Wonderland of Death
Alice is lonely, she is desperate, and will do anything to get out of what her life was in Old London. One day though, a man comes with an offer, an offer with a high risk...but a beautiful reward. She knew she couldn't pass it up, even if her life was on the line, even if everything she ever loved and will love was at stake. She had to do it, or it was just as good as dying along with programmed life.
Cover Design By: [email protected]
Cover Design By: [email protected]
Prologue - Cheshire The Cat
He stood there watching her while twirling his cane. She didn't see him yet, but she would soon. Her hair was brown and her eyes were sort of greenish; she was in all cases beautiful. Most of all though, she was lonely. He smiled his wide grin while tipping his hat to make sure she wouldn't see his complete face. She approached with caution.
The man she saw had purple hair, which was very odd, and was dressed in matching formal clothes, top hat, and a black cane with a diamond on top. He must be very wealthy... She thought to herself before proceeding to confront her watcher.
"Hello milady, how do you do?" Cheshire asks in a respectful tone. "Quite well, you?" "Oh fine! Fine indeed!" Cheshire answers with a broad smile. She raised an eyebrow, obviously confused by his cheerfulness. After a long silence she asked "Why were you watching me?" Cheshire lessened his smile and moved his hat up with his cane, showing his face in detail. She saw that his eyes had an ominous glow like a cat's. His eyes looked joyfully at her, "I wanted to play a game with you, I come for this invitation. It is a game that will very much help you in the grand scheme of your life. Would you like to join?" Cheshire asks her while setting his cane to the ground.
The woman looked at him with much caution, "What do I get if I play?" she asked as he seemed to fix his coat and hat. "Nothing! Unless you win, but that is different than just playing." He answers while standing up straighter and fiddling with his fingers. He seemed very impatient. "If I win, then what do I get?" she asks, now fixing her question. "A single and a very free wish. You can wish for anything you can ever think of! It's a great prize, don't you think?" Cheshire says enthusiastically. The woman thought more on this, it seemed to her like a very well deal...but something was wrong.
"What happens when I lose?" She asks him, he smiled wildly. "The only way to lose is to die." Cheshire answers with a sly grin. The woman looked disgusted at the offer. "Why would I want to join a sick game like that!? You must be quite mad for such offers, sir!" The woman said with appall. "Very much so, thank you for noticing! But I wouldn't ask you if you wanted to risk your life for a single wish if I didn't think you'd take it!" Cheshire says while she starts to turn away. "My sweet child, I know all about you and your loneliness. You must have thought of the possibilities!" Cheshire adds while moving towards her back.
Cheshire grabs her shoulder roughly and turns her to him with a gloved hand. "Let go of-" She tries to say before Cheshire put a finger to her lips and brought his face close and shushed her. "You don't live around here do you?" He asks her. "Whatever do you mean?" "I mean...you live in here." He says, while poking her forehead. "You live in the mind." Cheshire added with a slight smile. She shook herself out of Cheshire's grip, "And if I do?" She asks frantically, shocked at how awkward this man was being. "You don't belong here, you should be at home. You should be in a wonderland filled with fascination! A garden maybe? I can give it to you!" Cheshire tells her, now peaking her interest. "How?" Was all she could manage in her thoughts. "With the one wish you need to save yourself from a dreadfully boring life of loneliness and craving! Why should you question an opportunity to get a new life when all you need to do is give up this lonely one?" Cheshire asks while showing ears behind his top hat and a tail behind his back.
"You're a-" The woman started as Cheshire raised his arms and cane above his head. "Half man. Half cat. All fun! Indeed child, I am from a world of fantasy much like the one in your head." He told her while holding out his hand. She was still caught off guard from what was in front of her. A half man and half cat! Right in front of her, she couldn't quite believe her eyes. "Now, my dear, all I must know is your name and hand; then you may go home." Cheshire tells her while taking the glove off of the held out hand. She smiled shyly and hesitated, "How long will I be gone?" she asks him while moving closer to him again. "Does it matter?" He said slyly; with a smile to match. "My name is Alice..." She told him as she gripped his hand. He gripped it back, welcoming her to his control. "Well Alice..." Cheshire started with a broad smile, "Welcome to your wonderland." Then they were gone, teleported from London's streets to a beautiful meadow, a majestic forest, and a land of mystery and death.
The man she saw had purple hair, which was very odd, and was dressed in matching formal clothes, top hat, and a black cane with a diamond on top. He must be very wealthy... She thought to herself before proceeding to confront her watcher.
"Hello milady, how do you do?" Cheshire asks in a respectful tone. "Quite well, you?" "Oh fine! Fine indeed!" Cheshire answers with a broad smile. She raised an eyebrow, obviously confused by his cheerfulness. After a long silence she asked "Why were you watching me?" Cheshire lessened his smile and moved his hat up with his cane, showing his face in detail. She saw that his eyes had an ominous glow like a cat's. His eyes looked joyfully at her, "I wanted to play a game with you, I come for this invitation. It is a game that will very much help you in the grand scheme of your life. Would you like to join?" Cheshire asks her while setting his cane to the ground.
The woman looked at him with much caution, "What do I get if I play?" she asked as he seemed to fix his coat and hat. "Nothing! Unless you win, but that is different than just playing." He answers while standing up straighter and fiddling with his fingers. He seemed very impatient. "If I win, then what do I get?" she asks, now fixing her question. "A single and a very free wish. You can wish for anything you can ever think of! It's a great prize, don't you think?" Cheshire says enthusiastically. The woman thought more on this, it seemed to her like a very well deal...but something was wrong.
"What happens when I lose?" She asks him, he smiled wildly. "The only way to lose is to die." Cheshire answers with a sly grin. The woman looked disgusted at the offer. "Why would I want to join a sick game like that!? You must be quite mad for such offers, sir!" The woman said with appall. "Very much so, thank you for noticing! But I wouldn't ask you if you wanted to risk your life for a single wish if I didn't think you'd take it!" Cheshire says while she starts to turn away. "My sweet child, I know all about you and your loneliness. You must have thought of the possibilities!" Cheshire adds while moving towards her back.
