Alice Mare

Nastier Than Demons

“A dream you say?” White Rabbit asked, his pale face as emotionless as always. His red eyes scanning me as I sat on the ground cross-legged just a few steps away from him.
“It wasn’t a dream! It was a nightmare! The worse I’ve ever head…” I felt my voice rise but quickly died down as soon I realized to whom I was speaking to.
“Nonetheless.” White Rabbit said, clearing his throat. “A dream is not uncommon in these lands, you are traversing through different worlds dear Alice it’s wouldn’t be a surprise if some pieces of those worlds cling to you as you pass.” He said while offering his hand to help me up. Grasping his hand firmly White Rabbit pulled me up unto my feet, his hand lingering long enough for me to feel the coldness of his skin, as if it was made of ice.
“I-I guess so.” I answered sheepishly, dusting my clothes as I did.
White Rabbit nodded in response but seemed to stop as his gaze lingered at me, his eyes becoming beady as if he was examining me or something.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, no it’s nothing. I was just surprised that’s all.” White Rabbit said, retracting his hand and placing it in his pocket.
“Surprised about what?”
“Of how you look.” He answered with such apparent amusement in his voice that it was as if he enjoying himself.
“Why is there something weird on me?”
White Rabbit shook his head. “No nothing is wrong. It is just that your reaction is completely different from your previous ones.
“O-Oh that. It’s just that… I’m tired of crying. I’m tired of being hurt. I’m tired of hurting. I’m even tired of livin-” I caught myself at midsentence. What was I saying? It’s like these words, they were just coming out of my mouth like some kind of recording, playing perfectly until someone stops it.
“Tired of?” White Rabbit asked, cocking one of his eyebrows at me.
“It’s nothing. It’s just the stress talking.” I chuckled. “So? New world right? I better get going.” I said, walking past White Rabbit and heading towards the room where the doors to the other worlds were.
“I see he has started feeding on you already.” I heard White Rabbit mumble under his breath as I passed by.
“What?” I asked, my head snapping towards White Rabbit’s direction so fast that I almost had a whiplash.
He shook his head. “It’s nothing. It’s just the stress talking.” White Rabbit said, offering me a slight bow as he gazed deep into my widened eyes. “Off you go now Alice.”

I stood motionlessly in front of the door to Stella’s world. I knew what was going to happen next, in fact I was half expecting it. Like a small child who was just about to open his gift, the anticipation coursing through his veins even though he already knows what he will find inside. I took in a long breath. I could feel my insides trembling as my hand got closer to the doorknob. But the trembling this time however was not of terror or dread but of excitement. I wanted to see Stella. To see how she faired in her world. To see her past. To see her in anguish. To feel her pain. To make her repeat the worst day of her life. TO SEE HER SUFFER!
“You seem to be enjoying yourself.” Cheshire’s sing song voice broke me from reverie.
“Don’t be ridiculous I’m not having fun.” I spun around just in time to see him jump down from the post he was hanging from.
“You sure?” Cheshire asked, his one good eye squinting as if in a twisted smile.
“Yeah I’m sure why would I enjoy watching my friends get hurt?”
“Then why are you smiling then?” Cheshire said in his most sadistic and twisted tone, his face twisting into a sardonic grin. Horrified, I touched my cheeks just to reassure myself.
“I’m not smiling-!” I was still saying when my hand immediately jerked away as soon as I touched the edge of my mouth. I really was smiling.
Out of my surprise I immediately slapped myself right on the cheeks, earning me a dull aching throb where my hand had been.
“You really are a special one Alice.” Cheshire snickered. “Not like all those selfish humans who only think about themselves. Just like she said.”
“Who’s she Cheshire?” I asked, ignoring the tears forming at the corner of my eyes.
“Why the one that wants to meet you of course.” Cheshire chuckled.
“Why? What does she want with me?”
“Don’t know, don’t care.” Cheshire yawned. “You humans really like to make fuss of every little detail don’tcha? Who said this? Who said that? Selfish little bugs aren’t ya? Leagues nastier than us demons, I’d say.”
“D-Demons?” I echoed. I knew that Cheshire and the White Rabbit weren’t human but I didn’t expect them to be demons. Ghosts or goblins maybe but not demons.
“What? Never seen a demon before?” Cheshire laughed. “Oh wait I guess you were already living with one.” He said then slapped his thigh as if he found it extremely amusing.
“What do you mean?”
“Hmm? I don’t know? Did I say something?” Cheshire said, his laughter suddenly dying down.
“But don’t worry Alice I’m the nastiest demon here he doesn’t even qualify as a demon.” Cheshire spat with so much disgust that his cheery mood suddenly turned sour and ominous.
“Anyways little Alice make sure to stomp out those little bugs you call friends today.”
“Don’t call them that.” I retorted, clenching my fists until my knuckles had turned white.
“Whatever.” Cheshire waved as he started to walk away. “Don’t pay too much attention Alice. We don’t want you to break more than you already are.” Cheshire glanced back at me, then disappeared entirely.

I was immediately greeted by the soft sounds of the piano as soon as I walked through the doorway. The song was gentle and sad, the same song that Stella played every night just before we go to sleep. I found her sitting in front of the large black piano that she had always kept in her room. Her eyes were closed but her hands were moving as if they already knew the position of every key with her fingers moving so fast as if by magic. Then she stopped.
“Oh dear, Alice. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” Stella said, spinning her chair so that she faced me. “Please do as you wish. The closet is just over there.” She said, gesturing towards the closet standing just beside her bed. I made my way slowly towards the cabinet. The familiar rust colored handles inviting as my hands wrapped around them. With one last look back at Stella who was standing just a few steps behind me, I swung the doors open.