A Wonder Way
Alice always considered "butterflies in my stomach" a completely figurative expression. She would only realize her mistake after a hiccup in which one of those flying little creatures flew out of her mouth. The feeling of not understanding what was happening around her and even with her own body was very frustrating.

Alice always prided herself on her quick thinking. All the books she read presented her with a good interpretation of things. However, that wouldn't come in handy that moment. She was surrounded by imposing flowers, twice as big as her, which seemed to follow her with their eyes - or at least, petals that looked like eyes. Like the blue caterpillars that used to eat roses at her garden she felt. A small caterpillar among mighty rose bushes.

Ah! Such unpleasant situation. How come she thought it would be a good idea to follow a rabbit in a suit? She couldn't unravel. She began to think that she was going mad, wacky. She wondered if it was all just a dream, but why would it be so long? A lot of time had passed since she started walking but it felt like no time had passed at all. Although she was sure the rabbit, before running away, kept on repeating it was late.

As the scenario changed, Alice walked. The further she went, the angrier the flowers seemed to be. Then, they slowly started to merge themselves among prickly shrubs which formed a kind of arch above her head. She spotted a glade in the path, with a big mushroom in the middle of it. Lying on the mushroom was a majestic blue caterpillar which appeared very calming while smoking a hookah. It stared at her with curiosity. Alice did it as well admired by the peculiarity of the situation. She kept walking until the shrubs covered her vision again.

After a few minutes walking the trail diverged into two paths. The question now was which way she would choose to go. Both were exactly the same. Suddenly a mysterious feline face showed up, floating along one of the paths. It's shiny eyes and large moon shaped smile attracted her to that direction. If only she knew what was waiting for her that way. Her fate was sealed, full of wonders she would come to encounter.

She lies silently in her twin sized bed; the covers thrown off to the side. It's been years. Years since Alice had last explored Wonderland. As old as she was now, she couldn't help but wonder why she couldn't remember much from her journey. Only certain snippets and fragments of what really happened still lingered in her memory. She turns over onto her side and sighs, watching the clock on the wall tick. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. It reminded her of someone...

But who?

She closes her bright blue eyes. Flashbacks race through her mind like snapshots of another life. Colorful images of larger caterpillars smoking hookahs, a cat with a large, mischievous grin...what did this all mean? Why couldn't she piece it together?

Realization suddenly dawned upon her. That, that dress! The one she had hanging at the back of the closet for as long as she could remember...that was the key to figuring out what truly happened.

Moments later, she steps out from her walk-in closet and admires herself in the floor length mirror. The dress was a pretty shade of blue and even though it was short, it fit her well, every curve of her body accentuated. A flash of light passes. Stunned, Alice's eyes dart around the room. Another flare catches her eye. Suddenly, she feels the ground open and she's falling, and falling, and falling...

Alice wakes up. Drowsy and confused, she examines her surroundings, taking in the blue and orange glow from all around her. Suddenly, there is a clock ticking from behind her. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. She turns around slowly.

"Welcome home, your majesty."

She's not herself, that's all she knows. Wonderland changed her in ways she's unable to explain, despite how much she wants to. She's detached from herself, and it's not a thought; it's a feeling, one that is hard to describe. Unpleasant, too. She feels like as if her own body aren't hers, and that it doesn't belong to anyone else, really. Her name, Alice, aren't hers, and she feels like she never had a name to begin with, either. She doesn't feel like a person, an actual human being like everyone else. She's alive, just not as a human.

Maybe she's floating somewhere in between of feeling like she's non-existent and existent? It's Wonderlands doing. Stumbling upon a lake, she settles down in the grass. There's something divine about this place, time and place melting together. She curiously glances at her own reflection, running a hand through her blonde hair. It's gotten longer since the last time and she sighs. How did she manage to get rabbit ears again? She can't remember the transformation she went through. They flutter soothingly in the breeze from the wind and she scoots closer to the lake. The dress itself is a deep blue gradient color.

One that is pretty, too, in her opinion. Her favorite part of the outfit as a whole is the bow tie, though. It's a crimson red color, either able to express love and strength or be a warning sign in the dead of night. Not that she thinks of herself as dangerous, but in some ways it's dangerous to forget parts of yourself and who you used to be. She lightly tugs at the white gloves she's wearing, knowing it's a bloody habit of hers, whenever she gets too nervous for her own taste. A mess, this is a mess. Hopefully she can calm herself down with the fact that every color in Wonderland reminds her of her outfit, representing parts of her that is scattered all over the place.

Aline ran, not because she wanted to; but because she certainly was running late. Ironically, that's what she's doing right now. Running. She was supposed to be outside the new shop at ten o'clock, but the time was now a quarter past and she still wasn't near. She was about to take a new step, when something stopped here. What now? She looked forward and her eyes widened in surprise."White rabbit! What are you doing here?!", she whispered but kind of managed to scream at the same time. The white rabbit played with his paws and his right foot started shaking. "Well, Aline- I mean, ma'am, we might have some trouble, if you can even call it trouble. For all I know this world might have another definitio-"

"Get to the point.", she said while crossing her arms.

White rabbit took a deep breath, "Right. Point. We have some big trouble in the wonderland and-"

"No."

"But ma'am, I haven't even asked you the question!", he bursted out and looked at her with wide eyes. Those eyes, that got help from the glasses he was wearing. But she sighed, "If you want me to go back and fix it, I am afraid I'll have to decline the offer. White rabbit, don't take this in an awful way-", she started but the rabbit was too stubborn."

