The Wonderland Effect

Chapter Five

The dinner ended with Mister Hatter informing everyone that he had set up the entertainment in the back garden.

Valentine seemed to be searching the crowd for someone. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she strolled over to a girl sitting by a sparkling stream, dragging Alister along with her.

The girl had long wavy sea green hair that reached her waist and skin that was so pale it was blue. Her eyes were closed as her fingers glided over the flute she was playing, but when she opened them they were an electric green. The white gossamer dress she wore suited her perfectly and went well with her gladiator sandals that reached her knees. She smiled when she saw Valentine and got up to do the weird handshake with her that Alister had seen many people at the party do.

"It's been so long!" Valentine squealed, hugging the girl for the second time.

"I know right?" The girl spoke with nonchalance and in a way that drew out her words. She turned to Alister and waved.

"Hi," she drawled, "I'm Elody."

"Alister." He replied.

"I didn't know you were coming," Valentine confessed, "Flower Children never come to parties."

Elody nodded slowly. "I didn't know I would either but I saw an invitation to the party in my dreams and I knew the Universe was sending me a sign. So I came."

"Besides," she added, "there so many positive vibes I'm surprised there aren't more Flower Children."

The stream behind them babbled and gurgled as it tapped against the rocks creating a kind of tune.

"Hear that?" Elody asked, "Before you came, I was totally jamming out with the stream. It's singing right now."

Valentine laughed. "Yeah, I can hear it."

There was a faraway expression written on Elody's face as she gazed at the stream. "I can, like, so rave to this."

Alister didn't know whether to call what she was doing dancing. She moved in such a way that while she was graceful, she was also harsh, fast, but slow enough to see the beauty behind every move. She was unforgiving but merciful. Just like the stream.

"Leave her be." Valentine whispered, slowly walking away, "If we distract her now, she'll lose connection with the stream's spirit. Flower Children aren't people you want to see angry."

Alister nodded and followed.

They were quite as they moved through the crowd of partygoers, stopping occasionally to speak with people. They came across a maze and Valentine guided them through until they reached a hidden door. Through there was a plant oasis. There were luminous willow trees with branches that dipped into the lake and rows of strange flowers surrounding them. Small creatures which Valentine called pixies flew lazily over the sparkling lake, glowing faintly in the moonlight. A small waterfall had formed over the far side of the place and was splashing noisily about.

On the large boulder that the water fell down from was a mosaic art piece. It showed a picture of a woman with long curly blonde hair and navy blue eyes. She looked young in the picture (in about her mid-twenties) and wore a pale blue dress with a white apron that had two spades on the bottom. In her hands, the girl held a pocket watch, top hat, deck of cards and a white rose.

Alister stared intently at the picture as he felt a strange tug in the pit of his stomach and a wave of pain overcome him.

He guessed this was the Mother. Something about her drew Alister in. He felt as if he knew her. Well, use to know her.

Valentine took a seat on the grass and gestured for him to sit beside her. Neither one of them spoke in the somewhat calming atmosphere and Alister thought now was his chance.

He plucked up the courage and before he could back down, he blurted "Valentine can I ask you something?"

"Sure." She replied.

"Back at St Bridges, you were there and-" he cut himself off. He couldn't say it.

"I was crazy?" Valentine finished.

Alister smiled sheepishly.

She didn't say anything for a moment before she spoke up. "When I said our powers to reach Wonderland have weakened, I meant it. Before, we use to be able to go back and forth without leaving any of parts of ourselves behind.Now, every time we visit, we loose a bit of our sanity and soul. That place, St Bridges isn't an asylum. It's a laboratory. No one is ever crazy when first they get there. But then the experiments begin and then they slowly start to lose themselves.They call it 'The Wonderland Effect'."

She paused for a moment as if caught up in a memory before speaking again.

"I saw you. Before you ended up there. You were standing with a man, I can't remember him now, but I remember you. Your face when I walked by with a nurse. I remember your eyes specifically. Striking blue. You looked at me for a brief second then turned away. I assumed you were there because your parent worked as a doctor or nurse so when I saw you again in the hallway wearing the white uniform the other day I was shocked."

Alister felt his throat tighten with unmistakable hope. Maybe she knew who he was before the mind wipe? He suppressed the urge to blurt out his questions and listened.

"You look just like the Mother you know that?" She remarked, "Just like her. Same striking blue eyes and soft blonde curls. I thought maybe it was a sign."

She turned to look at him and her facial expression changed drastically. She looked incredibly annoyed.

"Stop eavesdropping Cheshire!" She spat.

Alister turned around to see a young man with a sly grin plastered on his face. His features were pointed and catlike, his dark purple hair swept over one eye.Wearing a purple swallowtail coat and a top hat, he jumped down from the willow tree gracefully. His Lombard silk vest was more of a violet that anything and his trousers and dress shoes were black. He was holding onto his bow tie in hand and his white shirt had the first three buttons unbuttoned.

"How could you accuse me of something like that?" The boy said, feigning innocence. "I was merrily lounging in the garden when the two of you appeared."

Valentine glared at him. "You better get lost alley cat."

The boy laughed cruelly. "I'm no alley cat, that's for sure."

"But you're a gossip addict and a liar." She shot back, "So leave."

"Are you still upset about that little incident?" The boy teased, "It happened a while ago I didn't think Mrs Mayor would go telling everyone else."

He ran his fingers through his dark purple hair. "I'm very sorry."

Valentine glared at him. "Dinah would be ashamed of you."

The boy smiled. "You just love to insult me don't you?"

"No, I just like calling things out they way they are. It's called telling the truth. You should try it sometime." Valentine replied, "Now leave."

The boy did a mock bow before he transformed into a stripy coloured cat.

"As you wish your highness." The cat purred.It smiled deviously before disappearing altogether.

Valentine sighed in relief. "Oh, how I hate that cat."