Wondrous Nightmares

by Bloodysword99

Recommended song: Trip the Darkness- Lacuna Coil

Fanart: TBA :3

Chapter 2: November's Darkness and Saviour

November 1, 1863; Oxford, Liddell Household, 9 am.

'The Boogeyman?'

'Yes, Lizzie! He was under my bed last night!' 8-years-old, innocent, and afraid, the little Alice told while she and her older sister Elizabeth were having tea and cakes by the wooden porch.

'What did he do, Alice?' Her sister asked, putting down her cup and frowning.

The little Alice fidgeted with her badly stitched stuffed bunny. Her mother claimed it was ugly and dirty. And with their riches, it could be easily replaced yet Alice was a stubborn child. She insisted on keeping the filthy thing and sews it herself; thus making the animal look like it came straight out of a Frankenstein book. It was a great companion and it kept her brave through the night. Especially last night, when she found a monster beneath her bed, the stuffed rabbit was the only object to cling to as a shadow figure shifted and bumped into her very room.

'He didn't do a thing. He just…' The little Alice tried to recall what the Boogeyman had done besides emerge out of bed. But for a few minutes, she couldn't remember anything out of the ordinary. All he did was loom over her like a shadow and stare with his big yellow eyes.

'Looked at me.' Lizzie said firmly. 'The next time he shows his face, Alice, you should tell him you're not afraid of him and he will go away. Forever.'

But somehow, she didn't want him to go away. The Boogeyman did look scary but there was something that fascinated the youngest Liddell, how his yellow eyes pierce through the void and how it burnt into her memory. They were hypnotizing like a cat's; similar to Dinah's, her feline companion.

It made her…inquisitive.

And Alice was always dangerously curious. That was why despite the danger; she wanted to see the Boogeyman once more.

November 2, 1863; Liddell Household, Alice's room. 1 am.

Alice Liddell waited for the Boogeyman until it was four hours after her bedtime. She lay under her blanket staring vacantly at the ceiling; desperately trying to stay awake. She held her stuffed rabbit for comfort and waited a little longer. Being very persistent and very stubborn, she stood her ground and kept her eyes wide open. But after an hour more, her eyes began to feel heavy. And with her pet cat, Dinah, sleeping on her lap like a baby, the temptation of dozing off grew.

Her eyes started to flutter.

'W-Where on earth could you be, Boogeyman?' She whispered already half into her dream state.

'Not on earth, child. In the shadows.' A voice purred through the room like a dangerous lullaby.

'Will you come to my Wonderland and have tea with me?' Alice asked; dazed and drowsy

'That's a dangerous thing to ask. Will you let a monster like me, the King of Nightmares and Fear, enter your mind?'

And without a second thought, the girl smiled and nodded before completely falling asleep. Her body relaxes into the fine mattress; she snuggled into her thick cotton blanket while nudging her stuffed animal like an extra cushion. Her little head rested on her pillow, no dream sand above her, and the Boogeyman smiled.

She was defenseless.

And this little girl invited him into her 'Wonderland'. And under the Guardian's law, the Sandman couldn't do anything about the matter. If the child is willing to have Nightmares or is under trauma or under any physiological influence, then, The Boogeyman is untouchable.

As he was about to induce her mind with bad dreams, he wondered why this child invited him. Was she dum or simply innocent? Was she playing mind games with him or being truthful? The Boogyman pulled back his hand from Alice's head, trying to solve the girl's motives.

He wanted answers and giving her Nightmares won't give him that.

'Only one way to find out.' The Boogeyman muttered.

He transformed into a shadow and slipped into the girl's Wonderland. The Boogeyman was sure she would tell him her reasons if he took Alice's invitation.

November 2, 1863; Liddell Household, Alice's room. 7 am.

'Alice, no sleeping on the table!'

Early that very early morning, Alice was barely conscious to realize she had her head against the breakfast table. Her eyes were only half open and threatening to explode, her head and her body felt the full wrath of gravity. With only a wink of sleep, it was expected.

Lizzie, her eldest sister, looked concerned when she came down for breakfast.

'Alice, you look dreadful! What happened?' Lizzie yelped.

'I was waiting for the Boogeyman last night.' She simply said with her head still against the table.

Her sister's brow furrowed. 'And?'

Alice lifted her heavy head, smiling at her sister. 'He was alright. We had tea and ate cake.'

