ALiCE in WoNDeRLaND
-9-
"Nearly one hundred and fifty years ago a girl named ALiCE Liddell dropped into
WoNDeRLaND. She shared the tales of her adventures with a man named Charles
Dodgson. I believe you know him as..."
"Lewis Carroll," I realized.
Miyka'el went on as if I hadn't spoken. "Lewis Carroll. He wrote down ALiCE's stories,
published them under a pseudonym, and created the frenzy children of all ages have come
to worship."
"What's the problem again?" I asked.
"I'm getting to that," he muttered. "Every educated idiot knows that 'ALiCE's
Adventures in WoNDeRLaND' is a mere child's fantasy, dressed up with a bit of political
and social witticisms. At least, that was the general idea up until a couple of years ago."
"What happened a couple of years ago?"
"A man named... What the Hell; I don't care what his name was. This doctor found you,
lost and alone and helpless, and going on and on about someplace called WoNDeRLaND.
Any normal person would have seen you for the insane lunatic you are, but no, this guy
had to take you home with him, like you were some sort of sick puppy."
"Nice metaphor," Zione spoke up, the sarcasm thick in his voice.
"Thanks. I thought it held a nice double meaning. So, he takes you to his clinic, does a
good torture number on you, but can't find anything out of the ordinary wrong with you.
This isn't good. All that torture gone to waste. So, what does he do?"
"I don't know, Miyka'el," I replied. "What did he do?"
"He lied. He made up these amazing stories about how you were a comatose
schizophrenic, unable to face the outside world anymore." He paused for a moment.
"Tell me, ALiCE," he asked, saying my name as if it were a curse. "Are you a video
game fan?"
I had to think about that for a moment.
"Did you ever play a game called 'American McGee's ALiCE?'" Miyka'el asked.
A shot of a dark-haired, blue-dressed girl flashed through my mind.
"Of course you did. Everyone has. Damn advertising execs at EA." Mike cleared his
throat and returned to his former train of thought. "That little game, how do you say...
inspired him. You became his ALiCE."
"Hold on." I raised my hand to stop his speech. "If he lied, then what am I doing here?"
Zale stood this time. "Two, who are you?"
***
-9-
"Nearly one hundred and fifty years ago a girl named ALiCE Liddell dropped into
WoNDeRLaND. She shared the tales of her adventures with a man named Charles
Dodgson. I believe you know him as..."
"Lewis Carroll," I realized.
Miyka'el went on as if I hadn't spoken. "Lewis Carroll. He wrote down ALiCE's stories,
published them under a pseudonym, and created the frenzy children of all ages have come
to worship."
"What's the problem again?" I asked.
"I'm getting to that," he muttered. "Every educated idiot knows that 'ALiCE's
Adventures in WoNDeRLaND' is a mere child's fantasy, dressed up with a bit of political
and social witticisms. At least, that was the general idea up until a couple of years ago."
"What happened a couple of years ago?"
"A man named... What the Hell; I don't care what his name was. This doctor found you,
lost and alone and helpless, and going on and on about someplace called WoNDeRLaND.
Any normal person would have seen you for the insane lunatic you are, but no, this guy
had to take you home with him, like you were some sort of sick puppy."
"Nice metaphor," Zione spoke up, the sarcasm thick in his voice.
"Thanks. I thought it held a nice double meaning. So, he takes you to his clinic, does a
good torture number on you, but can't find anything out of the ordinary wrong with you.
This isn't good. All that torture gone to waste. So, what does he do?"
"I don't know, Miyka'el," I replied. "What did he do?"
"He lied. He made up these amazing stories about how you were a comatose
schizophrenic, unable to face the outside world anymore." He paused for a moment.
"Tell me, ALiCE," he asked, saying my name as if it were a curse. "Are you a video
game fan?"
I had to think about that for a moment.
"Did you ever play a game called 'American McGee's ALiCE?'" Miyka'el asked.
A shot of a dark-haired, blue-dressed girl flashed through my mind.
"Of course you did. Everyone has. Damn advertising execs at EA." Mike cleared his
throat and returned to his former train of thought. "That little game, how do you say...
inspired him. You became his ALiCE."
"Hold on." I raised my hand to stop his speech. "If he lied, then what am I doing here?"
Zale stood this time. "Two, who are you?"
***