Off To Wonderland

Dalton Arthur Sanderson

Amber woke with a start and looked around. She was in her bed in her room. Her head swirled, and she put her face into the palms, willing the spinning to stop. She tried to remember the events that had happened the night before, but it was way too hazy to remember anything. She looked up and something caught her eye. She rolled out of the bed and stood up. On her window seal was a small zip lock bag; in it a little blue capsule, and a note underneath. She walked over to it and picked it up and opening the bag and dropping the pill into her hand. She forgot how pretty it looked, with its deep blue color. She pulled her eyes from the little blue pill, and picked up the note.

Sweet Dreams…
S.M.

S.M.? Amber thought. Who the hell is S.M.? She set the note down on her dresser and sat back down on her bed, pill in hand. Sweet dreams hu? I don’t have any ‘sweet dreams’ only nightmares… She looked at the pill debating if she should take it. Curiosity bubbled slowly insider her. I wonder what is behind the two other doors… Curiosity won and she downed the pill quickly before she changed her mind. She didn’t even have to wait a minute before she stared to fall. She landed hard, and a cloud of dust puffed around her. She tasted ash in her mouth and pushed herself off the ground, and looked around. She wasn’t in the room of doors; all around her were piles of ash blowing in the wind. The sky looked gray, and the sun couldn’t be seen. All around her was gray. She started to walk through the ash, looking around her for any sign of life. Something or someone dropped down from the sky about fifty feet away. He was in all black and a black cape billowed over his left shoulder. He had a full face mask and only his ice blue eyes could be seen.

“Turn back,” he said calmly pointing behind her. Amber didn’t move she just stared at the man in front of her. “Turn back,” he said again, this time with more authority.

“What happened here?” Amber asked, even though she was pretty sure she knew she just didn’t want to believe.

“Do you really need to ask that?” the man said as his arm dropped to his side. “Come, we have to get back to the circle room.” His shoulder brushed against hers as he walked by. Amber felt warm tears spill over her eyes, and down her cheeks.

“It’s all my fault,” her voices quivered, “everyone…everyone is dead…and…and…” she couldn’t take it. She broke down and cried. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands sobbing uncontrollably. Something fell over her and the gray world went dark. It was silky and cool, and she suddenly felt safe. It smelled like a man; no cologne or after shave, just a pure sent of the person themselves. It was warm and stable as it filled her nose. Strong arms scooped her up and carried her. She was still crying and pressed herself closer to the strange man. His warm broad chest was strong but comfortable. Her eyes felt heavy and she found herself dozing several times. They seemed to walk for hours and hours, and her eyes wouldn’t stay open; so she closed them and fell fast asleep.

Amber was lying on a cool tile floor looking up into darkness. She had no idea how long she had been there, or why. She sat up slowly; all around her there was blackness.

“Where am I…” she said in a sleepy voice.

“Welcome back,” came a familiar voice, “I did greatly miss you. I was worried that you would never come again.”

“Oh,” she sighed, “Now I know where I am… in your dream right?” there came a warm laugh,

“Yes. Yes you are right,” there was a pause, “I guess you could say you are the girl of my dreams,” Amber could hear the smile behind his words. A small smile crept across her face. So far, this part of her dreaming hadn’t turned out bad. Not yet any ways. “Your smile is lovely,” the voice said softly. Amber touched her lips lightly with her fingers.

“How can you tell I’m smiling? Its pitch black in here…”

“It is?” he asked confused.

“Yes,”

“Well I can see you bright as day.” Amber was a little confused.

“I want to see you,” she said.

“But you’re looking straight at me right now.”

“But I can’t see you! Why can’t I see you but you can see me!”

“I don’t know.”

“Can I know your name then…”

“My name?”

“Yes your name. You do have a name, right?” a bit annoyed.

“I do. It’s just that… no one has asked me for my name in a really long time so I have to think about it…” A few minutes went by, and she heard a soft tapping. Then he snapped his fingers, “that’s right my name is Dalton. Dalton Arthur Sanderson.”

“Dalton?”

“Yup!”

“Funny name…”

“No its not!” The voice said defensively. Amber smiled knowing she was railing him up.

“Ok Dalton, what’s your story?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like why are you here?”

“I don’t know... I’ve been here for so long I can’t really remember if I’ve always been here or if I was someplace else…” he trailed off and they sat in silence for a moment. Amber felt bad for him; not knowing you past must be terrible. Suddenly she felt the sensation of falling.

“Dalton!” she said frantically but there was no reply.