Chapter 1
It’s bad luck to have rain on your wedding day; maybe that is why he never showed up. I stared out into the garden from the second story window. All the decorations were getting messed up from the windy rain. Questions were running through my head: Why didn’t Matthew show up? Is he okay? Is this just a bad dream? There was a knock on the door.
“Has he come?” I asked hopefully as I turned around to see my mom.
She shook her head and headed over my way. She placed her hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry.” she said with a solemn tone. We were supposed to be leaving for our honeymoon right about now.
“It’s okay.” I said with a fake smile. Deep down all I wanted to do was cry.
She pulled me into a hug. “I’m sure he will show up eventually and with a good explanation for his tardiness.”
I hugged her back and sighed. “I know.” I paused as we pulled out of the hug. “Can I have some time alone. I-I just need to process this a little more.”
My mom nodded and took her leave. I turned back to the window, watching the decorations blowing in the wind again.
“So Hatter didn’t show up?” I turned around to see a purple striped cat levitating behind me.
“Cheshire? What are you doing here?” He transformed into a more human form with his purple ears.
“Because Hatter is in Wonderland. Plus you owe me a favor.”
“What do you mean Hatter is in Wonderland? What favor?”
“Alice it hasn’t even been a month. How can you not remember your favor to me?”
“Why is Hatter in Wonderland?”
He sighed. “Hatter left you to go to Wonderland. My guess is second thoughts.”
“No, he couldn’t have. He loves me.”
“Are you sure about that? ”
“H-he proposed, we were going to get married today. There must have been another reason beyond cold feet. He gave up his life in Wonderland for me.”
“Did he really give it up if he is back in Wonderland now?”
“Like I said there must have been a reason. Where is he in Wonderland?”
“He is in jail. He made a deal to never come back with King Time.”
“See there must have been a reason he went back. If he didn’t want me, he could have just left for a life here. He has plenty of wealth.”
“Alice, quit bringing the sensical into the nonsensical. We are talking about Wonderland.”
“Sensical isn’t even a word.”
He sighed and walked around me eyeing me. “Why are you with Hatter anyway?”
“Technically, I am not with him if he left me alone on our wedding day.”
He stopped in front of me and glared at me. “I meant why do you want to be with him?”
“Well, I love him.”
“Do you even know him? Well of course you know his past, but do you know what he likes?”
“His favorite color is blue.”
“And?”
“Well... ” I began as he started to circle me again. “He likes... uh...”
“You know I am closer to your age than he is. I’m 25 you know.” He said while grabbing my shoulder and pulling me into his arms. He rested his forehead on mine.
“You know I technically still have a fiance.”
He pulled away. “You know the twins are closer to your age too. They are a year younger than I am. I mean out of all the people you choose the non-aging geezer. I mean really, it’s quite intriguing.”
“Are you implying I shouldn’t be with Hatter, or that he doesn’t want to be with me? Let me catch up.”
He patted me on the head with a huge smile. “I don’t know about Hatter, but I do believe the GREAT Alice deserves better.”
I sighed and shook his hand off my head. “Are you only here to tell me this? What about that favor you were talking about?”
“Well, it is hard to explain it here... uh... I will need to show you what is going on.”
“But... I have to take care of my cat, and my parents will worry if I disappear again.”
“Dinah?” he started laughing. “She’s still here?”
“What? How do you know her name?”
“She is my cousin.”
“Dinah? But I found her when she was a kitten.” Right after I said that Dinah waltzed and shifted to a more human form like Cheshire, but instead she had dark gray ears and long dark gray hair.
“Sorry, but it’s true.” Her gaze went from me to Cheshire. “I told you I wasn’t leaving until tonight after the wedding. You know I love a good wedding.”
“And now the groom is nowhere to be found... well here. So who is up for Wonderland?” Cheshire said shifting the subject.
“But...” I began before Dinah cut me off.
“Alice, why are you still debating this? Even if you don’t want to marry him still, don’t you at least want to know why he isn’t here?”
I sighed. “Fine, let’s go.”
And with a wave of his hand Cheshire opened a purple and pink swirling portal. They walked in and I followed behind. It was a very odd visual sensation of swirling purple and pink and after walking a few paces there was a sudden fast drop and the swirling grew faster until we hit the ground. We arrived at the same yellow circle that I met Cheshire in the last time I was in Wonderland, but the surrounding was different. There were only two paths: White Castle and Tea Party.
Right after I took a look around, White the Rabbit came running from the Tea Party path. “Alice! I’m so glad you are here! We definitely need your help.” He said ecstatically as he grabbed my hand and started taking me down the Tea Party path. That is when I began to wonder what did I get myself into?
