You find yourself walking in a broken hallway until you stumble upon a wardrobe. You walk up to the wardrobe but, before you can reach the doorknob a strange being appears.
"Yipe! What the hey?! Now if this isn't a strange little human I've never seen before! What's that?" The half human half cat lady questioned?
"I got to be dreaming right? No way am I talking to a... what are you half cat half human?" You questioned the being.
"Why, yes! If you say you're dreaming, Alice, then sure, this is a dream. Because here, what Alice says and does is everything!" The being exclaimed.
"That's not my name." You stated way too calmly as if this happened before.
"That's not your name? Oh, no no, Alice is Alice and that's because I say so!" The being demandingly stated.
"That contradicts what you just said." You stated in a sing song voice.
"That contradicts what I just said? Maybe you're onto something, Alice. This place is chock full of weirdos, so I'm just one of 'em. Mwehehehe!" The being informed followed by it's strange laugh.
"Can this dream just end?" You questioned.
"Oh, don't say that. You don't stop in the middle of a good meal, do ya? Same for dreams. Gotta savor the taste. Oop! Well, I'm busier than I look. Alright, I'll smell ya!" The being exclaimed as it disappeared.
You walked up to the wardrobe and tried to open it only to find that it wouldn't open.
At the end of the short hallway you found a door upon entering it you found a very grey and dystopian like place. The only thing in the room was a half rabbit half lady being.
"Sigh... ... oh, another visitor? That makes six." The half lady half rabbit sighed.
"That doesn't make sense. I'm the only one here." You informed the being.
"Hmm... that doesn't make sense though? Oh, never mind. Good evening, Alice, and welcome. I'm the White Rabbit, the guide of this world. It's a rather big place, so call me if you need anything. ... Though I should note, I won't move from this spot. It's just a pain, really and right now, there's the pressing matter of the keys to the world doors going missing. Four of the six are no longer here, but I think I can hazard a guess as to who has them. As previously stated, I don't want to move an inch. So, Alice, I'd like to ask you to recover them. How does that sound?" White Rabbit explained in a monotone voice.
"Okay." You answered bored.
"You have my thanks. Luckily, I do have two of the world keys on hand, so you can already go in one. Knowing who we're dealing with, I'm sure she's scattered them all across the worlds. Once you find one, please bring it back to me and don't be shy about asking any other questions you may have, but only once. I don't care to repeat myself again and again. ... That was a "this lady is a pain" face just now, wasn't it? Oh well. I hope to have your assistance. Oh, one more thing... you might find it pitch black beyond the door ahead. In that case, just keep walking. Explaining everything is becoming a pain. You'd better get going. Yes, what is it?" White Rabbit droned on.
"About the world(s?)" You questioned?
"Generally speaking, a world is a place that embodies the hidden side of a person's heart because their surface heart is soon to vanish, you see. They may be locked or unlocked, but primarily are locked. People don't like others trampling on their hearts, after all. I manage the keys, so just ask and you can go in and out. ... So long as you recover them for me, Alice. Incidentally, the doors can be opened from within without a key, but not from the outside. The world doors can be found in the area behind me. Well then. I hope to have your assistance. Yes, what is it?" White Rabbit explained in that monotone voice of hers.
"About yourself." You wondered.
"About me? Other than being a guide... ... I like children, I suppose. Well then. I hope to have your assistance. Yes, what is it?" White Rabbit seemed generally surprised you asked about her.
"About the half cat half lady thing." You said.
"... ... ... She is another guide. You met her earlier, yes?" White Rabbit seemed sensitive on the topic and gave you the feeling that a bomb was about to go off.
"Yes." You said quietly.
"The sight of her makes me sick. A very ill-natured cat, she is. I have her to thank for this ear, and this off-color skin. Our taste don't match at all, and frankly I hate everything about her. Next time we meet, I'd like to give her a piece of my mind. Well then. I hope to have your assistance." White Rabbit explained as you finally noticed her left rabbit ear had been ripped off and only a little remained as her skin was a paper white almost ghostly. You felt an urge of sympathy and anger.
You walk into the darkness of the next room for what seemed like a very short time and suddenly the lights turned on reviling the strange being from before.
"Yo! You doing well for yourself? I'm feelin' fiiine." The being greeted.
"Do you know anything about the world keys?" You asked not wanting to converse with this atrocity of a cat.
"Keys? Wouldn't know, no sir/miss. That's the truth and nothin' but. Sure, I DID steal 'em, but only 'cause somebody else asked me to." The being stated.
"Can you tell me who told you to do that?" You questioned.
"Can't tell you who, nope. I may be a liar, but I wouldn't lie to a friend, friend." The being informed you.
"Is there any other way to unlock the worlds?" You questioned hoping there was.
"Any other way to unlock 'em? No, no, 'course not. Maybe if you told me why your here, or where you are." The being stated.
"I don't remember that!" You exclaimed pissed off at the being.
"... Whoops! Besides, I'm just a guide. All I can give you are hints. So here's your hint! There's one to be found in each world." The being hinted.
"Why won't you just tell me?!" You questioned.
"Eh? Why, you ask? I'm only as much of a pain as you-know-who is." The being hinted at someone you recently met.
"Who?" You wondered.
"White Rabbit, I mean! Ugh, just sayin' her name ruffles my fur." The being stated.
"You mean the nice half rabbit half lady. You ripped her ear off!" You were now enraged at the being.
"She messed me up just as bad, underneath this here hood, Alice. Wanna take a look?" The being questioned.
"No thanks!" You exclaimed.
"May be a tad grotesque for a li' l'un like you anyway. Alright, your time's up with The Cheshire Cat! See you later. Hey, good luck!" Cheshire Cat exclaimed once again disappearing.
You decided to read the sign that was hidden behind the Cheshire Cat.
One must not peer into the heart of a human. For the heart is ever-questioning. Up to two times can one be forgiven, but one who cannot answer the heart's third question... will fall into an eternal "slumber."
YOU ARE READING
So I...
Fantasy"Sometimes we make imaginary friends to cope with sadness... ... or rewrite our memories to escape the painful past... ... tell lies to save ourselves and to save people we love... ... give up on life because everyone left us alone... ... be tricked...