Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 14 Alice

I spent all my free time the next few days in Butterscotches stall or out in the pasture with him. It felt like the old days, when my parents and family would dismiss me after I tried to talk about the dreams I had. Butterscotch seemed to be a bit more lively when I visited and when I snuck him extra peppermint sticks. I knew Lorraine was right and that his time was starting to run out. Part of me selfishly wanted him to pass after we left so we didn't have yet another bad thing happen while we were here.
It was a few days after the family movie night that Mom and Aunt Tilly sat us down and told us their "genius idea".
"Your Aunt Tilly and I saw this really fun idea online and we think you kids are going to love it!" We exchange glances, knowing that the last fun idea they saw online ended up as all of us dressed up like old timey farmers. And while they loved the pictures us kids all agreed we looked insane.
"Please tell us we'll be dressed in at least clothes from this century." Jack rolls his eyes before he goes back to his phone.
"We saw a bunch of kids recreating old pictures from their childhoods and since we're all here, we want to recreate this one." Aunt Tilly gently lays a picture down that makes my blood run cold. I remember the day this picture was taken, it was a few days before my accident, the day I remember seeing Hatter for the first time.
"You remember this Easter? You girls looked so cute in those pastel dresses and you looked so handsome Jack in your little suit." I can feel Jack and Lorraine's eyes on me as I continue to stare at the picture.  Of all the pictures they have of us as kids on this damned farm, why did they have to choose this one? Wasn't it hard enough just being here and now they want to recreate the day that my life went to hell? Lorraine is the first to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Have you two lost your minds? Of all the pictures we have, why this one?" Mom and Aunt Tilly exchange a look before Mom says
"What's wrong with this picture? We already have the dresses and suit in your sizes. We think you would all look amazing recreating this one." I see Lorraine start to tense and I gently squeeze her knee under the table. Silently asking her to remain calm and let me handle this situation.
"It's fine. And if you already have the outfits for us then it'll be fine." I smile at them before I get up and grab a carrot from the fridge. "Just let me give Butterscotch a treat and then I'll shower and change and do my hair." I smile before I walk out and make my way to the barn. I'm barely in Butterscotch's stall before I feel the tears start to fall. It felt like that day all over again. Waking up under that tree and running to tell my family about the tea and games I played with my friends. Mom and Dad looked at me like I lost my mind while Aunt Tilly and Uncle Damion looked worried. They barely let me finish before they tried to steer the conversation to my skinned knee. To this day they never let me finish me talking about my dreams before they try and change the topic.
I was a blubbering mess by the time I reached Butterscotch's stall. He looked at me sadly when I came in, but he laid down in the corner away from the door so no one would see me. I laugh slightly as I lay my head on his shoulder and feed him the carrot.
"They want me to wear that blue dress again." He huffs and I swear he sounded irritated. "At least you have the good sense to see why this is a bad idea. Of all the old pictures we could have recreated on the damn farm they had to choose the one from one of the worst days of my life and they had to do it around the 20 year anniversary of that day. What am I going to do Butterscotch?"  He doesn't give me an answer, he just lays his head on me almost like a hug. I allow myself a few minutes before I give a last scratch.
"I guess the faster I get this over the faster I can forget that this ever happened. At least someone on this farm is always willing to listen to me and not interrupt. When it's all done I'll bring you some peppermint sticks and my sketchbook and I'll get one or two more good pictures of you my good boy."
Walking back to the house I get a strange feeling in my gut like something major is going to happen.


Cheshire

I watched Alice leave the barn before I went into Butterscotch's stall.
"Where does her family get the nerve to ask her to do such a thing?" Butterscotch huffs his agreement.
"As if it's not hard enough for her to be back her after all that's happened, now they want her to recreate the day they started treating her oddly. I lost count of how many times she's cried on me because they wouldn't even let her finish telling them about her dreams before they'd change the subject. It's shameful."
"I may try to talk to her today. She needs to know and with this little stunt her family has pulled I think it's long past time she knew the truth." I start to work on my plan when I hear Butterscotch chuckle.
"Make sure to take it slow with her. The pictures will be hard enough, but showing her she's not crazy may not end the way you think it might. She's stronger than she thinks, but she's still fragile when it comes to this. And considering they asked her to wear a copy of that blue dress, good luck my friend." Same blue dress? I must have missed that part of the conversation.
"Blue dress? They found the blue dress again?" Suddenly I'm taken back to the conversation I had with Hatter before we were all put under the sleeping magic. The vision he had. He said he saw her older and wearing a blue dress. He said she was back at his tea table. It all makes sense now! Why I haven't found the right time to tell her or why I kept stalling! Today was the day she was meant to come back. Hatter had predicted the day she'd return, but none of us knew it yet.
"Thank the magic! It all makes sense now. Butterscotch you're a genius." He looks at me oddly no doubt wondering if I'd gone completely mad.
"I do hope you know what your talking about." I laugh before I rub my head against his.
"It will all make sense in the end. And I promise that Alice will return after our trip with your favorite treats. Everything is starting to make sense now!"