Cheshire grabs her shoulder roughly and turns her to him with a gloved hand. "Let go of-" She tries to say before Cheshire put a finger to her lips and brought his face close and shushed her. "You don't live around here do you?" He asks her. "Whatever do you mean?" "I mean...you live in here." He says, while poking her forehead. "You live in the mind." Cheshire added with a slight smile. She shook herself out of Cheshire's grip, "And if I do?" She asks frantically, shocked at how awkward this man was being. "You don't belong here, you should be at home. You should be in a wonderland filled with fascination! A garden maybe? I can give it to you!" Cheshire tells her, now peaking her interest. "How?" Was all she could manage in her thoughts. "With the one wish you need to save yourself from a dreadfully boring life of loneliness and craving! Why should you question an opportunity to get a new life when all you need to do is give up this lonely one?" Cheshire asks while showing ears behind his top hat and a tail behind his back.
"You're a-" The woman started as Cheshire raised his arms and cane above his head. "Half man. Half cat. All fun! Indeed child, I am from a world of fantasy much like the one in your head." He told her while holding out his hand. She was still caught off guard from what was in front of her. A half man and half cat! Right in front of her, she couldn't quite believe her eyes. "Now, my dear, all I must know is your name and hand; then you may go home." Cheshire tells her while taking the glove off of the held out hand. She smiled shyly and hesitated, "How long will I be gone?" she asks him while moving closer to him again. "Does it matter?" He said slyly; with a smile to match. "My name is Alice..." She told him as she gripped his hand. He gripped it back, welcoming her to his control. "Well Alice..." Cheshire started with a broad smile, "Welcome to your wonderland." Then they were gone, teleported from London's streets to a beautiful meadow, a majestic forest, and a land of mystery and death.
Chapter One - King Of Cards
Alice let out an uneasy gasp of air, and felt her heart racing. Where? What...what happened? Alice thought to herself as her eyes adjusted to the unusually bright light of the area. "You were teleported to my wonderland," Cheshire started, obviously already hearing her thoughts, "to put it kindly, 'you aren't in kansas anymore'....oh wait, you don't get that joke yet, sorry." Cheshire continued as he scratched one of his purple furred ears and appeared to be thinking. "Well, let's go with the blunt method, you were teleported to my realm of this reality. I call it the Diluculum, my realm of ever lasting twilight." He told her as he pointed to the yellow sun directly above them. Alice gasped with amazement and backed away to see it better, but it was too big. "How is this place possible?" Alice asked, they seemed to be the only ones in the field they were standing in. Alice saw a dark forest at the border of the field, almost no transition into it, but the entire field had butterflies and enchanting diamond flowers with ruby rose bushes. It looked like something out of a story book that her mother read to her...before she died, that is.
"It isn't," Cheshire explained, "not with your reality at least. I just use a bit of my imagination here and there, sprinkle some logic...I know it's somewhere in here at least, not sure where though. Oh well, to hell with logic! Imaginations are much more enjoyable, you get to play with reality when you use a bit of imagination. Just like a cat, toiling with a ball of yarn. I guess that would be me." Cheshire said joyfully while making exaggerated movements. "If it's not possible in my reality, than who's is it possible with? Only yours?" Alice asks with curiosity as she saw a butterfly land on a diamond flower. The butterfly sat on it for a few seconds then turned to the same diamond substance and broke apart. The diamond flower seemed to glow now, but the glimmer faded eventually.
"The 'real' reality is something we people like to call the S.Y.S.T.E.M., it's a reality that is just too much fun to play with. I would like to introduce you to it sometime-" Cheshire was saying before hundreds of people started to appear in the field, all with their very own Cheshire holding their hand as Alice did with him. "soon." Cheshire concluded with a smirk. Alice blinked, "Who are-?" she started, but Cheshire answered instantly. "They are your allies, and competition in this game. Don't worry, you will begin to love these people, until one stabs you in the back; that is when things will get twisty and messy." Cheshire says with a wink before all his instances began to morph together on a stump that was no further than a few yards from the forest bordering the field. After the hundreds of Cheshires morphed together, he rolled up his sleeves and tightened his gloves.
Everyone was looking at Cheshire, but he still felt fit to slam his cane against the stump with his hands overlapping on the massive diamond on top. Now that Alice thought about it, it was the same bright blue diamond as the flowers around the field. "Ta-da!!!!" Cheshire yelled to his audience with glee. "How...are...we all doing today!!" People began to mumble amongst each other, Alice couldn't hear them though, she was focused on Cheshire. "If we may stop the chit chat brigades, please! I would like to share how this wonderful world works before you get to know each other. You will have plenty of time to get to know each other, don't worry yourself. All I ask is for your simple attention." Cheshire continued, everyone got quiet at the sound of his voice.
"That is better! Thank you! You are a beautiful audience! Alright...where was I." Cheshire tried to start again but seemed to think about what he was going to say. "Oh, yes, that is right! You are now trapped here, in the Diluculum, until you reach the opposite side of this world! You are, right now, in the Sun Grove. This place will act as your starting point for the game. The finishing point is behind me, it is the Lake of Moonlight." Cheshire explains to everyone. Nobody made so much as a sound as he continued.
"As you all were told on arriving here, if you reach my Lake of Moonlight first you will receive one restrict free wish! Of course, the wish will only be the restrictions of your mind, but I will get into that more if you win. That is the only rule of this game, first one to make it over there is the winner!" Cheshire tells everyone with excitement. "But..." Cheshire starts with more seriousness in his voice now, "I do have three suggestions, and follow these suggestions well. They are not rules, that wouldn't be fun, but I recommend you don't disobey them. Some of you will die, whether it because you were not listening now or you were not skilled or lucky enough to make it out of here alive. Either way, that fact shall remain." Cheshire says with a deadly plain tone. "The three suggestions I have for you are: Anything can kill, and beauty will grow you wings. Moving, once started, will get you hurt; but stopping will be immensely worse. The last one is, don't listen to me or anything I say, it will surely earn you an early grave." Cheshire concludes and stands on the stump in silence.
