Project Wonderland

The Dreamers

After everyone, including Mum, were gone, I emerged from the tent and was faced by Kyle.

“They’re gone,” I said too him.

“Yes, which is good for us.” He looked towards the still open Crack. “We best be going before it closes,” Kyle said meaning the Crack.

“What?” I asked. “I thought its over. We lost.” i looked around at the empty site.

Kyle shook his head. “The Battle of Blood ’asn’t yet ‘appened. Keenan awaits you in London for th’ final duel.” Kyle said.

“Only us against his army?” I said doubtfully. “Some battle.”

“You’re right. Some battle That would be. That’s why we’ll recruit ou’ own army when we get to London,” He said.

I looked nervously at the Crack.

“Are you sure?” I asked quizzically.

“Yes. Now are you coming?” He asked me, holding out his hand.

I nodded timidly, and grabbed his arm.

“For Wonderland!!” He exclaimed.

“For Wonderland,” I murmured, and next thing I knew I was falling, falling, falling.

Falling down to Earth.

SMACK!

I was jolted to a stop when I crashed into a thickly packed pile of dirt. Clearing my head, I sat up and looked around. That’s when I realized I was sitting on a dirt ceiling, UPSIDE DOWN. My ratty hair dangled above me, and my locket threatened to slip off my neck. I grasped it and looked down. Beneath me was a long dark cavern-like tunnel, at at the very end was a small light. Fire. The fire from the Crack in Wonderland.

Confused, I looked around for Kyle. He was on my right and standing up.

“What?” He asked. “You’ve never World Jumped and experienced Reverse Grounding have you,” He smiled.

“Reversed grounding?”

“I’s a really messed up concept,” He said. “You go through a Crack and you fall to the floor, or ceiling of another world and climb into it by a nearby Crack.”

I stared at him, dumbfounded.

“Jus’ follow me,” He said, as he stepped through a hole in the dirt.

I crawled on all fours along the ceiling until I reached the hole also. I stood up and stepped into it, and all of a sudden, I was in the smoldering remains of a kitchen.

My kitchen.

I looked around and was faced by a mess. Keenan had completely destroyed my house. Chairs were broken, pictures were smashed, and everything was pretty much a smoldering black mess. A tear slid down my cheek and I noticed a photograph, half buried under ashes. I gently lifted the fragile picture and studied it. It was a picture of my mum. She was holding two babies and smiling. Next to her was my father, The Hatter, smiling madly and holding the hand of a little girl with his crazy red hair.

Madeline.

My other sister.

I tucked the picture into my pocket and went over to where I saw another thing poking out of the rubble. Another picture, but this time it was of Keenan, The Red Queen, and Kyle, who was off in the corner scowling.

In bold letters were the words, “It is not over yet, grand-daughter.” I scowled and took a deep breath.

“I have the worst grand-father ever,” I thought, and I shredded the picture and dropped it into a glowing pile of embers of what used to be a chair.

I lightly climbed up the stairs, which were untouched by the fire. I went up to me old room, only to find that that was destroyed too. I swallowed and urged myself not to get sensitive, and that’s when I saw it.

on top of all the rubble was Mum’s old blue dress, the one I had gotten mud on. Like the copies I had received, it was perfectly clean, and the blue fabric brought light into the darkened room. I felt a surge of hope as I went to pick up the dress. As I stood back up, I was faced by the Cheshire Cat. He was smiling his toothy grin and was holding the Vorpal blade.

“If you are going to fight a battle,” He began, “you might need this.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I slipped into a back alley, gripping the Vorpal blade as if it was the only thing keeping me alive, which, it might be soon. Kyle was beside me panting, and Ches was at my feet, his fur raised. Nathaniel, who had escaped with us, was scouting from the skies, trying to find a place where the Alterers had set up their base. We had just recently evaded a rogue gang of knave-like Wonderlandians who had seen us when we came into town.

“What now?” I asked, eying the knaves as they ran past us.

“We have to gather an army-” Kyle began, but I cut him off as someone ran past our hiding spot.

“Stop the madness! Save Wonderland!” It was a girl, about twelve or thirteen years old. She had shoulder length brown hair and tan skin and was full of enthusiasm.

“Down with the bloody Red Queen-” I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into the alley with us.

“What? Who are you?” She asked, backing away from the sight of us.

“My names Vivian, and we need your help,” I said. She stopped moving and stared at Ches, who grinned like a lunatic, which he was.

“Okay, what do you need?” She asked, brushing some hair out of her eyes.

“First you’ name,” Kyle said.

“Emily Lorena,” The girl said.

“Second, your purpose,” Ches said on cue.

“Stop the Red Queen.”

“And third,” I began, “Do you want to join us.”

She stared at me.

“We are….” Kyle began.

“The Dreamers!” Ches announced.

Emily stared at us.

“We are fighting against the Alterers, and we need an army.” I stated.

“An’ someone better a’ plannin’ than I’m.” Kyle snickered.

“I might be able to help you…” Emily trailed off.

“And?” I asked.

“And I know where you can find your army.”