Heart of Wonderland

Chapter 8

June 2nd, 4:05 a.m.

Haven: "So tired."

White Rabbit: "At least we are lucky enough to have reached the Mushroom House without getting caught by any of the Card Guards."

Haven: "I agree, we are lucky, and it looks like our winning streak will continue, as the place looks abandoned. Awesome; we can sleep for a couple hours and then hit the road."

White Rabbit: "Agreed."

At first, Rabbit and I tried the front door, but that was locked, so we began trying windows. Just when I thought we would have to break a window to get inside, Rabbit found one that was unlocked. I boosted him up so he could climb inside. Once inside, he ran around to the front and unlocked the door so I could get in. The interior of the Mushroom House did not look as abandoned as the outer appearance initially led an individual to believe.

White Rabbit: "No one is here."

Haven: "There is food in the pantry; not food I would eat, but food, nonetheless."

White Rabbit: "We are going to only be here a couple hours and then be gone, so don't worry about it. I just can't go back to the White Room, so we have to make sure we are at the top of our game and get some rest. After we sleep a bit, we can then follow the compass once more."

Haven: "All right, but I have this weird feeling like we are going to be eaten by three hungry bears, or something."

White Rabbit: "You worry too much, Goldilocks."

Haven: "Fine, make fun. But if I get eaten, I'm haunting you for the rest of your life."

White Rabbit: "Sounds fair. I'll take the bedroom on the right and you can have the one on the left, because it's a bit bigger."

With the sleeping arrangements delegated out, it was time to retire for the night. The last coherent thought I had, before I fell asleep, was that, most likely, come morning, I'd be disgusted by the fact that I was sleeping in some stranger's bed. If I hadn't been so tired, I'd probably have cared then, but sleep won out against all other thoughts.

June 2nd, 9:15 a.m.

Voice: "What are you doing, sleeping in my bed?"

My eyes shot open and I instantly became aware of a presence in the room. Great, I really was going to get eaten. Memo to self, make damn sure that I haunt the Rabbit for the rest of his natural life and, even when he dies, haunt him into eternity.

Haven: "It is I, Princess Haven Heart."

Voice 1: "Haven?"

I rolled over to see who was behind me. I expected a bear ready to lunge at me, but this was not the case. There was no bear standing there. There was a butterfly floating in the air.

Haven: "You look familiar."

Voice 1: "I am familiar."

Haven: "Who are you?"

Voice 1: "I'm not myself. Don't you see? Wait, I said that wrong, you see?"

Haven: "You're attempting to quote Alice in Wonderland."

Voice 1: "What part of the book am I quoting?"

A smile crept across my face.

Haven: "When she met the Caterpillar... oh my! You're a butterfly now, Caterpillar!"

Voice 1: "Yes, but calling a butterfly a caterpillar will never do, so please, call me Lou."

Haven: "Lou, the butterfly. I can do that."