Day Dreaming

Chapter 2: Why are you here?

        

Harry thought over the events that lead him to this point. Following a dead famous author through a fictional forest in a land that was supposed to only exist in a book he had never even bothered to read. His dream theory was quickly slipping away, as he followed Carroll through a forest that felt all too real. Just breath Harry, you've been through worse...maybe. Harry was starting to doubt that, although some of his past life experiences could almost compete with this on the crazy factor...almost. As Harry admired his surroundings, he could not suppress a feeling of awe no matter how much he wished he was not there. He had never seen a forest like this before and he doubted anyone else on earth ever had. The flowers with faces were greeting him with smiles and the trees were randomly growing and shrinking all around him. Carroll had to pause periodically to allow Harry to take it all in, which was appearing to be quite a challenge.

"I just don't understand how any of this is possible," Harry breathed. "I mean this was all just a kid's book, and books are not supposed to come alive!"

"This is all just two children's books," Carroll corrected him. "I wrote two volumes about Wonderland. Everyone is always forgetting my sequel."

"Well actually," Harry replied. "They recently made a movie about the second book." Carroll turned around to give Harry a confused look.

"What is a movie?" Carroll asked. Harry mentally slapped his forehead. Of course, an author that lived in the 1800's doesn't know what a movie is.

"Well, you see," Harry tried to explain. "There are pictures on a screen and they move..."

"Oh!" Carroll acknowledged. "You mean a moving picture." It was Harry's turn to look surprised.

"You know what that is?!" A mischievous look mixed with disappointment appeared on the deceased man's face.

"My dear boy, exactly how old to you think I am?" Harry turned his eyes to the forest floor as he realized he had no idea at all about Lewis Carroll's age or the history of film. "I died on January 14, 1898 making me sixty-five when I died but I suppose I would currently be one hundred and eighty-five years old. That gives a whole new meaning to respecting your elders," Carroll chuckled. They traveled in silence for a few more minutes until the forest began to thin. Harry was forced to stop when they came to a stream. It was small enough to jump over but Carroll just stood there and stared at it.

"Um... Mr. Carroll, are we going to move on?"

"Hmmm? Oh yes, I would just like to prepare you, my dear boy." Harry almost burst out laughing. With the day, he was having being prepared for things just was not in the description anymore.

"Be prepared for what Sir?" A sad almost dark look came over Carroll's face.

"I mean this in the nicest way Harry, never call me Sir." A small chill ran down Harry's spine because of the way Carroll said that sentence but in a second a friendly smile lit up his face again. "When we jump over this river we will automatically be outside my house. I just thought I should warn you or you might believe you were losing your mind." Oh, I just might be already. Harry took in a deep breath and tried, against his better judgement, to mentally prepare himself for teleporting. "On my count," Carroll instructed. "Ready and JUMP!" With that command Harry launched himself into the air and over the river not really knowing what to expect. Unlike the teleporters Harry had seen on TV there was no loud bang, no big flash of light. It was just at one moment he was by a river bank and a second later he was standing in the middle of a vegetable garden or at least what he believed to be a vegetable garden. Harry was not exactly sure what colourful food was growing up from the earth.