Alice's plan to overthrow the Queen of Hearts is thwarted by a dashing pirate with a hook. Years later, after the curse is broken, they reunite once again.
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slowly editing! You'll see at the end of each chapter if th...
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Storybrook: Present
Twenty eight years. That's how long I've been locked up in this damn cell. Twenty eight years of counting every day and every 365th day I carve a small tally on my forearm. Twenty eight tiny scars to count every day.
When I first arrived they had given me a set of clothes. A navy blue crewneck sweater that over the years has become too small from malnutrition, along with a matching pair of sweatpants and slip on shoes.
In the mornings they sometimes give us breakfast, but more than often they don't. I stare at the barred window that were made cruelly, just high enough that I can't see out of it. I stare until the sun is at full power and then usually the food comes. It always comes on a metal tray that I'm pretty sure they make too hot on purpose so we have to wait.
So I do, three minutes and then eat whatever oatmeal they give me and then wait even more. Once a day the doors open and we have five minutes to get to the showers and wash ourselves. That's where I'd met her.
Her name is Lacey. She has long brown hair and full, round cheeks despite the lack of nourishment. Her cell is right next to mine and we talk a lot. She thinks I'm crazy and to be fair, I probably am.
My official diagnosis is schizophrenia that's turned into a psychosis. I don't feel crazy. In fact, most days I feel like the only sane person in this place. I told them the truth, that we're all trapped in this god forsaken town because The Evil Queen cast a curse that would make us all forget who we are. I never forgot. I wish I could. Okay maybe I am crazy.
The doctors believe that I believe I'm from a story called Alice in Wonderland. They even let me read it, thinking it would help me realize. And they were right, despite me having no memory of ever reading Alice in Wonderland, I must have. I must have read it and for some reason believed I was her.
But that doesn't explain time. I've been counting. Always counting. How is it that I've been here for so long without aging a day? Am I really so crazy that I believe I've been here for almost three decades when it's only been a year or so? Or am I really old and am just so crazy that I believe I'm still young? Both options are... disconcerting.
Regardless, me and Lacey still talk. She often tells me that I seem so normal for a crazy person. I always laugh and tell her I think the same thing about her. I always ask her why she's here, but she just tells me that she doesn't belong here. I don't know if I believe her.
"How long?" I hear Lacey croak out softly, her voice echoing into my cell.
"The suns been up for awhile, so sometime in the afternoon." I say back in a monotone voice.
"No, I mean- I was talking about how long have we been here?" She asks and I wonder how long she thinks we've been here? I wonder what the sunlight feels like on my skin.
"You'd never believe me." I say with an amused laugh. I hear her chuckle. It feels good to laugh, even if the laughter is at my expense.
Just as I'm about to crack another joke the door to my cell swings open and I immediately stand up. I back myself to the wall farthest from the door. In the twenty eight years since living here, that door only opens once a day to let us shower. We've already done that.
I feel my heart drop down to my stomach at the sight of the man in the doorway. I cover my face with my hands and slide down the wall. Despite having a diagnoses of schizophrenia, I've never had hallucinations before. But I saw him, I know I did. Jefferson. A man who I've been told doesn't exist.
"Alice?" He says, voice hesitant. I can hear his footsteps approaching me. Real. Real. Real. Not real. "I know you don't.." He pauses, becoming choked up. "remember me but I'm here to help you."
I remove my hands from my face at his words. "Jefferson." I say simply, a single tears falling down my cheek. His face turns to one of relief, the tears that had formed in his eyes falling down his face. He embraces me, holding me so tightly and I can't breath. Not because of how tightly he's holding me, but because I haven't been held for so long. And he's real, I can feel him, smell him and hear him and he's real.
I hold onto him just as tightly and sob. He goes to let go of me but I hold on tighter, afraid that if I let go he'll disappear.
After a long while we pull back from each other and Jefferson's face turns severe. "Regina locked you in here. When the curse was cast." He explains. "But there's a woman in town, she's the savior. She'll break this curse and we can all go home. You have to help her." He explains slowly, making sure I understand. I bark out a weak laugh.
"At least you're still you, telling me I need to save the world." I joke and he smiles back at me tearfully.
"I know, but you must go find her. She's heading to the clock tower right now. Her name is Emma." He says while helping me stand up.
Jefferson and I briskly walk out of the hospital, and I begin to feel overwhelmed with all the new faces and the bright white sterile walls but Jefferson squeezes my hand, grounding me. I smile at him thankfully.
I practically run out of the hospital doors at the sight of the sun and I let out a cackle, holding my arms out.
Time to go break this damn curse.
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