Twisted Wonderland

“WHAT?” Lissa’s eyes widened until I thought they were going to explode.
Cheshire glanced at Lissa with an expression of boredom and yawned. He looked more like a cat than ever.

Lissa sighed and said in a calmer tone,” Can someone please tell me what is going on here?”
She stood up and started fidgeting with her pencil that she took from her ear.
“I mean, first I find a pretty girl dressed in old clothes, soaked to the bone, and in Central Park. After that I find out that her creepy stray cat is also a creepy dude! And now this cute little guy shows up!” Her usually gentle voice was rising with each word she said, until she was almost screaming.

Brianna got up and hugged Lissa gently. It’s a miracle they never had any arguments! I saw them embracing and thought how different they were. Lissa, in soft blue, and Brianna in dark purple and black, Brianna’s stubborn attitude and Lissa’s gentleness, and yet they were alike in some ways. They way they talked with confidence and walked with purpose made them sisters.

Lissa looked more relaxed as she sat down beside me, and Brianna sat to her other side.
“Well, do you enjoy strange tales, Miss Bliss?” Cheshire grinned. He stood up very slowly.
Lissa’s eyes shone with excitement and she nodded vigorously.
“There’s nothing Lissa likes more than a good story,” Brianna said with a small smile.
Lissa gave her a grin and said,” That’s what I do for a living! I write different, strange, and true stories for people all around the world to read.”
I wanted to ask what books she has written, but Cheshire started talking again.

“Well, no one is going to believe this story,” he glanced at me and gave a small wink. He was standing up in front of the television (I now know the names of everything in the house thanks to Brianna) so we all had to look at him.

I felt the warmth of Rabbit’s arm on my left and felt the warmth of Lissa’s pale arm on my right. Lissa was twirling her pencil in her hands, and her wild hair was in a low ponytail, but there were still strands of hair that fell over her porcelain face. As Cheshire spoke her eyes were completely hypnotized, like if she were actually there. Brianna was definitely right; she did enjoy stories. Lissa looked like a small girl listening to Cinderella.

Brianna was resting casually, her back was supported by the arm of the couch, and she had her long legs on Lissa’s lap. Her eyes were focused on Cheshire as well, but maybe she was just checking him out.

Rabbit glanced at me from the corner of his eyes with shyness, like if he were afraid to speak to me, and every time I smiled at him, he blushed and glanced away quickly, making his white hair fall over his brown eyes.

I really didn’t want to be reminded of what happened. I didn’t want to remember all those days in the Asylum…
“I shall be in my room if anyone needs me. I’m feeling tired,” I smiled shyly at everyone, trying to disguise the pain, and walked softly up the stairs, making a thudding sound.

When I arrived to my room I walked over to my window and stared at the city of lights. The sky was covered with a black mask, and yet the buildings around here were a light and the air was filled with the voices of different people talking about a variety of things. It’s like if the city didn’t need the sun or the moon. They think themselves powerful and they think the moon and sun are probably unnecessary.
Just like I thought unnecessary waking up from my dreams when I smelled the burning in my home…
No! I turned away from the window brusquely and walked to the bathroom. I willed myself not to think about this anymore! The past is the past. You can only change the future with what you do in the present. I will not bother myself with past mistakes that I cannot change.
The bathroom’s light was turned off, but I could see myself in the mirror. My hands were gripping the sink in a death grip as I stared at my own reflection.
My breathing started to quicken, and my forehead started to sweat. I have to handle myself better. It was the past!
I looked at my emerald green eyes with the lashes of a princess, I looked at my womanly features, and I started to remember how I was before.
Deathly skinny features, dirty ratty hair…But that was before! That was the past.
Now, I am in a strange place for a reason I don’t know yet, and I’m with nice people, and I gained weight thanks to Lorina and Cheshire is here!
I moaned and felt tears tickling my nose. My throat was dry and clogged, and my nose was feeling stuffed.
Oh Lorina! Why am I so stupid sometimes? I should’ve listened to you! Now I feel so lost, I don’t know where I am or why, and I don’t know why Cheshire and Rabbit are here and I don’t know how to get back. If only I could see your marble blue eyes, filled with unbearable kindness and wisdom, then perhaps I could find a way. Just like I did when I rescued Wonderland…

