Trapped in Wonderland (Wonderland Chronicles Book 1)

by Dani Hoots

  “Should have figured. All right.” Chase grabbed the other katana. “Let’s start our lesson.”

  We went out into the middle of the room and I pulled off the sheath and started to hold it by the handle.

  Chase shook his head. “No, no, you can’t hold your hands together or you won’t be able to get enough power. Realize that the only part that really does the task of striking your victim is the last two inches so you have to be able to torque it as much as possible. You have one hand on the very top of the handle and at the end you have your other hand relaxed and controlling it.”

  He moved my hands to where he said they needed to be. It felt a lot more comfortable and I started to understand how it affected my swinging.

  “Great, that’s it. Now block my sword as I swing slowly.”

  He swung his sword down slowly and I blocked it. He swung at the side and I blocked it. It was fun but I knew that this was never how a battle would play out, with slow swings. A battle would be fast but this was how I was to learn.

  “Now move your feet with the sword. Keep a defensive pose. That’s it!” Chase started swinging a little faster.

  “Great, but with a katana you block a little different. Here, like this.” He motioned the sword at a downward angle. “That way it protects your whole body. Stepping back will also help.”

  I tried doing what he said and moved my feet with the sword, but I kept messing up and leaving myself unbalanced. Chase struck again and I lost my balance and fell backwards.

  Chase helped me back up. “You have to keep your balance.”

  “I know, it’s hard to think about all these things at once,” I sighed.

  Chase tapped his chin for a second. “Think of it like this, it’s a dance. A beautiful dance with sharp pointy props. Let the rhythm flow through you smoothly. Just imagine the music is everything around you and all that matters is getting the moves down and not letting your sword drop nor the other sword touch you.”

  I thought about it for a moment. “All right, I’ll try it that way.”

  Chase swung at me again and I recoiled. I didn’t lose my balance this time, I let the rhythm of the katana guide me. Chase struck again and again and I blocked each one without a problem. He sped up his attack and I kept up with him. Soon we were fighting at normal speed and the others just watched, surprised that Chase could teach me so fast.

  Chase swung once more, but instead of blocking, I jumped to the side and knocked the sword out of his hand. He laughed.

  “Perfect Alice! You got it!”

  I smiled and bowed as if I just finished a dance. The boys clapped and Howard looked very satisfied.

  Chase turned to Malcolm. “She should probably go back to learn how to fight hand-to-hand. She’s all yours now. Besides, I need to take a break.”

  With that, Chase left me there to train with the others.

  CHAPTER 13

  After a couple of hours training, Malcolm let me take a lunch break. Howard had already made sandwiches, and somehow knew my favorite sandwich: a grilled cheese. The others finished theirs quickly and went back to the room to train. I took the rest of my grilled cheese and watched them.

  To outsiders, they all probably looked like some kids just goofing off, but I knew better now. They were older than they appeared, a lot older, training like they usually did. Malcolm used to serve under the Queen and King of Dreams. I couldn’t believe it at first but now that I watched him, I could see how he held his head in authority. He was a born leader, at least he appeared that way to me. The others respected him and followed what he said. Except for Chase.

  Chase didn’t seem to belong, I could tell. He looked like an outsider, trying to fit in. I wondered what caused him to join this group to fight, especially with his hatred of Malcolm. He was definitely a loner, going from one place to another just like in the story. Did he just see Morpheus as a threat and decide to help the rest of them defeat him? But if that was the case, what had happened between Malcolm and Chase that made their feud so great? Was it so bad that they couldn’t stop fighting for five seconds?

  “Interesting lot of characters, huh?”

  I turned to find Howard next to me. He leaned against the wall and looked out at them. Chase was still nowhere to be seen. I figured he must have gone back to his treehouse to be away from the rest of them.

  I nodded. “Yeah, they are.”

  “They all have different backgrounds, both good and bad. It’s interesting that they are the only ones not affected by Morpheus. Then again, I can understand why, especially once you know them. Their fears were conquered long ago.”

  “Are they the only ones in this entire world that aren’t affected?” I asked, wondering how it seemed such a small number. The odds of defeating Morpheus seemed greater than ever.

  He nodded. “Yes.”

  I looked back over at them. “Why is that exactly?”

  Howard shrugged. “It was probably just because of all the things they have been through together. Chase doesn’t let fear affect him since he spends his time alone. Melvin has been through many wars and has already faced his fears more than once. Davis, even though he seems to be small and afraid, is really strong-minded. And Malcolm...” he stopped in mid-sentence.

  “What about him?”

  He sighed. “Malcolm has been through more than any of us can imagine. Morpheus can’t make him afraid because he has so much darkness inside of him already. It was said that the Queen of Hearts banished him to the Dark Forest. He used to be a trouble maker and is lucky to still have his head. He was all alone in that forest for years.”

  “What exactly happened?” I asked, curious as to what their stories were, especially Malcolm. He was nice enough, that I could tell, but in his eyes it is apparent that there used to be some kind of darkness.

