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Off With Her Head
Follow the White Rabbit
"Alice! Where is that daughter of mine?" I hear mother say down the hallway. I walk out of my room and followed the bloody hollering of my mother.
"ALICE!"
"Yes, mother." She stomps toward me and stares me down.
"Where on earth have you been? I've been worried sick! You're supposed to be getting ready for your wedding! Everyone has been waiting! Come at once and get dressed. Emily will assist you." Mother walks out of the door and walks down the stairs. I could hear her telling the guests that she apologizes for my tardiness. I was in the garden, looking at all the roses. Mother kept complaining about how she wanted the gardeners to plant red roses instead of white. I personally like white roses better.
After Emily helps me into my dress. She leads me to the front door so I could walk down the isle.
"Nervous?" She looks at me with the most sympathetic facial expression. I nod my head. I was extremely nervous. I'm about to marry a man I don't love.
The giant doors open and reveals a courtyard full of people. Lords and Ladies staring at me, even Lord Dembrooke's parents. I take a very deep breath and walked down the isle.
I hear all the voices in the audience saying how beautiful I look in my wedding gown, how I look so radiant. Others said I look too thin or too pale, almost sickly looking.
I'm almost down the isle and my legs buckled and I fell to my knees. Mother only looked at me with embarrassment, others looked at me with worry. I pick myself up, dusted myself off, and ran.
I run into the garden and stop to catch my breath. I can't get married! I would rather die than be someone's "pretty little wife" and stay at home to take care of children while the husband would be off having affairs left and right. Its not fair! I want to escape!
I sit in the grass and start to cry. As soon as tears started to fall down my face, I feel something nudge my hand. I look down and it was a white rabbit. The rabbit nudged my hand again and started tugging on it. I follow the rabbit who hopped faster than lightening could hit the earth. I saw the rabbit go down his rabbit hole under a willow tree. I kneel down to look for the white rabbit and I feel some force push me and I fall into the hole.
I fell for what felt like a long time. I see a bunch of things that might have fell or was thrown into the rabbit hole like clocks, an old chair and... a piano?
I land on my back and could barely get up. My once pure white gown in now ruined and ripped. I take off my gloves and looked at my surroundings. Its a barley lit room. Every corner of the room had large mirrors. I hear the rabbit hop to my side.
"I'll show you which mirror to go through." I start shrieking.
"I must be out of my mind. You're a rabbit. You can't talk! Just calm down, Alice. Just calm yourself and think rationally. You fell down at the altar and you hit your head. Now you're dreaming. Simple as that. I'm going to lay down now and when I wake up, I'll be in my bed safe and sound." I lay down on the ground and closed my eyes. I open my eyes and I'm still in the same barely lit room with the rabbit just staring at me.
"My dear, you are one plum short of a fruit cake. If this was a dream, could I do this?" The rabbit then bit my on the finger. I gasp in pain. Wait... pain? I felt pain. I should be awake.
"Now that I have your attention, come with me to this mirror."
"You said you'd show me the mirror I have to go through. What exactly do you mean?"
"These mirrors are not ordinary mirrors, they are portals that take you to strange places. The one you have to go through leads to Wonderland."
"I've never heard of such a place. Where is it?"
"Its through the mirror! Do you have trouble with your hearing? Just go through the mirror and I promise that you will find the escape. Now go and as a warning, do not eat the mushrooms," the rabbit said as he pushed me through the mirror. I fell on my front and when I looked up, I saw a beautiful land with vibrant colors. The grass seemed greener and the sky was bluer. The flowers opened their petals and I hear singing coming from them. In all my life I've never seen something so breath taking.
"This way, there are a few people I want to introduce you to." I do what the rabbit says and followed behind him. We passed many different creatures like a giant blue caterpillar blowing smoke in my face, I cat who can appear and disappear in the blink of an eye and so many others.
I smell tea brewing and I see a large table with only two people.
"Everyone, I brought someone to join your teat party. Uh... whats your name dear?"
"Alice. My name is Alice." I stare at the man with jaw length hair and a top hat who just stared back at me.
"Well Alice, this is the March Hare," he said pointing to the jittery hare who didn't say a word, just drank his tea in silence. I waved to say hello.