Great! The clock is ticking, so we have to hurry! But you already have a costume on, splendid choice on the bunny ears, I must say as the rabbit himself!", he said happily and jumped up before taking her hand and dragging her to a tree where she knew her journey would start. For the second time.

A puddle was right next to them, and she could see her reflection.

Bunny ears placed on her head, her hair was freakily messy - but in a good way so. A red bowtie that decorated the clear blue short dress she was wearing. Her matchy but at the same time not, leggings, striped and not were on her tall legs and a small wand in her hand. And don't forget the terrifying arms that were outstretched on her back, but the fingers weren't in a slightly way normal.

But she was on her way to the wonderland, wasn't she?

Bakeries in Wonderland work like this. First you need to decide on what size you want to be. Either you want to be taller or shorter. So says the wise caterpillar merchant who sells mysterious mushrooms. Second, you must carry more than enough money with you. This is in case you choose the wrong cake. As everyone knows, it is customary to be handed two samples to choose from, only one of which will grant your true intentions. Then you must choose. There are several bakeries in Wonderland, but only one that is owned by the white rabbit.It goes by several names, but if you need to go there, you will certainly be able to find it. No one knows how the white rabbit makes his confections, but it is said that he uses mushrooms from a certain wise, blue merchant. The hoary little hare runs the bakery shop all by himself. He is always busy and thus always in a hurry. Even the little door in the bakery shop that leads to the kitchen is only big enough for a rabbit to squeeze through. One day you grow curious enough to stop by the little shop. There is a sign that says ‘open' on the door. The aroma of fresh bread and cakes wafts its way to you before you even open the door, which is big enough to fit through.The bakery looks bigger from the inside than from the outside, but rows of decorative displays crowd the shop. You press your blue dress close to you as you carefully move towards the front counter. There is only one person waiting in line. A man with wild, curly hair and an oversized top hat stands holding a tiny teacup. Turning to face you, he says with a grin,"It's always tea time." The white rabbit appears out of the little door with a box of cakes. He looks down at a pocket watch and says, "Sorry it took so long." You notice a sign on the counter that says ‘Daily special: two cakes for the price of one!' When the hatted customer leaves, you ask the white rabbit for the daily special. With cakes in hand, you sit down at the café to try one. You only notice a difference in your surroundings after you take the first bite...

This moment is far too ethereal to be considered "just a dream" I never dream, I don't have 'Imagination.'

I hate anything that has to do with happiness, It's either cliche or puts the false image into children's heads that "If you do this, you'll become this and you'll get that and a happy ending" no one gets a happy ending. Happy endings don't exist, beautiful princesses and mystical fairies don't exist either.

I used to believe that but now I believe the thought of something "unusual" not existing is what seizes it from existing. Or maybe a world where humans are still considered humans despite the horrendous things they commit is what stops these things from existing. Happiness is a hole in the floor in a dark room, that if you fall through you land in another dark room. You fall in expecting a better outcome instead the cycle repeats itself till the point where you question whether dying or being alive will do you any better.

However this very moment had me questioning that, I do blush whenever coming across a beautiful female, but this moment had me questioning myself whether I was dreaming or the weight of reality had driven me insane.

I was paralysed by her hypnotising eyes her porcelain skin, the sun's golden waves that rested on her shoulders and head. The bunny ears that seemed to twitch and curl as she got closer and closer as if she.. didn't know what I was

Her eyes showed no emotion but suspicion and curiousness I stared back of course, Her eyes were captivating as if the dark blue sky rested in her eyes and the burning holes in the night sky we call the stars defined it.

"Who are you? " She spoke, those words.. goosebumps invaded my body. Her voice was quiet but the after echo screamed power "I-I'm [Y/N]Could you tell me where I am" I managed to spit out this moment had me trembling I didn't know where I was because instead of exploring I was too busy staring at this lady.

"I thought you'd know" She said tilting her head to the side smiling, Her bunny ears twitching "I actually don't please, Inform me" I asked still staring at eyes, right now It was our noses that were almost touching I wondered how I looked she seemed so interested

"This may trouble you but..

- you're dead."

Alice was beautiful, smart, and ultimately lit up every room she walked in yet there was a part of her that didn't believe so. She was a shining light that was too blinded by herself to see. She thought that maybe this world wasn't for her- so she went off to find Wonderland. Following any path there was to get just a glimpse; she ended up getting worse and worse disillusioned by her own fantasies. Her family and friends began to see her light drain. She found herself going down a rabbit hole but every time she reached the bottom she'd find herself right where she started. Every day the hole seemed to be getting deeper and deeper. The ones who loved her barely saw her anymore and drifted away. Alice found herself diving in the hole instead of falling. One day she hit rock bottom- her whole body aching from the pain. It was a dark cave- not the Wonderland Alice was expecting. She walked slowly and cautiously through it until she hit the end. There were many other Alices lined up against the wall slumped over- Alice didn't mind. All Alice could think about was the aching of her own body and the worse pain she created in her head. In the corner was a bottle that read, "Take me. I'll wash away that pain," as if reading Alice's mind. She got as many pills as her small hands could hold and took them each one by one. She sat beside another Alice and slouched over- closing her eyes. Alice finally found Wonderland.