Alice and the Looking Glass (Clockwork Wonderland Book 1)

In Which Alice Dreams and Wakes

Alice went straight to her room. How could she do anything else? Even if this was a fiction woven by her own troubled mind, she was stuck here for now. They felt she had some kind of power, but her only "power," if you could call skill and hard work that, was music, and somehow she doubted she'd subjugate an entire culture by playing the piano.

Which brought her to the most important point: where they were telling the truth? Who was to say these beings were malicious at all? What if fear of the unknown and the desire to control or squash it transcended dimensions? She'd need more than the convictions of Jack and Chester to justify hurting anyone. Maria seemed convinced of the danger, but as much as Alice liked her, she couldn't blithely trust her new friend. Perhaps Maria felt that way because of her upbringing and she'd never had the chance to learn otherwise?

Wrestling with the answers that led to more questions, the smells of baking and coffee wafted up from the cafe and soothed her battered nerves. In the tiny loft, comfortable and homey compared to the overbearing decor of her room in the row house, Alice slept.

Mist. Red mist. Swirling, clinging. It plucked at her sleeves and tugged at her skirts. Alice tried to move and felt as if she were walking in a swamp. Except, when she looked down at her feet, she saw only more of that damnable red.

"Alice?" a male voice, deep and smooth like liquid chocolate, called out across the expanse.

She wanted to answer, but could not. The same muck that bogged down her feet clogged her throat.

"Alice!" The voice sounded more urgent now. Unable to speak, Alice dragged her feet forward, struggling to pinpoint where he was.

At last, an agonizing coughing fit cleared her windpipe. "Hawk? Where are you? I can't see anything," she croaked.

But Hawk never answered and in that moment, she knew he was dead. Alice wandered, lost and weeping for hours, until exhaustion overtook her and she lay down on the shifting floor, never to wake again. Without him, how could they escape?

"Alice! Alice, honey, relax. It's ok."

Someone laid a hand against her forehead. Alice wailed and fought against the momentary pressure. She had to find him, get them both out of this nightmarish place. Wait-

"Maria?"

"Oh, thank the stars, you're awake. I feared you'd never stop screaming."

"I was-" she sat up, then paused as Maria shoved a glass of water into her hands, "I was screaming?"

"Loud enough for Mae to hear and rush to find me, yes. I think you were having the mother of all nightmares."

"It was awful! I was lost, it was all red and there was a man, he was calling for me, but he stopped, and then I just gave up...I knew he was dead. Why?"

Maria listened to the senseless ramble, rubbing a little circle on Alice's back. "Have you ever had a dream like that before?"

"No-" but something about that didn't ring true. While she couldn't describe any other dream about red mist and a hidden man, it felt familiar, like cliche de ja vu. And yet, could she trust anything she thought anymore? "I don't think so," she finished, hating how browbeaten she sounded.

"Well, I suggest you talk to the doctor about it, when he visits tomorrow."

"Doctor?"

Maria twitched her leg up and down. Was she uncomfortable? "Doctor White. He works for the Wonderland College of Natural Sciences. He will know how to help."

"Uhuh." The idea of a doctor coming anywhere near her did not sit well. What if they decided a little dissection would care of the magic on the other side of the wall? Before the last twenty-four hours, Alice would have laughed at the thought, but now it seemed like a real possibility. "Maria, do you know the doctor? What kind of medicine does he practice?"

As if afraid she might ask this question, Maria withdrew her hand, wrapping it in the other and folding them on her lap. She frowned. "He's not a medical doctor, per say. He's more of a scientist, Wonderland's foremost expert on the intersection of physics and magic." When she saw the alarm on Alice's face, she rushed on. "But he won't be performing any medical exams. Just asking questions!"

Alice wondered why Maria was so sure on that point, but let it slide.

"Why don't you try and get more sleep? Or, I can call Dr. White right away, if you'd prefer?"

On the one hand, sleep sounded glorious. On the other hand, sleep might mean more dreams. Besides, she'd ruminate on this new stranger in her life until she met him, so why not speed up the process?

"Yea, if he's able to come over today. Thanks."

Maria nodded, gave Alice a final pat on the back as she stood, and left the room.