The light seeping out from the edges of the simple but nice curtains nearby did nothing to brighten her day. Alice felt terrible. Her sleep had been restless and unpleasant, she missed her mother and home so much her stomach hurt and there was no way to know how long it might take to go back. She was trapped in this strange place where she wasn't supposed to look at things but there were many things looking at her…
She cried quietly for a few minutes before getting out of bed and doing her best to unwrinkle her dress. Oh, her mother would be furious if she saw what had happened to the lovely outfit! What was she to do for clothing? She had only this dress and could not possibly ask Mr. Carlos to buy her something new! Tears of frustration stung her eyes again and she quickly wiped them away as she chided herself for being such a baby.
Surely they would find a way to open the door today and she could go home. Repeating those words until she started to believe them, she went to see if Mr. Carlos was awake.
She froze at the end of the short hallway - Mr. Cecil was sitting on a chair with a cup and what looked like a newspaper but the pages were blank except for small page numbers in the top corner of each. Only the familiar scent of coffee offered any comfort.
"Good morning, Alice." He said though his back was to her and she had been careful to walk silently. "Carlos asked me to apologize for his absence - he had some science to do but he will try to leave early this afternoon."
"Oh..." She said softly, unsure what else to say. There was a strange tone in his voice that reminded her of when her mother was angry but trying not to let it show.
"So... I was thinking I could show you around town while we wait. Carlos said we should find you some new outfits since most people prefer to wear clean clothes every day... though I have met a few who insisted upon clothing stained with pickle juice to keep evil spirits away." He turned to look at her, his eyes narrowed as he held her gaze. "Of course that is silly... Evil spirits can only be deterred by mustard. Everyone knows that."
"Of... course." She nodded.
Mr. Cecil's serious demeanor shattered and he smiled brightly at her. Well, whenever you are ready we can go explore this great city together! Are you hungry? Carlos cooked some eggs for you before he left but I got hungry and ate them... I can make more if you like. He is a better cook but I can do quite well, you know."
"Oh, thank you Mr. Cecil but I'm not terribly hungry. Perhaps just a slice of toast?"
"No." He said so sharply she jumped and took a step back. "Wheat and wheat byproducts are illegal in Night Vale. They are dangerous and cannot be trusted. Not... at... all..."
"But… wheat is-" She began uncertainly.
"Illegal." Mr. Cecil growled and the word seemed to reverberate and echo off the walls. Then again he smiled as if nothing had been said. "Perhaps some fruit instead?"
She nodded nervously as he set his paper down and strode lightly into the kitchen. After she had eaten they went for a walk and Mr. Cecil told her a lot about the town though very little of it seemed to make sense. She asked about some strange noises she heard but he didn't seem to know what she was talking about. Most of what he had to say amounted to dire warnings to avoid touching, looking at or talking about certain things they saw. By the time they reached their destination she was not at all certain she would remember even half of what he had said.
They entered a large store that seemed to sell everything but Mr. Cecil ignored all of it until they reached a section filled with clothing that would fit her. She was shocked to see trousers in the girls section but though there were many pretty choices, Mr. Cecil picked out a number of blue dresses for her. He ignored any other color and since these were gifts she knew it would be terribly rude to point out that she much preferred green to blue.
After trying some on and being reassured that modern dresses were not worn with petticoats, he purchased four pretty outfits for her. It was very strange to have no sleeves on a dress but she did feel much better in the heat of the sun that seemed almost to be the wrong color. Of course it was a pale gold but she could not remember if it were the exact right shade of pale gold.
They had not quite made it back to the apartment when Mr. Carlos pulled up beside them in his car. Mr. Cecil smiled brightly and opened the door for her, set the bags beside her on the seat and got in the front beside his friend.
"Have you had fun today, Alice?" He asked as they pulled back out onto the street, once again moving with unnerving speed.
"Yes, sir." She said politely though she was not entirely sure whether 'fun' was the proper word.
"I thought we might take you bowling this afternoon. I'm certain you will enjoy it." Mr. Carlos said with a big smile.
"Oh, yes!" Mr. Cecil agreed. "It has been so long since we've been to Desert Flower Bowling Alley and Arcade Fun Complex!"
But what about the doors? Alice wished she could ask. What about getting me home? It would be very rude to say that, though. She was certain Mr. Carlos would tell her as soon as they learned something.
"Science can sometimes take a long time." Mr. Cecil said without looking back at her. "Doors are quite tricky, too. I'm sure we will figure them out soon enough but until then we should enjoy the mystery."
"You're right, Cecil." Mr. Carlos said cheerfully.
Alice leaned against the door and watched Mr. Cecil silently. How had he known what she was thinking? Sometimes he was very nice but sometimes he was scary… did Mr. Carlos know about the scary times or did he never see them?
The car slowed as they approached an empty lot where a building should surely be. Mr. Cecil was watching with great interest and after a moment she saw that there was a hole in the ground and people crouched within it.
