When I was a little girl my father told me about a place, a place so extraordinary and enchanting filled with marvellous adventures, where the grass was a pure tree leaf green and the water flowed like crystal peacefully down the riverbank mirroring the expressions of the native spellbinding creatures. This miraculous place was called, Wonderland. My father used to pull me into his laps on those cold, rainy nights and tell me all about his amazing endeavours in Wonderland and how one day we would sneak off and go, just him and I. I was 7 when he first took me to wonderland and straight away I couldn't help but fall victim to its beauty. I was in love with this otherworldly, fascinating place that only my father and I had the pleasure to come across. I can't recall exactly where the place is all I know is that its in a rabbit hole in the middle of a vast, barren field, a field people merely see as a lost cause and do not visit or attempt to mend. I used to always visit with my Dad on the last Sunday of every month, it was our special "bonding" time as he liked to call it. Until my father disappeared and I have not had the courage or will to go back. I’m now nineteen and live with my hopeless excuse of a mother. We find it difficult to get along, she blames me for Dad's disappearance and can barely stand to look at me. As soon as Dad disappeared she started accepting longer shifts at work so I don't see her often, I’m usually alone most days.
I miss my dad.
I got up from the warm, comforting sheets of my bed and looked out the double glassed window on my right and there sprawled upon the grass leaning against a tree was a rabbit, but it wasn’t any ordinary rabbit, it was wearing a watch around its neck. Normally any person would be startled and probably horrified if they had come across this unusual sight but not me, this sight reminded me of one place, Wonderland. I felt the salty tears prick in the corners of my eyes, was this a sign of my father? I closed my eyes sucking in a deep breath trying to calm my ever growing nerves but alas I looked back and the rabbit was gone. I wiped away some stray tears that had escaped onto my cheeks, I must of been imagining it, “Stupid girl.” I whispered to myself running a hand through my hair the disappointment eating at me. I felt my stomach tighten from sadness and I sighed heading downstairs to get something to drink.
I turned the tap on and was greeted with the familiar squeak of protest as our rusty plumbing came to life on this cold winter morning. I watched as the cold, clear water filled the cup I was grasping tightly and continued to watch as the water over filled pouring down the side of the glass and over my numb hands. I rummaged through the cupboards looking for pill packet and once I came across one I gratefully seized a couple hoping my mother would not notice later tonight. No I don’t take drugs, it was just an aspirin. I put the small pill in my mouth washing it down with the water. I sat the glass down on the counter and looked out the window one more time and that’s when I saw that unusual yet familiar face again. I gasped taking a sharp step backwards accidentally knocking over the glass in shock. I helplessly tried to catch it as it fell and shattered on the ground with a loud smash splinters of glass going everywhere and the water seeping onto the floor and dribbling all over my bare feet. I looked back to see the rabbit coming towards the door, my mouth fell open in shock when it jumped through the dog door and suddenly I felt my limbs freeze in place, I couldn’t move. Why was I so afraid? It's just a rabbit. I had encountered many of these as a little girl basking in the fields of Wonderland while my Dad watched on with a content smile, what's any different this time? The rabbit continued to make its decent towards my while I still stood frozen in place, I looked down and raised an eyebrow in curiosity when it dropped a rolled up piece of paper. I ever so slowly found the will to move and bent down grasping the note in my shaking fingers as the rabbit watched on remaining expressionless.
The letter read;
My darling Alice,
I am sorry I left you my beautiful girl, I am so sorry that I left you at the moment you needed me the most. But things were complicated and I needed to escape, I was waiting for the day when you were old enough to understand, I’m still here, waiting for you, in Wonderland.
Love Dad
‘Wonderland’
I stood there absolutely startled looking at that word repeating it in my head over and over again, he’s still here, this was a sign I’m not stupid! I stared down at the rabbit “Do you know where he is?” I asked feeling the adrenaline and anticipation course through my veins, my father was alive! The rabbit wriggled its small pink nose and nodded its ears flopping about on the top of its head. "Wait here." I told it as I quickly bolted upstairs and began to frantically pack a bag full off clothes, shoving everything I could possibly find into my one and only backpack. As I began to leave my room I cursed and turned sharply on my heel sprinting back to my bedroom, I pulled out my draws looking for the last things I had left from my Father. An old, rusty gold key and two lollies wrapped in clear paper, Dad had always said I would need them one day and today must be that day. “Got them!" I cried a smile making its way onto my face, could my father and I really be reunited sometime soon? I ran back downstairs and sighed in relief when I saw the rabbit still sitting there watching me with what seemed like an amused expression. "Are you going to take me then?" I asked eagerly causing the rabbit to funnily enough roll his eyes and beckon me outside as we began to make our decent to that all to familiar field.
Okay guys this is my first chapter for this book! I'm truly excited for this book, hope you guys like it too!
Holly x