"And this is the Mad Hatter." The mad hatter stood up to shake my hand and gave me a smile. I feel my cheeks getting hot a red. I took my hand back and stared at the ground.
"Why is her dress ruined," said the March Hare.
"I fell down a rabbit hole. I hated this dress anyway."
"Why did you hate it," asked the Mad Hatter.
"This dress was for my wedding, but I don't want to get married and so I hate this dress." The hatter just looked hurt when I said that this dress was to be my wedding gown. I started to feel really terrible for mentioning it.
"Sit down, Alice. Have some tea." I do as I'm told and poured a cup of tea and took a few sips. I noticed that everyone was staring at me.
"What? Is something wrong?
"Your hair changed color. Its blue.
"Oh, that tea changes hair color. If you keep drinking that tea, it becomes permanent...."
"Not to mention it changes the color of your skin," the hare said while they all laughed. I put the cup of tea down and sat in silence.
"I must be dreaming. I need to wake up. I'm just dreaming. I need to wake up."
"Don't be upset just because your hair turned blue. It looks positively, undeniably, and undoubtedly wonderful," said the Hare.
I began to weep. I've finally gone mad, my mother finally drove me bonkers! What is wrong with me? I just want to flee!
As my mind continues to swarm with dreadful thoughts and buzz with horrific images of the madhouse, I began to take shallow breaths and I feel like my corset is getting tighter and tighter around my abdomen. The Hare laughs, but Hatter actually looks concerned.
"What's wrong, Alice? You hair doesn't look horrible."
"Its not the hair. I just think I'm going crazy and I'll end up in the asylum. I know thats what my mother will do when I return."
"Then, don't go back. You can stay here with us. We'd love to have new heads at our table. Isn't that right, Mr. Tortoise?" He asked turning his head to what looks like a homemade stuffed animal, made to look like a bear or badger. I can't really tell the difference with more tears swelling in my eyes.
I felt hatter's hand pat my shoulder in attempt to comfort me, but it didn't do much good. I've come to the realization that this "Wonderland" might be a real place and that I can never go home. My mother will disown me or she'll force me to marry again. I can't take being treated like her dog that she can command!
"You know what, I'd love to stay. I never want to go home!"
"ALICE!"
"Yes, mother." She stomps toward me and stares me down.
"Where on earth have you been? I've been worried sick! You're supposed to be getting ready for your wedding! Everyone has been waiting! Come at once and get dressed. Emily will assist you." Mother walks out of the door and walks down the stairs. I could hear her telling the guests that she apologizes for my tardiness. I was in the garden, looking at all the roses. Mother kept complaining about how she wanted the gardeners to plant red roses instead of white. I personally like white roses better.
After Emily helps me into my dress. She leads me to the front door so I could walk down the isle.
"Nervous?" She looks at me with the most sympathetic facial expression. I nod my head. I was extremely nervous. I'm about to marry a man I don't love.
The giant doors open and reveals a courtyard full of people. Lords and Ladies staring at me, even Lord Dembrooke's parents. I take a very deep breath and walked down the isle.
I hear all the voices in the audience saying how beautiful I look in my wedding gown, how I look so radiant. Others said I look too thin or too pale, almost sickly looking.
I'm almost down the isle and my legs buckled and I fell to my knees. Mother only looked at me with embarrassment, others looked at me with worry. I pick myself up, dusted myself off, and ran.
I run into the garden and stop to catch my breath. I can't get married! I would rather die than be someone's "pretty little wife" and stay at home to take care of children while the husband would be off having affairs left and right. Its not fair! I want to escape!
I sit in the grass and start to cry. As soon as tears started to fall down my face, I feel something nudge my hand. I look down and it was a white rabbit. The rabbit nudged my hand again and started tugging on it. I follow the rabbit who hopped faster than lightening could hit the earth. I saw the rabbit go down his rabbit hole under a willow tree. I kneel down to look for the white rabbit and I feel some force push me and I fall into the hole.
I fell for what felt like a long time. I see a bunch of things that might have fell or was thrown into the rabbit hole like clocks, an old chair and... a piano?
I land on my back and could barely get up. My once pure white gown in now ruined and ripped. I take off my gloves and looked at my surroundings. Its a barley lit room. Every corner of the room had large mirrors. I hear the rabbit hop to my side.
