Beware the Little White Rabbit

by Various

  As they drove, the car got stuffy. She turned off the heat, and it was still unbearable. Alice opened the window. A gust of wind blasted her hair, taking it out of the bun. Her mousy brown hair looked golden as it whipped around her face. What a feeling, this freedom, even though it would come at a cost. She’d surely be arrested, placed in a jail overnight, and suspended or expelled for doing such an impulsive thing on a field trip. Every single time she saw a police car in the distance, she sped up, and if one was in front of her, she slowed down and changed lanes to hide behind other cars. An APB must have been issued on her.

  Alice pulled up into the amusement park’s lot. In the distance were a gargantuan water slide and a scary looking roller coaster. Alice gulped, afraid of heights. Lou, on the other hand, jumped out, ready to explore.

  She looked in the mirror. Her normally straight hair was wavy and falling across her shoulders. She looked around, but couldn’t find her hair band. It must have fallen on the floor. It was her only one and she hadn’t packed another.

  “Come on,” Lou said. “Let’s go in.”

  “But, but, my hair.” She patted the floor.

  “It’s fine,” he said.

  She looked up at his dazzling smile. He had perfect teeth, and the skin around his eyes crinkled. What was she getting herself into? No, she was already deep in this. While Lou was adjusting his belt and transferring a wallet from his jacket pocket to his jeans pocket, she grabbed the white rabbit from the back and stuffed it into her book bag. She was a thief. She couldn’t help it today. First with the car, and then with the rabbit. After her arrest, she’d give it back to him.

  Lou grabbed her hand and with her other hand she yanked the strap of her book bag. She was fixated on Lou’s violet eyes, which became paler in the sun. They mesmerized her, challenged her, and dared her. She’d stolen the car – yes, that was her decision – but he was pushing her to do more…to go on amusement park rides that both thrilled and frightened her. She shook her head and then nodded.

  “Let’s go in, yeah?” he said.

  “Yeah,” she echoed.

  They went past the gate and no one questioned them. They had the one-day pass tickets, the ones that allowed them to go through a speedy line. After the short wait, cotton candy and hot dogs scented the air. Alice closed her eyes, thinking of childhood again, going high on swings and running through parks. Then there was her parents’ divorce, moving to a new school where she clicked with no one, and other issues that had settled on her like a fog. She had once wanted adventure, but she ended up closing herself off to everything, became glum around her parents, and dived into her studies without swimming up for air.

  Lou took out his cell phone and texted with both hands, letting go of hers. She immediately wanted him holding her hand again. “Are you sending a message to your dad?”

  “Just so he’ll bug off for a while,” he said.

  “What are you telling him?”

  “That I’m with a pretty girl at an amusement park.”

  Alice was agape. She didn’t consider herself pretty, plus he was giving them away since there were only so many amusement parks in Central Florida. How many minutes or hours of freedom did she have left until she was caught? Alice squashed her fears and doubts for the first time. It was no use being what the people at school called a G.G. – good girl. She messed up, so she might as well enjoy herself while she was here.

  It was late morning, the time when vendors opened their kiosks for early lunch. Alice and Lou had burgers, fries, and elephant ears washed down with soda. Alice had skipped breakfast since she didn’t want to be late for the bus. She felt like a glutton, a satisfied one.

  “Time for the rides,” Lou said.

  Alice shook her head. She looked at all the children who circled their decision-making parents. Young couples smiled as they joined long lines for rides. “No, I can’t,” she said. “I thought I could, but I’m afraid. Maybe I’ll go in the spooky tunnel or on a Ferris wheel. I’m not afraid of those. I can’t go on anything too high or that flips me around. And I hate being upside down. That scares me.”

  “It’s okay being upside down,” Lou said, his smile dying on his lips. He became serious. “Didn’t you do an upside down thing by stealing the car?”

  Alice pondered that. Yes, she had done the opposite of what she normally did. She wasn’t a field trip person. She wasn’t a thief. She didn’t attract good-looking boys. Everything about today was abnormal.

