Ray

Welcome to Wonderland

~*~ Warning: This chapter includes mild sex scenes - just a warning to my younger readers. I have chosen Wonder Woman by Sarah Leichtenberg for this chapter, please enjoy the song whilst you read. ~*~

Chapter 3

~*~

The little girl wakes up deep within the darkness. Her dull, golden eyes flutter open to look at the gleaming stars haunting the night sky. She instantly looks around for her parents, for her friends, for her cousin but none of them are with her. They've abandoned her. As the little girl looks down she's immediately drawn to her tattered clothing. Her pretty school uniform ruined, torn and ripped. She has multiple bruises invading her now white, pale skin. She can almost see the trace of snowflakes embedded onto her arms from the chill that's traveling up her spine. Her eyes feel heavy, exhausted and beaten.

As the little girl attempts to stand up, she can't help but feel a strange surge of power running through each fibre of her body. Creasing her tiny brows she stands, accidentally stepping in one of the damp puddles surrounding her. She immediately takes her wet foot out of the puddle as sparks of electricity sizzle through her fingernails. As she looks down at her soggy shoes, her emotions running raw. Feeling abandoned, lost and confused, the little girl looks up slowly, a slight demonic red glistening in the back of her eyes.

The alleyway suddenly comes into view, the dark brick walls dripping with water and stench. She has no idea where she is, or what she's doing here. The little girl shivers and starts to scream out but her voice is barely a whisper, her throat dry and empty. Tears cascade down her cheeks. Hot, painful tears that caress her brown freckles. Sobbing she drags her feet and walks out of the alleyway.

Teddy comes into view, his once brown, fluffy fur now soaked in dirt and mud. Footprints tattoo Teddy's head obstructing his once sparkling, black eyes. Those eyes that once held dreams and excitement. Now as the little girl looks into his eyes, all she can see is murder. The tears stop falling and she can no longer feel the wrath of cold air. The night doesn't scare her any longer as she stands, aiming for home. Her fingertips alight with hatred and her eyes red with revenge. She walks the streets, catching the eye of a few homeless men and women staying hidden in the shadows. No one attempts to help the young girl as she drags her battered Teddy behind her. Why isn't anyone searching for her?

When the little girl reaches home, she stands in the front garden. Weeds and ivory tickle her pale legs and the clear white fence surrounding her is budding with bright pink roses. The house looks completely normal. Smoke rises from the chimney and the old red tiles sit on the sloping roof. The lights are on in the kitchen, so the little girl walks toward the small joyful noise erupting from inside the house. As she reaches the ground floor window, the little girl peers in, placing Teddy on the window-sill next to her so he can peer in too. Her family sit around the dining table serving the usual Tuesday dinner. Stuffed yorkshire puddings, dripping with gravy and chicken. Her parents sit across from each other smiling and laughing. A figure sits in between them. Another little girl - a stranger - her eyes golden with hope and her flushed cheeks circle as she devours the plate in front of her.

The little girl has been replaced. They've replaced their own daughter with a stranger. A stranger that sits in the little girls seat. Eating with her own parents. A stranger that laughs and smiles with all the joy the little girl once held. As the pure anger rips through the little girls heart, the roses budding throughout the garden turn a dreary black, small beads of rain cover each petal as they grow large, dark thorns. Grabbing Teddy, the little girl looks at her reflection in the window. Deep red hair with dirt streaked through every strand and demonic red eyes that are surrounded by dark circles. Bruises cup each cheek and her clothes - torn to shreds. She no longer holds the innocence she once held.