Time Pieces

Through the Looking Glass

"'I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see.'" Alice.

Coming to, Alison opened her eyes and felt the stone floor. 'Wait, the attic had wood floors', she thought instinctively. Where in the manor had stone floors? 'Nowhere' was her answer. Her body froze as she lifted her head to see what was around her.

A giant monster loomed in her vision and, reacting quickly, Allison scurried to the wall and became as flat as possible against it. She exhaled when she noticed the monster was feeling and so began to search for a door. Her eyes landed one, all the way on the other side of the room, behind the monster. Allison could have banged her head against the wall if she knew it wouldn't wake the black dotted monster.

Sliding across the wall quietly and on her tiptoes, Allison slowly made her way to the door. Grasping the knob she prayed it would open easier than the door to her room back at the manor. She gave it a quick turn and unexpectedly it opened behind her. She fell out in a heap and seeing the monster make a movement, hastily made to shut the door.

Breathing heavily, Allison slowly melted down the door into a pile on the ground. She seemed to be quite acquainted with the ground. She slowed her breathing and closed her eyes to calm herself even more.

"Look at this,"

Allison's eyes snapped open at the voice and she slowly lifted her head to meet the person.

"Who is she?"

"Where'd she come from?"

Allison was greeted by a crowd of people who had all eyes on her.

"She smells like Alice," sniffed one boy of a pair.

"Contrary wise she don't look like Alice," the other pointed out.

"Maybe she's friends with Alice?" asked a flower with a face.

A flower with a face? Maybe Allison hit her head a little too hard and was now dreaming.

"Wait," she interrupted her thoughts. "Alice? As in Alice Kingsleigh?"

"Yeah!" the crowd cheered.

"She's dead," Allison slipped out before she could stop herself. These people clearly liked Alice Kingsleigh and now Allison had just told them she was dead.

"She's dead?" The crowd roared.

"Well yeah," Allison stammered. "It's been what, one hundred and fifty years?"

"But we just saw her last week!" yelled out someone from the crowd.

"Last week," asked Allison. "How is that even possible?"

Looking around for the first time, Allison saw a sad sight. The trees were barren, the land was slowly turning brown and desolate, and the sky was a dismal grey.

Drawing in a sharp breath, she examined, "I'm guessing your, whatever this place is, isn't supposed to look this dreary."

The crowd seemed to deflate simultaneously like wilting flowers, except this crowd actually had flowers in their company.

"This place was once beautiful," explained a flower.

"And now it's not," finished another.

"Yeah, but why?"

"Too many questions!" Someone shouted.

"Yes, like who are you?"

"And why do you smell like Alice-"

"If you're not Alice?"

"My name is Allison!" she shouted above the rumble of the crowd. "And I don't know why I smell like Alice! Now please," she begged in a softer tone. "Can someone tell me what's going on and where I am?"

There was a low murmur from the mob.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that?"

"The White Queen can tell you!"

"Yes, take her to the White Queen!"

"Mirana will know!"

The whole crowd seemed to buzz with excitement at the mere mention of this person.

Allison breathed a sigh of relief. Finally a person who could explain a few things.

"Yes," she exclaimed. "Take me to the White Queen, Mirana-person!"

The crowd swarmed around her and the two twin boys picked her up off the ground. They began leading her down a trail and Allison quickly wondered if everyone was going. Soon she realized that in fact they were all taking her to this White Queen. Allison gulped, suddenly unsure of herself. Dream or not, meeting royalty was not her cup of tea. But they strode on in a rough single line with Allison in front with the twin boys.

"So, what are your names?" she asked hesitantly.

"I'm Tweedledee,"

"And I'm Tweedledum."

They answered in a row as if rehearsed.

"Oh," Allison was unsure as how to react. "Well, nice to meet you I guess."'

This whole situation was strange. Just like before when England and the cars were strange. Except this was stranger. It was as if Allison was in a completely different world. The thought made her pause. What if she was in a completely different world and this wasn't a dream after all? Where was she?

What was this strange place beyond the looking glass and how could Allison get back in Time before her mother noticed her missing?