Author's Note: Thank all of you for reading my story! I'm so appreciative of those of you that are leaving comments, and giving feedback. Again, thanks! Oh yeah, and flibbertigibbety is a real word. ;-) -Turquoise
"As you can see," said the Hatter, "my friend the Cheshire Cat is rather flibbertigibbety." He was referring to a few moments earlier, when they had gotten back from the aerial tour of Wonderland. Cheshire had disappeared in a puff of sweet-smelling smoke, leaving Alice sitting awkwardly in a faded blue armchair that was hovering precisely four inches off of the ground. Hatter had paused arguing with the Hare just long enough to lead Alice up to the third floor (or "the middle-ish story", as the Hatter called it, for one was never sure what level one was on in the house on the Up-and-Over) and begin to fill the tin washtub sitting cattywampus in the corner of the bathroom. This particular snuggery was very... different. Whereas the other rooms in the house on the Up-and-Over had dark paneling and red-and-black checkered floor tiles, this bathroom had an unusual color scheme. The walls were hot pink, with abstract floral decals. The floor was painted to resemble the sunny sky, and, strangely, all of the metal in the room (yes, including the tub) was bright blue with green speckles. There also appeared to be no ceiling. The walls extended upward (and upward and upward) until they evanesced into swirling grey now and again, a tendril would snake its way down, only to burn up in the sun sluicing through the crooked window, which was shaped like a butterfly. A soft blue glow emanated from an empty, upside-down vase hanging from a chain that, like the walls, went up and up until it, too, dissipated into mist.
"Alice," said the Hatter, snapping her out of her curiosity-induced reverie.
"Yes?" she responded. Everyone here seemed to know her name without having to be told.
"Did you, perchance, follow a White Rabbit down a Rabbit Hole, only to discover you were in Wonderland?"
"Wonderland? Is that what this place is called?"
"Yes, dear Alice. However, did you follow Arthur?"
"Arthur? Do you mean the White Rabbit?"
"Yes. So you did?"
"Well... I did indeed follow the Rabbit. Why?"
"The fact is, Alice... He has been luring Alices down that hole for decades, working for the Red Queen. Alice- He might have killed you."