Alice #1 - four years ago

Makenzie Black quickly walks away from the costume party she had been invited to. She would have stayed for longer than hour except she spotted her boyfriend...with her best friend. Makenzie pauses to wipe away some of her mascarra that had combined with her tears. Before she resumes the four block trek to her appartment, she takes off her heels.

Why do I even need freakin heels for Alice in wonderland anyway?!

She clutches them in one hand with her handbag in the other. As she walks a much slower pace, she dreads the upcoming confrontation for her boyfriend Blake and her childhood friend Kat.

I should have guessed that asshole would get around but... Kat?! The only person i've known longer is... Mary...

Pushed aside memories resurface and she barely manages to repress a sob.

No, don't even. Shes happy now... Its been ten years. She was your twin, a part of you. She was only six... It should've been me. I wasn't watching her, she shouldn't have been in the water. I knew how to swim, I could've saved her. But I panicked...

Footsteps snap Makenzie out of her thoughts and she turns around to see who is behind her. A short man is walking behind her casually. She picks up her pace in alarm.

"Excuse me miss, I didn't mean to frighten you, but I was curious as to what time it was, do you know?"

Makenzie huffs to herself before stopping and pulling out her cell phone. She glances down at the time as she turns around to face the man.

"Eleven thirty four..."

She looks up and moves to run away as soon as she reconizes the mans face from the news. Before she can get away, he presses a damp cloth against her face and everything goes black.

Makenzie wakes up groggily to find herself tied to a chair at a table set for a tea party. After a few moments, the nights events come flooding back to her. Instantly she struggles against her bindings but pauses as she hears someone enter the room from behind her.

"Oh good, you are finally awake, Alice."

"You...you're the mad hatter! I've seen you on the news! Where am I, what do you want, let me go!"

"Now Alice, I'm afraid that I'll have to ask you to calm yourself. You are home, in wonderland, with me."

"My name isn't Alice! Its Makenzie! Please, i've got money, whatever you want, just let me go."

Jervis walks over to her and smiles as he looks her over before walking around to the other side of the table and taking his seat.

"Now Alice, why don't you try my special tea? My specialty!"

"Um...no thanks."

"But Alice, I know how much you love tea."

"Actually i'm more of a coffee person."

"I see... very well then. Perhaps you need to see wonderland more clearly to remember."

Jervis gets up and leaves the room. Makenzie rocks her chair back and forth in hopes of breaking free. Jervis returns before she can knock it over.

"My oh my, I must appologize but I wish it didn't have to come down to this."

He slips a headband on her head and she instantly goes limp.

Makenzie suddenly finds herself in the middle of a brightly colored forest. She wanders around until she hears a giggle. She follows it until she finds to her disbelief, her sister. The girl smiles at her brightly and Makenzies heart melts.

"Kenzie! Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you! Ok, now its your turn to find me! You still want to play, right?"

A tear fall down Makenzies cheek.

"Yes. I always do. Okay, I'll count to ten and you go hide, right?"

"No duh, it is hide and go seek!"

"Okay so where is home base?"

Mary points to a small tree. Makenzie reaches out to give Mary a hug but her hand goes right thru her to her horror.

"You're too old! You aren't Kenzie!"

"I am!"

"You're a grown up, Kenzie is six."

"I am Kenzie!"

"Then...be like me."

Makenzie takes a step back in alarm.

"What?!"

"If you want to play with me, you have to be my age. Unless, you dont want to play?"

"I do, but I don't know how."

"Its easy. The only reason you're old is because you don't think any of this, me, is real."

"I do."

"Good. Now just relax and let go."

"But..."

Can't forget...

"Blake never loved you, Kat never loved you, I've always loved you Kenzie. Don't you love me?"

"Yes..."

"Everybody hurt you. Mommy hurt you. Daddy hurt you. Blake hurt you. Kat hurt you. I never hurt you. Let go and play with me. There isn't any pain where I live."

Makenzie relaxes and closes her eyes. When she opens them, she finds herself at age six.

"Finally! Come on Kenzie, after hide and go seek I want to show you this really really fun tea party, and you are the guest of honor."

"Sounds like a lot of fun!"

"Oh it is. I can't wait til you meet Mr Hatter. Hes so much fun!"