Dollmaker

Chapter 3 ~ Caterpillar ~

The boy led Alice through the woods, as if he were in a hurry. After tripping, being swung in the face by a few low tree branches, and getting scratched in the bushes, Alice became sick and tired of being pushed around by a child who thought he knew better.

She stubbornly stopped racing after him. She may have been acting childish, but she didn't care. The boy realized she wasn't following and turned his head to her with a frown. She held out an arm decorated with bleeding scratches.

"What?" he sighed and added, "Bathroom?"
"No! You brought me to your final destination, right? So why are we still running somewhere? It's tiring and I'm sick of it."
"Well, I need to take you to the queen. She must know you've arrived."
"Why do I have to come with you?"
"She wants to meet you."

Alice didn't like it. In fact, she hated it. It felt like she was an object, who's fate was yet to be determined. And she couldn't even determine it herself.

She wasn't sure what it was that made her want to stay as far away from the queen as possible, but the closer they were to the queen, the more restless Alice became. She decided that if she had to visit the queen sooner or later, it'd be later. Alice decided to stall.

At some point she felt they were too close too fast. They could see the castle behind the forest. It was huge and didn't fit into the rainbow of colors Wonderland seemed to be, as it was a black gothic building with dozens of red towers and gargoyles guarding them. It wasn't Alice's idea of beauty.

"Um! Couldn't you show me around first?" she ran toward the boy and stopped in front of him, catching his sleeve desperately.
"Why?"
"Please? I...at least want to know what kind of a place it is that I'm going to be staying at."

A pause. Then a sigh from the boy's side.

"Fine, but I'll be right next to you, so don't even think about running away."
"Why would I want to run away?" So there is a reason to run away?
"Seems like you do. I don't have a clue why."
"Oh."

They began walking again, this time in a different direction. They didn't speak and Alice realized just how mysterious the boy was. She didn't even know his name.

"How did you die?" she questioned him.
"I don't remember, naturally. No one wants to remeber their death."
"What's your name?"
"Robby White."
"How old were you?"
"What?"
"When you died...I mean, how old are you?"
"I was ten or so. I've been here for a while."
"Oh."
"You?"
"Probably sixteen."
"Oh." he answered indifferently and after a little bit added, "Where exactly do you want to go?"
"Do...you know any interesting people or places?" Alice asked readily. Robby nodded and started walking again, making her follow. She trotted behind him like an excited child, as she was happy she didn't have to visit the queen just yet.

Robby stopped in front of an adorably shaped cottage. It was a kind of capacious round building, seemingly small on the outside, but quite large on the inside. They knocked on the door and waited until an old man invited them in. He had a hump, but even so was surprisingly tall and wore a long white beard. His eyes were bloodshot and his face deeply wrinkled, making him look like he could crumple and fall if anyone touched him. He walked slowly, taking his time to look at every detail even if he'd seen everything before.

He led them into a sitting room, filled with books and bric-à-bracs of all types and genres. Two snug armchairs rested in the middle of the space. He silently told them to sit. Then he left the room and came back with a hookah.

"So," the old man inhaled the vapor, "what brings you here, Robert?" he exhaled, the smoke escaping his mouth.
"She wanted to come here." Robby pointed at Alice. The old man glanced at the girl and back at Robby.
"Does the lady have a name?"
"Yes, she-"
"I do," Alice said sharply, interrupting Robby. "My apologies. It is rude to ask one's name before introducing yourself first, isn't it?" The old man's tone of voice was mocking and Alice felt her cheeks turn red.
"Yes it is."
"They call me Caterpillar," he said while slowly smoking the hookah to fully enjoy the vapor's taste.
"I'm Alice," she replied sternly, eyeing him.
"So you are," he said, suddenly uninterested.

"Is she a new one?" Caterpillar turned to Robby. The boy nodded.
"Poor soul." Caterpillar whispered to keep Alice from hearing, but apparently not quietly enough.
"Pardon me?" Alice spat and Caterpillar turned to face her, but before he could say anything else, Robby stepped in.
"Nothing. This old man just hates this place is all. He's delusional. He thinks it's dangerous here because of big dolls or something. Ignore it."
"Ah. Okay...well-"
"Then it was nice seeing you, old grump." Robby said quickly. "We best be on our way." he added. Alice unwillingly stood up as well.
"Nice meeting you, Sir Caterpillar."
"My pleasure." he croaked back, then led them out.

Alice was just about to leave Caterpillar's property to follow Robby when the old man grabbed her arm out of nowhere. Startled, she spun around and jumped.

"Be careful. Nothing is as it seems here in Wonderland," and then more quietly, "Beware the queen." He loosened his grip and she broke free. For a second, she stared at him, her eyes asking him what he meant, but then she ran away, waving to Caterpillar and trying to catch up to Robby.

"Strange old man, that Caterpillar," She told Robby as they went. Robby grinned.
"He really is."
"How long has he been here?"
"Longer than me, or anyone."
"Hm. Do...you like him?"
"He's fun to talk to sometimes," the boy wasn't looking at her, but Alice could tell he was more open to her now. It made her happy and she forgot the lingering feeling of unease in her heart as they drew closer to the castle.