A Never Ending Wonderland

                Alice stood in the doorway to her bedroom, he was there again in the far corner of the room. She couldn't see him but she felt his presences in there, she knew he wanted something from her but she couldn't figure it out. She always knew that he would be back, he said so himself the first time they had met. She still remembers that day as if it just happened yesterday, it was her 7th birthday. All her family and friends where there to celebrate with her. Her presents where on the table by the stairs that led up the back porch, where her mother and father stood watching her with huge smiles spread across their faces. Alice's older sister was sitting in the chair at the table on the makeshift tile floor they put down outdoors watching her closely, her sister had this puzzled worried look on her face, but Alice was too young to understand. The music played softly in the background of the children laughing and playing. Alice's father looked from her to her sister, they both knew he was coming, he needed her.

                A calm breeze blew causing Alice’s hair to cover her face, once it stopped she brushed the strands from her eyes and there he was at the edge of the field by the garden bushes. His bushy tail was shaking behind him as he stood on his back feet looking at her. He wore a dark navy blue coat with silver buttons and held a golden pocket watch in his pure white paw. There was something about his demeanor that made her walk towards him, he beckoned her closer, which each step she took, he would back away. Next thing she knew she was at the trunk of a huge oak tree with four large scratches in the bark and the white rabbit was gone. At the base of the tree was a large rabbit hole, she inched closer and looked down it into the deep darkness, then she slipped, or so she thought... and down the rabbit hole she fell.

                Alice screamed in terror for her mother and father, but no one came to her cries. As she fell into the darkness for what seemed like hours, Alice’s tried her hardest to grab hold of the roots so she could climb out of the rabbit hole, but with every grip, the root snapped from the earth’s surface sending more fear through Alice's mind. Soon Alice saw a glowing light beneath her getting closer, it was lighting up the entire rabbit hole now. Within minutes Alice hit the end of the rabbit hole, splashing into the water at the bottom. Alice gasped for air while she swam over o the rabbit hole wall, she grabbed onto the roots and climbed up the wall, but as soon as she was few feet up, the roots snapped and she was falling back into the water.

                The rabbit sighed at the sight of Alice struggling as he pulls out his pocket watch, "She's not ready Hatter. We have to wait more years, she's too young for all this. Just look at her she's terrified.

 

"Fine, make her drink this..." he said handing him the bottle. "It'll make her fall asleep long enough for us to return to her world."

 

                The white rabbit nodded and took the bottle walking to the edge of the water. He stomped his foot on the dirt which echoed in the tunnel, Alice turned to see where the noise was coming from, and there he stood, the white rabbit. She swam over to him and he helped her out of the water.

 

"Alice, my name is Calsipher. I'm going to send you home. But on your 18th birthday I'll be back, you'll come with me to the rabbit hole." He said.

"I won't. You'll send me home and leave me alone." she yelled.

"Now, now my child. I will be back for you.  Now drink this, it will send you home." He responded handing her the jar.

 

                Alice stared at the bottle scared, but the look on the rabbit’s face scared her more, so she opened it and drank it, but soon the world around her began spinning and fell fast asleep...

                Alice awoke a few hours later in the garden by the water fountain on the bench, it was nearly dark outside and the garden worried Alice around the sun went down. She stood up and there she saw a small teddy bear underneath the bench with a piece of paper folded up on its lap. She carefully picked up the teddy bear and read the words printed beautifully on the piece of paper, "Happy Birthday Alice, I'll see you on your 18th birthday. Signed, Calsipher, the White Rabbit." She folded the piece of paper and held the teddy bear tightly to her chest and got up quietly. In the distance her mother was shouting her name, so Alice hurried from the garden, when she reached the yard’s edge, everyone was still there and the presents were neatly stacked on the table. She walked towards the crowd when her sister stopped her and grabbed her hand leading her to her mother and father.

 

"Alice! Where have you been!? We were worried sick." Alice's mother said frantic.

"I'm sorry mama and papa... I was playing in the garden…" She answered looking down hugging the teddy bear tightly.

Alice's father looked at the teddy bear in her arms. "Where did you get that teddy bear Alice?" He asked calmly.

"I found him in the garden by the water fountain papa... can I keep him...?" She answered softly.

"Yes you can keep him, now let’s go, it's time to open your presents." He said while he took Alice's hand and led her towards the table with the presents stacked neatly. He knew she didn’t find that teddy bear.