As the air was ripped from her lungs, Caroline righted herself into a sitting position as she feel through the air. The darkness was terrifying and seemed unending. Without an understanding about what was happening she thought this might be death. What had she been expecting chasing after something that didn't exist? A dim light came from beneath her and Caroline wondered if this was what Elena had meant in her poems. Her life was going nowhere anyway; maybe this was the answer she had been waiting for.

The warmth enveloped her and she took the first breath in what seemed like forever. The air rushing past her stopped and she hovered in a strange room. Everywhere was clocks. Some of the models looked familiar but others were strange. It was almost as if someone had removed the face of the clock but the gears were still keeping track. Despite all being different the clocks kept the same time.

Tick, tock. Tick. Tock.

Caroline continued to float but the rhythm became a comfort. She could feel their tempo keeping with her heart beat and then her breaths came in the same movements. The gears were ornate and had to have come from somewhere other than England. The shaft of clocks finally came to an end but right before she lost sight of the final clock they all stopped simultaneously, as if they would wait for the next soul who lost their way.

If she could regulate the clocks then maybe Caroline had more power over her surroundings than she first thought. Closing her eyes she stood straight in the abyss and imagined what it would be like to place her feet on solid ground. She imagined the sound that her muddy boot would make and the sound of her steps matching her heart beat just as the clocks had. With one final inhale she forced the image out around her.

Thud. Just as she had imagined the boots slightly slipped on a cavern floor. Opening her eyes she saw a door directly in front of her and a table slightly to her left. The size of the door had her discouraged as she came closer and confirmed that there was no way she would fit. She twisted the knob but it didn't budge. Turning both ways she struggled trying to decide whether it was locked or just stubborn.

"What is it with you people and wasting time?"

Hearing a voice after such a long time in silence Caroline jumped back from the door as if the knob had bitten her and stared straight into the eyes of a wooden lion. When she had first approached the door she had no interest in the wood carved beast which acted only as another decoration in what could only be described as a surreal painting.

"Are you deaf human child?"

"Is everyone from here so judgmental of humans? The rabbit thought he could convince me I was seeing things."

"That creature just came through here but is gone now. Good riddance. He thinks he can just come and go as he pleases."

Getting on her knees, Caroline came to the lion's level, "you've seen the rabbit?"

"He was here just a few minutes ago, got in and got out, complaining that he couldn't find it," the lion yawned and Caroline noticed that even his teeth and tongue were made of wood.

"What was he looking for?"

"The little bugger wouldn't say but then again no one ever wants to talk to me, they only want to gain passageway. I'm sure that is why you are also here?" He raised a wooden eyebrow and waited for her response.

"I'm sorry to be rude because you seem like a nice…door, but I need to know where I am."

"Well that's easy; you're at the entrance to Wonderland. For someone who thinks we're judging her, you aren't very bright, are you?" He chuckled and the entire door shook.

"Wonderland…okay. How do I get home?"

"You don't. Not the way you came at least. You'll need to be granted passage back by the Queen."

"The queen?"

"She lives in the capital of Wonderland. But be careful, human child, her bite is harder than mine."

"My name is Caroline, not 'human child' and your bite would amount to a bad splinter."

"I resent that remark." He scowled at Caroline and went silent. She realized that she was just wasting time with bantering and that she was going to have to get through to find the queen. To do that, she was going to need to play by his rules.

"Will you please let me through?"

"It's not my decision to make; you have to open the door with the key."

"Where is the key?" Why hadn't he told her before? She had been sitting here for no reason if she could open the door herself.

"It's on the table, are you blind and deaf?"

"That's enough sass out of you."

Standing up she walked over to the table and finally noticed the objects sitting on the surface. The key was obvious but what caught her attention most was a glass bowl filled with pastries. Iced with pastel colors that ranged in blues, pinks and greens, they each had a small message tempting her to partake.

Eat me. Taste me. Pick me.

Ignoring the rumble in her stomach she picked up the key and walked back to the door. Inserting the key she twisted and listened as the lock gave in. Opening the door she looked through to see a small set of trees through the frame but they seemed far away.

"What is that?"

"Mat's Ronderland" the lion's mumbled voice came and she closed the door and the lion smiled at her.

"Do you get any bigger?"

"No, but you can get smaller."

"Do you know what a human is?"

"Do you know what an enchanted pastry is?"

The picture of them flashed in her mind and she once again returned to the table. She picked the one on top and went for a bite.

"Wait! Leave me open."

"What?"

"If you're going to get into Wonderland you'll need to be small but also able to make it through the door."

"Thank you for that."

"You're the only person, human or otherwise, that has talked to me. I thought it was worth it."

Smiling, Caroline took a bite. When nothing happened she sent a harsh stare back at the door. "Nothing happened."

"Give it a minute woman, magic isn't always instantaneous."

"Well for me, magic doesn't exi—" but before she could finish it felt like her entire body imploded. Pulling herself together she realized she was lying on the floor and looking up at her friend who had gotten a lot larger. It had worked.

"Thank you again for all of your help." She placed the rest of the pastry in her pocket and started forward.

"One last piece of advice Caroline, if you're going through this door you need to open up your mind to what you might find. Or your time in Wonderland will be cut short."

Nodding, she made her way through the frame and began the journey towards the wood. A chill ran down her neck as she heard the door close with parting words.

Beware the Hatter.