Alice in Wonderland World part 6

Alice in Wonderland World part 6.

Tess tapped her hand on the table as she stared into Patrick’s blank gaze. “Where in the blazes are they.”

He shook his head. “Huh? I am sorry, I was thinking about what I am going to do for dinner tonight.” He sighed. “If they take any longer, I might have to eat out at the crappy fast food place across the street from my apartment. Not looking forward to that.”

“Can you not focus on your food right now.” Tess sighed. “I knew expecting Sarah to show up to this Dungeon Delvers group was a mistake. She never comes.” She stood up. “We should just head home.”

“Hey now.” Patrick rubbed his chin. “Where is Gregory?”

She rolled her eyes. “Who cares? He forced his way into this group anyways. Let’s just play.”

“With only two people? Tess, you, and I both know we need at least three people. One person needs to be the dungeon master. . .”

She shook her hands. “I know, I know.” She crossed her arms and sat down. “God, I wish Andrew still came to this group. Then we wouldn’t have these issues.”

“You know he won’t be back for another few months.

We can just do this next week.”

Before she could respond, her pants vibrated as her phone went off. “Sorry, Patrick, I have to get this.” She winced as an annoying song started to play.

“My phone is going off as well.” He turned around and pulled his phone out of his back pocket. “So it’s good.”

Tess rolled her eyes and held her phone up to her ear. “Hello?”

“Hello, and I would like to invite you to Alice in Wonderland World. It is our new park, and it has just opened. It will be the maddest experience of your life as you take a trip down the rabbit. . .”

“I am sorry. I don’t really do promos over the phone.” She hung up. “What in the world was that about? They should have called Sarah about that. She would have loved that crap.”

Patrick walked into the room. “Hey, Tess. You are never going to believe it. They opened up a theme park called Alice in Wonderland World. Isn’t that cool?”

She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “They called you too?”

“I guess so. So, you want to go there instead of being stuck here? I mean, unless you have some other idea for what we can do tonight.”

Tess sighed. “I don’t know of what we could do exactly tonight, but I don’t know about going to this theme park.”

Patrick fell onto his knees. “Come on, Tess. It will be fun. You know it will be.”

Tess sighed. “Fine, fine.” She stood up and turned around. “Where is this place?”

“A few miles down the interstate.” He clasped his hands together. “They said look for the giant teacup on the highway.”

“That umm sounds weird. But let’s get going anyways.” She grabbed her coat. “Well, let’s go find this giant teacup, shall we?”

***

One hour later, Tess slammed her hand onto the steering wheel of her vehicle. “I thought you said this place was easy to find.”

Patrick looked at his phone. “Well, I thought it was.” He laughed as he looked at the phone in his lap. “They made their directions sound so easy on the phone.”

“Hugh, I don’t know why I let you talk me into this nonsense. We are lost.

You hear me, lost!”

“We could have stayed back at your place and just stared at the wall.” Tess looked over at him with twitching eyes. “Ok, I am sorry. I will shut up now.”

“Good.” She shook her head and looked at the road ahead of her. “I just want to find this place and be done with it.” She looked up at the sky. “By the time we do, they might close. Look at the damn sky. That isn’t exactly a nice-looking blue up there.”

Patrick stuck his head out the window and looked up at the evening sky. “So, what if the sun is starting to set? We can still make it.”

Tess took a deep breath. “Just relax. Relax. No need to get worked up over this.”

“What are you talking about? Relax over what?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Look, I am done searching for this stupid excuse for a theme park. Let’s head back.”

Patrick suddenly blocked her field of view. “Hey, look, there it is.” She swerved to keep in her lane. “We found it finally. We can go and have some good old-fashioned fun.”

“Can you get your arm out of my face before we crash?”

He sat back in his seat. “I am sorry.” Patrick sighed and looked out the window. “I am just excited, ok? I haven’t seen Alice in Wonderland since I was a kid. I really liked the movie. That and I haven’t been to a park like this in almost a year. They are really fun.”

Tess sighed. “Nice.”

He turned his head. “Look, grumpy guss, it is nice.” They pulled into the parking lot. “I know it’s hard to understand what fun is, but we in the normal world like to have it.”

She turned her head in confusion. “Where is that coming from? I am the one who formed the Dungeon Delvers group, remember? I just don’t want to be dragged all the way out here when I don’t know what I am getting into.” She scratched at the side of her head. “It is very absurd.”

