The warm spring sun created dappled pools of light along the winding path in the woods. There was a lovely park nearby with perfect paved walkways and colorful flowers but Alice preferred the less popular unkempt trail that meandered along the eastern edge of the city.
She never went far, of course. Her mother would be terribly cross if she somehow got lost or ruined her dress. Already she had to be careful not to scuff her shoes so she never explored quite as much as she wanted to. Even with such frustrating limitations, she enjoyed walking the leaf strewn path and daydreaming about all the fantastic adventures she might have in a perfect world.
Alice paused at the large old stump that marked the end of her walk - she always imagined it to be a guard tower warning her away from dangerous lands where knights hunted dragons and other monsters. She sighed and looked longingly over the peaceful trees and berry bushes. Birds sang encouraging songs, beckoning her to follow the path just a little longer.
"Oh, but I really mustn't." She protested weakly, looking at the narrowing trail ahead. The plant life grew closer to the dirt path and it would be much easier to lose her way. "Perhaps... Perhaps next time..."
However much sense her protests made, they scattered as she saw movement. Fear was replaced with delight as a fawn picked its way through the trees, pausing to nibble now and then. It was not far and she wondered whether she might be able to pet it. If she asked nicely... perhaps...
Caution forgotten, she picked her way along the trail, glad the cute baby deer was not far. When it finally noticed her it froze, staring at her briefly with beautiful dark eyes before jumping a little farther away.
"Oh, no! I won't hurt you!" Alice said soothingly, slowly raising a hand. "I want to be your friend."
It paused, looking back nervously. Ever so slowly, Alice took a step toward it. Two steps, three... four... It watched her with such sweet uncertainty that she wished she could hug the poor thing and let it know she would never, ever hurt it.
Five steps... six... and again it leapt back. She hesitated, wondering if she was just being foolish. But it was so close and all alone just like her... She smiled reassuringly at the fawn and resumed her careful progress forward.
It seemed only a few more steps before the little deer turned and ran, this time not stopping. Alice sighed sadly, deeply disappointed by the loss of her friend and looked back to see only more trees and bushes just like those ahead of her. The stump was nowhere to be seen, the path invisible.
"Oh dear..." She whispered to herself. "I couldn't have gone that far..."
She was about to turn when she heard a noise, a giggle. The soft laugh of a child with a secret joke. Looking around she saw the hint of a person's shape duck behind a tree.
"Hello?" She called uncertainly. She quickly felt rather silly as she took a few more steps and saw that there was no one hiding behind the tree but an adorable little rabbit.
"That is a pretty dress." The rabbit whispered. "It really does look good on you."
"Oh!" Alice almost took another step back in shock. "You can talk?"
"Would you like to play?" It asked softly, twitching its fluffy tail. "You look like you would be good at games."
"Oh, yes." She smiled, though it quickly faded. "...but I'm afraid I might be lost and really should find my way home. Would you like to come with me? We have carrots at home and I'm sure my mother would like you!"
"If you play with me I will show you how to get back to the path." It promised quietly.
"Well, just for a little while, then." Alice smiled brightly. A talking bunny! She had always dreamed of a cute, furry pet that she could share her secrets with. She took a step and the rabbit bounded off through the bushes and low plants covering the ground.
"Catch me!" The whisper encouraged, giggling. Laughing, she chased after the rabbit, trying to keep up with the small creature. Before long she could no longer see it but she could hear its laughter and followed the sound.
Suddenly the trees ended and she found herself in a clearing. It was much warmer than felt normal, the grass and plants seemed to be avoiding the center of the clearing where there stood a door. Nothing more than an odd red door with a shiny silver knob.
"Curious..." She said nervously as she stepped a little closer and circled around. "Why would someone put a perfectly good door in a forest without a house?"
"It's a magic door." Her friend whispered.
"A magic door?" She asked, looking around for the rabbit but there was nothing where she thought she heard the voice come from. "Mother says there is no such thing as magic."
"Mothers are often wrong about things, aren't they?"
"Sometimes..." She admitted as she moved closer still, curious where the door might lead if it truly was magic. Perhaps just a peek through the keyhole...
When she got close enough to touch the door it swung open to show a dark night sky and the strangely bright lights of a city ahead. Alice gasped, barely able to believe what she was seeing. She took a breath to ask her friend where the door went when a great wind began to blow and however much she tried to brace herself the dry, cracked dirt around the door offered no purchase and she found herself tumbling through into the night... only to hear it slam shut behind her.
A/N: This tale is written as of Episode 60 of Welcome to Night Vale and utterly disregards current events in favor of something new.
Today's proverb: The stress relieving properties of bubble wrap are greatest when the bubbles are popped by the person you are attempting to smother.