Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 1

(Daniella's POV, 15 years later)

I pulled my itchy brown cloak around me and trudged through the thin layer of dirt and grim whilst making sure that I didn't lose sight of the group. Teagan, our 'mother' was leading the group through the cold frosty air that hung around the bare trees. She wanted to take us to the festival at the village today. All of the other orphans were excited about this arrangement, but I didn't want to leave the cabin. Teagan wanted to let us roam the village markets independently but in my opinion, being together is better. With Teagan near us, the other children won't bother me but as soon as she leaves, it feels like living hell. The children call me names, 'shorty' for my height, 'scared little bunny' for my personality and most recently, freak. They started calling me the latter after the incident that occurred yesterday. 

We were playing outside with Teagan remaining in the cabin, making our dinner. I was leaning against a tree, making a doll out of twigs and twine when the group of boys came towards me. They had a smug expression on their faces after Leyton, their leader, swiped the doll out of my hands. His face snarled and then he spat onto me as he grunted, "that's for getting us punished for sneaking out into the night yesterday". I wiped the spit off my face and mumbled back, "Well it's not like I'm going to lie to Teagan about where you and your friends were last night. You were trying to look for werewolves to see if they're real, and that's just stupid. I don't like you but I don't want Teagan or myself to walk out one morning to see you dead on the forest floor covered in blood!" 

I had no idea what overcame me to speak those words but when I did, I received a fist in my face. Naturally, the force made me stumble backwards and I hit my back painfully against a tree root. I don't remember what exactly happened after that but I felt anger towards those boys. I glared at their faces and couldn't help the violent thoughts that overcame me all of a sudden. They were orphans just like me but I didn't understand why they didn't appreciate Teagan's care for us. They didn't like the orphanage despite our free meals and shelter. When I first met the boys, I thought that they were crazy. They have spent their whole lives (nearly) in a safe place and they were still ungrateful. I don't recall my toddler years very well but somehow I fell into a portal and ended up in wonderland when I was younger. The first few years of my life there was absolutely horrible. 

As a one year old toddler, I was found crying amongst the large abnormal plants. I can't remember that experience as I was too young but apparently the Queen of Hearts' guards found me and took me to the nearest village. There, I was forced to work with the village's dressmakers. I know that it doesn't sound too bad but they didn't give me a choice. It was my 5th birthday when they told me that I had to either work with the needle my fingers could barely hold or leave without food or shelter. I chose to stay and for three more years, endured the long hours of work. When I first started sewing, I had to redo the stitches many times; my small fingers were too clumsy and poor stitching would result in no profit. When I was 8 years old, I got tired of working for the dressmakers. In the middle of the night, I snuck out and ran towards the twisting road that lead the village into the dark maze of trees. I remember that surprisingly, there were faint glows of light the further I walked into the forest. I was confused at first but I soon realised that it was fireflies. 

I followed them in hopes to get out of the forest and onto a road that would hopefully take me to another village but it led me to the Cheshire cat. Actually, it led me to the grin of the cat. I knew that it was Cheshire despite never having seen him before. The children in the village used to brag about seeing him and being granted with some of the cat's magic. I was sceptical at the magic at first but seeing the cat invisible except for the grin confirmed my doubts. That night, I was desperate to get away from the dressmakers. I didn't even know how the cat would respond but I pleaded for him to take me back to my life before I ended up in wonderland. The Cheshire cat told me to follow the fireflies. I was very confused but I knew that he was helping me when he told me that he was sending me back to the land that I was born in, the Enchanted Forest. He warned me however that time was different in wonderland, it passed much slower. So despite my 9 years in wonderland, I am actually 16 years old from the time I was born in the Enchanted Forest. When the cat told me this, I was shocked. I didn't feel like a teenager so I became worried and asked the cat whether or not I will have to become an adolescent as soon as I arrive back into the Enchanted Forest. I was relieved when the cat told me that I would remain '10 years old' and that my age would progress normally according to the land that I was in. I wanted to ask the cat more questions but he had disappeared. I remember following the fireflies, just like Cheshire had instructed. It led me to a mirror and when the glowing insects flew through the reflective surface, I knew that it was a portal. It wasn't long after my arrival back into the Enchanted Forest did Teagan find me and take me into the orphanage. I spent 1 year of bliss since then and everything seemed to be going great. That was, until Teagan brought Leyton to the group. He had made everyone despise me; simply because I didn't have to do many chores as a result of my young age. The older kids became jealous of me because I was allowed to play when they had to collect water from the village's well. They had no idea though, how much pain I had endured in Wonderland.