Nobody spoke until he smiled again, "I will take questions, just don't make it a stupid one." Cheshire offered while his cat tail grabbed his cane and took it out of the stump. A hand shot up, Cheshire laughed. "This isn't something you raise your hand for, just speak you damned fool!" He pointed at a red head girl with freckles and light blue eyes. "Ask away child!" She put her hand down and twiddled her thumbs. "I-I don't think that last suggestion makes sense, if you don't mind me saying sir." She said with her silent and shy voice. Cheshire's ears twitched behind his hat, he obviously had a hard time hearing her. "I believe I asked for questions Miss Clemons, don't make comments." Cheshire says to her and she shy's away. "Anyone else?" He asks to everyone. "How are we supposed to survive without any tools? If this place really is dangerous, like you told me before I came, then we will need some kind of tool to survive." Says a guy near the back of the crowd. Everyone parted to reveal him to Cheshire, and Alice saw that he wasn't too far away from her position.
He was tall, about six feet and two inches, and had broad shoulders. His features were a bit edgy, his eyes were a bright blue and his hair was an inky black. He wore a worn and faded black coat. The coat was ripped and missing buttons. He looked to be homeless in the real world, that or someone from a very low class status. He looked well built, enough to be able to fight his way out of situations but not exactly muscular either. Alice examined him further till he looked her way, she immediately averted her eyes. It isn't polite to stare She reminded herself as she looked down at her feet.
"Excellent question Joshua my boy! See Miss Clemons, that is a question, learn to listen to simple directions!" Cheshire says after clapping his hands once and points at Joshua. "I was hoping someone would ask that! So here is your answer!" Cheshire says enthusiastically as he pulled a deck of cards from thin air. "These aren't your average playing cards people, this is something much better! All of you will receive one card each. Once you receive your given card, it will show you a picture of what will be your ability for your time here. You can not trade these, the card you receive the second time will simply mimic the original one. Use your powers wisely and work with others to be able to survive this place, but remember that only one is allowed to get a wish." Cheshire tells them as he begins to walk around the crowd and handing them a card each. "The one and only wish means that you will either have to kill each other, or race to the finish. which ever you choose is fine by me." He adds as he get's to Clemons, where her card showed a staff with wings and two snakes coiling around it. Cheshire smiles at Clemons and says something to her. His smile was wide and unnatural, but always seemed to be genuine.
When Cheshire got to Alice, he handed her one of the blank cards. The white seemed to tear apart, as if trying to reveal what is underneath of it's own accord. A secret that lay hidden under the blankness. Alice frowned as the true nature of her card appeared. "A Queen of Hearts?" She asked Cheshire, obviously thinking the card absurd. Cheshire smiled at her, his ridiculous smile, and had a clone tear out of his body with the same exact attire and all. The clone took the deck of cards and resumed the originals work. "What were you expecting my young Alice?" Cheshire says to her, continuing to smile. "You must be mad to think this card will give me anything special." Alice tells him with certainty, not feeling the slightest bit different after given the card. It was obvious that everyone else felt different the moment they jolted at the touch of the card. "We are all mad here young lass, you had to be to come here. If you think you are any exception then you are wrong." Cheshire begins, his smile some how widening. "As for the card," He tells her while moving his gloved hand towards her. "everyone else got something new, all that happened to you was the strengthening of your heart." Cheshire finishes after poking her chest; where her heart was.
Alice blushed at the awkward gesture and pushed him away...or tried. Cheshire was gone before she even reached her hands all the way out. All that remained was his bright cat eyes and his smile. "I suggest you try to use that strength of yours to your advantage, I guarantee that nobody else will have that power." He tells her. Before she could ask anything, his eyes vanished and soon after his smile.
After Cheshire left, Alice saw everyone grouped around one particular person. That person was none other than the Joshua from earlier, with Cheshire looking grimly at him. "I suppose that can't be helped, you are stuck with it now... And forever." Cheshire said to Joshua with a grim tone. The way he said the last two words...it was like he committed a death sentence. Joshua stared at his card, face as pale as snow with bulging eyes and with a gaping mouth. Nobody dare talk aloud, but Alice heard whispers of it being a bad omen, or that he was a hell spawn. When Alice finally got a look at the card, she saw almost pitch blackness, except for red gleaming eyes that seemed to be in a thick night fog. The card made her shiver, and some how she knew that Joshua was very very afraid...
Afraid of whatever is now inside of him.
"It isn't," Cheshire explained, "not with your reality at least. I just use a bit of my imagination here and there, sprinkle some logic...I know it's somewhere in here at least, not sure where though. Oh well, to hell with logic! Imaginations are much more enjoyable, you get to play with reality when you use a bit of imagination. Just like a cat, toiling with a ball of yarn. I guess that would be me." Cheshire said joyfully while making exaggerated movements. "If it's not possible in my reality, than who's is it possible with? Only yours?" Alice asks with curiosity as she saw a butterfly land on a diamond flower. The butterfly sat on it for a few seconds then turned to the same diamond substance and broke apart. The diamond flower seemed to glow now, but the glimmer faded eventually.
"The 'real' reality is something we people like to call the S.Y.S.T.E.M., it's a reality that is just too much fun to play with. I would like to introduce you to it sometime-" Cheshire was saying before hundreds of people started to appear in the field, all with their very own Cheshire holding their hand as Alice did with him. "soon." Cheshire concluded with a smirk. Alice blinked, "Who are-?" she started, but Cheshire answered instantly. "They are your allies, and competition in this game. Don't worry, you will begin to love these people, until one stabs you in the back; that is when things will get twisty and messy." Cheshire says with a wink before all his instances began to morph together on a stump that was no further than a few yards from the forest bordering the field. After the hundreds of Cheshires morphed together, he rolled up his sleeves and tightened his gloves.
