Finally knocking into a pillar, the Chronosphere spun to a stop, spitting everyone out, as though it couldn’t handle holding them any longer. Time went flying and Iracebeth’s metal frame clanked against the floor. Alice staggered to her feet and snatched up the shrinking Chronosphere. With no time to waste, she raced along the floor toward the center of the Grand Clock, her friends just behind her. Close on their heels, waves of liquid rust crashed into the room from all sides, pouring toward the Grand Clock.
Alice led the charge, with Time, Hatter, and Mirana running behind her, dodging around unrecognizable stalagmites and lumps. With a grimace, Alice realized some of them were the struggling, rust-decayed forms of Seconds, Minutes, and Hours. Closer to the center, they passed by Wilkins, his body cemented to the ground with rust.
“We did our best, sir,” Wilkins said as Time drew near.
Time saluted him but kept running. Now waves of rust lapped at the group’s feet. Mirana fell first; then Wilkins was washed over. Encircling Hatter’s legs, the rust began to climb upward.
“Alice,” Hatter said, his voice carrying a mixture of sadness and hope.
Alice wouldn’t stop, couldn’t stop. Everything depended on her.
She hopped through the Grand Clock, whose pieces were barely moving now. The gears were almost stationary and the hammers creaked up and down at a snail’s pace.
A few steps behind her, Time cried out as the wave of rust caught up to him. He sank to his knees, then crumpled under its weight.
It was the end of Time.
The hammer above Alice froze as the Grand Clock gave out. Stepping into the gap at the center of the clock, Alice felt something wrap around her ankles. The odd sensation moved up her legs, encasing her in a gritty metal powder.
As her waist became constricted, she stretched up, focusing her eyes on the center of the clock.
Rust raced up her outstretched arm. With one final push, her fingers slammed the Chronosphere into place, then froze a hairsbreadth away.
Underland lay silent and motionless under a blanket of rust.
Not a puff of breath or a beating heart could be heard.
There could be no world without Time.
AN EERIE STILLNESS hung in the Chamber of the Grand Clock. Then…
tick
tock
Tick
Tock
Ticktock.
TICKTOCK.
Glowing under a layer of rust, like a cloth-covered lantern, the Chronosphere hummed to life, and the Grand Clock started up. Rust flaked off the machinery as cogs wheeled and barrels lifted.
The tip of Alice’s finger turned from red to pink as the rust moved backward, washed away by the restoration of time. Slowly, Alice returned to herself. After taking in a gulp of air, she looked around. Had she done it? Had she fixed Time?
Time coughed as the rust melted off him. Beyond him, she could see Wilkins, Seconds, Minutes, and Hours wriggling to life.
Alice picked her way over to Time, who was now sitting up. “Are you all right?” she asked.
He looked slightly dazed, but his eyes lifted in gratitude to meet hers and he nodded before conducting a self-inspection, patting himself down and checking his heart clock. His head cocked at an angle, he listened carefully for the slightest hiccup.
Alice stepped away to find her friends. As the coppery red wave receded across the chamber, it liberated everyone. When their eyesight cleared, Mirana and Iracebeth spotted each other, and Mirana rushed to her sister.
“Can you ever forgive me, Racie?” she asked.
With pursed lips, Iracebeth studied her.
“I can,” she said. The words seemed to surprise even her. “I can!” she repeated happily. The sisters embraced, smiles stretching across their faces.
There was a clattering of many footsteps in the hall, and then a large group tumbled into the room. Zanik strode in at the front of the rest of the Hightopps, Bayard close behind, the Dormouse on his back. McTwisp and Thackery hopped along after them, and last, but not least, the Tweedles waddled in.
“Tarrant!” Zanik called out loudly, his face eager.
Hatter whirled. “Father!” he cried, running toward him. “This whole time, I thought you were—but you weren’t—and you couldn’t come see me because you were—and you kept the hat!” Hatter tripped over his words as he hugged his father tightly.
“Of course I kept it,” Zanik said. “It was a gift from you. But the greatest gift we have is the time we have together. And I promise, I’ll never waste another second.” He stepped back, his hands resting on Hatter’s shoulders. “We have a lot of catching up to do,” he continued.
“I make hats, Father! I’m a hatter!” Hatter exclaimed proudly.
Tears pricked Zanik’s eyes. “I want to see every one, Tarrant,” he said in a choked voice. “I want to see every hat you’ve ever made.”
“I promise,” Hatter said as Zanik pulled him into another hug.
Elsewhere in the chamber, the Tweedles were also hugging.
“Let’s never fight again,” Tweedledum said.
“Were we fighting before?” Tweedledee asked. He stared at his brother in puzzlement.
“No, so why start now?” Tweedledum said.
Gazing across the room, Alice watched her friends reunite with their families. Everyone seemed so happy, all their former fights—big and small—swept away. With a pang, she thought of her mother, wishing she were there to hold her close. The world had nearly ended, and Alice and her mother had not parted on good terms.
