"Oi! isn't it rude to grab people's faces like that. Maybe you should try asking first." He had a gruff voice like a pirate with an accent, but I couldn't pinpoint where the accent was from.
I thought it best to respond politely in case it decided to eat me….
"Oh, well I suppose It is, but you're a doorknob so I wasn't sure if you could speak." I spoke calmly but in this situation a talking door knob is definitely a top 10 in my 'crazy' list.
"Are you sure you're Alice? Alice would've known." He spoke as if he were sure I was Alice. Just like the weird rabbit guy from before.
I'm not sure who Alice is but whoever it is must have been crazy to know when a doorknob spoke.
"And where is this alice? I'm not Alice, I'm Alex. Also I'm not a woman. Speaking of, where am I?" I almost sounded defensive when I spoke because honestly this has happened twice so far. You would think they would introduce themselves first before insulting me.
"Dear Alex, you are everywhere and nowhere. So I guess you could say you're up but if you wanted to be down you could. It all depends on you." That was confusing. How could I be nowhere if I'm standing right here. That doesn't seem logical.
Then again, everything about this whole place hints that it's completely illogical.
"Ok, well tell me this. Should I open you or the golden door? cause you seem like the better, less ominous looking, answer." He looked like he was thinking but I wasn't sure. I learned that skulls don't have much expression.
"Well I suggest you try the other one if you dont wanna be eaten by a galagoozoo. But it's up to you Alice." Alice again? I thought we were done with that. Also, what the heck is a galagoozoo? Well whatever, it was not something I wanna meet according to doorknob.
Before I could ask him more questions the last door opened, sending a chill through my spine.
"I guess that's your answer. Have a nice visit in Iondah Alex." At least he got my name right but I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Lately I wasn't sure of anything.
I walked up to the door and pulled it wider so I could see inside. All I could see was a distant image. Like it was down a long hallway in the distance. I decided that if I hesitated now I would be stuck in here forever. The thought drove me crazy. So I stepped inside.
I walked through the door and in an instant I was in front of a jungle of green and giant trees that reached the sky.
The trees were the size of mountains and they twisted and tangled everywhere. It was like I had shrunk but I didn't feel any different so maybe it was the world that was big.
There were Plants I've never even seen before that were surrounding me. They all had different shades of color and shapes. Some even gave me the chills to even look at. I don't know why they just had a dangerous aura about them.
The forest surrounding me was oddly quiet and the silence rang in my ears. I looked back at the entrance and was once again met with a long and winding hallway. It had to be some type of illusion or maybe I'm just dreaming. I didn't dwell on it for long because I would only find myself with a headache and unanswered questions.
I took the first step onto the black brick road. Each stone I stepped on glowed a fluorescent blue. At first I jumped at the sudden light, but the more I walked the more the light brought me comfort.
Alone in a dark forest the light was like a guide. I had never seen a color so beautiful. It has been my new favorite thing since I've arrived. That might not have been that long ago but when you're stuck in an unknown place, an hour will seem like a decade. So I try to stay positive or I'll go insane.
I had been walking for about an hour. My feet were tired and my legs were sore. I decided to rest on a giant mushroom that was nearby. The mushroom was a dark purple and had red polka dots. Colors like that were usually poisonous so I wasn't going to test my luck and try to eat it.
I took in my surroundings as I was catching my breath. There were giant mushrooms and flowers surrounding me. I think I was in some type of meadow. The strong smell of flowers was heavy in the air and the breeze had picked up. I had also come across some strange animals on the way here like a horned rabbit and squirrels the size of cats, with long talons.
After my quick break I got up and started back on the glow stone path. The forest seemed to be more active the more I walked down the path. Each twig that snapped made me flinch and stop in my tracks. The longer I walked the darker the forest seemed. The forest seemed more alive like it was staring at me. Definitely not a good thing.
The sun was going down and I was starting to get hungry. My stomach grumbled at me to eat something but I didn't want to start a fire and attract something that would eat me instead. I wish I had my arrows with me. I grabbed a stick and the sharpest rock I could find and started sharpening it with the rock. I sharpened the stick as much as I could. Once I grabbed and sharpened more I tied it around my waist with a piece of vine I had found dangling from a tree. I repeated this until I had about 12, poorly made, makeshift arrows. They might not have been sharp enough to cut through deer but it's sharp enough to cut through small animals. That is, If these animals were anything like the ones back home.
I didn't have a bow yet but depending on how long I was staying here I could make one. Right now food is essential and I'm not dying of starvation out here. My stomach growled and twisted at the thought of food. The last thing I ate was cookies and wine, so I am famished.
I almost cried in relief when I saw a golden gate in the distance. Gates usually meant private land and land meant more people. So I ran towards it.
It took the rest of my energy but I was finally close enough to take in its size. The gate was much higher than I was and beyond it stood an extravagant looking manor. Whoever it belonged to was wealthy and probably creepy considering the place was shadowed in darkness and dread. One of the towers had a large clock at the top so I took note to remember the time. I could hear the slight ticking coming from the clock and could only imagine how loud it was when it struck the hour.