Everyone was looking at Cheshire, but he still felt fit to slam his cane against the stump with his hands overlapping on the massive diamond on top. Now that Alice thought about it, it was the same bright blue diamond as the flowers around the field. "Ta-da!!!!" Cheshire yelled to his audience with glee. "How...are...we all doing today!!" People began to mumble amongst each other, Alice couldn't hear them though, she was focused on Cheshire. "If we may stop the chit chat brigades, please! I would like to share how this wonderful world works before you get to know each other. You will have plenty of time to get to know each other, don't worry yourself. All I ask is for your simple attention." Cheshire continued, everyone got quiet at the sound of his voice.
"That is better! Thank you! You are a beautiful audience! Alright...where was I." Cheshire tried to start again but seemed to think about what he was going to say. "Oh, yes, that is right! You are now trapped here, in the Diluculum, until you reach the opposite side of this world! You are, right now, in the Sun Grove. This place will act as your starting point for the game. The finishing point is behind me, it is the Lake of Moonlight." Cheshire explains to everyone. Nobody made so much as a sound as he continued.
"As you all were told on arriving here, if you reach my Lake of Moonlight first you will receive one restrict free wish! Of course, the wish will only be the restrictions of your mind, but I will get into that more if you win. That is the only rule of this game, first one to make it over there is the winner!" Cheshire tells everyone with excitement. "But..." Cheshire starts with more seriousness in his voice now, "I do have three suggestions, and follow these suggestions well. They are not rules, that wouldn't be fun, but I recommend you don't disobey them. Some of you will die, whether it because you were not listening now or you were not skilled or lucky enough to make it out of here alive. Either way, that fact shall remain." Cheshire says with a deadly plain tone. "The three suggestions I have for you are: Anything can kill, and beauty will grow you wings. Moving, once started, will get you hurt; but stopping will be immensely worse. The last one is, don't listen to me or anything I say, it will surely earn you an early grave." Cheshire concludes and stands on the stump in silence.
Nobody spoke until he smiled again, "I will take questions, just don't make it a stupid one." Cheshire offered while his cat tail grabbed his cane and took it out of the stump. A hand shot up, Cheshire laughed. "This isn't something you raise your hand for, just speak you damned fool!" He pointed at a red head girl with freckles and light blue eyes. "Ask away child!" She put her hand down and twiddled her thumbs. "I-I don't think that last suggestion makes sense, if you don't mind me saying sir." She said with her silent and shy voice. Cheshire's ears twitched behind his hat, he obviously had a hard time hearing her. "I believe I asked for questions Miss Clemons, don't make comments." Cheshire says to her and she shy's away. "Anyone else?" He asks to everyone. "How are we supposed to survive without any tools? If this place really is dangerous, like you told me before I came, then we will need some kind of tool to survive." Says a guy near the back of the crowd. Everyone parted to reveal him to Cheshire, and Alice saw that he wasn't too far away from her position.
He was tall, about six feet and two inches, and had broad shoulders. His features were a bit edgy, his eyes were a bright blue and his hair was an inky black. He wore a worn and faded black coat. The coat was ripped and missing buttons. He looked to be homeless in the real world, that or someone from a very low class status. He looked well built, enough to be able to fight his way out of situations but not exactly muscular either. Alice examined him further till he looked her way, she immediately averted her eyes. It isn't polite to stare She reminded herself as she looked down at her feet.
"Excellent question Joshua my boy! See Miss Clemons, that is a question, learn to listen to simple directions!" Cheshire says after clapping his hands once and points at Joshua. "I was hoping someone would ask that! So here is your answer!" Cheshire says enthusiastically as he pulled a deck of cards from thin air. "These aren't your average playing cards people, this is something much better! All of you will receive one card each. Once you receive your given card, it will show you a picture of what will be your ability for your time here. You can not trade these, the card you receive the second time will simply mimic the original one. Use your powers wisely and work with others to be able to survive this place, but remember that only one is allowed to get a wish." Cheshire tells them as he begins to walk around the crowd and handing them a card each. "The one and only wish means that you will either have to kill each other, or race to the finish. which ever you choose is fine by me." He adds as he get's to Clemons, where her card showed a staff with wings and two snakes coiling around it. Cheshire smiles at Clemons and says something to her. His smile was wide and unnatural, but always seemed to be genuine.
When Cheshire got to Alice, he handed her one of the blank cards. The white seemed to tear apart, as if trying to reveal what is underneath of it's own accord. A secret that lay hidden under the blankness. Alice frowned as the true nature of her card appeared. "A Queen of Hearts?" She asked Cheshire, obviously thinking the card absurd. Cheshire smiled at her, his ridiculous smile, and had a clone tear out of his body with the same exact attire and all. The clone took the deck of cards and resumed the originals work. "What were you expecting my young Alice?" Cheshire says to her, continuing to smile. "You must be mad to think this card will give me anything special." Alice tells him with certainty, not feeling the slightest bit different after given the card. It was obvious that everyone else felt different the moment they jolted at the touch of the card. "We are all mad here young lass, you had to be to come here. If you think you are any exception then you are wrong." Cheshire begins, his smile some how widening. "As for the card," He tells her while moving his gloved hand towards her. "everyone else got something new, all that happened to you was the strengthening of your heart." Cheshire finishes after poking her chest; where her heart was.
Alice blushed at the awkward gesture and pushed him away...or tried. Cheshire was gone before she even reached her hands all the way out. All that remained was his bright cat eyes and his smile. "I suggest you try to use that strength of yours to your advantage, I guarantee that nobody else will have that power." He tells her. Before she could ask anything, his eyes vanished and soon after his smile.
