The Wonderland Effect

Chapter Nineteen

 Day Seven:

The sudden burst of light stung Alister's eyes and it took him a whole three minutes to recover. The screaming had stopped immediately but his ears were still ringing. He could just make out the figure of a tall man who appeared by the door. The man strode in and crouched down beside him. His warm green eyes and a mess of blonde locks were all Alister could make out of him through the tears that were forming in his eyes. He smiled sympathetically at Alister as he began fiddling with the collar on his neck. It came off with a click and Alister gasped before black dots began to form in his vision and he lost consciousness. He dreamt of people he had never met before; they went by so fast he couldn't concentrate much on they're faces. But one girl kept reappearing. It was from a different angle every time but Gwendolyn looked pretty much the same.

When he finally awoke, he saw the same man from earlier leaning over him. The man looked startled when he saw Alister looking up directly at him but a small smile quickly found its way on his pale pink lips.

"How're you feeling Alister?" The man asked.

"F-fine." Alister managed to say though his voice was still hoarse.

The man looked slightly uncomfortable but he gave the same sympathetic smile he had given Alister earlier on. "You'll get better eventually."

"When can I leave?"

"Soon. By lunch I presume."

The man glanced at Alister one last time before he walked towards the door.

"Who are you?" Alister asked just as he was about to disappear behind the door.

The man glanced back at Alister briefly. "Doctor Lewis Carroll or Dr Carroll for short."

After that Alister drifted in and out of sleep, but never deep enough for the Door to appear. When his nurse appeared beside him he knew it was time to go.

As soon as he appeared in the cafeteria Valentine rushed over to him and pulled him into a bear hug. He didn't want to let go. She smelt of strawberries and something else he couldn't quite place.

She dragged him over to their usual table and began chattering away, occasionally asking him if he was okay or not.

"We were all so worried!" Valentine cried.

"We were?" Marcel asked, his eyes landing briefly on Alister.

Valentine caught his eye and shot him a look.

"Oh yes," he said, "so worried."

Halfway through the conversation, Alister found himself zoning out. His eyes landed on the girl that had just entered the cafeteria. She was looking down so he couldn't quite make her face out. Suddenly, as if she felt his gaze, she looked up and locked eyes with him. Stormy grey. It couldn't be.

Before he had time to look at her fully she sat down with her back turned to him.

"Valentine, were there any new arrivals when I was gone?"

She opened her mouth to reply but he didn't wait to hear her answer. Instead, he stood up and walked right up to the girl. He was only a few meters away from her when he called her name.

"Gwendolyn?"

The girl turned around and met his gaze.

"Yes?"