  “Alice came, the original Alice, and she found him in those woods. She did or said something that persuaded him to come out of the forest and help her fight the Queen. None of us could believe it, really, that boy never ever listened to anyone. He was much like Chase in that he would only joke with people, but on a much larger scale and was wanted for many, many crimes. But nevertheless, Alice spoke to him and he listened and with his help she was able to take down the Queen. All seemed to be restored for Malcolm.”

  “But then Alice left and he changed again, this time he was darker and colder than ever before. Whatever happened to the happy joker was lost in the Dark Forest forever. He became violent and after a while, and a few more crimes, he went back into exile in the forest. But as the story went, Alice came back. She found out what happened and she went back for him, even though we all thought he was a lost cause. It took a while, but he finally came to and tried to talk the Red and White Kingdom into signing a peace treaty. It didn’t work and they ended up destroying each other.”

  “Then Alice left him again. They were very close at this point but instead of going back into the forest, he stayed sane. So when the Kingdom of Dreams came, Melvin, who had served with him, recommended him to the King and Queen and he became their first general.”

  “So there is a lot of dark secrets in Malcolm’s past?”

  He nodded. “Yes, and there is a lot that none of us know. We don’t know what happened in the Dark Forest, what he was up to. You have to be very strong to survive as long as he did in that forest. But all in all, I haven’t seen him this happy in a very long time. He trusts you Alice, you should know that.”

  I shook my head. “No, they all have their doubts about me.”

  “I have a feeling after this morning they have more faith in you. You did well, especially with that katana.”

  “Oh, thanks. It was really Chase that did well, he explained everything in a way that I could understand,” I turned to him. “Why does no one seem to trust Chase?”

  He laughed. “No one really has trusted the Cheshire Cat in the stories. I guess it has to do with him not having any loyalties through the wars. He leads people in all different d
irections, coming and going as he pleases.”

  “Why is he helping now? If he has no loyalties, I mean.”

  “This war is different. This war affects everyone and everything. No one is their self anymore, becoming slaves to Morpheus. I guess Chase just couldn’t stand not being able to play tricks on anyone any longer.”

  For some reason I couldn’t believe that was the only thing. Sure Chase liked playing tricks on people, but there had to be more to it than that. There was so much more to him, at least that’s what it seemed to me. “So that is why Malcolm doesn’t trust him? Because he has no loyalty?”

  “I think, in the end, Malcolm trusts him to do what is right. They are the only ones left and Chase can help them get in and out of places. He’s the only one other than the White Rabbit who can travel to your world.”

  “Malcolm was pretty mad at him this morning,” I said.

  “Chase should have known better, but I know he was just trying to make you feel better. Malcolm will get over it. If he was truly mad, you would know.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Howard smiled. “Let’s just hope it won’t come to that. Now, you should get back in there and practice. And don’t mention this conversation to them, I don’t think they would appreciate me talking about their pasts to you.”

  “Oh, I didn’t mean to pry,” I began.

  He shook his head. “Don’t worry, you should know who you are fighting with. That way you better understand what is going on.”

  “What about you then? Why are you in the middle of all this?”

  He laughed. “That’s a long story for another time. Now get going, they are waiting for you.”

  I nodded then turned to head down the balcony stairs. Now I was getting even more curiouser and curiouser about it all, especially when it came to Malcolm and Chase.

  CHAPTER 14

  We worked on fighting skills for the rest of the day. The sun began to set in the distance and Malcolm decided to call it a day. Dinner wasn’t as extravagant as it had been the night before, but that was fine since I wanted to take a bath and clean up, as I hadn’t been able to for a while.

  I was very surprised and thankful to find that the castle did indeed have plumbing. I drew myself a bath and was able to soak in the warm water for a good amount of time. I was pretty happy they had warm water as well. The castle was huge so I didn’t have to worry about anyone waiting for this bath since they could go somewhere else. It felt really good on my muscles, as they were sore from fighting all day.

  What I enjoyed most about the day was being able to learn how to use a katana. Chase was an excellent teacher, contrary to what Malcolm thought. I enjoyed being around Chase, as he was able to let loose and he made it his priority to let me know exactly what was happening, though I did think sometimes he could inform his own team more on what was going on.

  I thought about Chase for a bit. He did finally show up at dinner, silent, still not talking to anyone, his ears twitching when others whispered about him. I felt bad but I had no idea what to do about it. I didn’t want to get in the middle of a feud that didn’t seem to have any end, nor did I understand.

  After what felt like an hour passed as I sat in the tub, letting time pass and letting my thoughts unwind. I had accepted the fact that I was now in Wonderland and needed to find a way out of here. If the White Rabbit and Chase were the only ones who could make portals, that would really mean that I had to bring down the White Rabbit in order to go home, didn’t it? That meant that no one could come after me once I went home.

  No, I couldn’t leave this place knowing what I knew—knowing that if I didn’t stop Morpheus, then the whole world as I knew it would have their dreams destroyed and be living in a horrible mess. No, I couldn’t allow that, I couldn’t just turn my head and look away.

