• Okay, background info - this is an excerpt of this book I'm starting, it's basically a twisted Wonderland Story. Alice and her twin brother, Alex ( different alice ) fall into wonderland. Alice is a bit more headstrong, and more courageous, while Alex is a bit of a coward. This part is when they meet the Mad Hatter, whose almost always got his eyes closed, his eyes are kinda hypnotic, with gray swirls. He's lanky, with light orange hair, that's straight, not like the Tim Burton Hatter. It's just straight. o 3o; TweedleDee and TweedleDum are also in here, and so is the Cheshire Cat. Though they're a bit different, P: Basically, Wonderland's falling apart. Well, Enjoy? And comment, please, those make me super happy. ;D

    Wonderland: The Untold Tales


    The two twins stumbled along the path. Trying, desperately, to find their way home. They could hear laughing, and for a moment, they stopped; hope filling their hearts for a split second as they scrambled up the hill. But they were quickly left with dread as they noticed that the laughter was not of one they wished to hear. It was mad laughter - the kind to be found in the hospitals back home. The could see the source of the laughter, and they gulped - seeing a thin, pale man at a table, a rather large table, seated next to a Hare, whose hair was matted with lord only knows what. The March hare scurried out of his seat, rushing over to the two children and pushing them along to the table.
    They had no time to react, they were frightened. Even more so when they were seated at a chair, right next to a rotting dormouse. Alex, being the cowardly young boy that he was, shuddered, giving a quiet cry. Alice willed herself not to look at the creature.

    "Oh, don't worry about him - he's merely sleeping, the ol' bum," The man - yes, the man in the hat, turned to them, elbows on table and fingers laced in the air, connecting the two hands. He laid his head on his hands, turning to them with a smile. Then he quite quickly and quite suddenly turned to the Hare, "Visitors, Oh dear, Visitors, old Marchie Hare!" He called out, and lost all grace as his hands flew off the table to give another mad laugh.

    The twins swallowed.

    "Time for tea, Time for tea! It's always time for tea!" The hatter sang crazily under his breath, pouring some tea in a cracked old teacup. A few muffled sounds were heard, and it was then that they realized, with a grimace, that the Hare's lips were sewn shut. The hare had a crazed, and frightened look in his eyes, one that could be found in many small animals. Though this creature wasn't so small--

    "Th-thank you," Alex murmured, biting his lip and taking the cup. He sipped it politely, finding, with a surprise, that it was as good - if not better - then the tea back home. Alice merely pushed her tea away stubbornly. She would not touch a bit of anything that came from such a place as Wonderland.
    The Mad hatter gave an urging smile and the March Hare-- a few muffled noises. "Now, why aren't you drinking your tea, dear Alice?" He asked.

    She crossed her arms, "How do you know my name?" giving him a stern look. She had teachers back in England that were worse than him, she told herself, trying to make the whole situation seem better.

    "How? The question is why. Why aren't you drinking your tea? Why can't you be like your dear brother, Alex?" He gave the boy a gentle pat on the head, Alex's black hair ruffling softly. When Alice continued with her blue-eyed stare, he gave a small frown.

    "Now, that's not very nice." He murmured, eyes opening lightly to reveal gray swirls. Alice softened a bit in fright, leaning back into her chair - the Hare was giving fierce, crazed muffles, but instantly calmed down once the Hatter gave him a glare, though he continued to shiver in his seat.

    Alex gave a small groan, putting his teacup down. The whole cup having been drained. The hatter stood up, his appearance flickering like an old television show, "Someone's got to teach this young girl proper etiquette." He mumbled, glaring down at her, "Yes, let's play a little game, shall we? Hide and seek, if you please," He swayed side to side a bit, still flickering and stared down at her with grey, hate-filled eyes before disappearing in a quick flicker.

    Alice turned quickly, to grab her brother but had noticed that he had disappeared also. She swallowed, looking in front of her - the march hare still shivered in his seat, looking around the small, dead lawn crazily, as if expecting something to arrive and take him. She found that she couldn't move - she was too scared, she feared that something was behind her, waiting to find the perfect moment to grab her. She feared even more for her dear brother Alex, though.

    "Poor, Poor Alex," a voice came - startling both the hare, and Alice. The March Hare tried to make himself look smaller, leaning down into his seat. Alice looked around, trying to find the source for the voice - she could only find shadows, the shape of the man, moving swiftly across the Hare's house, the fence, anything. "Poor, dear Alex. All alone in such a cruel, cruel world." He gave a chuckle, a short, sudden and crazed scream, followed by another one of his laughs. A laugh that could haunt the very soul of the world. And with that laugh, that dreadful, scarring laugh, he was gone - and so was the dead dormouse, the hare, and her brother.

    ♥


    Alice held back the urge to cry, her vision blurring from the build-up of the tears around her eyes. She was alone, alone in Wonderland. A name unfit for the place. And as she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her dress, she found that she wasn't really alone.

