"And who are you?"
Everyone- including the creatures- stopped their activities and glanced at me, making me feel self-conscious about the dress. Lafayette and Peggy stepped aside so I could see who was on top of the mushroom.
A man sat on the mushroom, a foot dangling off the edge. He had a grin on his face, his dark eyes full of malice. He wore a teal tailcoat with a sapphire blue vest and navy blue bow tie. Atop his head was a darker blue hat with a huge, jaunty teal plume sticking out of it. He wore black trousers with shiny pointy dress shoes. In his left hand, was a hookah as he was smoking out of it.
"Me?" I asked, pointing to myself.
"Yes, you!" He called out with a small roll of his eyes. "You're the only bloke I'm pointing at, of course, it's you!"
"But you're not even-"
"So, who are you?" He asked again before taking another puff.
"My name is Thomas Jefferson, now what about you?" I asked.
"James Reynolds," He answered simply. "But you look very familiar."
"I could say the same to you," I replied. We stared at each other before Reynolds held up a finger.
"Ah," he started. "You're Alice aren't you?"
"No," I grumbled. "I just told you my name two minutes ago- and if you forgot, it's Thomas Jefferson. I am not Alice, I'm not a girl, I don't know where I am, I need to go back to my sisters and I woke up wearing this dress! I did not choose to wear it, for those who are wondering!"
"So, if you're not Alice..." Reynolds muttered. "Who are you?"
"Oh, for fuck's sake!!" I groaned, turning my heel. "I'm fucking leaving. You're all giving me headaches."
Before I could leave, Lafayette stepped in front of me and grabbed my shoulders.
"Wait, Mon ami, Reynolds has advice for you."
"Oh really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "How good is it?"
"Good enough that you should stay for a minute longer," He turned me around and pushed me back in the middle of the crowd, in front of Reynolds.
"Keep your temper," said Reynolds.
"Is that all?" I asked raising an eyebrow as I tried to swallow my anger.
"No," Reynolds jumped down from the mushroom, shoving his hands into his pockets as he inspected me. I glanced down and noticed that his coat- tail was probably at least three feet long.
"If you really are who you claim to be, repeat ' You are Old, Father William'" He said.
"How is that going to prove anything?" I asked with a small scoff.
Reynolds laughed, leaning forward a little. "So you are who you claim to be, Alice."
"You motherfucker," I muttered bitterly. Reynolds turned his heel and scoffed.
"Hamilton, give Alice here some of that special cake or whatever it's called," Reynolds waved me off.
"It's called Upelkuchen," Hamilton mumbled before he walked over to me and handed me of the same bitter cake I ate in that room.
I turned to ask Reynolds another question but he disappeared.
"And another thing," Hamilton started. "Only eat a little bit. Too much can make you giant," He said. I placed the cake in my apron pocket with a small nod.
"Oh! And I should warn you-"
Before Hamilton could finish his sentence, there were horns heard.
"Oh, shit..." I heard Hamilton mutter next to me.
"What? What's happening?" I asked.
"Heart Soldiers!!" Someone yelled from the crowd. Everyone scattered, as I followed Peggy, Mariah, and Hamilton. I heard men yelling behind me as we left the clearing and into the taller grass. I heard metal hitting the ground behind us as I took one look. What I saw was horrifying. Men in red armor with black hearts chased after us, swords, spears, and crossbows in hand.
One of them was on a horse, catching up to Hamilton and throwing a thick net over him.
"Keep running, Alice!" I heard Peggy yell in front of me. I looked forward, seeing Peggy and Mariah on the ground with swords at their throats.
I gasped, taking a left. I heard a mighty roar behind me and saw that a huge dog-like creature chased after me.
"Holy shit!" I yelled, picking up my dress so I could run faster. I tripped over a small log as the creature caught up to me and pinned my arms down. It roared in my ears, saliva being thrown everywhere. I felt it's huge claws digging into my arm, making small cuts. Though, I couldn't feel any pain.
I gasped, taking huge breaths.
"This is just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream." I kept repeating to myself. Just at the moment, I felt the force on my arms lessen as I scrambled away from it, quickly picking myself up.
"Alice, run!" I heard Lafayette say behind me. I didn't take another look back before I ran into the forest, leaving the commotion behind me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THERE HE GOES!!!
~Ly <3