Raivis In Wonderland

Ch.2 The Caterpillars Opium

As he continued down the path, a sweet alluring scent filled Raivis' nostrils, beckoning him forward. The aroma led him to a small building, decorated with ornately carved Chinese characters. Raivis poked his head though the doorway curiously, winding no one there but a china-man sitting on what seemed to be a large mushroom. He was smoking from an elaborate hookah. He spotted Raivis and took the pipe from his lip, exhaling a long stream of sweet smoke.

"Who are you?" The man asked, putting the pipe back to his lips.

"Well, my name is Raivis..." He said, but was swiftly cut off by the man s reply.

"I did not ask your name aru."

"But my name is who I am!" Raivis said loudly.

"No, you may be who your name is aru, but it is not who you are."

Raivis started to say something but was to befuddled to think of a response.

"Here." The man handed him the pipe. "Once taken it will bring you to new heights aru."

"I'm not sure I should, what does it do?" Raivis asked warily.

"It will bring you to new heights" The man repeated.

Raivis too the pipe, still feeling unsure as he put it to his lips. He slowly inhaled the intoxicating smoke, and handed the pipe back to the man. He swayed slightly and took a few careful steps as the drug took it's full effect. The man got up from his perch and shooed him out of the building.

"We are closed now aru!" He said before shutting the door.

Raivis looked around dizzily, the drug making him feel pleasantly sleepy. He wandered around in a circle before deciding on laying down under a flower he'd passed seven times before. He took off his jacket, laying it on the ground to serve as a pillow and laid down, yawning as his eyelids fell heavily.

"Raivis." A voice called out to him in his sleep. Raivis tried to shift but found his body to heavy to do so.

"Mr. Von Bock, I think we should talk." A second voice said.

"Yes, of course." The first voice said. "What is it doctor?" There was sound of foot steps and the voices seemed to fade away.

"I'm afraid..." The voices trailed off completely, Raivis strained to hear them but to no avail.

"Who was that?" Raivis thought to himself. "They sounded familiar but... Wait, I think I'm starting to wake up..." His eyes fluttered open and raivis sat up, and stretched out. The things he'd heard in his sleep already starting to fade from his mind.

He reached down to find his jacket, but felt nothing but grass. Latvia let out a small cry and stood up. Ivan was going to kill him if he found out he'd lost his jacket. He searched frantically but it was nowhere to be found.

"OH NOOOOOOOOO!" He cried, shaking violently. He sat down, wiping the tears from his eyes, but to avail, the move he tried to stop the flow the more tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Well what do we have here?' A voice said. Raivis sniffed and looked up, wiping his eyes. He found himself staring up at a man, or what seemed to be a man, except for three features which where distinctly feline.

"Hasn't anyone told you it's rude to stare?" The man asked with a clear disdain.

"I'm sorry." Raivis said, climbing to his feet. "It's just I've never seen anyone like you before."

"Well I would assume not." The man smiled charmingly. "A true English gentle cat is hard to find."

"Yes I would guess so." Raivis said.

The gentle cat smiled. "Now tell me boy, why where you crying?"

"I lost my jacket." Raivis answered. The cat raised a thick eyebrow.

"All those tears, for a jacket?" He asked confused.

"NO! well... yes." Raivis admitted, feeling rather silly

The cat let out a loud sigh. "Well there is nothing I can do for you there, I've been watching you sleeping and there was never any jacket."

"Well could you tell me how to get home? I have a feeling it's rather urgent."

"That depends, where is you're home?" The cat laid on his stomach beside Raivis. "I can't very well give directions to somewhere I don't know can I?"

Raivis nodded. "It's, wait, it's in a country called. Well I have this friends in..." Raivis furrowed his eyebrows, trying to concentrate. "I can't remember."

"The I see it is you have two options." The cat frowned, looking at Raivis as if he'd just wasted a great deal of his time. He climbed up the tree and rested on a high branch. "If you're not interested in prolonging the inevitable you could meet your death head on and go straight to the Red Czars palace."

"That doesn't seem to pleasant." Raivis said. "I won't be doing that, whats my other choice?"

"Down that path," The gentle cat pointed with his tale. "You'll find a Hatter, a Hare, and a Door mouse, they might be able to help." The cat started to fade into the darkness. "Good luck." And with this mocking wish the cat was gone.

Raivis shook his head, he'd have to forget about his jacket for now and seek whatever help was necessary. The put his hands in his pockets and traveled deeper into the forest. The sense of foreboding weighing heavily on his shoulders.