    "Alex? Oh, what a fine boy, really," A voice came, and she immediately recognized it as the Cat's voice. The voice holding a scratchy, yet whispery tone to it. The cat formed on the table, reaching a gray and purple striped paw to scratch absently at the patched heart over his eye.

    "Go away, cat, I don't want to talk to you." She bit back, still having a bit of control, not wanting the cheshire cat, of all things, to see her in a time of weakness.

    "Well, I want to talk to you. You see, I know of a way to help you," his ever-lasting sharp toothed grin grew wider, his mouth never moving, as if he were a doll.

    "Oh, and how do you plan to do that?" She asked, mildly curious, yet still weary.

    "I dunno, let's just say there's an abandoned asylum that's just begging for you to join them," he gave a cackle, a wheezy sound.

    "I'm not mad, I don't see the point," the blonde-haired girl crossed her arms, insulted.

    "Oh? You're not? Then why are you here? Didn't I tell you last time that most everyone was mad here? I'm mad, you're--,"

    "Just get on with it, cat, I don't have time for your games!" She hissed, annoyed with the cat.

    "See, your brother was way nicer, you should really listen to the Hatter, he's got a point when he says you should try and be more like him."

    Alice huffed air into one cheek, tapping her foot. She wasn't in the mood for games.

    "Fine, fine, dearie me, you're one grumpy little girl. Now, in the asylum, which is the place you should be going, because most everyone is mad here, and most everyone should be heading their way to the asylum - you will find two boys, two small, gray, sad and lonely boys. Of course, I'll have to go with you, because you never know what in god's name lurks in abandoned asylums--," He stopped as he noticed that the girl had already started her way toward the place, his grin lighting up in his pale eyes.

    ♥


    They had been walking around the asylum for a while, now. Alice willed herself to act brave, hoping to whatever god that may be listening that Alex would never be in such a place. Every now and then, a piercing scream could be heard, and sometimes laughter, and when Alice walked by the abandoned rooms she could hear crazed mumblings.

    "The boys aren't in this district, they're in the one for kids, the school wing," The cheshire cat said, sounding less mad than he usually did as he floated next to the girl.

    "The school wing?" Alice asked, shuddering at the fact that her voice sounded cowardly.

    "Yes, this asylum was built as a school, also. They're joined, a particularly good idea, I think. The kids can learn something from the patients,"

    Alice stayed silent, wondering what she would do if she was in a school that was connected to an asylum.

    The two walked a bit further, the dark lit up by only a few lamps overhead. The cat stayed unusually silent, only speaking when they approached the door to the school wing.

    "They're not in there, I'm afraid - atleast, not now, really - for if they are, then I wonder what in wonderland the two creatures over there are." The cheshire cat gave a small giggle, one that creaked eerily, as he pointed to a dead end over at the end of a short hall.

    Alice strained her eyes, she couldn't see anything in the dark hospital, the lights swinging ominously overhead did little to help.

    "H-hello?" She called, catching sight of two huddled shadows against the wall at the end of the hall.

    "Hello, hello, hello?" Echoed the cat, twirling upside down in the air. He scratched at the patch on his eye, still smiling that sharp-toothed grin.

    Alice turned to glare at the cat, but instantly turned away, hearing a reply from the two shadows.

    "Hello." They replied, talking in unison. Their voices were laced with fright, and childish innocence.

    Alice swallowed, glancing at the cat, who only stared blankly back at her. The two edged closer, and Alice could see that the shadows weren't shadows at all, but two small boys, dressed in grey school outfits, their hair just as grey, and their skin following suit.

    She had no idea what to say to the two boys, they were hugging their knees, finally lifting their heads to look at the cat and the girl. The wore hats with propellers on them, and nothing colorful adorned their bodies, they were the very definition of grey.

    "Are you our mommy?" One asked, curly hair peeking out from under his head.

    "No," she replied, speaking out of pity for the boys. "Are you lost?"

    "No," the other replied, his hair straight. "We're home," the curly haired one murmured.

    "You're the one lost," the straight haired one bit back, "Where's you brother?" The other asked.

    "Now, boys, Alice is our friend. Introduce yourselves to her,"

    The two stood up, shaking slightly. Alice noticed that the one with the curly hair had a chain around his ankle, one that connected to nothing, though, Alice thought, had once been chained to the other boy's leg, as his ankle was red and scarred slightly.

    "I'm tweedle Dee," the one with the chain said, "and I'm tweedle Dum," the other replied.

    "She's not supposed to be here, why is she here, Cheshire?" Dum asked, and though the two were finally talking, their voices still came out rather dull and emotionless.

    "The Hatter took her brother, have you seen him?"

    "The Hatter? Oh, he's fun," the two agreed, grinning.

    "He lets us come over for tea,"

    "He lets us play with the dormouse!"

    "He's fun,"

    "Fun, fun, fun, fun!" The two sang, twirling about, and though they appeared to be having fun, their voices still dripped with sadness.

