Impossible (A HEARTLESS Fanfic)

Chapter Eighteen

Alice's eyes fluttered open. Her vision was blurred, but as it began to focus, she found that she was still in the Forest. Trees towered over her, although how many she could not say, as they were tripling and doubling before her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook her head and tried again to survey her surroundings.

There was soft, cool grass beneath her. That was the first indication that she may not be where she thought she was. Grass? In the Forest? There was moss covering some of the ground in her home, but there was very little grass. Perhaps Hatta had moved her somewhere safer?

Hatta!

Bolting upright, Alice looked all about her, searching for Hatta. However, as she moved, a sharp, throbbing pain shot up her leg. Crying out, she glanced down to perceive the cause of it.

And found nothing.

Her right foot was gone. In place of it was a bloody stump. That's when it all came rushing back to her.

The Bandersnatch.

The pain.

The hand mirror.

She fell into the hand mirror.

And into this place.

Alice once again took in the world around her, realizing now that this was not her Forest. She was in a meadow. It was no normal meadow, though. While she could have sworn it had been daylight when she was battling the Bandersnatch, here it appeared to be dawn. Even stranger, the meadow was unusually silent and still. There was no sound from any insects or birds, only a strange creaking and grinding behind her.

As she tried to glance over her shoulder, she was able to catch sight of a person pulling a bucket from a well. Before she could get a good look, though, the pain pierced her leg again, and she crumpled into a ball of tears.

While she sobbed, someone placed a hand on her back and pushed something solid into her hands. "Drink this," said a gentle voice.

Without asking what it was, Alice quickly downed the liquid. She was surprised to taste, not water or medicine, but a sticky and sweet substance. The thick concoction oozed its way down her throat. Once she had drained the cup, she found that her sight was focusing again, and her gaze fell upon her ankle.

And what she witnessed seemed impossible.

Her foot was growing back. It started with the bones, which were then covered with muscle and lastly skin. When the transformation was complete, Alice tentatively leaned forward. Counting her toes and poking at them curiously, she found that her new appendage was in fact flesh and bone.

Amazing!

She turned to the person who had given her the miraculous remedy. It was a young man with a gentle but somewhat sad smile. There was something very strange about him. His entire being appeared faded. From his gray hair to his black and white clothing, everything about his demeanor seemed very worn out.

"How did that happen?" Alice whispered, referring to her foot.

The smile grew, but the sadness remained. "Treacle."

Alice's attention returned to her new foot. "I've eaten treacle pie before, and nothing like that has ever happened."

He laughed. "Well, it wasn't from the treacle well. Treacle from here has magical healing powers."

The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't seem to place it. "How did I end up here?"

"I'm not sure." The man rose to his feet and slowly made his way back to the well. "Only the truly desperate can find their way here."