Wonderland

0 - Prologue

When was the last time I saw mum and dad?

Such was the question that lingered in my mind as I continued to sink, deeper and deeper into this sea of black ink. It had been long since I lost track of time and my consciousness began to flicker. I couldn't smell anything, hear anything, speak anything... feel anything. I couldn't even move my body, lest the cold and fear would've made me shiver. The thick blackness wrapped me up until opening my eyes looked the same as having them closed.

All I could remember then were the endless sinking, and that it had gotten colder and colder, before eventually my consciousness ceased to flicker.

...

"Missy...? Hey, Missy! Little Missy!"

A loud, young man's call woke me up. My eyes were still heavy, and everything was blurry. I could faintly make out certain details as I rubbed my eyes; tree trunks, the lush greenness, the chirp of crickets and a hoot of an owl, the rays of moonlight that seeped through the leaves that sheltered the grassy soil from the starry sky.
As my vision cleared, I knew that I did not land on the bottom of a dark sea. A deep, dark green forest surrounded me instead.

Then I noticed something strange; the tree trunks... they were enormous, far bigger than normal trees', and had I try to see the top I would've fallen over. The bed of grass I sat on seemed just a bit taller than usual. I feared that I might've been the one who had gotten smaller.

"Oh dear me, thank goodness! I was afraid that I would have to drag you to the palace." There it was again, the man's voice. I have to at least face him or it would be rude. "You've been here for five minutes since I found you, and that's already five minutes too long being unconscious in the middle of the woods! Are you okay?"

"Ah, yes! I'm okay... umm..." I fumbled up, patted some of the dirt off my dress and looked around; there was nobody. I was sure the voice came from my left.

"How rude. Down here!"
"Hmm?"

Restlessly waging his tail, a cat sat beside me. He had his sharp gaze fixated on me. His bright orange tabby was a contrast on the dark green grass.

"Oh, a cat...?" As I reflexively bent down and reached my hand out to pet him.
"Yes, I am a cat. Yes, I am considerably smaller than my other friends. And yes, I may have an extremely irresistible tendency to play with toy furballs!" Shouted the may-not-so-be young man, to which the cat's mouth mimicked what he just said.
And that's when it hit me. I gasped, stumbling backwards.

"C..could it be that you're the one talking to me?" My eyes widened as I flubbed between my words.
"Why, indeed!" He still had an irritated tone. "Do cats never speak in your world?"

"O..oh, forgive me, Mr. Cat, but even my pet cat has never spoken before, let alone so vigorously like you do."
"Hah! I knew it. They should take a lesson or two from me sometimes!"

It was like in a fairy tale, hearing a cat talk, that it made me forget about the eerie overgrown woods I was in. He kept his monologue going for a while, but I had been chuckling for a while that I didn't pay attention to what he said.

Then the clouds shifted to cover the moon, and it had gotten darker. I knew I shouldn't be here, or at least find out why I was here, since I still faintly remember the endless dark sea, and how it didn't connect with the woods I ended up in. Another uninviting hoot from the owl stopped my chuckle, a passing shudder.

"Mr. Cat, I'm sorry to ask, but I think I need your help." I brought my hands together close to my chest, where my heart started to thump as an ominous aura began to surround me. "I don't know how I got here, but I need to go back to my parents. Can you lead me out of these woods?"

"My, how tragic... but! Never fear, little Missy. I, Toby the tabby cat shall guide you out of here!"
"Thank you, Mr. Toby!" I smiled. "Hearing that was reassuring."
"Don't mention it! Now then, shall we go, Miss..." He paused. "Dear me, my apologies, Missy. I forgot to ask your name! May I know who I am about to guide?"

"Ah, don't worry!" I cheerfully replied. "My name is..."

"...Eh? H..huh...?"

My smile faded away and my eyes widened in terror.

"Missy? Are you okay?"

Gradually, my trembling knees collapsed me down to a sit, so were my hands, still firmly gripped together close to my chest; a chest that housed my seemingly stopped heart due to the shock.

"Oh my, your face paled all of the sudden. Perhaps you are feeling unwell? But we're in the middle of..."

Mr. Toby went on and on about finding help, but I didn't pay attention; I couldn't. All I could think about was to remember that one thing. I forced myself; kept asking the same question over and over again.

But alas.

"Missy... are you, to my dread..."

"I... can't remember... my name..."

I wasn't ready to speak; voice shook as I was on the verge of crying.

I couldn't remember my name.