WONDERLAND ✯ Louis Partridge

3 | For Prophecies And Lies

Y/N

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WONDERLAND WAS A STRANGE PLACE.

It was like a place sprouted from the deepest part of your imagination, resembling something out of a childhood fever dream. Flowers were growing upside-down, trees were sprouting leaves of different colors, and the sounds of wildlife echoing through the forest brought an unfamiliar nostalgic feel to my heart. I had never been here before, yet it seemed strangely familiar in a unique way.

But in the end, I suppose it's uniqueness was what made it wonderful.

"Come on," Louis said, grabbing my hand again, "I need you to meet some people."

More people?

Meeting him was odd enough, and I wasn't sure what else I'd encounter from here forth. Not like it mattered anyways, I was already being dragged through the forest like a cart on wheels.

I didn't say anything, letting the boy pull me along through a dirt path, pointing out various things we saw along the way. A dragonfly in the shape of a rocking horse, an apple tree growing both peaches and bananas, and other strange things that couldn't possibly exist in the real world.

Soon we came to a clearing, stumbling upon a tall, red mushroom in the center of the space.

"Well, if it isn't the Mad Hatter," a voice said, nearly sending my soul into orbit, "back from your mysterious errand, are we?"

Louis and I both whipped our heads towards the left, where two identical figures came emerging from the shadowy darkness of the trees. Once they came into the light, I took notice of their dark red-hair, matching clothes, and arms linked together.

They were twins.

"James," Louis scoffed, narrowing his eyes before addressing the other, "Oliver."

The one I now knew to be James, let go of his brother's arm, approaching the boy next to me with beady eyes. It was clear they didn't like each other, so I took a step back to melt into the background—I would rather not get involved in their little argument.

"I'm surprised you're not obsessing over your little tea sets," James smirked, poking at the brunet, "isn't it tea time for you and your little friends?'

Louis scoffed, "It's always tea time."

"Then where's your tea?"

What kind of argument was this?

I ignored my rhetorical question, watching as the boy took off his top hat, reaching his hand inside to find whatever he was looking for. A few moments later, he pulled out a small, mahogany box, with the word Spillings carved into the lid.

He shot the two twins a sassy expression, "here's my tea. Happy now?"

Oliver opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the sound of a low yawn erupting from above the four of us. I looked up, noticing the Mushroom had somehow shrunk in size. What used to be towering over us, was now no more than the size of a bed.

And then I noticed a man sitting cross-legged over the side of the fungus, blowing smoke through a pipe, and reclining back with his right hand. 

"You are all such children," he snapped, glaring at all of us beneath him, "and bad hosts. You've neglected to introduce the stranger."

The stranger?

Oh, right. Me.

They all turned to look in my direction, and I noticed Louis' eyes widen in realization. His face read: oh, right, yes, sorry, I forgot to introduce you. And I wasn't sure why, but that made me a little more disappointed than annoyed. Did he forget I was there?