Time walked over to Alice. Sure he was going to scold her, she hung her head. The whole mess was her fault.
Time seemed to read her mind and laid a hand gently on her shoulder.
“All that is really worth doing is what we do for others,” he said simply.
Alice looked up at him, her eyes full of regret. “I owe you an apology,” she said. “You tried to warn me about the Chronosphere, but I didn’t listen.”
“No worries, my dear.” Time winked at her. “I heal all wounds.”
Alice smiled. “You know,” she said. “I used to think you were a thief, stealing everything I loved. But you give before you take. And every day is a gift. Every hour, every minute, every second.”
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her father’s broken pocket watch. She ran her finger over the case one last time and then handed it to Time.
“Ah, the fallen soldier,” Time said as he took it. “I suppose you want me to fix it.” His eyebrow twitched up at her.
“No,” Alice answered. “I want you to have it.”
Time blinked in shock. Nobody ever gave him presents. He glanced from the watch to Alice. “You said it was your father’s,” he said in surprise.
“It was my father’s, but it’s not my father.” Alice’s eyes wandered to the happy families around the room. It was important to spend time with the loved ones you had. “I’ve been holding on too tightly to all the wrong things,” she said. She turned back to Time with a determined smile.
Time regarded the pocket watch again; then he waved his hand in the air above it.
Tick, tick, tick, beat the little watch.
With gentle hands, Time lovingly tucked it into his breast pocket. Emotion lit his eyes as they met Alice’s. “My dear girl,” he said. “They say I am a friend to no man. But I shall remember you. Always.”
Time bowed his head in farewell and then walked to Wilkins and the Seconds, who were gathered by the Grand Clock. Eager to have their leader back, Time’s measures crowded around him.
Alice felt someone take her hand and she turned to see Hatter’s beaming face.
“Come, Alice,” he said. “You must meet my family, you’ll love them. We’re going to have so much fun together!” He bounced slightly on his toes, giddy with excitement.
But Alice just smiled wistfully at him. Her heart was tugging her elsewhere. Back in London, her mother needed her.
Seeing the sadness in her ey
es, Hatter cocked his head, his expression turning more serious.
“Oh, but I’m forgetting you have a family of your own, don’t you?” he said.
Alice nodded. Hatter gazed around the room. Mirana and Iracebeth spoke animatedly, their hands waving in the air. The Tweedles shuffled along together, watching the Seconds tick past. Hatter’s own family members were standing nearby, waiting for him.
“Very important thing, a family,” Hatter continued. “You only get the one.”
Alice’s mouth wobbled. “Hatter, I think it’s time for me to go home,” she said.
“I won’t see you for tea tomorrow, will I?” he asked, smiling softly.
“I don’t think so.” Alice flung her arms around his neck, a few tears sliding down her face.
“Don’t worry, Alice.” Hatter patted her shoulder. “In the palace of dreams we shall meet, and laugh, and play all our lives.”
Alice stepped back to gaze up at him. “But a dream is not reality,” she said.
Hatter took both her hands in his and leaned in close.
“Ah, but who’s to say which is which?” Hatter winked.
Alice smiled, happy to have restored Hatter to himself, but sad that she would have to leave Underland. She was going to miss it and him—all over again.
THE LIBRARY in the Ascot mansion was usually quite cozy, but Helen Kingsleigh shivered in her seat at the wide oak table. Next to her, Lady Ascot sent her a pitying look, but Helen didn’t notice; her eyes were fixed on the two men across from her.
Hamish was tapping his fingers impatiently while James, his clerk, shuffled slowly through a stack of papers. Reading over one page, James would shake his head as though it wasn’t what he was looking for, place it at the back of the pile, and then start the process over again.
Alexandra, also at the table, picked invisible lint off her dress, clearly bored. She hemmed significantly at her husband.
After glancing at her, Hamish shot James another annoyed glare, then coughed and turned to Helen.
“In the end, it’s about what Alice needs, Mrs. Kingsleigh,” Hamish said. His voice was as oily as his skin. “Whether she ever returns or not—”
“When she returns,” Helen interrupted. She would never give up hope.
“Quite, my dear, quite,” Lady Ascot said soothingly. She patted Helen’s arm.
“Now, please, the ship’s deeds—just sign here,” Hamish said, waving his hand toward the papers James held.
Helen sighed and picked up the pen Hamish had laid in front of her.
However, instead of handing them over, James just stared down at the papers as though time stood still.
“Mr. Harcourt, please,” Hamish snapped. “Time is money!”
Reluctantly, the clerk placed the deed in front of Helen just as a new voice rang out:
“I’m afraid he most certainly is not!”
Everyone’s heads whipped around to see Alice standing in the doorway. She strode forward confidently.
