Please be a bad dream. Please be a bad dream.

Ironically, this entire place was one big bad dream I couldn't escape.

"August?" I asked cautiously. Maybe it wasn't really him. Maybe it was someone who looked like him and I'd be able to breathe again.

"That's my name. Don't wear it out." He grinned.

Several elephants had taken up residency on my chest, making it nearly impossible to breathe. I remembered when he'd first come to our house as a foster kid. He'd been happy and was always joking around like this, but that house had a way of sucking the life out of everyone. It wasn't long before we started clashing and he closed up. I hadn't heard him joke again until we were inside the curse.

"So, are you always that annoyingly frustrating, or is it just when you're being chased by weird werewolf things?"

I tried to speak, but all I could do was stare at him with my mouth hanging open.

He shifted uncomfortably under my stare. "All the time then. Good to know. Look," he knelt down in front of me and put a hand on my shoulder, "it's pretty clear you think you know me, but you must have me mistaken for someone else. I've never met you before in my life. Though I do know who you are."

I sat up straight so fast I knocked him over. "You do?"

"Yeah, everyone here does," August groaned and sat up, brushing himself off, "you're Taryn Bauer and it's somehow your fault we're stuck inside this crazy world with werewolf man. So thank you."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to go out there and tear that wolf-man apart with my bare hands. I'd always had nightmares like this. I suppose it was no real surprise that it was happening. One of my biggest nightmares is what could have happened. What if August and I had never gotten closer? It looked like I was about to find out the answers to that question.

"So," I said, getting to my feet, "since this is all my imagination, I suppose it's my job to get us out of this mess."

"That would be nice."

I shot him a look that clearly said to shut up. Hearing his voice and knowing nothing was the same was like taking a knife to the heart.

I shuffled over to the back wall and placed my palm against it, while angrily blinking away the tears that clouded my vision. I was hoping to use the same technique as before. If I played my cards right, I'd be able to get us out quickly.

"What are you doing" He was uncomfortably close. I could smell the cinnamon on his skin. Ever since he'd taken that job at the bakery, he'd come home smelling like cinnamon every day. I loved it.

"What's it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to move the wall with my mind."

"How's that working for you?"

I shoved him back and heard him fall on his butt. I grinned in satisfaction and went back to concentrating on the wall. It was hard, but I tried to get August's sweet out of my nose. It kept distracting me.

"After you move this wall with your voodoo mind powers, what's your plan?" August asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Well, if I can conjure you up, maybe I can conjure up someone who will actually be useful."

"Coming from the girl who's trying to move a wall with her mind. If it weren't for me, you'd still be stuck with the werewolf and his weird flying monkeys." August countered.

"Yes," I said, sarcasm dripping of my tongue, "once again my valiant prince rushes in to save me from the monkeys."

"How many times have those winged primates gotten the better of you?"

I sighed as I remembered that he didn't remember. "Forget it. Now shut up so I can concentrate."

August groaned. "Oh for the love of - you can't move a wall with your mind."

I smirked as I finally felt the wall shift under my palm. "I wouldn't sound so sure if I were you." A section of the rock wall flickered and then dissolved to create a doorway just large enough for us to walk through. "I told you."

He got to his feet in shock, but quickly shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "Technically, you didn't move it. It disappeared. Which means I was right."

I glared at him and his annoying logic. "Just shut up and go through before it decides to close up again."

"Normally I would say 'ladies first', but you're not much of a lady and I don't want to be trapped in here so . . ." He marched through the doorway.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Even after we started dating, he'd been annoying. That had never changed. I'd just grown to love it. Now that he didn't like me again, he was even more annoying.

"You are so getting a smack-down for this when I see you next, Iris." I promised and then trudged after August.

The brightness of the room blinded me as I entered.

"Well this looks oddly familiar." August mused. "Why do I get the feeling I've been here before?"

I blinked several times to clear my vision and as the room came into view, I forgot to breathe. I knew why it looked so familiar to him. He might not remember it, but this place had a way of putting its mark on the people who dared to step through the door. It was all the same. Everything from the leather sofas to the blood stain on the carpet.

"Who would have guessed that cave led right into someone's living room." August froze when he noticed the blood on the white carpet. "I really hope that's red paint."

"Nope," I shook my head, "Screw this. I'm out. I'm not doing this. Not this." I turn to march back into the cave but the doorway had closed up and I was met by our living room window. "Oh come on!" I turned back to find August giving me a weird look. "We need to leave. Now."

"I know that looks like blood, but I'm sure it's not." He forced a laugh. "Wherever we are now, I'm sure it's perfectly safe. At least the werewolf isn't here."

I looked at the blood stain and then back up at August. "No, that's blood. My blood, actually."

