to do, the hatter walks to where the Queen stands, and rips his hat childishly from her delicate hands. He then places the hat on his head, walks a few steps away from her, and flops onto the ground, cross-legged, his back turned away from her pleading gaze. A few moments later, he hears the soft shifting of the queen's feet as she walks back to where her horse is waiting.
Wiping his tears angrily, the hatter falls onto his back once again. Night had now fallen and the moon was hiding behind the thick clouds. A few stars serve as the only source of light.
She can't possibly think an old hat maker like me has feelings.
He takes his hat off his head and examines it, pulling out any loose strings.
She had such pretty golden hair…
Could've made her a hat.
He laughs wildly at the ridiculousness of his sentence.
Could've made her all sorts of hats.