'Tea with the Boogeyman? Nonsense, Alice, he's a bad creature. And very evil one, I might add.' Lizzie scolded but it was all for not. Alice was already asleep again.

'I believe he likes Tea as well, black tea to be specific.' The child muttered.

As Lizzie gave up on her hopeless sister, Pitch was hiding within the shadows of the kitchen; watching his new believer. The Nightmare King doesn't know why he spent his whole night in her Wonderland having tea and pastries with Alice, a crazy hatter, and a band of other misfits. It was odd. Why didn't he just give her Nightmares and leave? What makes Alice so special?

'Alice! Don't sleep on the table! Honestly, girl, I'll age if you keep this up.' Mrs. Liddell yelled while placing the food on the table.

Pitch left the Liddell house without answering his own questions.

November 3, 1863. Liddell Household, Alice's room, 7 pm.

'Boogeyman!'

Alice cheered seeing the same shadow shift through her room. He materialized at the darkest corner and his bright yellow eyes broke the dimness. As the Boogeyman took a step forward into sight, the girl admired the tall grey gentleman who was just meters from her bed. Looking very dignified, the Nightmare King stood erect and impassive. But despite the formality, the child spread a big smile toward him. She was so thrilled he came early tonight unlike yesterday evening; he came when she was fast asleep but the Boogeyman entered her Wonderland and Alice showed him around. Alice hoped, this time, he was in a mood for croquet with the Queen of Hearts.

'You came!' Alice rejoiced, holding on to her stuffed rabbit tightly.

'I never shy away from a challenge, girl.' The boogeyman grumbled as he thought about the time the Queen of Hearts taunted him about his weak croquet skills, on his last visit.

'It's Alice. Alice Liddell.' She corrected with a contrary smirk. He never knew a child could make such a grin at that age. But with the sneer aside, the Nightmare King studied her.

He remained silent.

'Well?'

'Well, what?'

'Your name, Boogeyman?'

'Isn't Boogeyman enough, girl?' Pitch snared at the child but her persistence did not stop.

'No.'

He didn't really know what to say. Was it even ethical to speak with a believer? There were no rules about it. The Boogeyman shrugged, thinking there was no harm in being called by his name.

'Pitch. Pitch Black.' He said grimly as if he was hexing her yet the girl chuckled.

'Well, Mr. Black, shall we meet the Queen? I think she has finally met her match.' Alice said. And without even waiting for a reply, she cuddled into her mattress and slipped into her slumber, into Wonderland.

Pitch rolled his eyes before transforming into a shadow and entering the girl's mind.

November 4, 1863, Liddell Household, Living room, 12 noon.

'Good afternoon, Alice.'

The little Liddell looked up and a gentleman towered over her. A tall, slim man with lanky shoulders and finely dressed, Alice recognized him instantly. Angus Bumby, is a curious fellow, by far the strangest among her father's students. Alice doesn't know why she thought of Bumby that way. He was smart and very civil but despite that, she had this odd feeling about him. Her sister Lizzie felt the same way as well. Alice remembered her saying he was toady, touchy, and very…unreasonable. Lizzie also said Angus Bumby was like an expired cake. He might look fine outside but inside he's filled with worms.

Never judge a book by its cover, Lizzie quoted. Yet Alice didn't understand the meaning.

'Good afternoon, Mr. Bumby.' Alice greeted, clutching onto her stuffed animal.

'Is your family around?'

'They're in the garden having tea.'

Bumby glanced towards the window and spotted Mr. and Mrs. Liddell having a casual conversation over a cup of tea. He turned back to Alice, cleared his throat, and asked. 'And…your sister?'

'Upstairs practicing on the piano.'

The child was almost frightened seeing a devious smirk spreading across the man's face. It was a scheming smile but before she could study his expression further Bumby's sneer dropped when he noticed the girl's toys scattered around the living room, jacks to playing cards, to chess pieces.

'Are you playing alone again, Alice?'

'Oh no, doctor, I have Dinah and the Boogeyman with me!' The child said, pointing at her black cat sleeping on top of the bookshelves and at his father's empty lounge chains a few steps away from him.

'The Boogeyman?' He mumbled and Alice nodded.

'His name is Mr. Black; he's pretending to be the evil wizard while Dinah is his monstrous pet!' She explained.

