WONDERLAND

Chapter 1

If there is one thing I hate in this world, it's my brother.

"You said you'd leave it for me!" I yell at him, but he is calmly keeping his eyes on the computer.

"Stop making such a big deal out of small things," he says, wanting me to leave him alone so he can play his stupid video games.

"But I wanted that cake!" I'm still angry. He ate my leftover birthday cake, when we agreed that I could eat it not him.

Honestly, I'm not even that mad because he ate the cake, I'm mad because he broke his promise. Again.

I know it's not the biggest deal in the world, but Henry is making this my last straw. He has been acting horrible lately, and we haven't been getting along. He just agitates me so much.

"Oh, grow up," he rolls his eyes.

"Says the guy who is 24 and still living in his Mum's house playing video games all day!" I attack him with the words. "You betrayed me. I'm dissapointed in you."

"Like I care," is all that he says, his fingers on the keyboard pressing the arrows. I have no idea what game he's playing, but it looks kinda cool, if I'm being honest. His character is moving around in some kind of a forest with glowing mushrooms and glowing flying bugs.

I walk out of his room, but before I can slam the door, I hear Henry say, "You shouldn't eat that much cake anyway, you're fat enough already."

I roll my eyes. There's no point in taking his insults to the heart, because well, he's an idiot. And a loser. And he's not that fit either. I mean, he is not fat, but he does not work out and sits behind the computer most of the time. But all the junk food he eats never seems to affect him. I honestly wish that was the case with me, because I'm on the chubbier side. But I'm still healthy. I think.

"Mum, Henry is being a dick. I'm going on a walk," I say to a woman sitting on our dark green couch, her eyes on some magazine.

"Don't say that about your brother," Mum says, but doesn't look at me. I stay quiet and then I'm out the door, grabbing my phone and keys. I don't know where I'm going, but I honestly can't stay in that house a second longer.

I could go to Fie's place, but she's most likely hanging out with her new boyfriend and I definitely don't want to interrupt their "hanging out".

I did say to Mum that I'm going on a walk, but I get in my car and just start driving. Occasionally, I look out the side window, seeing the houses and the streets I've seen hundreds of times and I wonder does it ever get better for me. I'm only 20, and I'm so tired of this routine and monotone life. I told myself this summer is going to change it all, but so far, it's gotten even worse. All I want to do is finish university and then move far away from me. Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but my brother is really keeping me on my toes 24/7. And I hate this town. I can't wait to get out of here.

I thought about cutting my hair before autumn. But then I decided I don't want to. I like my hair, I like the blonde and long strands hanging from my scalp. I would've done it just for the change, but it's not worth it.

I drive about 15 minutes and I'm at the edge of the town. And then I know where I want to go. I drive for 10 minutes away from the town, the highway only having few cars passing me by.

I turn to an isolated forest road and drive straight for a pretty long time. And then I decide to stop. As I step out of the car, I'm hit with a fresh forest smell, the aroma filling my lungs. I hear the birds singing, but besides that, it's silet. I love it.

Honestly, I can't remember the last time I was in a forest. Maybe when me and Fie decided to go hiking when we were 12. It didn't end well, because we somehow got lost, but of course we had our phones to call for help. When my Mum came to pick us up it turned out we were only a few hundred meters away from the highway.

I walk slowly even more straight ahead, observing my surroundings, but then something shifts below my feet. The air feels colder and I'm greeted by a wind, my golden hair flying in the air. I feel like I'm going to pass out, everything is spinning and my breathing is limited.

And then it stops.

There are no birds singing anymore. The leaves on the trees are not green but brown. The road at my feet is not smooth and sandy as it was before, but it's gravel. The air is also colder and the sun is no longer shining. It's cloudy and gray. I'm confused. It was just summer, but now it feels like it's already autumn.

I gasp the air. I can atleast breathe again.

Am I okay? Am I going crazy?

I walk forward. There is no way this is real. Maybe I'm having a dream...? I need to find out.

Suddenly, the forest ends. I look back and I don't see my car, but it's probably because I walked so far away from it.

The gravel road turns into cobblestone and I'm even more confused. And then I start to see buildings. Did I come across some village? Maybe even a town?

I try to find my phone in my pocket, but they're empty, besides my keys. I can't remember if I took my phone when I stepped out of the car, so I'm not that worried. I hope I just forgot it.

I start walking towards the houses. There are tall gates on the stone path, between two houses. On the gates, I read,

WELCOME TO WONDERLAND