It felt like a dream to Alice. She was ecstatic to be back. Everything made her happy, except the mile long fall.
She could hear the White Rabbit's voice trailing along the hallways followed by his thumping feet.
Alice ram after him and followed him into a room. The door that was very small still had the lock who slept. The table in front of it had the bottle which read 'Drink Me'.
Alice walked to the table and lifted the bottle. She swished the contents around, knowing what it would do. She pulled the cork out, hearing a 'pop'.
Alice downed the bottle in one gulp and immediately felt the effects. She grew to the size of an ant. She knew what she had to do next.
Alice went to the door, her footsteps echoing. "Hello? Sir, are you awake?" She asked, lifting a hand.
The lock yawned. "Yes? What is it-" The lock stopped in mid sentence when he opened his eyes and realized who it was. "Alice. Why I haven't seen you in, well, I'm not sure how long."
"Yes well, it has been a while. Would you care to let me through? I would love to see everyone."
The lock opened his mouth wide enough for Alice to crawl through. She hopped on the other side, and yelled a 'Thank You' to the lock.
Alice's jaw dropped. Wonderland had changed, and it didn't look like for the better. It was darker, drerier, depressing. The trees drooped, and the sky was a darker blue than usual. This was not the happy Wonderland Alice remembered.
She followed the path, not remembering where it lead. Nothing looked familiar.
It felt like days that Alice was walking, but it only could have been a few hours. Finally, after Alice's legs were burning, she saw something that was familiar.
Cat.
His eyes and mouth were floating. "Oh dear, dear Alice. How glad to see you. And how terrible you've come."
After a second, Cheshire appeared, blue body and all. His body was sitting on a tree limb with his tail swinging off.
"Ches!" Alice exclaimed, bringing a little spring into her step. "What's happened? It seems darker and well, not Wonderland."
The cat laughed, "It's the Red Queen." Cheshire disappeared again, and he reappeared in front of Alice's face.
"Where is Hatter? And Dodo? The White Rabbit?" Alice asked. She had waited a very long time to see her former friends.
"They aren't here. None of us are. We all lost our heads a long while ago Alice." He flipped upside down and stretched.
"Cat, take me to the March Hare and Hatter." Alice demanded.
Cheshire laughed, "Suit yourself." He floated his way away from her. "Oh and, everyone is a little madder than mad."
With that, Alice followed him. "Cat, what happened to the Queen?"
The Cheshire Cat floated beside her, almost like on a cloud. He purred suddenly, like a human would click their lips while thinking.
"The Red Queen. What to say, how to say it? She wanted power, and now she has too much. Now, Wonderland has gone to the dogs." Cat shuttered, making Alice giggle.
"Why? What did she do with too much power?" Alice looked up from the trail to the cat.
Cheshire rolled to his back and kicked his feet as if he were on a bicycle.
"Ches?" Alice giggled again.
He rolled to his stomach and his eyes suddenly glossed over and drooped slightly. "This."