“Don’t talk to your king is such a manner knave.”

“What?” Tess turned her head, but Patrick hit her in the side of the head. She fell forward, her head hitting the steering wheel before she blacked out.

***

Tess blinked her eyes open as a cat licked her face. “Ugh.” She shook her head and swatted away the kitty. “Hey, where did you come from?”

Mrrowww. The kitty jumped back and stared at Tess, its hazel fur shining in the sunlight.

Tess sat up and scratched at her head. “Ugh, what happened?” She looked up to see the gates of the park looming over her. “How did I get here? Ugh?”

“Hey!” Tess turned to see a man in a playing card outfit standing over her. “Are you one of the new employees working here?”

Tess slowly stood up. “I don’t think so?”

He crossed his arms. “Well, no one but employees are supposed to be here on the weekends. The park isn’t even supposed to be open yet. So, unless you are here to work, you shouldn’t be here.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense.” Tess looked behind her, expecting to see her car, but the parking lot was empty. “My car?”

“So, what are you doing here? Should I call the police?”

Tess turned her head and smiled. “No, no. I, umm, am that new employee. Yes.”

He snorted. “Then get inside already.” He grabbed her arm, almost crushing the bone. “We have work to do, so this place is ready for the public.” He yanked Tess beyond the gate and closed it shut once she was inside.

“So, what am I going to be doing here?” She looked around the dark corridor. “Sweeping?”

“You are going to help take care of the attractions.”

“Attractions?”

“Yes. Alice in Wonderland World has special attractions. Hold on, your new boss can explain better than I can.” He pulled her into a red-carpeted elevator covered with hearts on the wall. “She runs this place. She is a bit extreme, but she has a roll of her own to fill.” He lowered his voice. “Just don’t get on her bad side unless you want to become a permanent attraction here as well. Some of the others had that happen to them. Sad fate.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Too late to explain. Good luck. Just don’t freak out.” The elevator door opened, and a bright red light blinded her. The man in the playing card outfit pushed her into the room before Tess’s eyes could adjust. Once inside, the door slammed behind her.

She blinked her eyes and looked around the room. As the light adjusted, she could see a long red velvet carpet leading up to a red and gold desk. Behind it sat a tall woman in a black and red dress with a gold crown on her head as she talked on a phone. “Look, I have a massive operation to run here. I can’t just come over and visit like I used to. You will have to come here for once. What makes you such a big shot? Oh, you have your juicing station to run, is that it? So, I finally get a big operation to run of my own, and that doesn’t make me important enough for you.” The woman looked at Tess. “We will have to finish this some other time. I have a pest in my office.”

Tess raised an eyebrow as she walked up to the desk. “I was told to come and see you about my job.”

The woman in the elaborate dress sat back in her chair. “Ahh, yes. So, you are here to work at Alice in Wonderland world?”

Tess nodded her head. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

“Well, my name is Vess.” She extended out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Tess took her hand. “Tess.”

“Well, I want to give you a big welcome then, Tess. I have been looking for a new employee for some special duties here at the park.” Vess turned around. “This park is something special, so my workers need to be able to handle that “attractions” here in Alice in Wonderland World.”

“I am sure it will be an easy job.”

Vess turned around and picked up a golden scepter off of her desk. “Well, Tess, I need someone to make sure our attractions are still working for tomorrow. Like I said, things are very special.” Vess slammed her scepter down onto the table. “You would be surprised at how very real things are here. Now you, as a maintenance personnel, won’t have to wear a silly costume.

But you also won’t be allowed in the park when we are open to the public, so you do not break the immersion unless there is an emergency.” Vess walked in front of her desk. “You understand what we are going for here, right?”

Tess nodded her head. “Yes, I guess so.”

“Good. We won’t be opening until next week, so until then, you have free reign of the place to test things out.” She turned around. “I want a report before the weekend is up on how all the major characters are holding up.”

Tess smiled. “So, make sure your animatronics are working. Ok. That sounds easy enough.”

Vess turned her head. “They are not animatronics. You will understand when you get out there.” She looked back at the wall. “Oh, and one more thing Tess. Do not eat anything in the park. We have made Alice in Wonderland World as realistic as possible, which means things are very out of the ordinary here. Have fun.”

Tess turned around with a raised eyebrow just as the door to Vess’s chamber shut, her new boss cackling away. “What the hell did that mean?” She turned around and looked at the velvet carpet below her. “I just need to focus on this job and figure out what is going on. Huhh.”