Suddenly, I burst into tears. I felt just as lost and alone as I felt in the Asylum a couple of years before. The hot tears ran down my face, as I sobbed quietly, my throat felt so big and clogged; I thought I would keep on crying forever.
I bowed my head and let my hair fall in front of my face. My hands loosened their grip on the sink, and I backed away from it.
The horrible pain in my heart was threatening. I felt like if a giant black hole were sucking up all my energy and using it to clog my throat and nose, leaving my body weak and defenseless. And that’s not including the knives stabbing me in the heart and trying to pry it open, like if it were an experiment.

I was about to sit down and cry my heart out when I felt the chest of a man behind me. Instead of saying anything, he turned me around and gazed at me. I could only make out the outline of his gorgeous face…the sculpted nose…the full lips…but the thing that really stood out were his eyes. They were like small suns in the darkness of the room. They were like lights guiding my way back home. And they were gazing at me with such intensity I thought I was going to burst.
I put my hands on his face and moved some black hair from his face.
Dear Cheshire…He has always been my guardian…But now I think he’s more than that.

Cheshire held me as I cried. He never said a word of advice. He never said a word of encouragement. He just held me. And that was all he needed to do.

***
“Alice?” I heard Cheshire whisper my name.
“What?” I croaked. My throat was dry and it hurt, from last night.
I was lying in bed, still in my clothes, and Cheshire was beside me, his arms wrapped around me, my back turned to him.

I turned to face him, and we looked into each other eyes for a long time. He placed a gentle finger under my eyes and whispered,” You’re eyes don’t look bloodshot…”
I gave him a small smiled and kissed him on the cheek. I let my lips linger over his skin for a few seconds and I pulled away.
He was looking at me with a face that said ‘OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG’ and I almost laughed.
I stood up, which made the covers rustle, and stretched my arms. I was so sore!

“What do you want for breakfast?” I turned and scratched my eyes.
He looked at me; the sun was glowing through the window behind him, making him look like a dark angel, “No, thank you.”
I nodded and walked to the bathroom, which was in front of the bed.
I turned on the light and stared at myself in the mirror.
My hair looked like a nest! But Cheshire was right, my eyes looked all right. There was no sign that I cried almost all night. I was amazed!

After I brushed my hair and washed my teeth with the toothbrush Lissa bought before she got home last night, I went downstairs and saw Brianna eating noodles with sticks on the sofa while watching TV.

She saw me and said, mouth full of noodles,” Mornin! Want some Chinese food? It’s good!”
I laughed and said,” No thank you. Where’s Lissa?”
Brianna shrugged her shoulders in an indifferent gesture and kept watching TV and slurping her noodles.
I rolled my eyes and went to check her room. When I passed Brianna’s room I saw Rabbit coming out of a plain white door next to it.
I looked at him puzzled and asked,” Where did that door come from?”
“It’s always been there,” Rabbit smiled a little and patted my arm as he walked over to the kitchen.
I opened the door and saw a small guest room, kind of like mine. I closed it again and thought Alice, you need medication.

I was about to open Lissa’s door but she just came out. As always, her pencil was in her hair, but this time she was using it to place her crazy hair in a neat bun, but some hairs were falling over her face, but it actually looked nice.
Her shirt was sleeveless and light blue, and she had dark jeans and nice white sandals. She looked like if she were going to work.

She had her laptop in a dark blue bag over her shoulders.
“Hey, Alice,” she smiled.
“Hey Lissa. Hey, do you think I could go to work with you?” I asked. I really didn’t want to be home all day with these crazy people.
Cheshire suddenly appeared behind me and said,” No way!”
“I know why she’d rather come with me than stay here,” Lissa said and gave me a quick wink.

I heard Brianna coming in, still slurping her noodles loudly.
“Where’s she goin?” she asked.
“I want to go to work with Lissa,” I replied.
She snorted and said,” You do not, trust me. It is so boring!”
Lissa glared at her and said,” It is not! I love my job. Come on Alice; let’s get out of this Asylum. Maybe I can show you how people here live,” she glared at Brianna and took my arms.