After Cheshire left, Alice saw everyone grouped around one particular person. That person was none other than the Joshua from earlier, with Cheshire looking grimly at him. "I suppose that can't be helped, you are stuck with it now... And forever." Cheshire said to Joshua with a grim tone. The way he said the last two words...it was like he committed a death sentence. Joshua stared at his card, face as pale as snow with bulging eyes and with a gaping mouth. Nobody dare talk aloud, but Alice heard whispers of it being a bad omen, or that he was a hell spawn. When Alice finally got a look at the card, she saw almost pitch blackness, except for red gleaming eyes that seemed to be in a thick night fog. The card made her shiver, and some how she knew that Joshua was very very afraid...
Afraid of whatever is now inside of him.
Chapter Two - The Phantom Trees Laugh
After Cheshire left, everyone began to converse. His last tip to everyone was still in the air, given to everyone before he left with his full stack of cards. He told everyone while playing with the cards, "You might want to look for people who fit your abilities. If you don't know your ability, I suggest you find out what it is before tomorrow comes around." After that he left, seeming as if he was never there. Alice never did understand how the cards seemed to never go down in the deck.
The world Alice was now in was very strange. The sky was a constant purple, and the moon and sun hung across from each other. The sun hung above where they stood, too big for anyone to see the top of. The moon, on the other hand, was in the far distance. It was a full moon, and it seemed to shine brighter than the sun when it was a supposed night. During the day, the moon would turn dull and the sun would brighten. This was the only way to tell the time of day, for everything else stayed nearly exactly the same. The moon never changed cycles, nor did it move in the sky. Everything was fixed, even the trees never really moved, as if waiting for the kind and calming feel of a summer wind. The world of Twilight was full of a mysterious feel.
Alice didn't know where to go, she had nobody to converse with. She supposed that the largest group would suffice, but when she went to them they didn't allow her closer till she shared her power. "I don't know exactly." Said Alice as she showed her card to them. They laughed when they saw the Queen of Hearts playing card. "Looks like you're nothing special lass, I suggest you just turn tail to the other rejects over that way!" A man said to her before letting out a burst of laughter and pointing out to a group who already had a fire going. Alice looked down at her feet and followed the man's finger to another group. They laughed at her back before huddling up again.
When Alice got to her new choice for a group she stopped. She kept her distance, waiting for approval. They all were laughing together and smiling, having a good time. It was a small group, it only had about a dozen people. They didn't notice Alice standing a little bit away from them and continued their conversation. "Yeah! My friends and I were pretty dumb, but getting those metal pots and going down the hill wasn't one of the worse things we've done! There was a time we tried jumping from building to building like monkeys!" says a boy around seventeen years of age.
The lot of them laughed before one caught eye of Alice. "Hello there lassie! Would you like to sit with us? I know some of the other groups are being rough about all of this, but if you want to sit down with us you are more than welcome." says a boy with a vest and white dress shirt. He seemed to come from a very high standard family, and he spoke English perfectly. He had an accent she was used to, not like the Scottish or Irish. No, he was a true Englishman. Alice hesitated though, she couldn't understand why he was being so kind. "Of course, I-I'd love to. My name is Alice." Alice says nervously before sitting down in their circle by the fire.
"Let me introduce this wonderful company we have here." The English boy says with a smile. His white hair was brushed from his eyes when he tilted his head. "This woman here is named Katarina." The boy introduces while pointing at a girl with a black trench coat and blue around her eyes. She looked a bit Asian, with a mix of Russian. She had lush black hair and mildly pale skin. Her eyes were a lightish blue, matching the color around her eyes. When she spoke though, she seemed to speak English very well. "You may call me Kat, if the name is too long for you." She spoke with a bored and tired tone. The boy continued with the introductions. "This fellow with a white shirt and blonde hair is George." George looked at Alice when he was introduced, his eyes were a sort of green. "Hey." He told her in a normal tone.
The boy went around introducing everyone, from the Miss Clemons to the Mat Williams sitting beside him. Finally he brought his hand to himself and smiled at her, "And my name is Harry Van Baker." He told her. "I am half English, half German, but all fun." Harry told her with a wink and a smile. Mat burst out in laughter and slapped his friend on the back. "All fun?! Yeah right! You haven't done anything remotely fun since we got here; you little snore!" Mat burst out in his laughter as he smiled at Alice. "Please excuse our little Romeo, he is stupid like that." Mat told her well fixing his brown hair. His eyes were a chocolate brown and his features were slender. Harry started getting on Mat's case, scolding him to never mess up his "plans" again and to never make him look bad. Mat just laughed as they wrestled. "They are hopeless, but they lighten up the mood a bit." Kat said with her bored voice. She seemed to smile a bit at Alice. Alice smiled back. "They do seem like a couple of goofs." Alice responds.
Alice then noticed someone a bit away from the group, just outside the circle laying down. "Who's that?" Alice asks Kat, but George answers. "His name is Joshua, but he rather lay down just outside the circle. Harry must've forgotten to introduce him." "Is he with the group?" Alice asks with fascination. "Yes...he said he'd help us if we helped him, but he didn't say too much after we agreed. He's been laying there ever since." George answers nervously. "Nobody went to go talk to him?" Alice asks, determined to know everything. "Umm...well...I would've, except..." George starts before Mat turns his attention abruptly to their conversation. "Except that George is a bit of a pansy!" Mat blurts out with a wide smile. This started an argument that Alice wasn't following, she was too busy looking at Joshua. He was sweating a bit with his eyes closed. His ink black hair was over his eye lids, and his chest lifted up and down signaling life.
"I'm going to go talk to him." Alice says to everyone as she get's up. Mat, Harry, and George look at her with wide eyes and yell out "What?!" Alice started taking steps to Joshua when everyone dived for her feat, missing. "Don't do it lass! He looks like a complete murderer!" Harry yells out. They all started blabbering reasons to not talk to him until she was almost to him, which at that point Kat called them all stupid.
