Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 1:

Following the white rabbit

(Bella)

Three AM

Once again I found myself deprived of slumber. Knowing I wouldn't get any sleep again tonight, I put on a t-shirt and jeans.

I figured a walk might help.

My mother called it bridal anxiety; I called it fear of being sold to the highest bidder.

There had been rumours about me and an obnoxious boy by the name of Mike Newton. So, naturally we had to get married. After all, we wouldn't want to hurt my perfect socialite mother's feelings now would we?

Not to mention the fact that Mike's father had a seat in parliament which made for a nice consolation prize for my mother.

I left a note telling my "perfect family" where I'd gone. I didn't know why I was doing this. I was nineteen years old, if I wanted to runaway, I could do it.

Of course, Mike would probably use his vast resources to track me down and bring me back to him. (Sigh) I hate my life

Perhaps I should settle, I thought to myself, after all, girls that look like me don't get too many offers.

I examined a bruise on my forearm. A souvenir of being left alone with him and rejecting his advances (Mother, of course, turned a deaf ear to this). On second thought, maybe that's not such a good idea.

"What do I do?" I mumbled as I crossed the street.

I didn't even see the lights coming. The Ford came at me just hard enough to make me hit my head but not enough to knock me unconscious.

I'm late

I looked up to see a white rabbit in a cheap leather jacket looking down at a cell phone.

I am so very late.

Unbelievable, its mouth wasn't moving but I knew exactly what he was saying.

Without another word… or thought, he started to hop away.

I got to my feet the compulsion to follow him to great to resist now.

The farther I followed him, the more weightless I felt.

I ran faster and faster the longer I chased him.

Until, I realized there was no ground beneath me.

Oh

Shit.

I was falling down a manhole.

I closed my eyes and waited for impact.

An impact that never came.

I opened my eyes to discover that I had gone right through the ground, and I was now falling down what looked like a tunnel.

I felt a sharp pain in head. Hm, I must have hit something.

Damn rabbit. Were the last words that went through my head before fading into darkness.