Alice in Murderland [Hiatus]

Chapter 3

3

     “A secret,” I repeated.

     It was already a secret since I didn’t know where we were. He’s making it so difficult, I thought. Sighing, I turned to look outside the window again, where I was greeted by a bird of both peculiar size and color. The bird reminded me of a dodo although its wings were slightly larger and its feathers were a strange array of bright colors. It cawed once before tapping at the window and flying off awkwardly. You’re hallucinating now.

     After rubbing my eyes, I quietly stepped out of the room and down the stairs, admiring the pictures lined up on the white walls. Then I stopped to examine an old photograph; the edges of it were torn and slightly burnt, but what caught my eye were the occupants in it. A trio of boys in their late teens stared back at me; I squinted, trying to pinpoint what made them look so familiar. Finally, it dawned on me. Two of the boys in the photograph were exact replicas of Maddy and Jack while the boy in the middle I couldn’t quite place. Curiosity getting the better of me, I carefully took it down and looked at the back of the frame, reading the small plaque.

     “Hatshire, Curieux, and Lepus,” I murmured.

     Maybe it’s their ancestors, I deduced. After hanging it back up, I slowly made my way downstairs, where I was greeted by no one. The front door taunted me and I glanced around, waiting for somebody to pop out. Hesitantly, I took a step forward then another and another until the doorknob finally rested in my hand. You could run, a voice murmured. But where would I go? I had absolutely no clue of my location.

     “Alice?” Maddy called out.

     “Oh...um, hold on!” I yelped.

     Letting go of the doorknob, I hurried into the kitchen, where Maddy was setting down plates of food. My stomach rumbled at the sight. Slightly blushing, I continued to stand there until he motioned for me to take a seat. Nodding, I sat down and glanced outside the window, taking in the strange forest outside.

     “You can eat now,” Maddy smiled, gesturing towards the plate in front of me. “You don’t have to wait for Jack.”

     I stabbed a sausage with my fork and took a bite. When my throat didn’t swell up, I began to eat, never feeling so hungry in all my life. Maddy silently nibbled on his toast while drinking coffee. Jack appeared moments later although he merely sipped on what appeared to be carrot juice. After the plates were cleared, I sipped on juice and held their inquisitive gazes.

     “Where are we?” I inquired, eyeing them.

     Maddy coughed and glanced at Jack, who did the same.

     “We are in what most people call Wonderland,” he answered.

     They didn’t say anything after that. Their eyes were watching me–waiting for me to start laughing–but I didn’t. With a blank expression on my face, I rolled my eyes and jabbed a finger at them.

     “You are such horrible liars,” I commented.

     “No, we mean it,” Maddy frowned. “We’re in Wonderland!”

     “Wonderland is a fictional place,” I retorted.

     A look of anger flashed in Maddy’s eyes and he slammed his fist on the table, startling both me and Jack. Regret passed over his face, but his expression quickly hardened. A tight line formed on his lips while he ran a hand through his hair. “You humans always rely on facts,” he sighed, taking a sip of coffee.