She ran her hands through her hair. “Like, why am I here in the first place.” She hit the ground-level button. “I think I was coming here with a friend. Yes, that is right. But how could I have been if this place isn’t supposed to even be open yet? I am confused.”

The elevator opened, and Tess found herself in the middle of a strange-looking forest. “Holy crap, where did this place come from?” She walked out and looked at the signs pointing in all different directions, some saying this way and others saying that way. She scratched at her head, already confused about where she was supposed to find the so-called attractions to check on.

“Maybe I should get back on the elevator and try another floor.” She turned around. “Hey, where is the elevator?” She went from one twisted purple tree to another. “How could I lose the elevator already? Fuck.”

“Are you lost too?”

Tess turned around to see a young woman in a blue dress and white apron staring her down. She took a few steps back and scratched at her arm. “Where did you come from? Are you one of the park employees?”

“Park employees?” She scratched at her head. “What foolishness are you talking about? Have you been talking to the Cheshire cat? You must of, and he has sent you here to trick me.” She looked at the ground. “Oh, I will never find my way out of here.”

Tess scratched at her head.  She doesn’t look like anything I have seen before.

She looks human and yet acts like some perfect Alice drone. How the hell am I supposed to check if she is working or not? This is freaky. “Umm, ok. Good luck with that.”

“Can you help me find my way out umm. . .”

“Sorry, I have some other things to do, Alice.” Tess narrowed her eyes.  Where have I seen that face before?

Alice turned around. “Oh, I knew I shouldn’t of left that tea party.”

Wait, it can’t be.  Tess grabbed the young lady by the arm. “I know this is going to sound crazy but is that you, Sarah?”

She looked at Tess. “My name is Alice. You called me that before.” She blinked her eyes. “What kind of mad trick is this?” She pulled away.

“I know that voice. Sarah Collinsworth. What are you doing?”

Alice closed her eyes. “I need to find the white rabbit.” She turned around and dashed into the forest.

“Hey, wait. Sarah, come back.” Tess rushed after Sarah but quickly lost her in the mess of trees. “What in the world is going on here?” Eventually, she found a doorway. “I wonder where this goes.” She turned her head. “I don’t want to waste time finding another exit in this maze, though. I just have to hope Sarah went through this door.” She flung the passageway open and stormed inside.

“Why is she even acting like Alice? What happened to her? This is very, very odd.” She looked down at the black and white checked floor. “Man, they really went all out on designing this place.” Tess put her hands into her pockets. “But now that I think about it, Sarah isn’t the only person I have to find. I remember coming to this park with Patrick. Where the hell is that knucklehead?” She looked at the walls and just noticed the dozens of doorways.

“Umm, is everything in here repeating?

I should have picked up a map from Vess before I came out here. I didn’t think when she was talking about realism, she meant this place would be confusing as hell.”

As she continued down the hallway, Tess heard what sounded like crying on the other side of one of the doorways. “What in the world?” She pressed her ear against the door. “I can hear it loud as day on the other side of this door.” She tried the handle. “It’s locked. What the hell?” She took a deep breath. “Did they need to make this place this realistic?”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a credit card. “Well, let’s see if I can’t force the door open.” Tess knelt down next to the doorway. “I have only seen people do this in the movies, but I think I can figure it out.” She jostled with the door, and a few moments later, Tess heard a “click.” “Yes.” She stood up and opened the door only to have a rush of water hit her in the chest. “Ouff.” She tumbled over backward as the water rushed down the hallway.

“Oww. Ughhh.” She sat back up and scratched at her head. “Wait, what happened to my credit card? Oh fuck. Well, I am not explaining to them how I lost it.”

Tess stood up and eased her way inside the room. “Hello? Who is in here?” She looked from one side of the room to the other but only saw strange giant pillars. “That is odd.” She walked inside, the door shutting behind her. “There isn’t anyone here. Also, why do the bottom of those pillars look like shoes?”

Tess almost jumped out of her skin as a giant drop of water fell from the sky. “What in the world?” She looked up and gasped. “Holy crap!” She fell onto her rear end in a pool of water. “Sarah, is that you?”

A gigantic version of Alice stood above her, cramped into the walls of the circular room. “Who is that? I can hear you, but I can’t see you.”

Tess shook her head. “This is insane. I just saw you in that crazy wooded area. How did you get here and become so big? Sarah?”