"I think we should see what is going on." Mr. Cecil said with a smile and quickly jumped out as soon as the car had stopped. Alice sighed in relief as she followed Mr. Carlos while his friend ran ahead.
"That is a bit strange…" Mr. Carlos said quietly. "The people who huddle in that hole are usually pretty quiet."
There were a number of people who were, indeed, huddled in the hole but bouncing around the hole calling encouragements was a girl perhaps a year or two older than Alice. Below a straw hat her blonde hair fell in two braids over her shoulders. The girls' red gingham check dress flared as she bounced from one side of the hole to the other, smiling cheerfully at the people who say swaying and singing a round of 'Row, row, row your boat'.
"Oh, I knew you would all sound so lovely!" The girl said, clapping gleefully. "Don't you feel so much better now? 'Twas silly to sit there being unhappy, don't you agree? Life is but a dream!"
Alice watched the girl sing as she walked around the people though she paused on the next round and smiled brightly at the three newcomers. "Oh! Have you come to sing too? 'Twould be lovely to have even more voices! Really any song sounds better with more voices but this one especially is great fun when you have a large crowd and 'tis just so very hard to be unhappy or scared when you're singing so won't you come join us?"
"My sources did mention another of the doors opening briefly…" Mr. Cecil mused. "Have you come through a red door recently?"
"Oh yes!" The cheerful girl said as she bounced over and looked to each person in turn. "'Twas a very lovely shade of red and just so very inviting I simply had to see what was on the other side and it certainly was quite a surprise to go from the Ladies' Aid in the evening to a bright day elsewhere but such an interesting place simply begged to be explored! 'Twas impossible to go back through the door when I tried but this is a much more interesting place than the Ladies' Aid ever was and the people wear such colorful clothing and sing so beautifully! This is a truly wonderful place!"
"Night Vale is a wonderful place." Mr. Cecil agreed with a big smile. "I'd love to join the huddle and sing but we were on our way to the Desert Flower Bowling Alley and Arcade Fun Complex. I'm sure Carlos would love to ask you a great many scientific questions so if you don't mind that would you like to join us?"
"I do so love fun!" The girl agreed, bouncing cheerfully as she looked to each of the three in turn. "My name is Pollyanna, by the way."
"I'm Carlos, this is Cecil and Alice."
"'Tis truly wonderful to meet you all! I do so hope we will get to be great friends! Friends are the greatest blessing of them all, you know! This would be a dark, dark world without them!"
"Right you are!" Mr. Cecil exclaimed as the four of them returned to the car.
Alice had to show her how to buckle the belt and did feel a little less alone having someone else who could understand what she was going through. She was not at all sure what to make of Mr. Cecil's quick acceptance of another lost girl when he seemed a little bit reluctant when Mr. Carlos suggested they find her somewhere safe to be. He had all but suggested they leave her on the street! It didn't help her confusion when he gave her a pointed look with those dark, unnerving eyes when Mr. Carlos wasn't looking. His slightly smug expression implied he had won a fight but she could not for the life of her think what she might have done to upset him.
"What year do you come from, Pollyanna?" Mr. Carlos asked as they resumed driving.
"Is it not 1913 here as well, sir?" The girl asked with a laugh.
"I'm afraid not." He answered gently. "The red doors seem to lead from different times to this place. Alice is from 1865."
"Truly?" Pollyanna looked to Alice with a wide, wondering smile. "Oh, that is amazing! Can you imagine what miracle it must have taken to create such doors that would bring together people from so many times to be friends?"
"Yes… amazing." Alice agreed uncertainly. Did this girl not miss her home? What about her family and friends in the past? She wondered what would happen when the poor girl learned how very peculiar Night Vale was.
The rest of the afternoon seemed to vanish in a matter of moments as Mr. Carlos and Mr. Cecil taught them how to bowl. One of the lanes was blocked off and Mr. Cecil said something about a miniature city being hidden beneath it.
They had a very fun day with Mr. Carlos speaking to each of the girls about their past with great interest between turns. It was through his talk with Pollyanna that Alice discovered why she was not concerned with returning home - her parents had died and she was to be sent to live with an aunt she had never met. She had not lost anything by stepping through the door as Alice had.
They were still talking when Mr. Cecil excused himself to prepare for his job. Mr. Carlos held his hands as they said goodbyes. Alice watched in confusion - would they not be seeing each other again in a few hours?
"Are you two in love?" Pollyanna asked Mr. Carlos when he returned to his seat. "You looked at each other the way my parents… the way my parents did and I suppose it is a bit strange but 'tis wonderful that you have someone to love, isn't it? Oh, I do hope someone smiles at me like that some day!"
"I… ummm… yes…" Mr. Carlos stuttered as his ears turned red. "Yes, it is wonderful and I'm absolutely certain you will find someone who will love you just as much some day."