Rabbit was eating Chinese takeout food, like Brianna, on the sofa. I waved good-bye at him and he blushed. He was so cute when he blushed!
I went to say bye to Cheshire, but he was glaring at me.
“What are you glaring at?” I asked him coldly and stomped out the door.
He can never leave me alone can he? He just always has to be there and say stupid riddles! And he never answers my questions! Stupid cat…

Lissa locked the door, but I could still hear Brianna’s giggle as she said
“We’re gonna have so much fun! Let me get my camera!”
“In all my lives, I’ve never seen a woman that crazy,” Cheshire muttered and I started giggling uncontrollably. Even if I didn’t say it, I already forgave Cheshire.

Lissa and I started to walk across the fancy hallway, and we went in the little mirror room again.
“I hate this room,” I muttered as we walked in.
“Why?” Lissa asked smiling and pushed a button, making it shine.
“This is why,” I clenched my teeth as the doors closed, and pretty soon, I felt the falling sensation.

When I heard the familiar Ding! I exhaled in relief. Lissa started to laugh as she walked out.
“It’s just an elevator, Alice. It’s the same as stairs except better, because it takes you to the floor you want to go instead of you having to climb,” Lissa explained as we walked. She was still smiling.

Edward opened the door for us again and smiled happily at Lissa. His beautiful sea eyes seemed to glow when he saw her. I never noticed he had adorable boyish black hair. And he also had a boyish smile. I liked Edward. He seemed like a real gentleman and kind. He also seemed very clever and likeable.
He seemed like a very nice boyish man, but his broad chest made me think that people don’t like to mess with him much.

“Hello Lissa. You look stunning today. Just going to work?” his eyes were warm as he looked at her.
“Yes, just going to work, and thank you. I wish I could say the same, but you always wear the same thing,” Lissa laughed and I noticed she had a light blush on her cheeks.
Edward laughed merrily and then suddenly looked really shy.
“Hey…Are you doing anything tonight?” he was looking at her like a hopeful 5 year-old that wants to go to the pool. Lissa seemed to love it because her big eyes went soft.
“I…no. Would you like to go to my place for dinner? I can get rid of everyone,” Lissa said excitedly and smiled at him.
I thought Edward was going to scream, but instead he answered,” Yeah! Why not! I can’t wait. How about I show up at your place at 8?”
Lissa looked like if she was going to have a nervous attack but she got a confident look on her face and winked flirtatiously at him and said,” Make that seven.” Then she walked away.

I waved good-bye at Edward hastily (Brianna told me to stop curtsying at people because it “freaks them out”) and tried to catch up to Lissa. I turned and looked at his expression and almost laughed out loud. He had a huge grin, and his cheeks were as red as tomatoes fresh from harvest.
“Lissa, wait for me!” I shouted and bumped into people.
She stopped and looked behind to see me.
I was gasping for air when she said,” Oh my, I’m sorry. I was so nervous! Did I sound desperate? Should I go back? I bet he thinks I’m an idiot!” she was waving her hands around as she talked, and her eyes darted everywhere in panic, causing her bun to move.
“It’s all right, Lissa. I saw his face when I was catching up to you, and he was very happy. Don’t move so much or you’ll undo your bun,” I said with a smile and grabbed her arm to start walking.
Lissa smiled in relief and blushed.
But her happy expression changed into worry in a heartbeat.
“Oh my gosh! Alice, I’m so sorry! I was so caught up in the moment that I told him I could make you go away! Should I cancel with him?”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure Brianna knows somewhere to go, or maybe even Cheshire. I hope all goes well with Edward. He seems very kind,” I smiled and nodded in encouragement.
Lissa gave me an excited happy smile and started to walk in a faster pace, making her laptop hit her leg continuously.

People all around me were buzzing and talking to small boxes on their ears.
“Lissa, quite clearly I need some kind of tutoring about this place.”
“IT’s all right. That’s actually a good idea. Let’s start with transportation.”