    "Have you guys seen him or not?" Alice asked, maddened at their carefree behavior in such a time.

    The two shrank down, shaking their heads glumly. "No," Dee mumbled.

    "Can you guys show Alice a bit of history? I think she holds a rather large hatred for our dear friend." The cat asked, scratching at the patch on his eye once again, his eyes staring blankly at them.

    The two boys nodded, turning. "Come with us, Alice,"

    "Yea, we'll show you," They both led the girl through several halls, the Cheshire cat following them.

    "The boys are rather wise when it comes to the history of Wonderland's occupants. I'm sure you'll have a change of heart."

    Alice glared at the cat, never liking the way he talked. "I'm most positive I won't." She frowned.

    The cat hummed, "Well, wouldn't that be a shame. For you do know that the Hatter is a respected friend of us all,"

    "The Hare didn't seem to feel that way,"

    "Oh? And I'm guessing he talked to you, and told you all this?"

    "Well, no."

    "One shouldn't say things they never know, you may end up in quite a predicament." He purred, and that was the last thing they said as they headed towards where ever it was the twins were taking them.

    ♥


    The room Alice was brought to was rather dusty, shelves aligning the walls, filled to the brim with books, large and small. A small bucket was full of a few scrolls, and a box on a table was filled with newspapers.

    The two boys scurried about, grabbing newspapers and books, a scroll and a quill.

    They unrolled the scroll, revealing a picture of the tall Hatter, his straight orange hair, and bright outfit were faded a bit, the paint obviously very old.

    "She knows what he looks like," The cat said, and the two boys nodded, rolling up the scroll, and opening up one of the books to the page of the Mad Hatter.

    "Well, there's nothing about his early life." Tweedle Dee murmured, tilting his head as he reviewed the page.

    "Tell her how he got so mad - madder than he was before," The cat mewled, shaking a paw.

    The boys nodded, turning a page in their book. The Tweedles just glanced down at the page, before turning to Alice. "Well, he was never this mad before,"

    "Yes, he was quite sane, saner than he is now,"

    "Though he wasn't very sane,"

    "No, because no one in Wonderland is ever completely sane,"

    "And so he became more insane when he heard the news,"

    "The terrible news,"

    "That Wonderland would fall apart;"

    "It was dreadful, you could barely talk to him during those first few weeks,"

    "We all knew, we just never really took notice of it,"

    "He was more scared than any of us,"

    "The hare tried to comfort him,"

    "He did, he did,"

    "But the Hatter only grew more insane as he listened to his friend trying to calm him, it scared him even more,"

    "I can't ever imagine why,"

    "He got so enraged with the Hare's words, that he sewed his lips shut,"

    "The dormouse had seen, he had seen what we all believed,"

    "We think the Hatter killed him, since he had saw the act."

    "But, of course, the dormouse was his friend. And so he wasn't able to accept that the poor thing had died,"

    "And, of course, the Hare couldn't say anything - his lips were sewn, and he was far too scared of the Hatter to say anything to anyone, not that he could, anyways."

    "Yes, they say that the Hatter's a bit of a sadist,"

    "We've never seen it,"

    "Yea, he's pretty nice,"

    "But, still, you just have to be careful of what you say, any little thing can set him off."

    "Yeah, and don't ever take him into a place with smoke,"

    "He can't stand smoke,"

    "He envisions hell when he sees flames, or smells smoke - he just can't take it,"

    Alice swallowed, she didn't like thinking of that.

    "And he can turn into a shadow,"

    "A ghost, if you will," The Cheshire cat added, interrupting the boys' explanations.

    The two nodded, "Yea, a ghost!" The said in unison, pleased.

    "Now, boys, I think that's all for now." The cat finished, his tail curling about in the air. "I think she knows enough - now, Alice, as you can tell, our friend is not a monster, not to be hated, but to be pitied. He is a... a child, in a way. He's scared, Alice. I believe you've misunderstood our dear friend, he meant you no harm."

    "But what about the Hare? Or the Dormouse? What'll stop him from doing the same to Alex?" She asked, maddened at not understanding any of it.

    "Oh, your brother? Oh, I'll suppose he'll be fine, if he keeps a good head on his shoulder. If he does not, or if ol' Hattie is in a bad mood, then I would suggest you start counting your lucky stars that you're still alive."

    "Off with his head, off with his head!" The two boys cried happily, placing the books back into their proper places.

    "Rattle his bones, over the stones, he's only a pauper whom nobody owns." The cat hummed, delighted as he scratched at the patch over his eye again, picking up the scroll and placing it back in the bucket.

    Alice huffed, she was nothing by herself, she couldn't do anything. She wanted to cry. And the nursery rhymes the three beings were singing did nothing to help. She bit her lip, she couldn't take it. Alice dropped to the ground in one swift motion, finally crying as she did so. Her scream that followed became lost in the screams of the other patients, and she wondered if they, too, were crying of lost loved ones, of odds against them, and of 'once upon a times' that were never meant to be.

    ♥