When Alice got close to him his eyes shot open. "Who goes there." He says with a hoarse voice that seemed to not be used for a while. Alice stopped hard in her tracks. "Umm...it's someone from the group. My name is Alice...I-" She says nervously before he cuts her off. "Didn't I say I want to be left alone? I don't feel too high for talking, I'm not feeling well." Joshua says to Alice before turning so he'd be laying on his right arm and to no longer to see Alice. "I'm new here, I didn't get the message." Alice says shyly well taking a step back. "Just go back to the group, I'll join you guys in the morning. As I said to them before, I promise to help everyone in the group survive our time here." Joshua says with a labored voice. He coughed and slowed his breathing. As Alice was taking another step back though, he gasped for air and laid back on his back. Alice rushed to aid him when his eyes shot open.
"Are you alright?" Alice asks worryingly. Joshua had a coughing fit as Alice sat down and leaned over him. "I'm-" Joshua says before another coughing fit took hold and stopped his sentence. He brought his hand to his mouth to cover it. When it was done he smiled grimly. "I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said I was fine still?" He asked while bringing his hand away from his mouth. There was blood on the outer rim of his lips and some splattered on his hand. Alice's heart skipped a beat, "No, I wouldn't." Was all she could manage with a false calm. For some reason Alice knew he was in some sort of pain. Not the physical kind, at least not as much as a mental kind of pain. "I thought so." Joshua says while sitting up and wiping the blood off on his pants. There was already a blood stain there, probably from before.
"I don't suppose you'll leave me in such a sorry state?" Joshua asks. It sounded more like a comment than a question. "I can get Miss Clemons, I believe she is a healer." Alice suggests, but Joshua shakes his head. "No, many healers have tried to cure what I have...but all have failed. I am dying as we speak, just need a little push." Joshua says with a grim smile, one that said he has all but given up. "That's why I joined this game," He continued with a sorrow filled voice. "I am going to die anyways, might as well try and get that damned wish for I can save myself." Joshua tells Alice before turning to see her face. His eyes were a bright blue and his features were weak and beautiful. Alice turned away, not wanting to look him in the eye for too long. "Why are you here?" He asks her after a brief pause. "I...I don't know. I feel like my life is just...dreadful. This place is the most wonderful thing I've seen since...well...ever! If I am to die here, I think I would die happy." Alice says with a smile. Joshua smiled at her. Alice felt a weight she hadn't noticed leave her when she smiled back.
After that, they started to talk much easier. They started sharing more of their personal lives and laughing at jokes they've heard from others. Alice felt herself getting attached almost immediately. Their conversations only stopped when George got up in a rage. "Hey George! What are you doing?!" Harry called out as he got up fast and followed him. "I'm going into the forest!" George yells back to Harry as he was nearing the threshold. Every group started to notice the drama and slowly began to turn in attention. "You can't be serious? Are you really taking what Mat said to heart?! He's an idiot, you should know that!" Harry called out as George was just outside the forest. George stopped dead in his tracks. Mat and Kat were able to catch up with Harry before George was about to take his final step. "Mat, fix this now! He'll kill himself!" Harry yelled out in a wild rage. "I don't see what I can do anymore, what's done is done. Let him walk alone." He told Harry. Kat nodded, "I agree, he won't listen to reason anymore." Harry cursed at the two and brought out what his card turned into. It was a pocket watch. He considered throwing it at George, but that wouldn't do much. He read the hands and hoped they would say something to help, but all they showed was that in the next minute the hour hand would reach a blood splatter.
"Please...stop." Harry begged George one more time, this time with no conviction whatsoever. George looked at his foot that crossed the threshold. "No, I'll just see you in the morning. Come find me if you can." George says to him before completely crossing it. At this time the other groups gathered to see the spectacle. Harry clenched his fist in frustration and defeat. "You damned fool." He let out in a whisper before George continued forward. Cheshire appeared on a branch of a tree as a cat. Cheshire smiled at him, it looked even more strange in his cat form. The cat was purple with a bracelet on and a monocle. He had his same top hat and Alice noticed that the bracelet had the diamond from his cane embedded in it. George looked at Cheshire with a frown. "What do you want?" He spat out. "Nothing, just waiting to watch the phantom trees laugh." Cheshire answered with a malevolent grin. George huffed and continued on the dirt path that went into the dark parts of the forest. Cheshire jumped to another branch nearby before the one he was on swung to grab George. George stared in horror as the branch's grip tightened hard and a wicked face appeared on the tree trunk. The face was evil and edgy, it laughed at George's ignorance and stupidity as it swung him to it's trunk.
George screamed out as everyone watched him in horror. Harry turned away and walked to the fire again. More branches came from above George's head, and slowly made their way to his face. They began to claw at his face with sick sadistic scratches. Alice's heart leaped as she stared at George while he screamed for help. Her heart started to race as she felt invisible scratches on her face. She leaped out of the crowd as an image of George's vision flashed in front of her eyes. "Stop!" She yelled to the tree in anguish. More trees beside George's captor sprung to life and laughed at her. Each one had the same wicked features as the first.
Everyone was looking at her now, but she didn't care. She needed to stop the pain happening to her, to George. It was unbearable. Cheshire continued to stare at the scene from a branch, he had a slight grin on his face as he looked at Alice. That's right child, let's see what you are really capable of. Cheshire thought to himself as Alice stepped past the threshold. Everyone gasped as she did so, and were ready to see her die along side George. George continued to scream as they began to rip out his eyes, gouging them slowly. Alice screamed at the pain and doubled over. "Stop!! Stop it now!!" She commanded towards the trees, but they only laughed at her persistence. George screamed out of pain as well as his eyes were torn out. Alice gasped as the pain hit her before her vision blurred. She got up slowly and started to walk to the tree that held George. George drooped his head before a branch brought it up so that the bleeding craters would stare at Alice.
