Door to Darkness

She stood now within a dark alleyway. There was no recollection of how she had ended up there, but at least she could remember the strange man and his piano.

A thick fog swirled about her feet, but did not rise any further. This drew her attention to the fact that a long, billowing skirt covered her feet. Was she wearing a ball gown? The dress seemed dark in colour, but save for a dim light coming from one end of the alley, she didn't have enough light to tell.

Gathering her skirts Alice wandered toward the dim lighting. What could be there? she thought, glancing behind herself only once to look at the looming, swirling darkness she was abandoning. She was glad at least that she wasn't being made to wander over there.

As she neared the source of the light, the faint sound of music met her ears. The music sounded like a waltz. A smile found its way to her lips and she stopped before an open doorway.

The music was loud and beautiful, and the room she peered into was fairly brightly lit. A crowd of people surrounded several couples who were dancing, and a single man sat in a throne watching them; they all wore masks.

She found herself inching closer to the wonderful sight. Distracted by the dancing people, Alice failed to notice the floor of the doorway was slightly raised; she stumbled into the room.

The music stopped and everyone turned to look at her. Scrambling to her feet, she looked around the room in a wide-eyed panic.

"It is quite all right," the man seated on the throne called out. Everyone in the room watched him stand and make his way over to Alice. "I know this woman, so you need not be alarmed."

Alice felt as if she knew him as well, but she did not know how. Music filled the room once more as the man held his hand out to her.

"May I have this dance?" his voice was soft.

Alice nodded and placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her out to the center of the room. She admired the way his mask resembled a rabbit's head as they danced. Wait, hadn't she felt as if she knew him somehow?

She reached out to pull his mask off, noticing that the hair curling out from under it was hot pink. Before she could even touch the mask, his fingers curled tightly around her hand.

"I am disappointed in you, Alice," he clucked his tongue. He began to spin her around even quicker than before.

"How do you know my name?" she asked. He simply smiled, and spun her around even faster. "Answer me."

But he refused to answer, and her heart pounded painfully in her chest as the speed at which he was spinning her continued to increase. She wanted to ask him to stop, but she was breathless from keeping herself from stumbling.

"You really shouldn't have asked," the other people in the room chanted. They surrounded the pair with eager looks plastered on their faces. Fangs slipped past their lips, and Alice's eyes widened in terror. She would have screamed if she had the air to.

"Bon appétit," the man said, and he thrust her toward the drooling crowd.

Alice bolted upright in her bed, gripping the blankets tightly as she panted. She glanced quickly about to find that she was no longer in the ballroom. A dream? The darkness of the room brought a strange comfort to her, though it was short-lived.

She wished it had all been a dream, that she would have woken to remember who she was. To be in bed back at whatever home she might have had; that would truly be bliss! Sighing at the hopelessness of the wish, she allowed herself to fall back asleep.

The next time she awoke, sunlight was streaming in through the window. Her surroundings were fairly quiet; she had expected there to at least be the sound of birds chirping.

A content sigh left her lips as she got out of bed and her feet met the cold floor of the room. It was a great feeling, though she had no idea why.

Her gaze then traveled over to the dresser across from her. Would there actually be clothes stored in there, and would they even fit her? She would just have to wander over and see.

Upon pulling open the top drawer, she found a single, carefully folded gown. It definitely was different compared to her t-shirt and jeans that were laid on the floor. Each drawer revealed the same, save for the last which was filled with undergarments. Was that really all she had to dress herself with? She made up her mind and changed back into her dirty clothes.

There was a knock at the door as soon as she was finished getting dressed. Finnian stepped in soon after, and eyed her up and down.

"Were the dresses not to your liking?" he raised a brow at her. "You're wearing your strange, dirty clothes."

"I... just don't feel comfortable wearing a dress right now," Alice said.

"Suit yourself." Finnian shrugged and held his arm out to her. "Come, I must give you a tour of this grand place."

She eyed his arm warily. What if she were to upset him again?

"Come now; it is nearly noon," he sighed and placed her hand in the bend of his elbow.

Alice let him lead her out of the room and down the hall. It might have been her imagination, but the hallway seemed wider that day.

"Now, you might acquire quite a few odd glances, but that is simply because of how you are dressed. Not only is the style something my subjects and I have never seen, but you are wearing trousers!" The way he said the word made Alice feel uncomfortable with her choice of clothing. Was it really that strange for her to be wearing pants?

They passed through another door, stepping out into what appeared to be a very well-kept garden. There were a few ladies toward the left who covered their mouths and giggled when they saw the two. Alice's cheeks felt very warm.

"Perhaps tomorrow you will feel differently about your choice in apparel," Finnian said. The words offered her no comfort.

The next hallway they wandered along was long and narrow, with mirrors lining the walls on either side of the two. She felt so out of place walking next to him. Her jeans and shirt seemed to be of another time period altogether. At least she could remember that where she came from it was normal for women to wear pants.

"Where are we going?" she asked. Once again the disturbing smile crept onto his lips; she thought that perhaps he shouldn't smile at all.

"There is someone that I would like for you to meet," he said. Alice nodded and decided that his answer would have to do.

Finally at the end of the hall of mirrors was a rather large, old wooden door. There were more carvings of angels on it than there were on the door from the field, and this one had a large ring for a handle. Finnian's gloved hand grasped the ring gently.

"I do hope you like him," he said. With that he allowed Alice to pull her hand away from his arm, and he tugged the door open.

Each room of the palace- that was what Alice was now assuming it was- was extraordinary (except of course her plain bedroom). She slowly felt herself growing more excited to explore the rest of the building. The room they had just entered looked to be the ballroom from her nightmare, though it wasn't at all frightening now.

Several chandeliers hung from the ceiling, providing enough light for the room to be very bright on their own, but there were sconces lit along the walls as well. There were a few chairs and benches lined up against each wall. A small portion of the floor was raised, for which she imagined a band might be seated to play their music.

One of the walls for the room was made up of mostly windows and glass doors, just as it was in her dream. But there was no dark alley, only another well-kept garden.

Her attention was then drawn to a rather peculiar man, Finnian gesturing toward him. The man turned toward them. Atop his head were the ears of a hare, and Alice couldn't stop herself from rudely staring. He seemed tall; definitely taller than Alice, though not taller than Finnian. He wore dark slacks, and a deep blue-coloured vest over a white button-up shirt.

"Alice, this is Fenrir, my March Hare," Finnian grinned with pride.