I am here to deliver a story. A story about Alice and her so-called “adventures” in wonderland. Not the one you know, of course. Not the one about the girl who slipped down, down into the rabbit’s hole. Not the one about the girl who cried a river and sipped tea with the mad hatter. Not the one with the girl who was lost and had absolutely no idea where she was. No. That story is nothing but lies to entertain a child. What I am about to tell you is the story of Alicin Whitner, a small, pale sixteen year old with the wit of a pirate. One glance into her rusted eyes and you are bowing before her. She fiddled with the world as a child with a toy. She didn’t care about our damp pities or our sorrowful tragedies. She was soulless. But you can’t blame her.

         It began when her brother, Liam, died at the tender age of six. She loved her brother more than anything in this world. The two were never separated. If you saw Alicin, you saw Liam. To make matters worse, it was by her hand. All was an accident, of course. It was a sunny day, the sky splattered with fluffy delight. The two set their minds on a splendid idea to go rowboating. They approached the colorful lake, and set out on small rowboat.

         “Look in the water, Liam.” Alicin conveyed as she rowed, “If you look down deep enough, you can see the fish kingdom.”

         “The fish kingdom?” giggled Liam.

         “Yes. The fish kingdom. Where all the fish go to live and strive. They live just like us, you know. Except they’re underwater, of course.”

         “Oh Alice. You are too silly. Fish don’t have electricity. Or houses. Or cars. Or dogs”

         “Well then you are not looking close enough.” Alicin gestured to the water. “Look deeper.”

         Liam peered over the boat and into the water. His amber eyes squinted into the mucky water, searching for this lost kingdom. A frown came over his face.

         “I still don’t see it.” he declared.

         Alicin rose up brutally, sending the boat tipping side to side. “Look there.” she pointed, leaning on the side. Up went the side of the boat, and the two were thrown into the water.

         I’m guessing you already know what most likely happened. Alicin swam to shore quite positive that her brother was behind her, only to turn around and see the mirror of the sky; a tipped boat on sad hues.

         Liam’s death was Alicin’s death, in a way. A part of her was taken back to heaven while the rest was left to deal with throbbing sorrow. Some would even say her heart drowned with her brother for how cold hearted she turned. She would sit under a tree and send her flaming thoughts to the rotting branches. She just sat there. Silent. Some feared she would never be the same; That she would be mute till her empty heart gave out. Till a rabbit came.

         The silence rang under that tree. Not a drop of sunlight dared peek through the leaves. Her thoughts swelled and boiled with hatred towards that rowboat. Towards that lake. Towards anyone and everyone who let them on that lake. Towards God for taking him away. Towards herself.  All the things she could have done to prevent it. Why couldn’t they just have stayed inside. It all would have been different. Why did God take him. He could have taken her, or anyone. Anyone but him.

         “What are you doing, my queen?”

         Alicin quite rapidly hopped up. “What? Who was that?” she barked, her ivory locks swinging back and forth. “I do not like being interrupted when in my thoughts.”

         “Of course. Of Course. It is just I, your majesty.” A snowy rabbit in a denim jacket came around the tree. “You have been up here a good while. People are starting to wonder where you have been.”

        Alicin’s eyes widened with shock and her mouth dropped down to the dirt. “Oh my God! Are you ta-.” Alicin’s head spun trying to process what this rodent wearing clothes was doing there. “You are a rabbit! You are talking to me! You are- are-”

         “Are late.” The rabbit popped open his golden pocket watch. “We are late, my queen”

          “Late? Late for wh-” she stared blankly at the little cotton ball dressed in blue. “Did you just call me queen?”

          “Yes, my queen, and if do not hurry, we will be late for the confessions.”

          “Confessions?”

          “Yes. Then dinner. Then we must do som- good god! Look at the time!” The little rabbit hopped around frantically. “You aren’t even in your gown! Hurry we must leave at once!”

         “Leave?! Where on earth are we going? What are we doing? What do mean ‘gown?’ Why am I talking to a rabbit?” Alicin stare down at the fading grass. “I have lost my head.”

         “I thought you already did.” the rabbit replied while hopping to the opposite side of the tree.

         Alicin shot a stinging glare at the rabbit, sending his ears down with shame. “Sorry, my queen.”

         He reached for an odd black ring on the Old Oak. With all his might, the rabbit opened up half of the old oak. He gestured for Alicin to enter the echoing, black abis. Doubts fogged her mind, but then again, what did she have to lose? With a sharp inhale, her eyes squeezed shut, her black heel dove into the tree.

         Click.

         Alicin’s bronze eyes shot open. Her pale hair was carefully pinned up in ginormous bun with little curls escaping in the front. The once black dress she wore was replaced with a silky blood red dress. In front of her stood a crowded throne room, every eye turned on her. To her right stood a line of horrified peasants, their hands tied together with rose stems. In only a few seconds, the crowd threw themselves to the floor.

         “All hail Alice, the Queen of Hearts!”

        With a twisted smile, Alicin sank down into the velvet throne, knowing at once she was going to like it there.