Looking at the massive manor I felt a sharp jab on my lower back. I yelled out and grabbed one of the makeshift arrows and took aim. The arrow gripped in my fist as I prepared to charge at the attacker. The sight before me was almost comical. The kids looked identical and their weapons looked ten times too big for their bodies.
'Why would children be out in the middle of the forest? Do they also live here? Before I could ask I felt another jab to my side.'
"Who are you?" One of them said,
"yeah who are you?" The other said copying his twin brother. The one on the left furrowed his eyebrows and looked at his twin.
"That was my line, you idiot, you're not even supposed to be here. You're supposed to watch the north gate!" The one on the left said exasperated at his twin brother.
"Hey! I'm on break. I'm sure the boss wouldn't mind." The right pouted at his twin and sighed. Boss? They were employed? They seemed too young for work?
The pause gave me time to take in their features with black hair, short height, skinny, and they were dressed in the same soldier inspired outfits. The only difference was the eyes, the one on the left had red eyes and the one on the right had blue eyes. I had never seen red eyes before. They gave me chills.
"The boss doesn't give breaks…." Said the red eyed twin with his eyebrow raised in suspicion.
That was when I decided to make my presence known by grabbing the spear that was pressing against my stomach and turned it away. I guess that caught their attention.
The red eyed twin pointed the spear at my neck and spoke in a threatening tone,
"What are you here for? You're trespassing on the hatters territory."
So that's where I was. It didn't help much because I had never heard of it but it might help later.
"I'm sorry, I got lost. I didn't know that this was the Hatter Territory." I scratched the back of my neck looking apologetic so I could get off with a warning instead of a missing head.
"Oh, You must be a foreigner! I've never seen one before. Jack, have you seen one before?" He said in amazement to the red eyed twin. Was it rare to have visitors here?
"Yes, I'm not from here. Could you point me to a town near here?" They tried to give me directions but they were contradicting each other by pointing in the opposite directions. I decided I had better luck finding my own way there. That was when I heard a voice sound from behind me. The voice made me jump and grasp my makeshift arrow tighter.
"What's going on here? Triston why are you not at the north gate? Who is this?" The blue eyed twin jumped to attention. That must be his name.
I turned to apologies but the apology was stuck in my throat at the sight of the man in front of me. He was tall with long black hair, dark red eyes, and pale skin. He looked like a vampire from those stories. except, for some reason, he seemed more angelic yet still dangerous nevertheless. He looked at me stoically and unimpressed. Which I found only slightly offensive. His intimidating aura made it hard to speak.
"Ah boss this is…what's your name again stranger." I cleared my throat still staring at the stranger in front of me.
"I'm Alex lavaigne. Second prince of the Cenia kingdom." I bowed and said my greetings. I'm glad I took those etiquette classes my sister forced me to take. "Sorry I'm not from here. I was lost. You must be Sir Hatter." I had found my voice but for some reason I couldn't get a hold of my common sense.
"Alice?" The twin with red eyes said. Why does everyone say that? Do I look like women? I sighed and repeated myself.
"No, I'm ALEX not ALICE." I said pronouncing my name slower.
"Well Alex, you do seem to be lost…." He hummed and trailed off in thought. He seemed to come to his conclusion and looked back at me. "How about I have my guards escort you to town?" I gave a silent but hopeful nod and looked back at the twins who nodded to each other and back at me.
Before I left I took one last look at him. His long black hair was covered by a black tophat and he wore a tailcoat with a cane in his left hand. He was elegantly handsome and gave off a mysterious and dangerous aura. He had a bottle of, what I thought was gin, in a holster strapped to his belt. Along with a one handed king sword.
I knew he was dangerous, he made me feel small, like prey. it made me feel extremely unsettled especially when he smirked and sent a little wave my way. I nodded my goodbyes as the twins ushered me forward while tightly holding onto my arms.
Walking with others certainly made it more enjoyable but I still held back from talking too much as they were armed and I only had some flimsy arrows. My arrows could probably puncture skin but it wouldn't win against swords and spears that was for sure.
When we arrived it was a lot closer than I thought it was or maybe their jokes and arguing made the trip go faster. It didn't look like I was in a town, it looked more like a castle. The entrance led into a maze that I would certainly get lost in if I tried to navigate my way through.
"Well Alex, our duty is done here. Hope you find your way to town. we aren't allowed to go beyond this point. Just go past the garden and the queen will have a guard take you if she's in the mood. Try not to lose a head." The red eyed twin, Jack, said in a humorous tone. Well that didn't sound as reassuring as they might have thought or maybe it was meant to sound ominous.
I was still nervous as they walked away and I was still standing in the entrance of the maze. Well it's now or never I guess. After I'm done with this I swear I'm never going to complain about home again. I'll marry anyone my parents tell me to marry and I'll study till I'm on the verge of death and probably eat till I get fat.