Branches lunged out at Alice in an attempt to stop her from progressing, but she swatted them away like flies. The trees still laughed harder now as Alice got closer and put her hand on the trunk in a desperate attempt to do something. Anything would help ease the pain. Her hand pulsed with heat before she felt her legs give way. Her vision blurred to the point where all she saw were spots. Before her vision started to go black, she saw the face of the wicked tree change to that of sorrow. All the trees changed their expression to that of pain and anguish. Cheshire came into Alice's vision as it began to fade fast, still up in the branches. He smiled at Alice, that of reassurance, before the branches let go of George and carried her up to her feet slowly. Alice's vision went completely black when she was thrown in the air, to the crowd that still watched, and was caught by Joshua and Mat. Cold air seemed to surround her before the wonderland faded into a thralling dream and a horrible nightmare.
The world Alice was now in was very strange. The sky was a constant purple, and the moon and sun hung across from each other. The sun hung above where they stood, too big for anyone to see the top of. The moon, on the other hand, was in the far distance. It was a full moon, and it seemed to shine brighter than the sun when it was a supposed night. During the day, the moon would turn dull and the sun would brighten. This was the only way to tell the time of day, for everything else stayed nearly exactly the same. The moon never changed cycles, nor did it move in the sky. Everything was fixed, even the trees never really moved, as if waiting for the kind and calming feel of a summer wind. The world of Twilight was full of a mysterious feel.
Alice didn't know where to go, she had nobody to converse with. She supposed that the largest group would suffice, but when she went to them they didn't allow her closer till she shared her power. "I don't know exactly." Said Alice as she showed her card to them. They laughed when they saw the Queen of Hearts playing card. "Looks like you're nothing special lass, I suggest you just turn tail to the other rejects over that way!" A man said to her before letting out a burst of laughter and pointing out to a group who already had a fire going. Alice looked down at her feet and followed the man's finger to another group. They laughed at her back before huddling up again.
When Alice got to her new choice for a group she stopped. She kept her distance, waiting for approval. They all were laughing together and smiling, having a good time. It was a small group, it only had about a dozen people. They didn't notice Alice standing a little bit away from them and continued their conversation. "Yeah! My friends and I were pretty dumb, but getting those metal pots and going down the hill wasn't one of the worse things we've done! There was a time we tried jumping from building to building like monkeys!" says a boy around seventeen years of age.
The lot of them laughed before one caught eye of Alice. "Hello there lassie! Would you like to sit with us? I know some of the other groups are being rough about all of this, but if you want to sit down with us you are more than welcome." says a boy with a vest and white dress shirt. He seemed to come from a very high standard family, and he spoke English perfectly. He had an accent she was used to, not like the Scottish or Irish. No, he was a true Englishman. Alice hesitated though, she couldn't understand why he was being so kind. "Of course, I-I'd love to. My name is Alice." Alice says nervously before sitting down in their circle by the fire.
"Let me introduce this wonderful company we have here." The English boy says with a smile. His white hair was brushed from his eyes when he tilted his head. "This woman here is named Katarina." The boy introduces while pointing at a girl with a black trench coat and blue around her eyes. She looked a bit Asian, with a mix of Russian. She had lush black hair and mildly pale skin. Her eyes were a lightish blue, matching the color around her eyes. When she spoke though, she seemed to speak English very well. "You may call me Kat, if the name is too long for you." She spoke with a bored and tired tone. The boy continued with the introductions. "This fellow with a white shirt and blonde hair is George." George looked at Alice when he was introduced, his eyes were a sort of green. "Hey." He told her in a normal tone.
The boy went around introducing everyone, from the Miss Clemons to the Mat Williams sitting beside him. Finally he brought his hand to himself and smiled at her, "And my name is Harry Van Baker." He told her. "I am half English, half German, but all fun." Harry told her with a wink and a smile. Mat burst out in laughter and slapped his friend on the back. "All fun?! Yeah right! You haven't done anything remotely fun since we got here; you little snore!" Mat burst out in his laughter as he smiled at Alice. "Please excuse our little Romeo, he is stupid like that." Mat told her well fixing his brown hair. His eyes were a chocolate brown and his features were slender. Harry started getting on Mat's case, scolding him to never mess up his "plans" again and to never make him look bad. Mat just laughed as they wrestled. "They are hopeless, but they lighten up the mood a bit." Kat said with her bored voice. She seemed to smile a bit at Alice. Alice smiled back. "They do seem like a couple of goofs." Alice responds.
Alice then noticed someone a bit away from the group, just outside the circle laying down. "Who's that?" Alice asks Kat, but George answers. "His name is Joshua, but he rather lay down just outside the circle. Harry must've forgotten to introduce him." "Is he with the group?" Alice asks with fascination. "Yes...he said he'd help us if we helped him, but he didn't say too much after we agreed. He's been laying there ever since." George answers nervously. "Nobody went to go talk to him?" Alice asks, determined to know everything. "Umm...well...I would've, except..." George starts before Mat turns his attention abruptly to their conversation. "Except that George is a bit of a pansy!" Mat blurts out with a wide smile. This started an argument that Alice wasn't following, she was too busy looking at Joshua. He was sweating a bit with his eyes closed. His ink black hair was over his eye lids, and his chest lifted up and down signaling life.
"I'm going to go talk to him." Alice says to everyone as she get's up. Mat, Harry, and George look at her with wide eyes and yell out "What?!" Alice started taking steps to Joshua when everyone dived for her feat, missing. "Don't do it lass! He looks like a complete murderer!" Harry yells out. They all started blabbering reasons to not talk to him until she was almost to him, which at that point Kat called them all stupid.
When Alice got close to him his eyes shot open. "Who goes there." He says with a hoarse voice that seemed to not be used for a while. Alice stopped hard in her tracks. "Umm...it's someone from the group. My name is Alice...I-" She says nervously before he cuts her off. "Didn't I say I want to be left alone? I don't feel too high for talking, I'm not feeling well." Joshua says to Alice before turning so he'd be laying on his right arm and to no longer to see Alice. "I'm new here, I didn't get the message." Alice says shyly well taking a step back. "Just go back to the group, I'll join you guys in the morning. As I said to them before, I promise to help everyone in the group survive our time here." Joshua says with a labored voice. He coughed and slowed his breathing. As Alice was taking another step back though, he gasped for air and laid back on his back. Alice rushed to aid him when his eyes shot open.