  I never considered myself strong—far from it. But with everything going on, I felt as if I was growing, as if I could do anything. I had learned to fight pretty well today, both by hand and with a katana. I still didn’t understand why I was the one selected, but at least now I believed I could put up some sort of fight.

  Getting out of the tub, I dried off my body and hair with a towel. Granted, it was a pretty old towel, but it seemed clean enough. As I tried to get the last of the water out of my hair, I heard a knock at the door to my room.

  Quickly, afraid that whoever it was would barge in, I put on a robe and went to answer the door. It was Chase.

  He blushed as he saw me in the robe. “Oh.” He turned away. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

  I shook my head. “No, it’s fine. Come in.”

  I moved over to the couch that occupied the front part of the room and sat down, making sure my legs were covered as much as they could be with the robe. He stayed standing, trying not to look at me.

  “I just wanted to tell you that we are leaving for the Cirque de Rêves tonight. The others didn’t want to tell you but I thought you should know, in case something happens.”

  That didn’t make sense to me, with everything that was going on, why wouldn’t they just stay away from the Circus until it was time to fight. “Why are you going?”

  “To check their status. Morpheus knows you are here and we need to figure out what their next move is.” He scratched the back of his head. “No one thinks you are ready to meet him but I think you should see what you are facing.”

  “You think I should come?” I asked. I didn’t particularly want to meet the man, as he could control someone’s fear. I had no idea what to think.

  He shrugged. “If you think you aren’t ready, then no you shouldn’t go. But it’s really up to you, I just think you should have the option of going or not.”

  I looked down and fiddled with my hands. It was a lot to think about in such a short amount of time. I had just gotten here, learned all about the world, how to fight, but I was far from facing the truth of the matter, facing who I needed to defeat.

  “You don’t have to decide now, we aren’t going to leave for another hour. I will make the portal just outside the gate of the kingdom. If you are in time, you can still jump through it without me.” He started for the door. “I should get back to the others before they know I am here.”

  I quickly stood up. “Thank you, for telling me all of this. I really appreciate it.”

  He nodded and left me there. I stared at the closed door for a moment longer, then looked over to the clothes that lay on the ground from that day.

  No, I shouldn’t go, I wasn’t ready. It would be a lot to handle, and I could fail miserably.

  But I wanted to know what I was facing.

  I quickly changed into some clothes and hurried out the door.

  I headed towards where Chase said he would make the portal. It was quiet out, as it usually was, but more eerie since I was alone. I hadn’t truly been alone since I was here, and not outside. It was a strange thought to realize, as in the real world I had been so used to being alone. Here, I wasn’t even able to sit down long enough to gather my thoughts. I didn’t know if I should be doing this but Chase was right, I should see what I would have to face. Then maybe I could prepare.

  As I came to the entrance to the kingdom, I saw four figures just beyond the gate. Quickly, I hid and watched as Chase created the portal. Each of them stepped through it and after they disappeared, I ran and jumped through it before it closed.

  It felt like a jolt of electricity running through my body. It was different than the portal that lead between worlds, it wasn’t a feeling of falling like that. No, this felt a lot different, as if disobeying the laws of physics. As if it was something that should have never been done. It was over in an instant but my heart kept racing. Freaky.

  I peered around at my new surroundings and I gasped. Giant Circus tents stood before me, I had never seen something so fantastic. The striped colors ranged from red to purple, swirling in a majestic rainbow. In addition to this, performers crowded outside the tents, juggling, dancing, eating fire,
and even balancing knives. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

  Yet, this is the evil causing all the darkness?

  Crowds of people hurried towards the entrance of the tent. I noticed how they all had the same darkness clouding their face, just like the people I met earlier. Something here was indeed causing it and even so, people still wanted to participate.

  I caught a glimpse of Malcolm and the others ahead of me. Even though I knew they would be mad at me for coming, I knew it wouldn’t be smart to separate from them. I just hoped they would forgive me.

  As I hurried towards them, I notice that they had stopped in front of a man and as soon I was close enough, I felt something strange, something dark, something almost like…

  Fear.

  Could he be Morpheus? I shuddered at the thought, but there was this lingering feeling in the air, the same one I got before an exam or before a performance. It was definitely the escalating feeling of fear.

  The man was average height, with a two-tailed suit and changing color bow tie. White gloves covered his hands and he held a black cane in his right hand. He also had on a black top hat covered in rainbow flowers that covered part of his brown hair. He looked like a ring master and that’s when I knew, he had to be Morpheus.

  “Well, well, it looks like you have a tagalong.” Morpheus grinned as he saw me. Malcolm and the others turned around to find me standing behind them. I froze, wanting to run away. I should have stayed in the kingdom. This was a big mistake. I wasn’t ready for this, it was a really stupid idea.

  “How did you get here?” Malcolm looked more afraid than I had ever seen anyone be. He looked as if all hope had been lost, as if I had done the worst thing imaginable

  The words escaped my mouth and I couldn’t answer him. I didn’t know what to say, I realized I had just made the worse decision that could cost everyone everything. “I…”

  “I told her we were going,” Chase explained to him.