Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 4- Alice

20 years later

April 1, 2022

My dreaded phone blasts my alarm and wakes me out of my dream. I'm still exhausted. I rubbed my eyes and looked at my phone. 8:20. Good, I have time to shower before work.  I silence the alarm before I toss my covers off me and swing my legs off the bed. My orange cat Marmalade jumps up on my bed and starts meowing at me.
"Any human words today?" I ask her as I scratch behind her ears. For as long as I could remember I believed cats could talk. Everyone thought I was nuts and I'm starting to believe them. My family thinks since I fell out of that tree something has been off with me. They believe I fell twice during that visit 20 years ago. Though I only remember falling once. It was a few days after I started talking about Cheshire and Hatter. I went to climb that tree again to see if I could find my way back to Hatter's tea table and one of the branches snapped underneath me. I ended up with 20 stitches on the back of my head and a fractured skull. It still makes me wonder if any of it was real. It felt real still. I vividly remember being somewhere else and having tea with a man named Hatter, a half human half rabbit named Hare, and a talking cat named Cheshire. It felt so real, but no one believed me. Since those days I've dreamt mostly of being back at Hatters table. Most of it is just nonsense colors and feelings, other times I can almost feel him reaching out to me. These days he feels closer than ever. He's the main reason none of my past relationships have worked out. I want someone who makes me feel like Hatter does, safe and seen, but no one can seem to live up to the fantasy of that man. I sigh as I pet Marmalade.
"No words today again. Well, it's been 20 years today. What do you think, my little shadow? Should I just give up now?" She just stares at me. I sigh as I walk towards my little kitchen with my friend at my feet. I fill her food dish before I pour myself a cup of cold coffee. I preferred cold brew coffee because I misplaced my cup so often it was usually cold by the time I found it again anyways. I set my cup next to my keys so I know where to find them and I go to take a quick shower. As I turn on the water my mind wanders back to my dream last night. Hatter wasn't at the table and neither was Hare. Which was strange because at least one of them was always at the table. It was just a small mouse in a suit sleeping on half a sandwich this time. He opened his eyes and sat up before he said.
"Be ready. Your past is unfolding into your future. Steel your mind and embrace your magic. Your claiming magic has called out to him. Watch for your Guardian."
The dream faded out from there. I had so many questions but I knew I'd never get answers to them. I step out of the shower and start to get ready when I hear my phone ring. I look at the screen and see Marcus's picture. I slide to answer.
"Hey Marcus. What's up?" Marcus was one of my best friends and coworkers. We've worked together at the Labyrinths Garden second hand book shop for 5 years. He'd been my supervisor at the shop while I learned the ropes and eventually we became friends.
"Can you come in early? Harry just found out he is getting off work early today and we want to go celebrate our anniversary early as well." I chuckle. It's their 6 year anniversary together this year.
"I hope you've got something special planned out this time. Harry will be ten times worse if you have nothing planned out." Last year he mixed his days up and accidentally forgot. Harry hasn't let him forget that mistake all year, between small hints or just ribbing him for forgetting. They're an amazing couple usually, so Marcus just takes his jokes and just smiles.
"Give me 15 minutes and I can be there." I tell him as I pull an outfit from my dresser. I hear him sigh in relief.
"You're a lifesaver Rabbit. I owe you big time. Also there's some big news here so brace yourself." He hangs up before I can question him. Just great, first that dream turned ominous and now I get more secrecy from one of my best friends. Today was just getting curiouser and curiouser. Something about these last few weeks has put me on edge, but I haven't been able to tell what's wrong.
It takes me almost 10 minutes to finish getting ready and out my door. Coffee and a sketchbook in hand I head out my door for my short walk to work. The short walking distance was one of the reasons I chose this apartment, it was a quick five minutes to the bookshop.