Uncovered Project: Wonderoz Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Alice 

Since I was there anyways, I stayed in the Cabaret and went up to the bar, ordered some Curiosity and offered a glass to Snap.

“No thanks.” He grumbled and left the bar.

I turned back to the bartender and sighed. “So, has Caterpillar gone on yet.”

“Not yet.” He answered. “She’ll be on any minuet now.”

I turned to the stage and went through the trap door and down the tunnel to the changing rooms. Inside one, Alice sat against a wall watching as the twins removed their makeup, then went behind a curtain to change from their costumes into the regular uniform. 

Her mind was humming and buzzing with thoughts. Her imagination running wild and free. Her head had never been like that before. She never wanted to leave. Where would she leave to? She couldn’t even remember where she had come here from. The Curiosity had gotten the best of her. It would be a while before she would come back to her regular senses.

“Do you need something to change into?” Dee offered.

Alice popped out of her mind and stared up wide-eyed at him. 

He smiled in reply and held his hand out to her. “A change of clothes.” He offered again. “Do you want one?”

“Oh!” Alice gasped an looked down at her simple red jumper she wore to do household chores and outdoor things. “Yes.” She replied, laughing. “I feel awfully plain around everyone here!”

“Ah!” Dum cheered. “Then we have just the thing for you.” He said as they moved over to the wardrobe. 

“We have tons of leftover costumes.” Dee said. “We keep them here because we’re afraid to throw anything out.”

“I think something blue for her.” Dum said.

“No.” Retorted Dee. “She looks good in red what with her pale skin and dark hair.”

“Contrariwise, soft colors will look so angelic on her.” Huffed Dum.

“Contrariwise, the red will make her less conspicuous.” Dee hissed warningly. 

Dum backed off and allowed Dee to pick out a red outfit for Alice to change into. It was a little red dress with black crinoline and slip underneath. There was a white apron in the shape of a heart that was shiny and glittery. There was also a little black jacket that went over the top. The jacket was like the apron, shiny and glittery, and in the front it cut off below the breast line, and in the back it draped down in long tails with a big red bow at the top. The buttons of the jacket were big red hearts. 

Dum then put in Alice’s hair a white bow dotted with red hearts and a big black stone in the center.

“Perfect.” Dum sighed.

“Indeed.” Murmured the admiring Dee.

Alice posed in front of the mirror, unsure of the fancy outfit. She had never dressed up like this before and she was unsure of her appearance. 

“Caterpillar will be done soon. We should get ready to speak to her.” Dee said as he grabbed a hat and put it on his head. 

Just as Dum was reaching for his hat, I wrapped around his head and whispered into his ear. Giving him a few, subtle suggestions.

“Hey.” Dum turned. “I just got a funny idea.”

“Funny weird, or, funny ha-ha?” Alice asked.

“Well…maybe both. But, I just thought that maybe, Alice might want to talk to the Mad Wizard.”

“The Wizard?” Dee scoffed.

Dum shrugged. “It was just a thought.”

Damn, they didn’t take the bait. 

“Whose the Wizard?” Alice asked.

Dee pursed his lips and sighed. “He lives in the center of Wonderoz. People call him the most powerful magician to have ever existed, aside from Ozma of course.”

“Maybe he’d know how to get Alice home too.” Dum interjected. “It’d be easy for him.”

“I trust Caterpillar more than him.” Huffed Dee. “Besides, how on wonder would we be able to get in to see the Wizard?”

Dum looked away, his lip curling in annoyance. 

“And what is Caterpillar?” Alice asked. “Is she a witch or a something?”

“Something.” Dee hummed. He then stopped and turned his head upwards. Dum mimicked his motions perfectly and sighed.

“Listen,” whispered Dum to the girl. “You can here her song.”

Alice closed her eyes and concentrated. And then she was shocked. She knew this song. How she knew it was all a mystery to her. But she could easily sing along with the lyrics without missing a beat.

Daughters in a golden afternoon, play wild

Over sun baked earth and singing flowers gaze

Running freely in the summer’s haze, skipping stones not alone 

Or are you escaping the ever growing maturity inside you

Touching the last hints of the freedom of innocence

Happy are we that we can watch you grow and change 

Your body and your minds, your hearts and your souls together

All over the world will you cast your shadows, skipping stones not alone

Live and love, laugh for us when we cannot bear it

In your eyes keep the innocence, for we have lost it many times before

Cheshire smiles on you alone

Eat me, drink me, dive into the pool, skipping stones alone

“Who wrote that song?” Alice asked, looking inquisitively at the twins. “I swear I’ve heard it somewhere before.”

“I don’t see how that’s possible.” Dee muttered.

Dum licked his lips. “It was the princess’ anthem when they were alive. And all but Caterpillar have stopped singing it.”

Alice cocked her head onto her shoulder. “Princesses?” 

