Muchness of Childhood
An "Alice in Wonderland" 2010 story
By: Draculamomma
Author's Notes: Hello everyone! Yes, it's been a while since my last update, sorry! Please don't be upset, and don't think I am bailing out, because that's not true, I am not. I intend to finish both of these stories up until the end, and I am working at it at a very slow pace though.
Welcome to a brand new term! I am pleased to say I have made it through another semester at my university, a big shout out and thank you goes to all those who wished me luck, thanks so much guys. I don't know what I'd do without you!
So, onward with this story, and keep an eye out for another update on my other story as well. And please, remember to review, because if you don't, then how do I know as an author if I am pleasing my readers and keeping their interest? Please send feedback, no matter in what form it is! I want to hear your thoughts and opinions! So send them in after reading. Thanks a lot guys, have a great weekend.
Chapter 3-The Castle
Alice hummed a tune to herself to keep the jovial mood flowing as she skipped through the forest and past the trees and houses with her friends by her side, still feeling uncomfortably hot. As she ran, something of a small breeze was created which kept her satisfied for a few moments before she would stop and let her friends catch up, and then notice the heat rise in her cheeks, and the cold sweat running down her back.
She cringed and felt so uncomfortable. But she kept leading her small group, in hopes of finding some form of shelter from where the lovely smell of candy and baked goods came from.
"Do hurry up, Hatter!" she cried happily, gathering her skirts up in a bunch as she darted across a large puddle carefully.
"Coming, Alice! Wait for me!" the Mad Hatter called after her, and stepped on a small rock peeking up at the surface of the large puddle, but as soon as he had set foot on the rock, it moved, and caused him to slip and fall face first into the dirty puddle.
"Hatter! Are you alright?" Alice called to him, turning back and kneeling so she was face to face with him.
He sighed and began to stand, but a small turtle walked past him slowly, and frowned. "How'd you like it if I stepped on your back?" the turtle sneered.
"I didn't see you there, I'm sorry." The Mad Hatter tried to apologize, but the turtle merely sneered more, and continued to walk as he shouted angrily behind him.
"Didn't see me? Makes sense! Makes perfect sense! No one ever has time for smaller creatures here! Especially turtles! God forbid if someone paid attention to a turtle!"
Alice helped up the Mad Hatter while the Dormouse simply rolled over on her sides, laughing loudly like a maniac.
"Are you laughing at my pain?" the Mad Hatter growled at her as he shook himself off and tried to dry off.
"I'm s-sorry! Tarrant! I c-c-can't help it!" She wheezed between laughter after laughter.
His eyes grew dark, "She's laughing at me! Alice! She's laughing at the situation!"
Alice sighed and rolled her eyes, but did nothing else except help the Mad Hatter out of the puddle. "Come on, in this blazing heat, you should be dry in no time."
"It's not the heat that's bothering me, young Alice!" he cried angrily.
Alice shrugged but moved on, eager to find out where the smell was coming from exactly, and what it really was. They moved for a few more minutes, before Alice lost the smell.
"No! It's going! It's gone!" Alice pushed past her friends, long, beautiful sunshine blond hair flowing behind her. For a moment, the Mad Hatter closed his eyes and took in her lovely scent, trailing after her all the way to his nostrils. He stopped suddenly, when he felt as if he were being watched.
"You alright?" the Dormouse cocked an eyebrow and glared at him in confusion for a moment before he shook his head, and gathered her up in his palm and dashed after Alice as fast as he could, feeling much like a dog as he inhaled her scent.
"Alice! Wait for us!" the Mad Hatter yelled from the top of his lungs. He ran and ran and ran, and yet he didn't hear or see Alice anywhere.
Just when he'd thought he lost her, the Mad Hatter grinned widely as he saw a head of clean, shiny blond hair standing less than a few yards away from him. He waltzed over to her, panting slightly.
Alice paid no attention to the Mad Hatter behind her as she stood right in front of a tall gloomy looking castle. The castle had many bricks missing, and there were cracks in the dirty, grimy windows, and the sour smell was slowly wafting in the air towards their nostrils.
"So this is where the smell came from!" the Dormouse hissed, covering her nose with her paws.
Alice nodded and waved a hand in her face to fan the air away, "I don't understand, it was so sweet before…"
The Mad Hatter frowned. He backed away from the castle, gripping a strong hand on Alice's shoulders. "Come Alice, I don't like this place."
Alice shrugged her shoulders out of the Mad Hatter's grasp, and boldly walked forward to the doors of the castle.
"Alice! No wait!" The Mad Hatter tore after her, and caught her hand in his own as she raised her hands to knock in the thick, dirty castle doors.
"What is it Hatter?" she hissed in annoyance.
"I think we should go back, Alice."
She smiled sweetly, "Where's your sense of adventure, Hatter?"