He swallowed hard. "Please tell me you're joking."

I spread my arms. "Welcome to my childhood home. A place where dreams never came true and black eyes were a fashion statement."

Just then, the front door burst open and the familiar scent of booze wafted through the air.

I took a step back, years of instinct kicking back in. I wanted to run and hide, but I knew that wouldn't do me any good. This twisted tale would never let me escape our meeting. So I did the next best thing. I faced him head on.

"Who's that?" August asked.

My heart was pounding so hard against my chest, China could hear it. I wanted to run and bury my face in August's chest. Maybe if I couldn't see it, it wouldn't be real. But I couldn't do that either. Instead, I balled my fists at my sides. "That would be the man of the house. Let's go say hello. I owe our dear Mr. Colton a knuckle sandwich."

"Ok," August said slowly, "let's not go taking anyone's head off."

I turned on him angrily. "If you had your memory, you'd be right there with me, holding him down so I could punch his lights out."

"My memory? Wait, what?"

"Just shut up and stay out of my way." I pushed past him, my eyes stinging with tears I refused to let fall.

I met Colton on his way to the kitchen. His sneer was as irritating as ever. He didn't look at all surprised to see me there. "I was wondering when you were going to show up." He snorted and took another swig from the bottle.

August stepped up behind me. His presence was comforting.

"Do I know this guy?" He asked. I could tell by his expression that he was trying to place a memory that wasn't there.

"A memory wipe, huh?" Colton took another swig from his bottle. "Iris is starting to play mean."

There were so many things I wanted to tell the man but something wasn't right. I didn't like how calm he was. The last time I'd seen him, I'd managed to knock him out and get him arrested. You'd think that would give a person pause. Maybe he was too drunk or just too dumb to be cautious, but I didn't think that was it. We had to get out of there.

"We're just passing through," I grabbed August's hand and held onto it even as he tried to pull away, "I've got a curse to break and I don't have time to waste here with you."

Colton laughed. "You aren't going anywhere, Sweetheart." He spread his arms and staggered slightly. "Welcome back home, Taryn."

Normal people enjoy hearing those words. To me, it was a death sentence. This wasn't my home anymore. It never was.

"You can't keep me here."

"Oh yeah? That sounds like a bet to me." He grinned. "I think I'll take you up on that. Alright, Taryn. Let's see you try to leave."

"Fine." I turned to August who wore a carefully guarded expression. "Let's go, August." He nodded and I marched to the front door.

I threw it open and shouted in fear and anger. Behind the door was a brick wall. I ran to the nearest window and shoved it up, but as soon as it was open, a brick wall obscured the view of the street. I closed the window again and the scene reappeared. We weren't going anywhere.

Colton laughed. "I told you it was pointless! I believe I won the bet, which means you owe me Sweetheart."

"I owe you a knuckle sandwich is what I owe you." I ground out, taking a few threatening steps toward him.

He didn't even flinch. "You can't hurt me here. Go ahead and try." He narrowed his eyes in an evil sort of sneer. "I. Dare. You."

He was mocking me. I was trapped and completely defenseless in this house. August started to say something, but Colton cut him off. "Don't try to interfere, unless you want the same thing to happen to you. Go to your room before your presence can annoy me anymore."

August opened his mouth to say something but Colton cut him off.

"Don't worry. You'll know where it is. You used to live here, remember?"

August caught my eye once more. He looked so lost and uncertain, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned and took the stairs two at a time. A part of me wanted to ring his neck for leaving me down here alone with this madman. The other part of me wanted to reassure him that I had everything under control and that he didn't need to worry. I was glad he'd been sent upstairs where he couldn't get hurt.

Colton dragged me, kicking and screaming up to my old room. He threw me inside and I heard the familiar click of the lock. The jerk had locked me in my room like I was fifteen again. I pounded against the door, demanding he let me back out. I called out to August, but there was no reply.

I tried everything from attempting to break the door down, to using magic. Nothing worked. I tried the window, but it was stuck. I wouldn't be prying it open any time soon.

Eventually, I collapsed on my bed, exhausted. The room was just as I'd left it. I hated that. I hated being back in this room. I hated being back in this house. I hated that I could hear Colton down in the kitchen, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I tried with everything I had to change our location, but being back had dug up some painful memories I'd worked so hard to surprise. With those memories running through my mind, it was impossible to focus.

The sun had set several hours earlier when the lock clicked and slowly swung open. I quickly pretended I was asleep in case it was Colton. I didn't feel like getting a beating.

I breathed a sigh of relief when it was just August. Part of me wondered if that wasn't worse. It hurt being around him. I wanted to kiss him so badly, but I decided that might put a bit of a damper on the whole friends thing I was hoping to achieve.

