Carnival: Alice In Darkness

Alice was a young 9 years of age. Whom would often be writing, filling page by page. She never knew the world outside her own. But despite how full her world was, she didn’t see the stone. It came out of nowhere and put her to sleep. The thing she heard before the dark was her mother’s shriek.

Levitating in the darkness, Alice was scared. Sometimes she’d hear her father reading, a story she near bared. A story of a girl with the very same name. So Alice, in the darkness, started a new game. She’d listen to her father and she’d rewrite it in her mind. That was until the world of wonder became a place so unkind.

In the darkness, Alice made the world as she saw. But there was one character that began to scratch and gnaw. Her father was present. Her father was there. Her father was recent. Her father was fair. His silly voices and smiling face, was how she made her happy place. Her mother however, was not all together. Her mother was loud. Her mother was strange. Her mother was cruel. Her mother was odd.

Chapter by chapter, her mother crept in. A harsh voice slithered inside. Telling her father that he was doing too much. That he should stop what he’s doing and get back to work. Her father was crafty and brewed up a plan. Her father was clever and stylish, so she made him that man. The man with the tea that she likes most. The man who eats plates like toast. The man with the wacky purple and black suit. Who always makes silly hats to boot. Her father’s obvious favorite character. The only one he used his regular voice for, The Mad Hatter.

Even in the darkness, she could see him clearly. Even in her world of wonder, she loved him dearly. Even though they had never met, she could easily feel his love for her. Even when her mother yelled at her father, she knew that he and her would be together. His friends would keep her company whenever he went to battle the Red Queen. Despite how the Red Queen treated him, he was never mean. He did as she demanded and put on a show. He made it fun from entrance to “time to go”. No matter what the Red Queen demanded, Hatter was always prepared. No matter the challenge, he and his friends took on anything that dared.

White Rabbit with long limbs and ruby vest, could keep up with the best. Despite being 8 feet tall, he could do any dance. March Hare could fit in a teacup and often got hiccups. He never feared anything at all, he’d fight at the slightest chance. Doozy, the door mouse, was soft spoken but loved dresses. Always polite no matter who she addresses. Though there was one that only got along with Hatter. And that was the mischievous and nonsensical Cheery Cheshire.

Hatter had a habit of hosting super silly socials. Whimsical welcomes with loads of loony locals. Alice always admired the timely and tasty teas and treats. Ultimately until something ugly somehow stole her seat.

Eagerly one night, the Red Queen yelled with her mother’s voice. Telling Hatter that he had no other choice. “Stop it Maverick! Stop it right now!” Even to her face, Hatter wouldn’t frown. “Alice is gone and not coming back.” Alice froze as she felt she was under attack. “My baby is gone because of you!” Alice began to cry, she refused to believe it was true. She thought she was dreaming. Her mother’s words rang harsh.

Remembering that day was painful. Alice was out in the yard writing a story. Her father has brought her something to drink and asked her to stay where he could see her as he worked on the chimney. Alice agreed as she sat on the swing, kicking her feet. She was thinking of all the stories she wrote and would read to her father once they went inside. She smiled and giggled to herself. Out of nowhere, she was startled by her mother yelling at her father. She couldn’t quite understand what they were saying but she knew her mother was very upset. Her father was on the roof, working on the chimney. Alice was scared that he would fall so she got up and walked closer. Her mother continued to yell and smacked the chimney from the outside. Her father slipped. He let go of the stone he was holding to catch himself. The stone rolled down the roof and dropped on Alice’s head.

Every color in her world began to bleach. The vibrants fading from anything in reach. Alice curled into a ball and began to cry. In her head. “I don’t care what it is, I just want my dad.”

Echoing in the world, she created in the dark. Alice closed her eyes as she heard her mother scream, “Mark!”

hat was, until, Hatter met her eye to eye.

“Alice, my sweet, my reason to live. What is this feeling you are starting to give?” he asked while wiping her tears. “I think this is fear.” Alice cried. “You know I’ve never lied.” He said as his skin darkened. “So would you be willing to let me hold onto those fears you’ve harkened?” “Yes, you can take it all. If you take me back, before the fall.” Hatter smiled bigger than Cheshire as his eye turned light green. Her world exploded with colors that she’d never seen. He stood up tall and extended his hand. “Would you like to know my plan?”

Reaching up to him, Alice shook

“You, of whom, treat my Alice as a toy. I have a rhyme to deploy. She wishes to be free. And left that task to me.” A light green mist filled the room, “Her fear has flooded her heart. And you threaten to tear us apart. Oh, we can’t have that, can we? You’ll have to politely reject the invitation to the party, oui?” Hatter’s lanky limbs twirled within the mist as if they were a flower in bloom. His hands clapped revealing a top hat. Tilting the hat, it poured out a plate, then a cup, then flower petals fluttering around butterflies as they giggled. “Oh what a very unhappy day to you. I must make her dreams come true. You’ll be the writing desk for this raven’s feather. I’ll carve the very poetry of her heart into your wherevers.” Hatter’s torso slithered around Alice’s mother. Her father ran for her mother, only for Hatter’s top hat jumped on him. After it burped, Alice’s mother let out a scream. HIs top hat began to pulse with vibrant colors. His limps shut up into the top hat along with the light green mist. The top hat pulsed like a beating heart. Showing silhouettes of Hatter and his friends in various distorted shapes. The top hat eventually exploded into confetti and waves of colors. There stood Hatter with the appearance of Alice’s father but her mother’s skin tone. His eyes like spirals moving in opposite directions. Alice’s mother screamed as she ran out the room. “You have such a lovely home. But you're offly rude to not offer tea.” Alice’s mother turned the corner and took a step towards the stairs.

Only to find herself sitting at an extremely long table. Hatter sitting at the far end, swaying as if he was unstable.With White Rabbit and Dorzy and March sitting calmly. Hatter and Cheshire with smiles most gnarly. She cried and begged for her to be set free. Hatter giggled and cackled with glee. She pleaded her case and tried to appeal. Hatter’s head rotated upside down as he offered her a deal. She said, “Anything” but immediately regretted her blunder. She had to admit in front of them all that she didn’t know Alice’s favorite color. She asked for another but Cheshire spoke through its glee, “Now now, that’s enough. Enjoy your tea.” She shakenly sipped and let out gasp. Her soul came out her mouth and fell into everyone’s cup’s grasp. As they all enjoy the bitterness and malice. Hatter stood up as the world swirled into his hat, “Where is Alice?”

“Until you find her, you seem to lack focus. We can help you find her, just join our Circus.” a man in an all black suit with a top hat said to Hatter standing at the front door of Alice’s childhood home. Raising his hat off his face, he showed himself to have gray skin, yellow pupils with green rings, slicked back black hair, and a star tattoo on his forehead. Hatter smiled big, “It’s been months, stranger, I’m awaiting her return. If you make me miss her, painful is the only lesson you’ll learn.” The man smirked as he assured him that they could find Alice. “If this is true, tell me stranger, who are you?” The man did a slight bow, “I am the butler to the King of Nightmare, I am Avery Nightingale. You have a name, please, do tell.” Hatter looked in the direction of Alice’s room and took his more human-like appearance. “I am Madoric Hector-Atter. But Hatter is just fine.”