It's the moments like this one that make feel like everything's all right in the world. Or rather, the opposite of right but still, happy. The cozy little burrow under the dirt made a perfect place to be secure and make plans to overthrow the Queen Of Hearts. I, wasn't the one making plans, but it was nice to know that I could be safe. For a little while at least.
I had rushed here as quickly as I could. I stopped when I came to the entrance. My eyes fell immediately on the Hatter. He had shadows darkening his face from his large top hat, but that didn't make him look sinister. On the contrary, a grin had spread across his face as our eyes met. He lifted the teacup in his hand. "To Alice." he said. "For making these plans possible." I had not known at the time what plans he was talking about, but I was sure it had something to do with the Queen. Then I look around, as familiar and unfamiliar faces look to me. They all had raised some sort of cup or glass together and in unison said "To Alice." The Hatter smirked. "Nice of you to finally join us."
I felt my face heat up as a cherry blush spreads along my cheeks. I search the small room for a place to sit. I notice now that the tiny space was crowded by a huge table in which was covered in all sorts of strange food and yes, tea. The occupants sat closely to each other chattering and laughing. At one end, in front of the Hatter, there were maps of what looked like the Queen's castle with ink markings of arrows and xs.
"Alice! Over here!" I rest my eyes on a familiar pair of boys. Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum. One of them had pushed the other out of his chair so that I could sit. Then that one had pushed him out of HIS seat. "No over here Alice next to me!" he called. The other stood up, and punched the other boy. They had started fighting on the almost non- space existent space behind the chairs and I watched helplessly. "Actually boys, I have a few things to discuss with miss Alice so she'll be sitting next to me." the Hatter called.
And that's where I am now. In this cozy room, filled with happy faces and food. Lots of food. I eat a soup like dish. It's purple and tastes like a beef broth mix with a twangy sort of flavor. It warms me up and I hadn't noticed that I was so cold that it seemed to seep into my bones. "Alice, manners." The Rabbit looks at me sternly then continues talking. I prop up my elbows on to the table and slurp my soup. The Hatter sits next to me at the end of the table, quietly listening to the Rabbit tell him about how we escaped the castle and events leading up to now. I can't tell what could be going through his mind at the moment. His hat darkens his face to the extent that I can't see his expression.
Then the pain hits. It starts in my chest then spreads to my head. It feels as if large splinters were jammed into my skull and torso. The air seems to be pulled from my lungs and I can't get it back. I see burst of color in my vision then it's black. I feel as if I were in the rabbit hole again, but instead of falling down, I was spiraling up. When I stop, I open my eyes and I'm in a white room. Im binded by something. I can't move my arms but my legs are free. I see a masked woman come towards me. She looks to be wearing a nurse's uniform from my other world. She has something in her hand. Something sharp. My heart begins to run and I kick my legs at her but it is no use. Without my arms I'm defenseless. I close my eyes and start screaming for her to leave.
It's black again. Im spinning. Down down down I spin. When the world stops spinning and my heart slows to a thumping rather than a pounding in my ribcage, I open my eyes. The room, is silent. Every head is turned to me and every pair of eyes seem to burn holes into me. "It was a vision. Wasn't it?" I look to the Hatter. His face, I now can see. his chocolate eyes flecked with gold are concerned. His eyebrows pulled down and his body rigid and stiff. I didn't answer him but instead look down. I study my hands clenched into fists and pretend no one is looking at me. Tears force their way down my cheeks and slip silently into my now cold soup. "Wonderland is my home." I say. I'm not sure, why I choose to make that a point but I do. Perhaps because it feels good. To know where I belong.
The Hatter stands. "Everybody, I think it is now time for us to head to sleep." I look at him. His tall hat is patched and worn out. His coat also patched is long a nearly reaches his knees. I never took the time to really look at him. Mad as he may be, there's something else about him. A certain calm, and command when it's needed. He looks back at me. "Alice, come with me." He reaches hand down to me. I take it and stand. Tears streaming down my face.
Everyone leaves through hallways I hadn't noticed before but these, were lit instead of eerie blue lights were light by soft scarlet candle. The red wasn't suffocating. It just lightly bounces along the walls in such a way, it seems light the lights were dancing with the shadows. The Hatter had taken me down a such hallway with pictures of people. Men and women. No animals or flowers or instruments. Humans. It's odd. They stand out in a way I can't describe. Normal. It's odd to see something so normal, in this world of weird.
He leads me into and enormous bedroom with no windows. Books and papers are piled everywhere and on a large desk. A king size four post bed is on a platform. The curtains, blankets and sheets were all a fine cloth but it too was covered in books and and papers. I stand in the door way as the Hatter goes up the platform and to the bed and clears the bed, throwing books and papers onto the floor carelessly. He goes to a dresser. It was carved to resemble an animal of some sort. A large cat. He pulls out funny looking clothes and throws them too to the thick carpet until he finds what he is looking for. He goes back to me and gives me th cloth. "Put this on and get comfortable. I'll be waiting outside the door. Call me when you are done. We need to talk." he says.
He leaves the room and shuts the door behind him. I don't question his motives. I learned that it is best not to question someone who is mad. Especially the Hatter. I undress and put on what he had given me. It was a long, white, flowing night dress. It fit me perfect. I open the door and look in the hallway. The Hatter was standing guard to the side of the door. He came in and sat down on a dusty couch that I hadn't noticed. I get a good look at the room now. It was very elegant but dirty and cluttered. "Whose room is this?" I asked looking around at the odd art and furniture. "Mine." The Hatter said "Here, come sit." I do as he says.
"Alice, I need you to tell me the vision." I sigh. Somehow I knew he wouldn't let it go so I settle more comfortably beside him and recount what I saw. He listens intently hanging on every word. "Why do you think these happen?" He asks. "Perhaps I'm mad." I say tiredly. He gets a look on his face as if he is considering the possibility. I roll my eyes. Sarcasm was not a well known concept in Wonderland. "Alice, you know the queen will do everything in her power to get you killed." he said it so blunt that I look to him. "I know" I say. "This whole thing is my fault. If I hadn't angered her people wouldn't be getting hurt and she wouldn't be killing people to find me." Tears stream down my face the third time today. "Alice look at me." the Hatter said sternly. I look at him. The blood rushes to my face. Im embarrassed at my tears. His eyes were determined. "Alice were it not for you we wouldn't have chance. We've been waiting for years for a reason. A reason to end this oppression. To end her dictator rule over us." his voice is strained. I finally can get a view of how Wonderland was before I came. This whole mess makes me confused. "Look, I'm tired." I say. He looks as if I had snapped him back into reality. "Right! You'll be sleeping here for the night." I glance at him. His eyes were red and dark shadows under them. "Then where will you sleep?" I ask. "I don't." was his simple reply. I sigh, too tired to argue with him. I stand, and drag my feet to the bed. I find it miraculous that I could move at all. I slip under the covers not caring about the cloud of dust that rises when I plop my head on the pillow.
The Hatter comes to me and pulls the blankets fully over me. "Sweet dreams Alice." before I let unconsciousness take me I whisper to him "Sweet dreams Hatter."