Unforgettable

Chapter 44

Wonderland

I walk home from my new favorite reading place, by the river under the great big tree. I've decided to give the river my own name, to make it feel a bit more like home I guess... it's name is Quentin, the tree. The rivers name is Quid. Yeah, I'm not really the best when it comes to naming things.

"Who are you?" I hear something say, and I start to look around.

"I'm," I hesitate. "I'm Alice, who are you, or what are you?" I keep looking around, practically spinning around in circles.

"Alice." He replies, at least I think it's a he, it sounds like it. I see something white in the corner of my eyes, and I jerk around to see it. I see a smile, then gradually a face of a cat. Then the full body appears, it's a pink cat with purple stripes? "Well Alice, my name is Chessie. It's short for the Chesire Cat."

"Hello Mr. Cheshire." I say holding out my hand for his hand, er paw to shake.

"When did you get here Miss Alice." He rolls his r's, it's kind of like he's purring like my cat Darcy used to do when I was back in England.

"Umm, just a week ago, I think." I explain, "my time is kind of off. I've lost the ability to age you see."

"Ah," I notice the Cheshire cat has a slight accent. It's very thick, and that combined with the constant purring makes it somewhat hard to understand. Luckily I'm used to hearing some pretty strange accents. "Most of us have learned to embrace our curses. For example, I can float in and out of visibility, turning invisible almost on command now. On the other hand, the Mad Hatter for example, hasn't."

"I don't think he's told me what his is." I tell him, "do you know it?"

"It's typically common knowledge around here Miss Alice." He says to me matter-of-factly. "He is forced to remember."

"Remember what exactly Mr. Cheshire?" I ask him curiously. What could be so bad that he's forced to remember?

"His life before he came here." He explains to me, "some days he wants to give up on having a chance in getting home. He wishes to forget sometimes, embrace living here. But no one can erase his memory of then, not even the White Queen."

"Who is that?" I ask him, maybe she can help me.

"A queen, she can help people, she's helped tons." He tells me.

"Where is she?" I ask him, grabbing his paw, "how far away?"

"Not terribly far, on foot it takes a day." He informs me, "why?"

"No reason," I look up at the sky and see the sun's about to set. "I better get going nice meeting you!"

"You too Miss Alice." He purrs, then glimmers out of sight.

I run home, then set my book back on the bookshelf. I'm going to find the White Queen, there is a possibility she can help me, remove my curse or maybe even get me home! I run into my room and throw my shoes off. It's too late to go now, but first thing tomorrow, I'll wake up bright and early and set off to find this White Queen. Then I'll ask for her help, then I'll-. I'm getting ahead of myself, first I need to find her. Maybe she's just a myth and she doesn't even exist. But there is still hope. As long as there is anything there is always the hope of things getting better.