Chapter 2

Return to Wonderland

By Courtney Erickson

That was when I met her. I saw her sitting on the curb, drawing pictures in the sand with a stick. Black, silky hair hid her face from me, as she leaned over. I wondered if I should approach her. What if she flipped out? I've never seen her on this street before. Then again, I've never seen her at all really. I had no idea who this girl was. But why not? I was so tired of being normal. So tired of blending in with everyone else. Was it so wrong to take a chance every now and then? Determined, I strode on to the point where she sat. Although I was sure she had heard my loud footsteps, she didn't even shift her position. I crouched down next to her, almost afraid of her.

"A…are you okay?" I asked, trying to remain calm, hiding the extreme curiosity in my voice. She lifted her head to face me. I nearly gasped. She was startling beautiful. She had silky, shiny, ebony black hair that was razor cut and it fell on her shoulders like a beautiful silk curtain. Her eyes were the most alarming. An unbelievable shade of purple. How could anyone be so incredibly beautiful?

"If you swear not to tell anyone, can I show you something?" She replied, ignoring my first question. Her voice was rich and beautiful.

"I…I guess so, but I'm-" I said trying to finish, but she stood quickly, offering me a hand. Her style was edgy. Black skinny jeans with a blood red shirt with edgy designs on it. I stood. Those thoughts ran in my head again. what if this and what if that. I pushed them out of my head, refusing to be defeated by doubt and fear, yet again. Hesitantly, I offered my hand. She led me across the street, through and alley, and stopped in the middle of a meadow. The meadow was unlike anything I had ever seen in my life. The grass was a shade of green that shouldn't have existed on this planet. The trees were tall and fairy tale like. Little, fluffy tuffs of cotton drifted in the breeze. Probably from a nearby cotton tree. She led me over to a small little hill.

I had guessed right. There stood a mountainous cotton tree. And below it, I wide gaping hole in the ground. A wave of curiosity washed over me. Something I had never really felt before.

Then I realized something. I didn't even know this girl's name! What if she was leading me into a deadly trap? Once again, I ignored these thoughts.

"I…..um, this is going to seem random….but I don't even know your name." I said.

"It's Arianna." She took me by my shoulders and looked me in my eyes directly. I wanted to look away from her strange, violet, eyes.

"Listen. I need you to look down through this hole. Tell me if you see anything." She said with a strange look in her eyes, I couldn't quite point it out. I nodded, nervously and crouched beneath the huge cotton tree. I peered into the crater, my heart pounding.

"Ask, for the hatter. They need you. Good luck. I know you can do it Audrey" Arianna said. Before I couldn't even say what?! She shoved me into the hole. I screamed at the top of my lungs. Air wooshed by me for what seemed miles and miles. I fell for hours.

Down,

Down,

Down.

Down into a place you could never dream of.

To be continued………