Through The Rabbit Hole

Chapter Four: Ryan

It was dark for a minute but I soon landed on really dry land. I spit out the sand in my mouth and rubbed my eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness. When my vision cleared up I saw a bird chanting on a giant rock while different animals danced around it. I stared in confusion and it felt like my body wouldn't move. I was too dazed to understand the situation.

"Keep it up, boys! You'll get dry in no time!" A giant Dodo bird yelled at the creatures running in circles while tending to a fire. He looked nervously out towards the ocean and then continued to poke the fire. "I'm pretty sure the tide will be coming in soon so you can get dried up! Just wait!" At that point I stood up and walked over to this nonsense.

"Um, excuse me sir, but, how would you ever get dry if the tide came in?" I tapped the rock to get his attention some more. He peered over the edge and then laughed once he got a good look at me.

"How else would you get dry?" he chuckled out. I blinked, still confused. I backed up and lost my footing. Stumbling backwards, I bumped into several sea creatures. I pushed through the circle hopping around me and when I exited the circle, I was facing towards a forest. It was lush and full of greenery. It looked like a place Alyssa would love to go so, I left the insanity behind me and pushed onward. Hopefully I'd find her here, safe, and spacing out at the treetops above her.

It wasn't until I got to a clearing that I heard a voice. In fact, it was two voices. I couldn't identify their location at first, but upon turning around I discovered it.They belonged to some plump boys in matching outfits. Their collars read 'Tweedle-Dee' and 'Tweedle-Dum'. I laughed to myself at their names. They were so ridiculous that it couldn't be real. Was this real? Why did it seem so familiar? I could have swore I've heard those names before.

"Hello! What can we do for ya?" one of them asked. He honked his nose and smiled a stupid smile at me. It was so comical I couldn't hold back from laughing. They just stared at me with confused looks until I calmed down.

"Yeah, could you tell me if you saw a girl with soft blonde hair, adorable freckles, and a sweet smile walk through here?" I laughed out and instantly regretted. My face flamed red and I stopped laughing. Why did I just say something so embarrassing like that? I tried to play it cool as I waited for an answer.

"We don't know anyone by that description but, you could check with the rabbit," Tweedle-Dee responded.

"His house is just down the path," Tweedle-Dum continued. I looked to where his hand pointed and saw a small cottage in the distance. I was about to thank them when they asked if I wanted to hear a story.

"No thanks," I stuttered out at the random question. My response was almost pointless because they continued on to talk. It started out in a song and they did silly antics to depict the story as best as possible. I stood awkwardly as they went on and on. Anxious to get going, I slipped back and slowly faded into the scenery before walking down the path. I couldn't help but feel the guilt hit me as I just abandoned them but, I had more important things to do. Like, find Alyssa.

The path became noticeably straighter before the cottage came into sight. Or what was left of it. The dodo bird from before was there and stood by smashed furniture and pieces of the house as he rubbed two chair legs together. Every instinct told me to keep walking but my feet moved through the empty entrance. I studied the bird while waiting for him to notice me.

"Boy, do you have a match?" he asked why continuing to rub the chair legs.

"No," I hesitated. "What are you doing?" I proceeded. The bird laughed at me and then pointed at the cottage.

"There's a monster in there! I'm trying to burn it out!" he sounded motivated and confident but, to my confusion, there was nothing in the house. The bird noticed my look at turned to see the empty shell of what was a nice house. He gasped and then laughed. "I must've scared it out!" he continued to laugh. I doubt that was what happened but, that wasn't what I was here for.

"Well, have you seen a rabbit? I was told to ask him where a girl is," I explained. The dodo bird took his pipe out of his mouth before answering with a finger point down the path towards a dark, ominous forest.

"He ran down that way and was followed by a girl who seemed upset," he told me before I ran off. I waved back and thanked him for his somewhat assistance. I was almost positive that girl was Alyssa and thought if I ran I could catch up. That is, if I didn't get lost.