Down The Rabbit Hole

Trigger the Alice

"Alice"

"WHAT?!" I shouted as I opened my eyes, confused seeing my surroundings without any mark of blood. Paola tapped my shoulder. Everyone is staring at me, and the prof's looking at me as if waiting for an answer. "S-sorry." I looked at Paola, who seems like in a shock.

"Dear, I'm only asking for your name." everyone's giggling.

"I'm sorry ma'am, A-Alice Dementia." I sat down and looked at Paola.

"There, see? We're done." She continues to discuss.

"Alice, you zoned out a while ago." Zeril said as he tries to calm down Paola.

"I'm sorry I shouted, I didn't mean it."

"I-it's fine. Remember when we were kids? You used to zone out all the time and I always count before you shout? Hahaha" as she said that, Zeril looked at her the same way dad looked at Dr. Lilia.
"What's the matter?" I couldn't take off this feeling that they're hiding something from me.

"Alice, do you still not remember me?" Zeril asked, trying to break the growing tension but I didn't avert my gaze. I still kept my eyes on Paola, who seems restless and anxious.

"What. Is.Happening." Not one of them dares to look at me. "Paola, please tell me what's wro-"

"Wonderland"

Someone suddenly appeared beside me. He's one of my classmates, he was the one sitting at the very back.

"Stay out of this man" Zeril said as if threatening mysterious guy, but he didn't even move a bit. Everyone was quiet so I just casually talked to him. 

"Hi, I'm Alice" I tried to offer a handshake but again he didn't even look at me. 

"I know very well of who you are." He said with his very low energy deep voice. He looks so stressed. 

"Really? I'm sorry but I don't really remember you." 

"I understand. I just-" he stopped as Zeril gave him a very strong push. Suddenly his eyes were widened and they were creepy. He looked at me and pulled my hair towards him and as he reached my ears "BE. CAREFUL. Don't go in the-"

"WHAT THE HELL MAN!" Zeril gave him a blow on the face, he whimpers and look at me with depressed eyes, 

"Please, Alice, don't forget me. Remember me. Gus Muri-" 

"SHUT UP" Zeril punched him again, in pain; he walked out of the classroom like a very low energy zombie.

"What did he say?!" Paola asked nervously. 

"Nothing, I didn't even really get it" Zeril took his bag from the chair and looked at us. "Let's leave this for now, want to go eat lunch?"

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The three of us sit still, quietly eating our lunch; no one dares talk about what happened a while ago. "Can I have some" Zeril casually said then took some of my mashed potato. "Guys, seriously, what are you hiding from me?" I couldn't control myself. Something's really wrong here, especially with Gus a while ago. Paola looked at Zeril as if asking for permission, but Zeril kept on eating his food like a chipmunk.

"Alice, if you really want to know, I'll tell you" Zeril said before swallowing a mouthful of my mashed potatoes.

"Okay now tell me-"

"But first-" he cuts my sentence and looked at me with serious eyes. "I need to know the things you remember here nine years ago. If I didn't hear what I'm looking for, then I won't tell you."