  Lou led her to the line for the roller coaster. That warm, pleasant sensation of holding hands with a boy returned, but then it was engulfed by her fear. The roller coaster’s ascent didn’t look too bad, but the decline was so sharp and steep. She would be hurtled down, down, down.

  She passed a kiosk that had a shiny metal exterior. Her reflection shocked her. She looked wild with her messy hair and lips swollen from eating food and sweets. She looked unlike herself, upside down.

  Her heart thumped as she stood in line. Lou was to the right, to the left, pressed to her back, and sometimes in front of her, always attached to her somehow, with their arms touching. His woodsy cologne wrapped around her. It was too much for her senses…him, his scent, his touch, and then this upcoming roller-coaster ride.

  It was time. First a dozen people went before them, with an attendant seating them. Then the attendant ushered them to their seats. Nooooo, Alice thought.

  “Yes!” Lou said, pulling her up the stairs and across the platform.

  Her vision blackened around the edges. Her body moved across the platform and into a hard seat. She could barely see. Then something whooshed over her head and hugged her shoulders and chest…the safety harness. The attendants were getting ready to launch this huge, metal, train-like thing into arcs and then the finale…the steep decline. Alice was convinced this was all insanity. Who would create such a ride and who would go on it? She would, because she had gone crazy.

  Alice’s vision cleared, and she stifled a scream. The roller coaster picked up speed. Her first scream erupted from her mouth during the first loop, when her body pressed into the harness and she thought she’d fall out, headed toward the ground to her death. She turned to look at Lou, and he was smiling, whooping instead of screaming.

  There was a gentle decline and then another loop. Screams shot into the air, and not just from Alice. Everyone was making some sort of noise. Whenever people raised their arms, Alice was the only one who held onto her harness, her fingers turning white with her grip.

  “Here it comes,” Lou yelled.

  It was the crazy decline. First, she saw sky, and then the view changed with the amusement park grounds in sight. Her torso was pressed into her harness. She opened her mouth to scream, and her whole face changed as air entered her mouth. Her cheeks expanded. The pressure of going down slammed into her body. Then something happened during that long, yet brief, time rushing down.

  She stopped screaming. She was at peace. Her life was headed toward something new and different. She was free to explore other things, because she dared to ride a Mustang when she thought she was fated to only riding four-door sedans. She was with one of the best-looking boys she had ever met. Most importantly, she was on the scariest roller-coaster ride and didn’t have a heart attack.

  As the descent neared its end, Alice didn’t have a care in the world. All her worries drifted out of her, pushed out by the dizzying excitement and frigid air. The ride was over. The roller coaster’s connected cars slowed down onto the platform. The harnesses released. On wobbly legs, people got off. Adults were supporting children. Men were holding up women.

  “Are you okay?” a mother asked her son.

  “I’m gonna hurl,” a young blond woman announced, rushing off the platform and toward a restroom.

  Alice felt the opposite. She had a dreamy smile on her lips.

  “That was awesome, wasn’t it?” Lou asked.

  “Yes,” she agreed.

  She didn’t expect it when he leaned down to
kiss her. His soft lips were on hers, his tongue darting in gently and then more forcefully. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. It was her first kiss. She didn’t imagine it would be like this. She wasn’t awkward or fumbling. She slanted her face at the right angle, as if by instinct, or by following his lead. The kiss came naturally, in the middle of a packed amusement park.

  Lou stepped off and helped her to her feet, although she didn’t really need his support. She remained strong and clear-headed, until she saw something that disturbed her.

  A man in a security uniform walked by them, passing by the rail that separated the ride from the rest of the public. The thin, tall, young man narrowed his eyes at them. His gaze was steady, but then he moved on.

  “Did you see that man?” Alice asked.

  “Him?” Lou jutted his chin in the man’s direction.

  “He must be looking for me!”

  “Don’t be silly. He was probably just checking you out. Who could blame him?”

