Mad as a Hatter

Annie

Annie Regall grew up so much like her mother Alice. Golden sun-kissed hair with a round and curious expression and a thirst for adventure. Rebellious and resistant to her grandmother's complaints on how she dresses, Annie often wore shorts or jeans. And sneakers instead of slippers.

Annie usually got herself into more trouble than was necessary. Though she often went exploring and heeded her mother's strange advice.

"Don't go following rabbits in waist-coats." She says. "Be kind to flowers and never insult them." She chides. "Don't try to reason with cats who disappear."

To some, these advice must seem very strange and illogical. And in fact it was. But Annie followed her mother all the same.

She would never stomp on a flower and she always greeted a cat she net on her way to school. Once she even swore the cat smiled back.

And on nights when Annie woke up crying from a nightmare, her mother would come and tell her stories until she lulled back to her dreams. Annie loved the stories her mother told her. About a place called Wonderland and how the flowers talked to her and how the animals disappeared without warning. Everything seemed like such a dream. But mother told it with such affection it seemed like a memory to her.

There was only one rule little Annie could not follow no matter how hard she tried; "Don't go rushing off to follow white rabbits, especially if they're wearing a waist-coat." She always loved rabbits.

Dogs and cats and any animal in particular. Once when Annie was 5, she brought a dirty little dog to school. Annie would have gotten away with it, if not for the occasional noises heard from Annie's backpack.

She was reprimanded by 8 different people and constantly annoyed to let go of Charlie (Charlie's the name Annie thought for her dog. It was strange, the more she talked to Charlie the more she didn't want to leave him), but she never did. In the end, her stubbornness wore her through and she left for home with Charlie, a dirty backpack and a letter for Alice and her father.

Two years later, she still plays with Charlie and heeds her mother's advice.

Annie loves Charlie. So did Alice and her father. Though Philip tried to stay well away from the white furred animal Annie brought home.

This troubled Annie very much. She loved her big brother and she was such a thoughtful child (though at times she could go over-board). Annie looked up to her brother but she did not understand why he would rather sit in a room to read a book when the weather outside was so pleasant.

Annie followed Philip wherever he went. Before their cream colored pup arrived, even when she had Charlie to play with, she would always bring Charlie along. In hopes that her big brother would try and pat him on the head.

Philip too, loved his sister. Though his ways of affection were a bit more discreet then most people would know. He tended to act cold and detached from the world when people came to close.

Most girls (yes, of course, he was rather good looking) who approached him turned around when they made eye contact. It happened everyday, even on Valentine's it made no difference (only that girls were more persistent during this time of year). And Annie's chocolate were the only one Philip accepted during that day.

Philip was popular for being unemotional. But Annie was not deceived. She knew that her brother was a kind person. He just needed a small push and tug every now and then.

And so it was another popular story for girls and boys in Annie's school to gossip about the interesting duo. And it was rather fascinating to watch Annie follow Philip around like a mother goose and for Philip to shake Annie off. It became a routine to see Annie trip and fall while Philip hid away trying to loose her.

But the whole school knew of the protectiveness of Philip towards his little sister. He didn't permit anyone to hurt Annie. (though it was also common knowledge that Philip was the only one who could make Annie cry)

Of course there were times when Philip snapped and Annie cried.

One night when Philip was busy studying for his exams the following day, Annie went over to try and cheer him up. Coincidentally, this night is the very same night we start with. But this, of course, did not end well.

Annie was going on and on in the dead of the night and Philip lost his patience. He told Annie there was a ghost called the Jaberwocky who ate little girls that chattered in the silence. The Jaberwocky could swallow a child whole and at times you could hear the little children's voices from inside its stomach. Annie (who is a very easily scarred girl) went to bed crying and she crept into Alice's bed and sleep in her arms.

And that particular night, Annie cuddled in her mother's arms and revealed all that bothered her. Philip said that the Jaberwocky had rotting skin that showed its skull and had horrid red eyes that would freeze anyone who looked at it straight in the eye. Alice laughed. Annie would not understand why Alice would laugh. Such creatures like Jaberwockys were not to be underestimated.

"He could creep through the shadows and eat me while I sleep! I could be gone by morning and you wouldn't even know it!" Annie tried reasoning, trying to get Alice to see her point of view. But her mother just chuckled, which irritated Annie all the more. Annie could hear her father's snores almost soundlessly, and tried to lower her voice.

"I don't think the Jaberwocky will eat you tonight Annie." Alice looked down at her daughter's face. She could vaguely make out the outline of her plump face in the dark. "Why not?" But Alice, who was rather tired, sighed. She was about to retort when she heard soft snores from her daughter.

While Annie slept dreaming of a little white rabbit (Waits-coatless of course) she was chasing. Alice's thoughts wandered to tomorrow where she had begun planning the day's events and the thing's she'll need to finish in time for Annie's birthday party.

Alice was tired. Tired but happy. Her life couldn't have been better.

She had a beautiful home. A wonderful husband. Two adorable kids. A growing business and many great friends she's met in her travels.

There has been so much going on since the Frabjous day 12 years ago. That was the day she last saw the Hatter.

And she often caught herself wondering what the Hatter was doing and those times she would shake her head and focus on the task at hand. So much has happened since then. But after all this time, Alice never forgot.

Alice closed her eyes and cleared her mind of all her thoughts when she finally remembered.

Tomorrow was Frabjous day.