Behind Sanity

Chapter Twenty-Two

                                                                     Behind Sanity

                                                               Chapter Twenty-Two

                                                                                1 

                  Beyond Door P, Alice hurried down a dark corridor after the speeding rabbit.  All the running was making her legs ache tremendously, but still she kept going, following behind the dingy cotton tail of the rabbit.  She could make out nothing of the colorful scenery flying past her, and Rabbit hadn’t paid her the decency to explain where he was taking her.  Where was she headed?  What was through this Door P? 

                  “Rabbit,” she called out finally, out of breath. “Where are we going?”

                  “To make you small!” the rabbit called back in a voice that almost couldn’t reach her ears.

                  “Can’t we slow down a bit?” she begged, trying to take control over her breath.

                  “No time,” called the manic bunny. “We have to hurry!”

                  Alice kept on, clouds of doubt rolling into her mind.  Where was he taking her?  What was truly going on here?

                 Pulling himself to a halt, the white rabbit stopped in front of her, moving his eyes around and wiggling his small withered nose.

                 “Where are we?” she asked, leaning forward and taking the opportunity to catch her breath.

                 “We’re here, but not there,” said the rabbit. “Come along.”

                  The corridor had disappeared completely and was replaced by a ground of soot and rock.  Alice raised her head and peered around her.  The sky swirled all around, changing colors as it spiraled endlessly.  Alice had never been one with a weak stomach, but strangely, she was feeling dizzy.

                 “Don’t bother with it, Alice,” the rabbit called, noticing her pause as he trotted ahead.

                 Shaking her head and closing her eyes to steady her mind, Alice snapped herself out of her trance.  Before her was a stone staircase leading up to a short section of wooden platform.  At the end of that was a large wooden door.

                  “That way?” she asked.

                   The rabbit nodded his furry head.  

                  “Yes, but you must be careful.  You are much heavier than I,” he warned.

                  “What is that supposed to mean?”

                   “I’ll go first,” said the rabbit, ignoring her.

                   White Rabbit headed off across the creaking floor planks.  The wind groaned in Alice’s ears as she heard his steady rhythm quickly fleeing, his sharp claws scratching at the floor boards.  He made his way, darting up the stairs and towards the door above, pausing only slightly to wave her along before disappearing behind the wood of the exit.  Alice sighed deeply.  This was not her best idea of being guided, but no matter.  It would do.