'Yes, Yes, That's nice.' Bumby said awkwardly before leaving her be and heading upstairs.

Alice looked at the sleeping Dinah before staring at his father's armchair. She wondered why Bumby made such a face when he was introducing Pitch. The Boogeyman was right there, sitting, almost directly at him.

How rude of Bumby not to greet him.

She thought he was a gentleman and would address him kindly but the undergraduate doctor shrugged like Pitch wasn't there at all.

Alice huffed her cheeks, muttering. 'No manners at all, The doctor didn't even greet you,'

'Don't bother, Alice. Only people who believe in the Boogeyman can see me.' Pitch explained as he crossed his leg, sitting on the comfy armchair.

'That's quite unfair. How can they believe in you if they can't see you in the first place?' Alice said, causing The Boogeyman to laugh.

'Life isn't always fair, child.'

Alice stared at her stuffed rabbit while thinking about his words. Life was unfair? It was never unfair to her. Not in reality or her Wonderland. Life in both worlds was pleasant.

'Alice,' Pitch spoke.

'Yes?'

'Be careful around that Bumby fellow.'

Alice stared at him curiously. 'Why so?'

After that, Pitch was silent and Alice never got the answer. Even as the day rolled by and both of them continued playing, the subject wasn't brought up. She knows he was…an elusive man but other than he was completely average. Maybe the Nightmare King's senses are more acute than hers. As Alice was about to ask, she noticed Pitch glaring at the stairs which Bumby used hours ago…Wait? Upstairs? Isn't he here to see his father?

'M-Mr Black…?' Alice was scared.

'Wait, for that Bumby to leave before heading upstairs.'

The child did what she was told and stayed in the library with Pitch. Alice didn't question his motives. She trusted him. He didn't degrade Alice because of her age like many grown-ups. The little Liddell felt comfortable around him. Though he is occasionally sarcastic and melodramatic, Alice liked Pitch. Especially his powers to mend shadows to his will. Sometimes he would conjure a dark horse for her so she could ride through Wonderland in style.

And right at this very moment, Pitch was reanimating shadows around them while telling stories to Alice, who was sitting on his knee. She didn't mind it, she liked scary tales. Though, he did feel awkward when Alice crawled up to him and demanded stories. He said he felt like he was his arch-nemesis; putting children on his knee while wearing a big fat red suit.

'You would be one peculiar Santa Claus, Mr. Black." Alice noted while she was being carried upstairs by Pitch around 11 at night.

'Don't push it. I hate the very idea, child.' Pitch sighed. He didn't know why he was carrying her in the first place. But it was his fault she stayed this late at night. So, this was the least he could do. So, he lifted the child with both arms but he stopped, looking behind him. A lit lamp was left at the Library table.

The Boogeyman swiftly teleported towards it and grabbed the oil lamp with one hand before making his way upstairs again with the sleepy child in his arms. And as he did, he said to Alice.

'Don't leave the Lamp just anywhere. You'll burn the whole house.'

But all Alice did was mutter, already half-asleep. Pitch carried Alice to her room after putting the lamp in a safe place, near her sister's room and just outside of Alice's door. Placing the child gently into the mattress, the Boogeyman picked up her stuffed rabbit from the floor and positioned it in the girl's embrace. Alice giggled holding onto the bunny and glanced up at the tall gentleman. With a dazed smile, she muttered.

'Will you come to the tea party? I'm sure Rabbit and Hatter want their revenge for last time.'

Pitch giggled menacingly at the memory of his last visit. The poor crazy bunch were trampled by Nightmare horses as soon as they tried to pour tea on him again.

'Unfortunately, I can't. Not tonight.' Pitch whispered, tucking her beneath her thick cotton blanket.

'So, I'll see you tomorrow then?' Alice hoped and the Nightmare Kind smiled and nodded. And as the Boogeyman was about to leave, the girl gripped his sleeve and stared into his yellow eyes.

'Don't frighten kids too much, alright, Boogeyman?' Her innocence was so potent. Pitch, in all his eternity, was still astounded by a child's purity. And as her innocent eyes sparkled at the Boogeyman, his eyes rolled and gave a playful smile.

'Why, child, I'm the Boogeyman. It's my job to scare them.'

Alice giggled before dozing off into Wonderland. And Pitch watched the little angel sleep for a few seconds then melted into the shadows and out the window.