For a while Lissa explained about all the “cars” and “subways”. It’s all a bit confusing, in fact it didn’t make any since, but I’ll have to cope with it. She started to talk about people called “celebrities” and she said scandalous rumors about them (which was my favorite part). I don’t understand why a small curtsy could scare someone compared to what Lissa has told me!

By the time Lissa announced our arrival, my head was spinning with names of artists and mobile devices. I stopped and looked up to the sky. I felt so unbelievably small when I saw the peaks of all those tall buildings above me. They looked like out stretched arms, yearning to reach beyond the sky and into the stars.
“Alice, are you all right?”
I snapped by head back and said,” Yes, I’m all right. These buildings are so tall.”
“Yeah, they make you feel so small don’t they?” she gave me a small smile and grabbed my arm.

Lissa walked ahead and pushed opened a glass door. I walked inside the office.
“I thought magazine offices were supposed to be crowded.”
Lissa laughed and said,” Well, today there was a meeting, but it wasn’t necessary for me to go. So, there is peace and quiet, thank the lord.”

We walked past the receptionist, and in to another elevator (which I was not happy about). During our little walk, Lissa said hello to the few people that were there and introduced me. It seemed like if everyone in the building was very nice.

As we got closer to her office I smelled a horrible stench. It was the kind of smell that reaches your stomach and makes it do a flip. And it seemed terribly familiar.
“Lissa, something’s wrong.”
If she heard me, she ignored me, because she opened her office door anyway, unleashing the powerful smell.
Lissa’s voice was muffled because her hand was over her nose and mouth,
“Oh god, what is that smell?” she turned on a switch and screamed.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but her scream seemed to make the ground under me shake. It was the sound of pure horror.

I grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face me. Her face was whiter than a ghost, and her eyes were getting glassy. Suddenly her eyes rolled upwards, and I almost fell because of her weight on me.
It was impossible that no one heard her scream, but no one was coming for help.
Her body was still warm against mine, and her breath still audible. She must’ve fainted. I sat her down on the floor, her back being supported by her office’s wall, and placed her laptop beside her. Afterwards, I went inside her office to look at what had caused her to scream.

And there it was. The entire floor of the office was covered in papers and blood, and the file organizers were opened, and stained. But the main attraction was the head of a man on Lissa’s desk. Yes, you heard me correctly; just the head.
I walked in the room, stepping on papers and blood as I walked, and noticed that

Lissa’s desk was completely tidy. Its papers were arranged in a neat pile, and her pencils were in a pencil holder on the corner. There wasn’t even any blood smears on the desk. It was just the head of a man, his eyes still opened in horror, but looking at nothing, and his mouth opened in a silent cry of unbearable pain. Wait a minute…Beside the head was a single white rose, with one drop of blood on the petal. It was some kind of signature. The murderer knew Lissa would find it here, so he must be after her.

I walked closer and reached out my hand to touch the stem of the rose.
“Oh, how lovely! I’ve always had a fancy for flowers with thorns.” I whirled around and saw the figure of a man, casually lying on the window pane. He stood up and kind of walked towards me gracefully, which kind of seemed like if he were dancing instead of walking, with his cane.

He had black combat boots and very tight black leather pants with a skull belt. His white shirt was stained with tea, which made it look gray. I could barely see the shirt though, because on top of the shirt he had a dark green cloak, which fit him too tightly, and looked more like a knee-length jacket.
What really made me recognize him was the black and white hat he always wore on top of his head.

This can’t be the Mad Hatter. He looked twenty years old! The last time I saw him he looks sixty! And when I was insane he looked sickly. This man looked skinny and pale, but he looked much younger and healthier.

He took off his hat, and bowed politely. His hair was jet black and a little long with blond highlights. He stood straight once more, and looked at me with those same, crazy, deep brown eyes I can’t seem to forget.
“It is so good to see you again, Alice!” he said in a British accent and smiled happily.
“Well, it seems like if someone made a terrible mess!” I could just stare at him as he gazed at the head with an expression of annoyance.

Suddenly, he looked at me with a crazy grin and said,
“Would you like some tea?”