"Back at the tea party."
Alice sighed and knocked loudly on the door.
The Mad Hatter cringed in fear, but after moments of pure silence, nothing happened. Alice knocked again, and when she got no answer, she pushed on the thick handles of the castle doors, and eventually pushed them open with her determination.
The castle seemed to cry out in pain as Alice opened the heavy doors. The Mad Hatter peered up at the dirty windows of the castle, and thought he could see faces looking back down at him. He shook his head and walked after Alice.
Alice was already walking into the courtyard of the castle, smiling as she saw hedges cut and shaped like little animals and balloons.
She peered back over her shoulder at the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse and laughed, "Dangerous, huh?"
"Still, be careful!" The Mad Hatter called back at her.
Alice shook her head and skipped playfully down the bricked grounds of the courtyard, bowing and dancing around the hedge of a tall king. She plucked a flower off the ground and sniffed it happily.
"Can we leave, now?" the Dormouse asked shyly.
Alice noticed her tone of voice and sighed, "If you are s unsure, then why did you ever come anyway?"
The Dormouse glared at her, but kept silent.
Alice sighed again in frustration, "I wanted to go exploring! And you cannot stop me from exploring!"
"Yes, that would oh so defeat your lovely purpose, wouldn't it?" the Dormouse suddenly spat.
The Mad Hatter covered her mouth quickly, and grinned at Alice, shifting his eyes back and forth in fear.
"What was that?" Alice asked, hands on her hips.
"Nothing!" the Mad Hatter sang out, fighting to keep his hand against the Dormouse's mouth, and she tried to squirm and bite him.
Alice glared at them, but turned back and began searching for the doors of the castle. She searched around the large, thick walls of the castle, admiring the bundles of thick, heavy vines that were twisted in odd positions everywhere around the castle.
She walked further past a small birdbath which was filled with murky dirty water, with vines growing all around it, and soon noticed an area right to her left. It was a dark corner of the castle, and Alice noticed not as many vines were covering that area of the castle.
She ventured forward slowly, afraid of the dark, and partly wondering if anything was going to jump out at her and scare her half to death. But she still made it to the dark corner, and noticed it was just a thicker and darker color of the same vines.
She wanted to cry in sadness, expecting something hidden, but she found nothing. It really was an old abandoned castle, and nothing more. She turned and was about to tell her friends she was ready to leave, when just out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a golden light gleaming.
Alice paused, and slowly turned back to the vines. She walked toward them, when an arm outstretched.
"Alice? What is it?" the Mad Hatter called from behind her.
Alice was miles away and she didn't answer the Mad Hatter as she finally reached the golden gleam. Alice felt a thick bump against her legs, and looked down to see a vine covered step. She ascended the steps, one at a time very slowly, until she reached what appeared to be a small porch.
Alice turned back to the light. She saw it was directly under a specifically thick vine. She pried at the vine, but it didn't move. She dug her fingernails into it, wishing she had brought a knife, but it was no use, the vine was covering something which Alice was desperately interested in.
She turned back and found the Mad Hatter nose to nose with her. She shrieked and shook her head, "I can't get this vine out of my way!"
"Then let's go!" the Dormouse interrupted.
Alice ignored her. "Hatter, can you help me?"
The Mad Hatter kept his crazy eyes lowered, but heard the beautiful plea in her voice, and forced himself to look up. She smiled sweetly at him, oh so innocently.
"Please?" How could he resist that?
"You need to tickle the vine, Alice."
"Tickle?"
"Tickle it."
Alice cocked an eyebrow. "Hatter, this isn't a game."
He nodded, "I know, I was being serious, Alice. These vines are too strict, they need some laughter, what do you say?" With that, he raised his fingers and tickled the vines as hard as he could.
Suddenly, bursts of laughter flew in all directions and they were so loud that Alice actually covered her ears for a moment before reaching forward and tickling the vines with the Mad Hatter.
The vines shook and tried to twist away, but they soon grew weak, and one by one began peeling away from the door, and out of the way. As Alice tickled on, she saw a round object. It appeared to be a doorknob!
Alice tickled the last of the vines, and breathed a sigh of relief. The door wasn't locked. The door was actually open ajar. Alice reached for the knob, but the Mad Hatter clamped an arm down on her hand fast.
"No." He whispered.
Alice rolled her eyes, "It's ok Hatter."
The Mad Hatter nodded slowly, and let go of her hand, walking close behind her as Alice pushed the door open, and walked into the quiet, dark castle.
The Dormouse followed behind, her trail dragging on the ground, "I don't feel right about this."
"Tell me about it." The Mad Hatter whispered back before the door slammed shut behind them.
End of Chapter! Review! Hope it was good, if it wasn't, blame the sickness, as I am writing while still ill! So be nice! Else I will send my cat Foz after you!