Alice

chapter three

"Alice, wake up," Sarah whispered, gently shaking her awake.

Alice groaned, and turned over on her left side to face Sarah. "Ugh...yes? What is it?" Alice asked, her eyes almost completely shut.

"You've been asleep for several hours. Dinner is ready if you're hungry," Sarah replied, smiling sweetly at Alice.

Alice smiled back at her weakly, (she could hardly do anything when she woke up) and, with effort, removed the covers from her body. "Do I look presentable?" She asked.

Sarah scanned Alice. And she wasn't quite presentable at all. Her hair was tangled, and it was so shaggy it looked like a quail's nest. She chuckled, and patted Alice on the shoulder. "Um, no. You aren't," she said, holding back a laugh.

Alice groaned, and forced herself out of her bed. She walked over to the mirror at the left corner by the window, and looked at her reflection. I look disgusting, she thought. Alice groaned again, and walked back toward her bed for her brush. She popped open her suitcase, and pulled the wooden, expensive brush from it. "Screw my hair," Alice cursed.

"Oh Alice," Sarah chuckled. "Hair gets messy, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Alice didn't answer. She just walked back to the mirror and started to brush her messy, shaggy brown hair. She glanced out the window while doing so, and she saw the rain had finally stopped. A fresh evening mist loomed over the plains, like the grief of the loss of a loved one. The wind was still, so the trees didn't dance. Crows flew in flocks across the playground and across the fields, to wherever their nests were to feed their hungry brood. The sun was hidden behind the never ending gray clouds, hiding its face from Alice's world. Now that her parents were dead, she felt, empty. Incomplete, and depressed. But Sarah, she was a little spark of light in her black nightmare. She was surprised how they became friends so quickly. Probably because they were both in need of a friend, for every other devil in Oak Vale hated them.

Sarah walked slowly up to Alice, and rested her hand in her shoulder. "It's always wet and lonely here," she said "it's like you're the ugly duckling in a flock of silky white perfections."

Alice nodded her head in a agreement. "Is everyone here an ass like Charlie?" Alice was curious to know. She thought there had to be at least one more kindhearted person like Sarah.

"The majority of them," Sarah replied. "Most of them are mean, but the others treat you like a ghost. Us short, scrawny misfits are outcasts here."

"Well, at least we have each other," Alice said.

Sarah smiled at Alice sweetly. "That's true," she said.

They arrived at the Lunch room. (it was for every meal but everyone still called it that). The same children sat at the same tables, eating whatever it was the chefs made for dinner. That night, it was meatloaf with mashed potatoes, broccoli, and root beer for a drink.

Alice glanced in every direction, making sure that oaf Charlie wasn't sneaking up on her to abuse her. Thankfully, he wasn't. Now Alice ate peacefully and with content, next to her best friend Sarah. The room was aloud with the chitchat of children, the younger kids were doing the usual: throwing food, fussing, and fighting. It was getting rather dark outside. Alice could tell where the sun was setting, for there was a section of clouds in the West that were a golden hue from the sun's light. A crow sat outside the window in a branch, staring at Alice with a strange glare. Alice found that rather paranormal just ignored that and continued to eat.

"Tomorrow is school," Sarah said. "Yesterday was movie night, but they don't do it on Sundays, for we have to get up early."

"Aw, bummer," Alice said, taking a drink of her root beer. "What movies do they show?"