Fairytale

(Part One: Alice) 1

The Daily Times, 11/7/2005

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL MISSING

Alice Liddell, aged just seven years old, has been reported missing as of just three hours ago. Young Alice disappeared whilst on a day trip to St James' Park with her family, who say that she never came back after going off to play with her older sister Aida, age eleven. Her sister became worried when the younger girl didn't answer her calls to come and play; after a park-wide search for the child, the police became involved. Neither of her parents have disclosed anything at the time of writing, but it is believed that Alice may have been a victim of a kidnapping. We can only hope that little Alice may be found soon.

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It's strange how I can remember the first day of my life so clearly. That is, my life after I fell down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland.

All I could remember was waking up. All I could recall was lying on the ground in the middle of a lush green forest. I could vaguely remember the feeling of having fallen down, but that was it. The only thing I had to tell me who I am was a name tag with barely decipherable words scribbled on it in black marker: Property of Alice Liddell. Hot tears trickled down my cheeks; I could cry out for help, but who was there to shout to? I had no family that I knew of, no friends....

"Where am I?" I whispered to the darkness, my warm breath swirling in the cold afternoon air. The trees seemed to rustle in reply, the wind whistling my name. 

Pulling myself up, I gazed around and tried to take in my surroundings: had I not been so scared then I might have thought the scenery was beautiful. Back then it just seemed a sinister place, a place where I had ended up without knowing how. So, young and vulnerable with no idea of where I was going, I started to walk along something I thought resembled a path. It wasn't the best conditions to be hiking through a forest in: the grass beneath my feet was frosty and it was almost like the bitter wind was trying to pull me backwards, to pull me away from my destination. I could hear faint birdsong in the distance, but no birds - or animals of any sort for that matter - were to be seen. 

At this point, I'm almost about to fall to the ground out of frustration and weariness when I hear it. A loud, irritable and unmistakeable sigh.

"Really, my dear, how have you not noticed the signs telling you which way to go? You look intelligent enough." I spin around and am greeted by a rather fat and fluffy cat, curled up comfortably in the branches of a tree. I look left to right, trying to distinguish where the voice had come from. Then, unbelievably, the cat shakes its head and rolls its eyes at me.

"I must be dreaming!" I gasp, one hand flying to my mouth in shock. The cat yawns and smirks.

"No, child, you're not dreaming. Do the felines not talk to you where you come from?" 

I shake my head, still in disbelief that I am currently having a conversation - as one-sided as it may have been - with a large lilac cat. If it had eyebrows, I'm sure they would have been raised.

"No? Well, where is it you do come from, dear?" 

I stare at my feet and try to think of an answer that wouldn't be received with a judgemental look. "To be honest.... I'm not sure."

So much for avoiding judging looks. "You don't know? Really, I'm in no mood for silly games and riddles. Perhaps I should leave you to your own devices....?" He gets up and stretches, turning away from me.

"No! I mean- Please don't go! I really don't know, Mr Cat, I just woke up in the middle of a f-forest and I don't know where I am!" I say, my head in my hands now and tears leaking out of my eyes. The cat looks more sympathetic at this, and reaches out a paw to pat my head.

"Now, now, little one, please don't weep so. I am the Cheshire Cat, but in these lands I am known as Chess. My dear, you have found yourself in Wonderland; this was once indeed a wondrous place, until the Queen took over." 

I wipe my eyes on the back of my sleeve and look at the cat curiously. "What did the Queen do?"

"What-? Well, you obviously don't have a clue about these parts, do you? The self-titled Queen of Hearts (not that she's captured any of our hearts)" Chess says conspiratorially in an undertone. "Has thrown anyone who says something she doesn't agree with in the palace jail. Well, that's if they're lucky. She also is rather fond of going all out and beheading them. Oh, the terrible things she's done to my Wonderland could fill several long lists." He shudders and looks pained.

"What a horrible woman! Someone should get her off the throne and replace her with someone better." I suggest, but Chess shakes his magnificent head pityingly.

"My dear - sorry, what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't. I'm Alice, or I think I am."

"Well Alice, there has been a very long line of people who have tried to do just that. Unfortunately, the majority of those people have ended up with their head detached from the rest of them." He looks so sad for a moment, I feel like I should go and hug him, but that would probably be met with an icy stare. He then surprises me by returning to his conspiratorial whisper once again: "However, there is a... group of sorts that I'm involved in. We work towards taking down the dictatorship - that means a government ruled by one person who makes up any rule they want - and bringing in a much fairer system."

"Who are they?" I feel almost scared to ask. What if I'm being dragged into something much worse than what it seems to be on the surface? Thinking back, I doubt I thought through all of the consequences, but if I hadn't carried on talking then I probably wouldn't be where I am now.

Chess pauses and narrows his eyes, sussing me out. He appears to be deep in thought, but must decide I'd make a good ally so he leans in, looking secretive. 

"The rebellion is spread out across the whole country, we are just the base closest to the Queen herself. You could come with me and I'll introduce you, if that's what you'd like?"

I consider my options for a moment, then come to the conclusion that I have nowhere else to go and no one to be missing. With one backwards glance at the grassy trail behind me, I take a deep breath and nod.

"Yes, please. But however do you find your way back home? I can't see any signs in this forest." I ask him.

Chess laughs, his whiskers trembling slightly. "Dearest Alice, after all these years I like to think I know a thing or two about finding my way around! You can always find your way back if you pay close attention," He jumps down elegantly from the branches, his tail swaying. "Follow me, child, we have a tea party to attend."