Al in Wonderland

A Restful Dream

Al sat on the bed with the blanket over him and a book in his hands.

Cheshire lay his head on his lap curled into a ball sleeping.

His ears twitched and his tail did too. They had returned from the delay of their trip.

Cassie had wondered back to the Green Queen's castle getting lost half way there.

They were to plan for a better time when things should not turn.

Al read the book over and over again.

'Alice in Wonderland'.

It was something he always did, even in his own world.

He would read books until he memorized everything of them.

Every scene, every character. Everything.

He closed it and set it aside looking at the large open curtains of the large windows.

The sun was setting and night was growing.

Ever since they realized the connection between each other, ever since they were able to really feel what the other felt, he's been hearing small sounds.

"Perhaps a cat or bird," Cassie said.

"It may be a lovely time, a memory," Dinah said smiling.

They told him it was things he shouldn't worry of, perhaps something he was just curious about.

He scooted down into and under the bed and blanket.

Cheshire moved a little, awoke, moved, and went right back to sleep.

Al moved closer to him and closed his eyes.

He was told to rest. That they would continue the journey to the King of Diamonds some other time.

So he rested as told.

He didn't think of anything. He didn't get curious or question anything.

He calmly went to sleep for the next morning to wake up early. It reminded him of his life back at the mansion.

Cheshire always lay on the bed around him somewhere playing with a yarn ball or catnip toy.

A butler of the house would always bring him food and his clothes and a towel for when he bathed.

It was almost exactly alike.

He read the book of Alice over again. Each time he read it he was always amazed.

He would nap with Cheshire or sit at the balcony it the Plum garden in the back enjoying the workers work.

As if all his troubles had gone, as if all the darkness he was to fight had vanished.

That day he spent in the garden watching the gardeners work.

Every now and then a group of soldiers would join in and help with some civilians too.

He smiled and opened the book again seeing it.

Cheshire noticed this habit and wondered what was wrong.

He didn't speak anymore, not even a "Thank you," or a "Good morning," to anyone.

He seemed to be on mute. Cheshire felt nothing from him, like he was blank.

It was then when he realized it was a state of being at peace.

A sense of being dead, unable to believe anything anymore.

Cheshire stopped playing with the yarn ball.

They had moved up to the front of the castle seeing the forest and the sun setting.