Chapter 2

The Flowers and Mister Dormouse

As I fell, I heard and saw very different things. I caught a whiff of smoke; I heard laughter and saw beautiful silk scarves float by. I saw children playing in an ethereal garden, appearing almost as amazing as the seraphim and cherubim. But all I saw was not relaxing and reminiscent of paradise, no; I heard screams and saw the Jabberwocky. I saw fathers being dragged away by giant men in uniforms of black and blood-red. I saw people's houses being set on fire as they slept.

I must have fallen asleep, for I don't know how long. As my eyes fluttered open, I caught a strong whiff of flowers, and my nose detected the rich aroma of roses A shadow fell over me, and I bit my lip and closed my eyes. Was it one of those cruel men in black and red?

"Is she alive, do you think?" a normal enough voice asked.

"Why do you inquire to me young Daisy? I am but a simple Rose, destined to forever be misunderstood as a romantic with hundreds of beau!" squeaked a dramatic, err, rose! I decided to open my eyes. When I did, I could only see a ladybug on a leaf in front of me. I must have fallen into a garden, I thought. I silently pulled myself up, and as fast and quiet as I could manage, I attempted to tip-toe into the surrounding forest.

"Why, wherever are you going young lady?" A stately baritone inquired.

"Yes, why do you try to tip-toe away?!" the shrill dramatic Rose asked of me.

I slowly turned around and straightened my back. As I looked down to make sure my clothes were neat, I realized that I was wearing a dress! I was positive I had been wearing jeans and a turtle-neck before…Well, a change of clothes is nothing compared to landing in another world. I rather did like the dress anyways; it was a pretty Victorian styled dress, somewhat like Alice's dress from the Disney movie. The only difference was that the dress was a beautiful shade of emerald, shimmering with shades of gold and blue dyed into the silk, the effect it created was quite enchanting. Nether the less I turned my mind away from my appearance for once, and turned my eyes to the owners of the tall, thin shadows that had fallen on me.

"Why, why, you're…you're just flowers!" I exclaimed, but flowers couldn't talk!

The tall bluebell turned her aquamarine eyes to me and replied with a simple,

"But what else could we be? What kind of flower are you?" I gulped, wondering that if I'd ever wished flowers could talk, this was not the place to have made that wish.

"Well, excuse me Misses Bluebell, Rose, and Daisy; but you see, I'm not a flower, I'm a girl."

I bowed my head, resigning myself to these last few moments before I would hear them scream and feel a thorn stab my side… I waited one minute, two, three minutes, four. I was alive! Then I heard stifled giggles, then high-pitched laughter.

"Why, my dear, you must be mistaken, you are a flower! Quite a pretty one too, if I do say so myself." said the Rhododendron.

I looked down at my feet, and then screamed! This wasn't possible! I had, I had roots and leaves!

"Now see here you proud, vain flowers! Turning the poor girl into a flower! Tsk-tsk, how bored you must have been! Why don't you go ask the Queen to play games with you if you are so bored you silly pea-brains…!" An odd, short, portly grandfather like man had entered the Garden, and started waving his cane at the flowers.

With a look of regret on her face, the Rose waved one of her leaves and I felt a tingle in my legs. When I looked down, I let out a breath. I was a girl again, thank you very much! The odd man was wearing what looked like a cap in the middle of his silver mane of hair, but wait, that wasn't a cap. Those were, mouse ears! I quickly took a step back from the quiet mouse-man and was hit by fear again. How impossibly unusual could this place get? As I was thinking, the old man spoke;

"Come along m'dear, I am Mister Dormouse. I shan't hurt you, never fear… I have been sent by Mister Hatter to come along and fetch you! Our party is just around the bend, young Mister Hatter heard your scream and the Flowers' laughter, so he sent me to find out what all the fuss was about… Well, come along now!" as Mister Dormouse spoke, I hadn't noticed that he'd also shuffled. When he finished, he was already at the Garden Gate.

"Well girl, come along! Oh and what is your name by the way? We do need proper introductions, or how shall we converse!" he asked once more.

"Oh, that's right! My name is Dinah, sir. I am 16 today, and I like to write stories! Sir, by the way, where are we?" Why, what was wrong with me? Usually I took forever to give a proper answer… What was this place? Well, I shouldn't have asked, because I don't think I would've liked the answer. Mister Dormouse said;

"We're in Wonderland of course! The most wonderful place in the universe!"

To me, I thought anywhere but Wonderland would have been the best place in the universe.