Wonderland (Be Possessed)

Wonderland

I force my eyes open, grabbing onto my throbbing head as I do so. Where am I again? I push my aching body up from the hard ground that lies beneath me. It takes a while for my sight to fully return, the blinding light making it almost impossible to see anything surrounding me. I rack my brain, trying to remember anything that might help me figure out what's going on, but nothing comes. Not even my name. How do I not even know my own name? That's impossible. I pat my head gently, trying to shake something in there, but the movement only makes me feel worse. Nausea overcomes me and I bend forward gasping for air.

My legs feel weak as I try to bear all of my weight on them. I stagger back against the cold stone wall and my head droops forward, my eyes rolling towards the ground. Water droplets fall and hit the ground with a resounding splash. I don't know if they are tears or just an irritation of my retina. I hope it's the latter, crying is the last thing I need to be doing right now. When the blurriness clears slightly, I can see that I am wearing some very strange silver gladiator sandals on my feet. I wiggle my toes, just to check that the vision is really me. Then my eyes continue to travel up my body to see what else I have on. I am shocked by the navy-blue jumpsuit covering my body.

I hate it.

I mean, I literally hate it. I don't know how old I am, or what I'm called, but I do know that I despise this outfit. What on earth would possess me to even think of putting this on? I was obviously way off with my first impression that this was all just a bad hangover. I would not be seen dead on a night out in anything this hideous. I let out a deep sigh and start focusing on movement. I can't exactly stand here, in this tiny unfamiliar room all day. The pure white interior is driving me to distraction, it's almost suffocating me. Hopefully, my memories will all come flooding back when I work out where this is.

I lean tentatively out of the doorway and am faced with a long, white corridor which seems to go on forever. A million possibilities fly uncontrollably through my brain, but I don't allow myself to focus on any particular idea. None of them are very pleasant. I try not to let the fear that is bubbling away in my stomach consume me entirely, and keep my mind focused on each small movement that I can get my body to make. Slowly, my limbs begin to loosen up and move more naturally. The relief that floods through me at that moment is halted when I hear voices behind me.

I quickly spin around; all of my defenses are sky high. I feel silly as I realize my fists have automatically risen above my face, but luckily no one is there to see it. My hands flop dejectedly down to my side as my ears prick up, trying to latch on to any more sounds. Noises mean people, which I am hoping will lead to answers. The laughter continues and I nervously follow it. I try and tell my heart rate to slow down, that there is nothing to be afraid of, but it hammers away noisily nonetheless. I eventually find myself outside a room very similar to the one I have just left. Inside I can see two boys sat close together in the corner of the room. Their backs are to me and they are so engrossed in something that they're looking at they don't even notice me standing there.

I let out an awkward cough, unsure of how I should get their attention. One of them turns sharply and growls at me. I can't immediately speak as I drink in his appearance. He is pale, thin and very small. He is hunched over so tightly that I'm sure he must be frozen that way. His dark hair matches his eyes exactly, which gives him a sinister twist, one that sends iciness up and down my spine. I'm also fascinated by the paper hat perched on the top of his head. What is that all about?

Before another sound can pass by my lips, movement catches the corner of my eye. The other boy has risen and is now stood in front of me, smiling brightly. He pushes his hand into mine and starts shaking it vigorously, almost painfully. When he begins shouting, a possibility I didn't even consider before pops unwelcomingly into my thoughts.