November 5, 1863. Liddell Household, 2 am

'Alice! Alice! Get out!'

The flames started to spread through the house as poor Alice was paralyzed on her bed. Afraid for the first time in her life, the little Liddell clutched her stuffed rabbit staring as her parent panicked just outside her room. Her father tried to slow the flames spread through the hall with a blanket but the fiery inferno continue to grow. Alice couldn't do anything but tremble behind her blanket while watching the firelight dance.

'Alice! Go! Get out of here!' Mrs. Liddell cried.

'Mama! Papa!' She wept.

'Go now, Alice! We'll get your sister! Go!'

With her warning, her mother and father ran down the hall to get her sister. Panicked, the child removed her covers and tried to piece her thoughts together but she couldn't even think straight. With the smoke and heat slowly spreading in her room, she was paralyzed, her whole body shaking vigorously.

Her vision was fuzzy. Her heart was drumming in her ear but she could still hear her parents trying to get her sister Lizzie to unlock her door. It was chaos. Alice was so afraid. She didn't know what to do when the fire had already seeped through the wood and further into her room. Her walls were in flames and her toys and furniture were slowly being engulfed by it. She stood, trembling, beside her bed with a stuffed rabbit in her hand.

'Alice!' It wasn't her father's or her mother's.

A black shadow swept across the inferno and landed next to her. The tall grey gentleman kneeled to her and held both of her shoulders, shaking her from the traumatic trance.

'Alice! Alice! Snap out of it, girl!'

'B-B-Boogeyman!' Alice cried when she realized she wasn't alone. The girl, in her relief, crashed into his chest and clung on to him for dear life.

'Y-Y-You came!' She wept.

'You're radiating too much fear to ignore.' He explain as he took her into his arms; protecting her from the inferno.

'Let's get out of here.' Pitch said while looking for a proper exit. Dinah, Alice's cat, was at the window, meowing at them incessantly. As Pitch teleported through the window and made sure to snatch Dinah on the way, he held Alice tight and flew to safety.

They landed outside, clinging to each other. Alice shouted over Pitch's shoulder as the inferno swallowed her home. 'Boogeyman! My family!'

Pitch, Alice, and Dinah watched in horror as the Liddell house and the family trapped in it, were incinerated. And the child, for the whole period, wept in the Boogeyman's arms. Pitch hushed the child and made her turn away from the calamity. He hummed a lullaby while placing a calming hand on her head. But even if he did that, Alice's tears would not stop.

He knew.

Pitch knew even back then the fire was no accident. The Liddell family lawyer, Wilton J. Radcliffe, is the worst lawyer on the face of the planet. Radcliffe was completely wrong about how the fire started. Pitch had tried his best to move the Lawyer with his nightmares but Radcliffe was a dim-witted man. Radcliffe insisted Dinah, the cat, had knocked over the oil lamp in the library. But the cat was with Alice and Pitch himself brought the lamp upstairs with her. Despite this, the court believed the Lawyer's story. Alice couldn't make her statement because she was traumatized by the events and recuperating in the hospital. She couldn't testify to it.

Back then, Pitch was powerless to change the decision of the court. But he refused to let Alice suffer from the ignorance of grown-ups. So, Pitch stayed with Alice for a year in the hospital until she was thrown to the Rutledge Asylum because she was in some traumatic coma. She was diagnosed to be unresponsive to anyone as if she was in a deep trance going deeper and deeper with each passing day.

She was claimed to be insane. Those cruel merciless monsters!

Can't these baboons see she's just fine, at least when Pitch was talking to her? But they refused her! They treated this child…like a nuisance. She wasn't a menace. And she wasn't crazy.

It made Pitch's rage boil.

How could the Guardians let this happen? Where were they when Alice's life had crumbled before her very eyes? Where were they when she needed Hope, Good memories, wonder, and pleasant dreams?

"Mr. Black...?" Alice called to him.

"…Yes?" Pitch said while in the middle of his rage.

"I believe in you."

He stared at Alice in shock.

"I know, child." He uttered still staring down at her.

"Then, please, help me. Help me save Wonderland and…myself."

A second later, the girl gripped the Nightmare King's grey and cold hand. "P-Please, Boogeyman. Please save me."

"I will."

'If the guardians won't save this girl, I will!' Pitch swore as he held her hand tighter.

Revisiting and Editing the fanfic 2022—This is the one story I really want to finish.