  “But – ”

  “Stop worrying, and come on.” He pulled at her hand.

  The sensation of someone watching her, that the authorities were nearby, was in the front of her mind, then in the back. The security guard didn’t stop her, pursue her, or anything else. She followed Lou, although she was more watchful of who was around her.

  Lou wanted to go on another gut-twisting ride, one in which a gondola was raised high in the air and spun people around. It was as scary-looking as the roller coaster. “Give me a few minutes,” Alice said. “I’m feeling light-headed.” Because of that kiss. “I need to sit somewhere.”

  They found an empty gazebo where they could look out into the crowd, but still feel isolated. The old wooden structure had people’s names carved into the wood, with hearts and arrows. It was a romantic spot. Lou pulled out a candy bar and broke off a piece. “You want?”

  Alice shook her head since her stomach was full. Lou crammed the chocolate in his mouth.

  “Why don’t we get out of here?” Lou said. “We can crash at my friend’s house in Tallahassee.”

  “Tallahassee?” Alice said. “That’s hours away.”

  “So? We can also go to Georgia. I have friends there, too. Let’s go on a real road trip.”

  Alice thought about his crazy idea. The roller-coaster ride was scary, but she was glad she had gone on it. Now a road trip, to northern Florida…no, out of state to Georgia was his last suggestion. He must be joking, because all they had was a car. She was low on cash, and she assumed he wasn’t prepared for any sort of lengthy trip either.

  “Okay, let’s get out of here,” she played along. “Why stop at Georgia? Let’s go to D.C. I know, New York City. I’ve always wanted to go there.”

  “Me, too!”

  He beamed at her, and she also smiled at the idea of the jet-set life, of being able to travel whenever the desire hit them.

  “What about California?” Alice added. “We can ride up the coast.”

  “On those mountain highways…”

  “Yes!”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop daydreaming and let’s get realistic,” he said. “I’m not looking at all these other states. Let’s stick to the Southeast. Yes, let’s go to Georgia. Come on. It’s the state closest to us.”

  Alice’s smile faded, her heart rate increased. This guy was serious. He wanted to leave Florida. She wasn’t ready for this.

  “Georgia’s, like, right there,” he continued. “It’s just a few hours.”

  “No!” Alice didn’t want to raise her voice, since it was rare for her to do so, but she felt like she had to be heard. She wasn’t going to leave her family, school, and everything she knew. Not at this moment.

  “Okay, you have something against Georgia. What about Alabama? I know people there, too. We can chill at their house, maybe get jobs, be on our own.”

  “This is too soon. We just met.”

  “I need to get out of Florida, Alice.”

  “Why?”

  “I have my reasons,” Lou deadpanned.

  “Well, I’m not going.” Alice shook her head. She wasn’t going to allow this boy to lead her around anymore. It was one thing to spend the day at the park, but another to leave their lives behind and go on an unplanned trip to stay with his friends – who were strangers to her. She wanted to travel on her own terms, not his.

  Lou’s head hung to the side as he stared at her, as if she was the one being problematic. “Then what do you want?”

  “I don’t want to go to Georgia or Alabama. I just want…want…” She wanted exactly what was in front of her: the excitement of the park, the sun above, and this boy. She came closer and kissed him. Her mouth devoured his, one hand twisted into his hair, and the other to his back to mold his body into hers. His breath was sweet with chocolate. They were unsteady on their feet, and their bodies leaned against the thick pole in front of the gazebo.

  They disengaged. Lou’s violet eyes bored into hers, and they looked sad and defeated. Then she saw something else that made her ill. The sight was to her left, between the columns of the gazebo. Men in uniform wove through the crowd, their eyes on her.

  “Lou,” Alice whispered, “we have to get out of here.”

  “Huh?” Lou said.

  She grabbed his face and forced him to look at the six police officers headed right toward them.

  “Holy crap,” he said.