"Are you alright?" Alice asks worryingly. Joshua had a coughing fit as Alice sat down and leaned over him. "I'm-" Joshua says before another coughing fit took hold and stopped his sentence. He brought his hand to his mouth to cover it. When it was done he smiled grimly. "I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said I was fine still?" He asked while bringing his hand away from his mouth. There was blood on the outer rim of his lips and some splattered on his hand. Alice's heart skipped a beat, "No, I wouldn't." Was all she could manage with a false calm. For some reason Alice knew he was in some sort of pain. Not the physical kind, at least not as much as a mental kind of pain. "I thought so." Joshua says while sitting up and wiping the blood off on his pants. There was already a blood stain there, probably from before.
"I don't suppose you'll leave me in such a sorry state?" Joshua asks. It sounded more like a comment than a question. "I can get Miss Clemons, I believe she is a healer." Alice suggests, but Joshua shakes his head. "No, many healers have tried to cure what I have...but all have failed. I am dying as we speak, just need a little push." Joshua says with a grim smile, one that said he has all but given up. "That's why I joined this game," He continued with a sorrow filled voice. "I am going to die anyways, might as well try and get that damned wish for I can save myself." Joshua tells Alice before turning to see her face. His eyes were a bright blue and his features were weak and beautiful. Alice turned away, not wanting to look him in the eye for too long. "Why are you here?" He asks her after a brief pause. "I...I don't know. I feel like my life is just...dreadful. This place is the most wonderful thing I've seen since...well...ever! If I am to die here, I think I would die happy." Alice says with a smile. Joshua smiled at her. Alice felt a weight she hadn't noticed leave her when she smiled back.
After that, they started to talk much easier. They started sharing more of their personal lives and laughing at jokes they've heard from others. Alice felt herself getting attached almost immediately. Their conversations only stopped when George got up in a rage. "Hey George! What are you doing?!" Harry called out as he got up fast and followed him. "I'm going into the forest!" George yells back to Harry as he was nearing the threshold. Every group started to notice the drama and slowly began to turn in attention. "You can't be serious? Are you really taking what Mat said to heart?! He's an idiot, you should know that!" Harry called out as George was just outside the forest. George stopped dead in his tracks. Mat and Kat were able to catch up with Harry before George was about to take his final step. "Mat, fix this now! He'll kill himself!" Harry yelled out in a wild rage. "I don't see what I can do anymore, what's done is done. Let him walk alone." He told Harry. Kat nodded, "I agree, he won't listen to reason anymore." Harry cursed at the two and brought out what his card turned into. It was a pocket watch. He considered throwing it at George, but that wouldn't do much. He read the hands and hoped they would say something to help, but all they showed was that in the next minute the hour hand would reach a blood splatter.
"Please...stop." Harry begged George one more time, this time with no conviction whatsoever. George looked at his foot that crossed the threshold. "No, I'll just see you in the morning. Come find me if you can." George says to him before completely crossing it. At this time the other groups gathered to see the spectacle. Harry clenched his fist in frustration and defeat. "You damned fool." He let out in a whisper before George continued forward. Cheshire appeared on a branch of a tree as a cat. Cheshire smiled at him, it looked even more strange in his cat form. The cat was purple with a bracelet on and a monocle. He had his same top hat and Alice noticed that the bracelet had the diamond from his cane embedded in it. George looked at Cheshire with a frown. "What do you want?" He spat out. "Nothing, just waiting to watch the phantom trees laugh." Cheshire answered with a malevolent grin. George huffed and continued on the dirt path that went into the dark parts of the forest. Cheshire jumped to another branch nearby before the one he was on swung to grab George. George stared in horror as the branch's grip tightened hard and a wicked face appeared on the tree trunk. The face was evil and edgy, it laughed at George's ignorance and stupidity as it swung him to it's trunk.
George screamed out as everyone watched him in horror. Harry turned away and walked to the fire again. More branches came from above George's head, and slowly made their way to his face. They began to claw at his face with sick sadistic scratches. Alice's heart leaped as she stared at George while he screamed for help. Her heart started to race as she felt invisible scratches on her face. She leaped out of the crowd as an image of George's vision flashed in front of her eyes. "Stop!" She yelled to the tree in anguish. More trees beside George's captor sprung to life and laughed at her. Each one had the same wicked features as the first.
Everyone was looking at her now, but she didn't care. She needed to stop the pain happening to her, to George. It was unbearable. Cheshire continued to stare at the scene from a branch, he had a slight grin on his face as he looked at Alice. That's right child, let's see what you are really capable of. Cheshire thought to himself as Alice stepped past the threshold. Everyone gasped as she did so, and were ready to see her die along side George. George continued to scream as they began to rip out his eyes, gouging them slowly. Alice screamed at the pain and doubled over. "Stop!! Stop it now!!" She commanded towards the trees, but they only laughed at her persistence. George screamed out of pain as well as his eyes were torn out. Alice gasped as the pain hit her before her vision blurred. She got up slowly and started to walk to the tree that held George. George drooped his head before a branch brought it up so that the bleeding craters would stare at Alice.
Branches lunged out at Alice in an attempt to stop her from progressing, but she swatted them away like flies. The trees still laughed harder now as Alice got closer and put her hand on the trunk in a desperate attempt to do something. Anything would help ease the pain. Her hand pulsed with heat before she felt her legs give way. Her vision blurred to the point where all she saw were spots. Before her vision started to go black, she saw the face of the wicked tree change to that of sorrow. All the trees changed their expression to that of pain and anguish. Cheshire came into Alice's vision as it began to fade fast, still up in the branches. He smiled at Alice, that of reassurance, before the branches let go of George and carried her up to her feet slowly. Alice's vision went completely black when she was thrown in the air, to the crowd that still watched, and was caught by Joshua and Mat. Cold air seemed to surround her before the wonderland faded into a thralling dream and a horrible nightmare.