Down The Rabbit Hole

Chapter Three ~ Non-Alice

The map told me I had to go a few hours out of town. I've been walking for about half an hour. I would check my watch but it must of fell off because now I can't seem to find it, which is a shame because that was my mother's. But life moves on.

I don't know why I'm following the map that changes with every step I take. Well scratch that, I do know why. This is my new beginning, before I didn't know where to go or what to do with my life, but now, for at least the time being, I had something to go after with 100%. Even if this map leads nowhere at least I had something to occupy the emptyness of my life for a little while and this is a great way to escape reality.

I got into the rhythm of my breathing, the crunch of my boots, the wind in my ears, and the duffel bag lightly hitting my leg. I got lost in it as I walked.

I walked for another hour in the trance of my rhythm. The map started to put up the next set of directions. It said to go another mile and turn towards the huge oak tree.

As I stuffed my map back in my bag I heard movement behind me. Was it the smoke man again? I thought to myself. I heard more then one person behind me getting steadily closer. It wasn't the smoke man.

I dug into my bag and got out my pistols , arming myself. As the footsteps got closer I waited for the right moment before I dropped my bag and spun around on my heel raising my guns. There we five men behind me obviously robbers.

I sighed, the whole world was riddled with robbers, trying to survive like everybody else, just more violently I guess. "Come on boys we're all friends here. And 5 against 1 seems a little unfair doesn't it?" I chuckled.

"Look just give us the bag and we might not hurt you lady." They all smirked.

I hate smirkers. I shot the one closest to me. "Another one bites the dust." I chuckle at my own joke as the man drops like a rock from the head shot.

The other men now angered came at me I shot one is the stomach and kicked the other one in the chest kicking the wind out of him. I spun the gun around and hit another on the side of the head with the hilt of the gun knocking him unconcious blood spilling from his head. Then I felt a sharp pain in my side as a bite of a knife met my side. I looked at the man and quickly slammed my hand into his neck leaving him choking and gasping grabbing at his neck. I acknowledge the knife on the ground covered in my own blood but then the man I kicked the wind out of me charging at me. I swiftly moved at the last second and put out my foot sufficiently tripping him, but causing pain to lick into my side. The man though hit his head hard on the hard ground, taking a nap. Then the one I shot in the stomach attacked me grabbing a fist full of my blonde locks yanking hard.

"You killed my friends." He said sadly.

"You're the ones who threatened me! Maybe you should look into getting new friends, a tip from me to you." I said grasping his wrist trying to stop his pulling. I spun and punched him right where I shot him in the stomach, he released my hair letting me go so he can wallow in pain.

I looked up to see my handy work. I counted, the one I shot in the head, the one I hit in the head with the gun, the one who knifed me then fell, the one curling in pain right now.... that was four...

Where was the man I hit in the throat?!

I looked around and see him running into the woods with my duffel bag.

I charge after him jumping over branches and roots weaving through the forest. I saw him on the bottom of the cliff, not thinking I jumped off it aiming for him. Sure enough I hit my mark, both of us falling to the ground.

My whole body ached but I didn't care, I got back up and so did the man. I smiled at him and he gave me still an angry look. He turned to flee probably thinking he can out run me. How wrong he was.

I jump on his back and wrap my arm around his neck and my other hand on the back of his head.

"Drop the bag." I said my voice so grim not even the birds dared to tweet. When he didn't I tightened my hold and said, "Now."

Still he refused and started clawing at me. "I'm sorry." I said. And with a quick snap he was dead my feet meeting the earth as his body was now dead weight. Robbers didn't care about their so called friends, they are more like a convenience for them to steal more stuff.

I picked my bag up and got out the map and started walking again forcing myself not to look back.

Soon I heard the smooth voice of the smoke man. "Killing, is very non-Alice like." I stopped only a moment, then continued walking.

"Well makes since and all because I'm not Alice." I responded.

"I'm not complaining, I think you will make a way better Alice. If you are going to save Wonderland you're going to have to be the best."

"I'm not Alice. And can you tell me what's wrong with Wonderland?" I asked.

"It's dieing, almost dead by now I bet. Everybody been trying to help fix it bit nobody can seem to find the problem." I could tell he wasn't telling me everything he knew.

"How am I supposed to know what to do?" I said already suspicious

"I don't know." He said and for the first time there was no amusement to his voice. It almost sounded like he was lost. "But that's the fun." The humor entering his voice again.

"I think you need a new definition of fun." I muttered.

"Why? I know you find this fun even if it is just a little bit." He said and he was right. I did kind of find this fun, on a new adventure and all. "You do realize you were stabbed right?" He asked.

The stabbing in my side hurt badly. "I don't have anything to bandage it." I told him.

"Hmmm..." He almost purred.

"You know, I wish you would let me see you." I said still following the map.

"I would but we're all out of time." He chuckled, "See you down there."

"What are you talking about now?" I asked the now empty woods.

I looked at the map and in the same elegant skript as the night it said one word.

Stop.

So I did. Then one word at a time the paper kept changing it words.

Speak:
The
World
Is
Full
Of
Impossible
Things.

I spoke each one as it manifested on the page. After all words were spoken I stood there for a moment confused, "I must be mad." I said to myself. I looked at the paper it said four words.

Down
The
Rabbit
Hole

I turned around seeing the smoke man with his head tilted down only being able to see his big, eerie smile. But it was only for a split second because the ground opened up and swallowed me hole.

I died.