“Time is many things,” she continued. “But he isn’t money, Hamish, or our enemy, Mother.” She nodded at each of them. “But he is real and we must take account of him, Mr. Harcourt, if we are to spend the days he grants us wisely—”
Helen dropped the pen as Alice reached her side.
“—and with those we love most,” Alice finished, taking her mother’s hands in her own.
Flustered, Hamish widened his eyes. “Where did you come from?” he asked Alice.
“I walked right through the walls,” Alice said mischievously. “Poof!” She flicked her fingers at him.
As Hamish jumped back, his chair squeaked against the floorboards. James quickly hid a snicker of amusement behind his hand.
“I may not be able to change the past, but I can learn from it.” Alice gazed down at Helen. “Sign the papers, Mother,” she added calmly.
“You…want me to sign them?” Helen asked in confusion.
Nodding, Alice picked up the pen and handed it to her mother.
“But what about your dreams?” Helen asked, pressing her.
Alice shook her head slightly. “I used to think the Wonder meant everything, but it’s just a ship. There is always another ship. But you and your well-being mean everything to me.” Alice squeezed her mother’s shoulder gently. “You’re my mother, and I only get one.”
Helen and Alice smiled at each other, their eyes full of love and forgiveness.
Feeling the need to reassert himself, Hamish cleared his throat, interrupting their moment.
“So, you’ve decided to be a clerk?” he asked Alice. He turned to his own mother without waiting for an answer. “She decided to become a clerk. I knew she’d give in.” His mouth twisted in a smug sneer.
“You’re not a nice man, Hamish,” Helen said unexpectedly. She glared at him fiercely. “I’m glad my daughter didn’t marry you.”
Alice’s face broke into a grin as Hamish pulled back, stung, and Alexandra let out a startled gasp.
Helen rose to her feet and lifted her chin proudly. “Alice can do whatever Alice chooses to do,” she said. “And so can I!”
Linking arms, Helen and Alice swept from the room, heads held high. The Ascots could do nothing but stare after them, their mouths agape.
Some Time Later
Alice hunched over a worn desk, carefully making notes in a ledger. Behind her, a wall held cubbyholes filled with samples of different silks. The door across from her opened and James entered, holding up a marine chronometer.
Alice nodded and began patting her pockets.
“Here you go, ma’am,” James said. Leaning forward, he offered her his own watch.
Alice smiled up at him as she took it and the chronometer, then carefully wound them to match.
“Perfect,” she declared.
Alice shut the ledger and headed for the door, avoiding the enormous Chinese vases in the room. James followed her out to a busy wharf overlooking the Hong Kong harbor. The water glistened in the sun, and ships of all shapes and sizes swayed with the tide. Alice inhaled deeply, the salty tang of the ocean air lifting her spirits even higher.
She turned to see two men attaching a new sign above the building she’d just left. Even though she’d seen the sign before, the words on it still sent a thrill through her.
KINGSLEIGH & KINGSLEIGH TRADING CO.
“A full cargo aboard,” James said as he stepped up to her side. “Do we commence with Kingsleigh and Kingsleigh’s maiden voyage?”
“Best check with the commodore,” Alice answered.
They wove through the crowd on the pier until they found the commodore, who was gazing out at the sea.
“Commodore, shall we head out of harbor?” James asked politely.
Smiling, Helen Kingsleigh turned to answer him. “Time and tide wait for no man, Mr. Harcourt,” she replied cheerfully. Her face was tan and she was not wearing a corset.
“Or, indeed, woman,” Alice added.
Alice led the way up the gangplank of the Wonder, her mother and friend at her back.
“Captain aboard!” James called to the crew. “Full sail, lads! Full sail!”
As the boatswain guided the Wonder out of the harbor and past a fleet of ships, Alice and her mother walked along the port side, taking in the view.
Alice leaned over the edge of the deck to watch as a royal Indian barge floated by, its scarlet and gold sails shimmering.
In the center of the barge, a tall Indian prince, dressed in pure white pants and an embroidered red tunic, sat cross-legged on a pile of cushions. He was pouring a glass of wine for his companion—none other than Alice’s aunt Imogene!
“I’m sorry I was so late,” the prince was saying.
Aunt Imogene waved her hand and took the glass. “Don’t worry, my dear,” she said. “I always knew you’d come.”
Alice laughed, the wind rustling her hair. With a wave to her aunt, she turned back to her ship. Taking her place at the wheel, Alice carefully hung first the chr
onometer and then James’s watch in front of her, smiling at the comforting tick-tick-tick of the watch’s second hand.
She would never take time for granted again, and she meant to savor every minute of it.
Alice placed her hands on the wheel and swung the Wonder into the harbor, ready for her next adventure. Only time would tell what the future held, but she couldn’t wait to find out.
Alice in Wonderland- Through the Looking Glass Page 12
