Today's chapter is brought to you by, Black Hole Sun, Soundgarden....
In what seemed darkness, Alice found herself in a giant room. Her eyes didn't register what she saw. It was like a great hall of black and white tile. The walls were black and it seemed like if she touched them that she would fall through. They were tangible, yet they were not. She kept to the middle of the black and white path. There wasn't a ceiling that she could see, and she didn't doubt that the walls went on forever. At the end of the strange hall stood a black lacquer door that seemed to go on forever as well.
He had to go through there, she thought to herself, there is no other way.
She was determined to get her ring back from that little thief. She began sprinting towards the door, but the door seemed to get further and further away from her the faster she ran. Panting, she slumped over to catch her breath.
"Agh!" she screamed into the dark hall and it seemed to echo forever. "How the hell am I supposed to get out of here!"
Standing straight and holding back the tears from her eyes, she studied the far away door. There was something strange about it. It seemed like if she reached out just a little she could touch it, but it was so far away!
Reaching out her hand, she focused on the door and the large handle. Suddenly she felt the cold wood underneath her hand and in a gust of wind she was at the door, pulling it open.
Her eyes were wide in amazement, and her brain was on overload. What just happened? Where was she?
Peeking on the other side of the door, she saw that familiar black wall that she passed through to follow the thief boy.
"Here goes nothing," she whispered to herself, and closing her eyes she passed through the door.
This time she wasn't greeted with a little light to see where she was going. She was in a pitch-black room. She didn't dare to move for fear of plummeting down to her death because she was stupid to watch her step. "Hello?" she asked into the darkness, her voice quivering a little from fear.
There came a small tapping sound, like shoes on concrete, but with the echoes she couldn't tell where it was coming from.
"Hello?" she asked again, her voice still aquiver, "Little boy?"
Suddenly she felt cold breath on her neck, and she could hear the silent beat of a heart. Alice's own heart was like a beating drum, pounding against her chest with such force that her lungs hurt.
Arms wrapped around her before she could run, and she screamed. A hand came over her mouth and she kicked as hard as she could, but the person behind her wouldn't budge. It felt like hitting rock. You couldn't chip rock with your fists, so kicking wouldn't help her, she knew that.
"How did you pass the gate?" A biting voice said behind her. He sounded young, but the words were heavy with age. Again she recognized the strange British accent.
He removed his hand from Alice's mouth.
She cried, "I don't know what you're talking about. I followed the little boy, he took my ring. Please just let me go."
"Little boy?" he asked his voice still scornful, "Mortals aren't allowed past my gate, so you must be lying. Tell me who you are."
Hot tears ran down her face, still the strong arms held her close to the long line of his body.
"Alice, my name is Alice," she cried, "And that little boy with the hat, he stole my ring. I just came to get it back, honestly! Please, just let me go!"
"Mortal!" the man behind her hissed, "This surprises me greatly. No mortal has ever gone through my gates...what to do with you?"
With that he dropped Alice to the floor with a thud, and she began to scamper away blind through the darkness. But before she got anywhere a hand grabbed the back of her jacket and pulled her back.
"Sleep," the man demanded and Alice fell into blissful darkness...