I groaned and rolled over. "What do you want?"

He hesitated at the door before coming in. I listened to his feet pad across the carpet. The edge of the my bed sank down as he took a seat.

Give me a hug at least! I wanted to scream at him. Instead, I bit my lip and kept my eyes tightly closed.

He took a deep breath, like he wasn't sure about what he was about to say. "This place. I know I've seen it before, but I-I can't remember. It's like the memory should be there but isn't. You said something earlier about if I had had my memory, I would have wanted to beat that guy up. Why? Why does this place feel so familiar?"

I rolled back over so I could see him. "It's a long story that may very well blow your mind if I tell it to you."

"Try me."

"Fine," I said, sitting up beside him, "but don't blame me when your head explodes."

August cracked a smile and my stomach erupted with a million butterflies. I had to wait a full thirty seconds to get my heart rate under control before I could start talking.

"Alright then, I suppose the first thing you should know is that Colton is my - well I thought he was my father until just recently. This is my childhood home. I used to live here with my mom before she passed away. Then Colton moved in, using magic to manipulate my memories, and claimed to be my father."

"Why would he do that?"

"Ancient curse. An elaborate plan. Revenge. You know," I shrugged, "the usual. So anyway, Colton and his new wife, who was also a fabrication of magic, couldn't have their own kids-"

"Probably because she was a fabrication of magic."

"So they took in foster kids instead. You were the last one they took in. Eventually, I couldn't take the physical abuse anymore, so I ran. I suppose that was all part of their plan too. Isis, Colton's sister, showed up and trapped me inside a curse."

"Wait, wait, wait," August held up his hands for me to stop, "you're telling me magic is real?"

I gave him a look that said, Seriously?

"We out ran a Wolf-man, I moved a wall with my mind and you're asking if magic is real?" I lifted my hand and allowed a few blue sparks to dance across my finger tips. I'd gotten quite good at that part. The sparks were easy enough to conjure up. They didn't inflict any damage to the enemy, but they were pretty. Maybe Isis would give me a crash course in magic.

His eyes were wide as he stared at the sparks. "You're a witch?"

"In here I am."

"Where's here?"

So I told him. I told him everything. I told him how we used to hate each other and were always fighting. I told him about all our adventures we'd had together. I told him about Alfie and how he'd bravely given his life for the rest of us. I told him that in the end, he and I had grown a lot closer. I couldn't get myself to tell him we were dating, but I had a feeling he'd caught on by the way he kept shifting uncomfortably.

I finished by telling him how Iris had created this new version of the curse and had lured me back by trapping everyone inside again.

"We're currently inside Wonderland. A place built on memories and imagination together. Unfortunately for us, it's my imagination and memories."

I looked up from studying my hands and froze. The room was quickly becoming overgrown with vines and odd looking purple plants (those are always the worst). How had I not noticed that until now? "Um, we may have a problem."

August blinked as if coming out of a trance. "What's going-" his breath hitched, "oh. When did that happen?"

"It's Wonderland."

"That clears things up."

"Come on. We have to get out of here." I clambered through the tangle of vines to my door with August close on my heels. The sudden sound of voices made us both freeze.

August grabbed my arm, his voice tight with fear. "The Red Queen's men. They're here."

"How do you know that?" I asked, frowning. A minute ago, he hadn't even known we were in a curse. How could he have known about the Red Queen and her army?

"I don't know, but right now, we've got to focus on getting out of here." He pulled me back into the room through the ever-growing foliage and over to where the window was. It was a bit of a challenge but we made it.

He hurriedly threw open the window and leaned out, but I grabbed his arm to pull him back.

"We can't go out that way. It's too high. You'll kill yourself." I hissed at him.

"What are you talking about? It's only a small drop. We'll be fine. Besides, have you got a better idea?"

On the other side of the door, I could hear the men approaching. "I'm glad you men showed up," Colton said in mock distress, "having a criminal in my own home! I haven't been able to sleep peacefully at night."

"Don't worry sir. the Red Queen will have her head for what she has done. You will be able to rest easy once more. She will no longer be able to cause harm to anyone else."

"Says the guy working for the queen who takes everyone's head off." I scoffed.

August frowned. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Are you coming?" He held out his hand for me to take.

"Is it safe?"

He shrugged. "Probably not."

I grinned and took his hand. "Good. Things get too boring when they're safe."

August laughed, a sound that made my heart skip a few beats. "Let's get you out of here."

I nodded and together we jumped out the window.

Sorry I couldn't get this chapter up last week. I am starting another challenge for NaNoWriMo next week so updates might be a bit slow again for the next couple of weeks.