"I'll show you which mirror to go through." I start shrieking.
"I must be out of my mind. You're a rabbit. You can't talk! Just calm down, Alice. Just calm yourself and think rationally. You fell down at the altar and you hit your head. Now you're dreaming. Simple as that. I'm going to lay down now and when I wake up, I'll be in my bed safe and sound." I lay down on the ground and closed my eyes. I open my eyes and I'm still in the same barely lit room with the rabbit just staring at me.
"My dear, you are one plum short of a fruit cake. If this was a dream, could I do this?" The rabbit then bit my on the finger. I gasp in pain. Wait... pain? I felt pain. I should be awake.
"Now that I have your attention, come with me to this mirror."
"You said you'd show me the mirror I have to go through. What exactly do you mean?"
"These mirrors are not ordinary mirrors, they are portals that take you to strange places. The one you have to go through leads to Wonderland."
"I've never heard of such a place. Where is it?"
"Its through the mirror! Do you have trouble with your hearing? Just go through the mirror and I promise that you will find the escape. Now go and as a warning, do not eat the mushrooms," the rabbit said as he pushed me through the mirror. I fell on my front and when I looked up, I saw a beautiful land with vibrant colors. The grass seemed greener and the sky was bluer. The flowers opened their petals and I hear singing coming from them. In all my life I've never seen something so breath taking.
"This way, there are a few people I want to introduce you to." I do what the rabbit says and followed behind him. We passed many different creatures like a giant blue caterpillar blowing smoke in my face, I cat who can appear and disappear in the blink of an eye and so many others.
I smell tea brewing and I see a large table with only two people.
"Everyone, I brought someone to join your teat party. Uh... whats your name dear?"
"Alice. My name is Alice." I stare at the man with jaw length hair and a top hat who just stared back at me.
"Well Alice, this is the March Hare," he said pointing to the jittery hare who didn't say a word, just drank his tea in silence. I waved to say hello.
"And this is the Mad Hatter." The mad hatter stood up to shake my hand and gave me a smile. I feel my cheeks getting hot a red. I took my hand back and stared at the ground.
"Why is her dress ruined," said the March Hare.
"I fell down a rabbit hole. I hated this dress anyway."
"Why did you hate it," asked the Mad Hatter.
"This dress was for my wedding, but I don't want to get married and so I hate this dress." The hatter just looked hurt when I said that this dress was to be my wedding gown. I started to feel really terrible for mentioning it.
"Sit down, Alice. Have some tea." I do as I'm told and poured a cup of tea and took a few sips. I noticed that everyone was staring at me.
"What? Is something wrong?
"Your hair changed color. Its blue.
"Oh, that tea changes hair color. If you keep drinking that tea, it becomes permanent...."
"Not to mention it changes the color of your skin," the hare said while they all laughed. I put the cup of tea down and sat in silence.
"I must be dreaming. I need to wake up. I'm just dreaming. I need to wake up."
"Don't be upset just because your hair turned blue. It looks positively, undeniably, and undoubtedly wonderful," said the Hare.
I began to weep. I've finally gone mad, my mother finally drove me bonkers! What is wrong with me? I just want to flee!
As my mind continues to swarm with dreadful thoughts and buzz with horrific images of the madhouse, I began to take shallow breaths and I feel like my corset is getting tighter and tighter around my abdomen. The Hare laughs, but Hatter actually looks concerned.
"What's wrong, Alice? You hair doesn't look horrible."
"Its not the hair. I just think I'm going crazy and I'll end up in the asylum. I know thats what my mother will do when I return."
"Then, don't go back. You can stay here with us. We'd love to have new heads at our table. Isn't that right, Mr. Tortoise?" He asked turning his head to what looks like a homemade stuffed animal, made to look like a bear or badger. I can't really tell the difference with more tears swelling in my eyes.
I felt hatter's hand pat my shoulder in attempt to comfort me, but it didn't do much good. I've come to the realization that this "Wonderland" might be a real place and that I can never go home. My mother will disown me or she'll force me to marry again. I can't take being treated like her dog that she can command!
"You know what, I'd love to stay. I never want to go home!"
♠ ♠ ♠
Hope you enjoyed this new chapter. As you figured out, this is a memory from Annaline's past life or something like that.