  The two of them went on the other side of the gazebo’s platform, which had another short stairway to ground level. It was closed, but Alice unlatched the gate and ran out, with Lou fast behind her.

  “Stop, stop!” voices commanded.

  Alice sped up, bumping into people. At one point, a boy tipped his soda over her shoes, but she kept going, jostling against people who became angry with her.

  “Watch where you’re going!” an elderly woman screeched.

  “Hurry!” Lou yelled, now in front of her.

  They hit a wall of people waiting in line. Going around the crowd slowed them down, which meant the police officers were catching up.

  Lou was faster than she was. He was yards away. The police officers were right at her feet. They would surely tackle and handcuff her. She tried to go faster to meet Lou, but she couldn’t. She was slim and healthy, but not an athlete. A new idea stabbed into her head, upsetting her. Why was he going so fast? Why couldn’t he slow down a little bit so she could catch up with him? He had been so chivalrous and romantic. She thought they had a rapport, but she was wrong. He was out for himself.

  Also, why was he running when he didn’t steal his father’s car? She was the thief and perceived kidnapper. That thought hit her so hard that she slowed down and stopped running altogether.

  The police officers zipped past her and overtook Lou. He tried to fight them off, but one of the officers threw him against an ice cream van, with children scattering and screaming, their parents pulling them away from the scene. Five officers piled on top of Lou and handcuffed him.

  “What?” Alice asked. “What the hell?”

  One of the officers stood beside her. “Why are you with him?” the tall, middle-aged man asked her.

  “Umm, uhhh.” She was completely tongue-tied.

  “Did he force you to do this?”

  “Uhhhhh…”

  “The boy’s father should have called for an ambulance for him. He had a psychotic episode this morning, but his father thought he’d take it upon himself to drive him to the mental hospital. He shouldn’t have left the boy alone. We looked at the gas station footage, where you’re driving and he’s in the back. He has a history of violence. I’m glad you’re okay.”

  Alice remained speechless. Mental hospital? History of violence? There was no way. He hadn’t acted deranged with her, except when he insisted they leave town. It must be a case of mistaken identity or Lou’s father was the one with issues. And could it be that she was free? No one was pressing any charges against her? She opened her mouth to say something, to defend him, to let h
im know that she was also at fault because she stole the car. She couldn’t, though. Lou was destined to go to the mental hospital, but she didn’t have to be destined to go to jail.

  The middle-aged officer took her back to the roller coaster platform so she could retrieve her book bag from a locker. Then he took her to the parking lot and put her in the back of a car so that she could make a statement at the police station. Lou was in another car. At one point, her car and his car were side by side on the road. He looked at her with eyes that had lost a little bit of their sparkle.

  Lou shook his head and pounded it into the metal grate in front of him. No! She couldn’t bear it if he hurt himself – there was no need to. Maybe that was part of his alleged illness. She pressed her hand against the window, wanting to hold him again, but then her car sped up.

  “We should have requested a padded van,” the officer who was driving her said. “Who knows what he’s capable of?”

  Alice pressed her lips together as she heard his hard words. What was Lou capable of? Showing a girl a good time. Kissing her. “I think you’re exaggerating,” Alice said.

  “Young lady, I’ve been in the force for twenty years. Been dealing with crazies for two decades.”

  The police car with Lou inside pulled over. The radio inside her car crackled. “Backup needed.”

  “Yes, they’ll definitely get another vehicle or maybe get a doctor to sedate him right away. I’m sorry such a young thing like yourself had to see all of this and that he somehow forced you to ride with him, away from his fate at the hospital. Your chaperones told us what a fine student you are.”

  The police officer had a completely different perception of what had happened, but she wasn’t going to deny his beliefs since she was free. Lou’s insanity had given her the opportunity to be brave, wild, and romantic for the day. She wanted to be like this more often, minus the criminal activity. Excitement was attainable, not some obscure, abstract thing that was meant for others and not her. This was the beginning of a new chapter in her life, and it had all started by following that white rabbit.