The Introduction
My parents Henry Liddell, and Hannah Liddell were highly successful people. They came from nothing, met when they were young and moved to America, where they gave birth to first, my sister Lorina Liddell, then I, Alice Liddel. My parents took advantage of the stock market, and dived thoroughly throughout many business ventures ultimately leading to them becoming beyond wealthy. Because they were so wealthy, they were able to give me, and my sister , very sheltered lives. We lived in a mansion, far outside the city. We had homeschooling with personal teachers, bodyguards that surrounded our home, and maids that prepared our every meal. We got everything we desired, everything we desired besides freedom.
My sister and I never quite knew what the world was truly like. Watching television would give us an idea, but tangible experiences were never given to us. Our parents always told us to focus on our studies, claiming that smart girls were the ones that made it in life.
My sister was three years older than I. With her in the lead we would sneak out to explore, however, our parents would always have someone come to find us, and we would suffer from punishments, punishments of the physical kind. As we grew into our teens my sister had learned to accept it, and she lived as my parents chose, picking up books on economics, business, and other subjects that rich people tend to know about. I however had grown to dread my isolated existence, most books bored unless they had pictures; I particularly liked comics about people going on adventures beyond belief. I had always asked my parents:
“Why, why must I be trapped when the means of freedom are within my grasp? We have enough money to travel around the entire world five times, and more! Why don't we, why can't I?”
But even with my little cries of rebellion, for freedom, my parents had always found ways of which to keep me captive, always doing so under the reasoning of safety.
When I was at the age of twenty, and my sister of the age of twenty three, our parents were murdered by way of mystery. After knocking with no answer, my sister had come into their room, only to find them laid across the floor in a pool of crimson blood, with their throats cut clean. Panicked, my sister called out to me:
“Aaaa, aaa, Alice!” she shouted stumbling across her words “Mmm, mother, and, fff, ff, father have been killed!”
I ran to their room, and saw my sister sitting on the floor with mother's cold, lifeless body in her hands.
“Lorina! How, how did this happened?” I asked frantically, rushing to their side, staining a blue dress I was wearing at the time with blood
After accepting the situation, I went and got help, while Lorina remained glued to our parents bodies. Eventually the detectives arrived. They did some investigating, but all the detectives could surmise was that it had been done silently, and that it had been done by way of blade, but that was pretty obvious considering their throats were slit clean. They said:
“We are greatly sorry for your loss. Whoever did this, did it a great job of cleaning up their tracks, but don't worry, we will find the killer.”
My sister grieved for more than a year, but I did not suffer from grief; I felt a something more contradicting. It was a feeling that both brought me pleasure, and a feeling that brought me anguish. I was so relieved to finally be free of my parents will, but at the same time, I mourned their deaths, as would anyone in my situation.
My sister and I got together, with my parent's lead personal assistant. She gave us our parents will it stated:
“Dear Lorina and Alice,
if you are reading this, it means our lives have come to an end. We do not wish for you to suffer, please do not linger in the sadness that normally follows death. Instead we ask that you live happy lives, we know that hardships are unavoidable in life, but we have worked so very hard to offer you both a fighting chance. Our businesses, must be split evenly between the two of you. Our legacy is now in your hands. We love you both dearly, more than you'll ever know. Live well,
Sincerely: Henry and Hannah, your loving parents.”
My sister took up the mantle of my parents wishes with pride, and I attempted to do so as well. But where my sister excelled, I failed. It had seemed that because I had been sheltered for so long, functioning amongst the socialites of business was of great difficulty for me. I'm not quite sure how, but it seemed to be that my sister was born for such a thing. And continuing their work just felt like another restraint on me. Feeling as if I had no place doing my parents work, I sold off my part of their businesses for a price that allowed me to live comfortably for the rest of my life. Upon discovering that I had done such a thing, my sister grew quite, upset. She said to me furiously:
“How could you disrespect the will of our parents so easily? Our parents worked their entire lives in order for us to thrive happily!”
I responded:
“The will of our parents was never will of mine; I can no longer live under their ways. I will never live happily if I can not be free”
“You're so selfish Alice! But fine, if that's what you want go, live your life, just don't expect me to be a part of it.
Hurt by her words, I left silently. The start of my life had finally begun.