Alice sat quietly as she absorbed this and realized that Pollyanna was right. It might be strange but they were clearly very happy and it did explain why Mr. Carlos was not upset by Mr. Cecil's unusual tendencies. Surely Mr. Carlos would not love someone who could not be trusted so even if he did scare her sometimes, Alice decided to trust Mr. Cecil, too.
She smiled at Mr. Carlos and he relaxed. "Well, I think we have time to see Mayor Cardinal before Cecil's show starts."
They did not have far to go as the city hall was visible from the door of the bowling alley. Alice ended up clinging to the ever-cheerful girl's arm as they made their way through the building toward the mayor past people standing in the halls chanting frightening words while staring at the ceiling. Mr. Carlos assured them it was nothing to worry about but it was still one of the most frightening things she had ever seen.
The mayor was a lovely lady who seemed both happy and sad randomly. She was concerned that there were more people coming through the doors but she was very happy to meet them. By the time they were ready to leave Pollyanna decided to remain with the Mayor since there was not room enough for her with Mr. Carlos. Alice was disappointed to be separated from the girl who did make it easier to accept the strange circumstances but the Mayor seemed to be much more in need of her aggressive cheerfulness so she said her goodbyes and they returned to the apartment.
Mr. Carlos turned the radio on and began preparing dinner. Alice frowned at the strange box that seemed to be doing little more than creating random beeping and whirring noises.
"His show will start soon. I'm not entirely sure why the people of the city like hearing random sound effects but the station is quite popular."
He had finished chopping an onion before the noises seemed to draw out into a long buzz then Mr. Cecil's voice came from the speaker. "The days are never as long as they seem, especially now. Welcome to Night Vale. Well, listeners, the red doors with the silver knobs are still scattered in and around the city and let me tell you, they are creating some unusual situations. Not by their existence but through the people who seem to be coming through. Last night I met the girl in the blue dress with a white apron and dusty black shoes, her name is Alice and she is from the past.
"This afternoon when we were on our way to the Desert Flower Bowling Alley and Arcade Fun Complex we met another young girl. This one in a straw hat and red gingham check dress. She, too, was from the past. My sources have informed me that they are not the only ones, either. A young boy wearing only a loincloth has broken into the Night Vale Petting Zoo where the wolves seem to have accepted him as one of their own. When approached for an interview as he was setting up an exercise for the rotund wolves, our poor intern was only able to determine the boy called himself Mowgli before a few of the more determined predators rolled in to prevent his escape. He will be missed."
Alice blinked at the radio in shock. Was he speaking of the rude boy? Someone died and he hardly seemed to care at all! She missed much of what was said for a few more minutes as she attempted to make sense of his casual acceptance of someone dying.
"Oh dear…" Mr. Carlos said with a sigh, breaking her out of her reverie. "I hadn't considered that. I think he's a little upset that I took half a day off to learn more about where you come from and I've never taken a day off to spend time with him. He doesn't see the scientific relevance of learning about your past!"
"You should still take time to spend with only him if you really do love him." Alice pointed out. Her father sometimes set aside his work so they could go on picnics in the countryside. It always made her mother happy and made her feel important.
"You're probably right. Perhaps we can go look at doors together…" Mr. Carlos said thoughtfully.
"Pamela Winchell, Director of Emergency Press Conferences for Night Vale, called her daily emergency press conference today where she whispered, 'Children. Children. Children. Children.' increasing in both volume and tone until attending reporters were forced to use their municipally approved ear plugs. I must say I have found myself sharing her sentiments at times but then once in a while… once in a while, listeners, I have actually enjoyed the desire to scream about young people. Strange, isn't it? With that I will take you to the weather."
Alice frowned at the speaker as soothing music replaced Mr. Cecil's voice. She made him want to scream? She had tried not to be a bother…
"Oh, don't worry about that." Mr. Carlos said with a smile. "He exaggerates a lot when he's broadcasting. He does like you."
She nodded but had her doubts.
"During the weather," Mr. Cecil's voice resumed when the song ended. "My sources informed me that the Sheriff's Secret Police have taken another child into custody after the bespectacled boy in the long nightshirt wandered the streets shouting for directions to a fast food restaurant. When residents directed him to the Wendy's across the street from Red Lobster, he began to cry. Numerous residents complained about the noise so the child has been detained pending his parents retrieval."
"That poor boy…" Mr. Carlos frowned. "He probably came through a door, too. It seems to be nothing but children."
They listened a while longer as Mr. Cecil related other strange happenings and by the time dinner had finished he was home. Alice approached him carefully and looked up at those dark, knowing eyes. "Mr. Cecil… I don't want to take Mr. Carlos' attention away. I'm terribly sorry if I did anything to upset you."
He looked up at Mr. Carlos in surprise. "Oh come on, Cecil, you know I always listen to your show."
"You don't want to scream, do you?" Alice asked nervously.
"A little." Mr. Cecil answered as he knelt down with a big smile to hug her. "In a good way."
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