“It isn’t important.” Dee sighed. “Its time to meet her.”

Dum put his hand atop of Alice’s head as they swept off. “We’ll be right back to get you.”

Alice sat there staring at her knees for a long time, humming the song to herself. Trying as hard as she could to remember where she had heard the lovely, hypnotic melody before. The way the Caterpillar had sung it was different from what she remembered, but it was the same song nonetheless.

“Cheshire smiles on you alone.” Alice murmured to herself. “Cheshire?”

I sat down on her shoulder and spoke. “Yes?”

Alice jumped and stared at me. “Dinah?”

I smiled and I saw the cringe in her eye. “If that’s what you want to call me.” In her eyes, I saw the cat she had loved in her childhood. A little black and white kitty with stripes on her legs like stockings. 

“What’re you doing here?” Alice gasped, taking me into her arms. “Do you know where Dorothy is?”

“I do. She’s looking for you.” I purred, rubbing my head up under her chin like her Dinah used to. “Tell the twins, even Caterpillar, that you want to see the Wizard.”

“But why?”

I grinned widely at Alice. “Because.” I laughed and vanished.

Alice sat there stunned, her arms still held out like she was holding Dinah. She finally broke the form and looked around, standing up and staring at herself in the mirror. Surely she believed what she had just seen? It was Alice after all. The little dreamer. 

The door opened and the Tweedle twins stuck their heads in. Alice looked up expectantly at them, wondering if the Caterpillar had turned down her request for a visit.

Dee smiled. “She wants to see you.”

Alice, surprised, got to her feet and followed the twins down a narrow corridor lined with pearly mirrors and paintings of women that looked like clouds of smoke.

At the end of the corridor the twins opened a door and a puff of rainbow colored smoke came out. Although she chalked it up to her currently extremely hyperactive imagination, she thought she could see poems and hear songs within the magically colorful smoke. The smoke, Alice noticed, smelled like orchids and honey.

The twins stepped aside and let Alice come forward to face the woman sitting on the fainting chair. She was an extremely beautiful woman this Caterpillar. But then again, Catillia always knew how to look her best, no matter which alter-ego she was playing to.  As Caterpillar, she was free to speak her mind and give out her powers without being questioned by the other witches. To the rest of the world, Caterpillar was some fearful enigma wrapped in scented smoke from a hookah. As such, in the dim lights and smoke, to Alice, Caterpillar’s skin appeared blue and glowing.

She sat forward and held her hand out to Alice. “Come closer, child. I won’t bite you.”

Alice sucked her lips into her mouth and reached out.

Caterpillar’s long, thin fingers around Alice’s hand and smiled. “So…” She took the hookah back into her mouth and inhaled. She pulled the hookah away and blew a cloud of smoke from her nostrils. “Who are you?”

Alice muttered quietly first to herself the repeated herself aloud. “Alice um…” She fumbled with her words.

“Who are you?” Caterpillar blew smoke into Alice’s face with each word.

Alice coughed. “Alice…” She hesitated. “Wait…” She mumbled and touched her fingers to her lips. “I’m not sure who I am.”

“Caterpillar please-” Dum tried to interject but Dee stopped him.

“Who are you?” Caterpillar repeated, touching her forehead to Alice’s.

Alice closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The smoke now smelled of autumn leaves and assorted sugary candies. She saw Dorothy in her mind, but not the Dorothy she knew. She was much younger and dressed in a blue gown she had never seen before. Or at least couldn’t remember.

There was a house made entirely of mirrors. And standing on the porch whittling was a man with silvery blonde hair. He and Dorothy looked so much alike. But the man and Alice shared the same smile. Dorothy ran up to him and he took her in one arm. He grinned from ear to ear and held his hand out to Alice.

“I am…” Alice put her hand over her mouth. 

Caterpillar smiled. “Do you remember now? Do you remember your secret?” She smoothed her hand over Alice’s hair. 

“I’m from here. I’m not from where I was at all.” Alice whispered.

“But what of her sister?” Dum spoke up.

Caterpillar put her hand on Alice’s shoulder. “She’ll be here. She is on her way as we speak to retrieve Alice. It is now our job to make sure Alice isn’t found before then.”

Dee frowned. “And what of Dorothy?”

Caterpillar smiled. “We need not worry of that girl. She is protected by another power.”

“The Wizard.” Alice whispered. 

“Forget about him. He’s not a part of this.” Caterpillar snipped.

“But Dorothy,” Alice continued with a sleepy voice. “She needs to know where I am. She needs to know I’m okay.” She heaved and smelled childhood. “Please, can you help me tell her that?” She could feel herself quickly slipping into sleep.

Caterpillar lifted Alice’s pocket watch into the air. Alice jumped at the sight. Where had Caterpillar taken it from? Not only that, how had she gotten it without Alice’s knowledge?

“You’ve had that ability all along. You just didn’t know how to use it.”