A/N - Mad Hatter: Dave Franco? Ideas?

I walked downstairs, made myself a sandwich, and grabbed the newspaper. Threw it on the table. A headline flashed at me and I sat down.

MAN MURDERS TWELVE IN CALIFORNIA

In a small area in downtown California, a house was broken into March 17. Neighbors say they heard sounds, maybe shouts, but the elderly couple stated that there were shouts all night, seeing as the Dinah family had a birthday party for their eldest child, Chester. The party included nine relatives, and all of them were found dead, by the postman delivering a package. As the police investigated, they found several items in the hands of the dead. Pages from a book, Alice in Wonderland, were clutched in each hand, with the words, "With Love, The Mad Hatter." Suspect is- Continue on page 4

There was a picture of him on the bottom. He had a swath of brown hair poking out of this big green top hat. His green suit was, like, a couple decades late, with coattails and large gold buttons.

The page dropped from my hand.

What?

The Mad Hatter?

But no.

Who would love it that much? To murder people? To create an alias?

I felt something. Sorrow maybe? For the family?

I like this guy, a voice said quietly.

No.

No no no no no.

I started to panic.

"Hon?" Mom was home.

"Hi. Sorry, gotta go."

"But- hon-"

"Sorry, Mom." I sped past her into the cold air.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was starting to get dark.

I walked quickly, gulping air. I like this guy? Where did that come from?

Thoughts whirled about so much I couldn't see.

Couldn't see the stars. Couldn't see the sidewalk.

Couldn't see the man.

The man.

The man who grabbed me and pulled me into a dark alleyway.

Slience.

"How stereotypical, isn't it?" whispered a voice in my ear. I kept my eyes closed.

"What is stereotypical?"

"A beuatiful girl, walking at night, only to be pulled in a dark alleyway to be murdered." His voice got lower.

He was going to murder me. What was I suppossed to do? I was rooted to the spot. I always underestimated that phrase, thought it was only because one was weak. Realizing I was doomed, I whispered the most trivial thing anyone could've said.

"Beautiful?"

He chuckled huskily in my ear. "Yes, quite. Very beautiful. I like you."

"And you're gonna kill me?"

His grip loosened and he laughed. A harsh laugh laced with lunacy. I started to make for the street but he grabbed me back and pushed against the brick wall. "Not so fast, sugar."

He wasn't drunk. I could tell. He knew exactly what he was doing. Now that I wasn't frozen, I thought of a game plan. I knew every form of fighting there is. What's that knockout move?

Remember, Alison, remember.

"Who are you?" The words fell from my lips involantarily and I bit my lip.

"Why, I'm the Mad Hatter, of course."

A/N: Is there really any point in updating if no one is reading it? Even you didn't like it, please just state that you read it? It would make my day.