“Who is Sarah? My name is Alice, and I just fell into this place of madness.” She sniffled, and another giant tear fell from her face. “I don’t know how I am supposed to get out or find that white rabbit.”

Tess stood up and walked around to the front so she could see Alices’ face. “What are you talking about? I can tell clear as day you are Sarah. It is easier now that you are so big.” Tess crossed her arms. “How could you forget about me in such a short amount of time?”

Sarah shook her head. “I have never seen you in my life. I feel down into this place chasing the white rabbit, and now I am all so lost.” She sniffed as she looked around the room. “How will I ever get home.”

“Sarah, stop talking nonsense. You have to tell me what is going on here.”

“I told you my name isn’t Sarah.” She grabbed the sides of her head. “Stop trying to confuse me. I have been here all my life. Haven’t I? It is all so confusing. I don’t remember what is up and down anymore.”

Tess grabbed Sarah by her white pant leg. “I am not trying to confuse you. I am trying to help you remember who you are. You are my friend.” She looked at the ground. “Well, most of the time. It’s a complicated relationship. But besides that, you are not the Alice from the storybook. It is just that, a story. And a hilarious movie. But this is a theme park, Sarah.”

“Theme park?” She blinked her eyes.

“Yes, damnit.”

Sarah looked down at the ground. “I remember something vaguely. About chasing a white rabbit.” She shook her head and slammed her giant hand against the side of the walls. “No, it wasn’t just that. I was trying to find someone.” She tapped her right heel on the ground, causing Tess to bounce up and down. “Carien. I was trying to find someone named Carien.”

“She is a good friend of yours.”

“Why then can I only think of the white rabbit when I think of that name?” Sarah looked down at Tess. “Am I truly going mad?”

Tess shook her head. “I don’t know what is going on. First, I lost Patrick coming here, and a crazy lady named Vess seems to be running the joint. Then when I come in here to find him, I instead find you, and well, you are having issues.” She slumped down next to Sarah’s right heel. “I don’t even know how to explain how you grew to almost forty or fifty feet tall in this room. Who is designing this place anyway?”

Sarah took a deep breath. “I think some of it is coming back to me.” She shook her head. “Tess, we need to get out of here.”

Tess looked up at Sarah. “Why?” She crossed her arms. “I am not leaving until I get him out of here.”

Sarah adjusted herself and slowly knelt down. “I am sorry, but it’s. . .” She looked down, but Tess had vanished. “Where did you go?” She looked around, but her dress had enveloped the entire room. “Oh crap. I am just going to stand for now.” Sarah stood back up, Tess shaking her head as the dress lifted off her body. “I don’t feel like searching for that shrinking potion at the moment.”

Tess blinked her eyes. “That was an experience.”

“Anyways, the longer you stay here, the longer the person running this place might alter your mind, and you could get trapped as part of the park like I did.” Sarah shook her head. “I was trying to save my friend Carien after she turned into the white rabbit, and I ended up as the Alice for this park. It was a slow descent into madness.”

“So, what some crazy park makes you think you are Alice for a few hours, and that is enough to let our friends be trapped here?” Tess kicked Sarah in the side of her foot. “What kind of person are you?”

Sarah narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to get you to help me. Look at you. You are huge.

Together we can find our friends and get them out of here.” She kicked Sarah once more in the side of her foot but reclined in pain as she kicked the heel of her shoe. “Fuck!”

“Will you stop kicking me?” Sarah snorted. “You are right. I am massive right now, but how much do you know about the Alice tale?”

“Umm. .”

“This is the pool of tears. I am guessing there is no way this room is designed to be broken out of at this height, so it would have been “realistic.” Sarah pressed against the wall. “Damn thing is more solid than concrete. I am not breaking through this even at my present size.”

“Well, then what are we supposed to do if even someone at your size can’t help us?”

Sarah looked at the Drink Me potion on the table.

“This park is filled with size-changing food and drink. It has to be so it will give the illusion of an Alice in Wonderland World, right?” Sarah smiled. “I have an idea.” She bent over and picked up the bottle. “But we are going to have to leave this room much smaller than we are.”

Tess stepped back until she was against the wall. “Me shrink? I think not. I am not getting involved in any of these size shenanigans. That is your department, you two-bit Alice.”

Before Sarah could respond, one of the doors opened, and the white rabbit hopped in. “Oh, the duchess will be so furious with me.”

Tess’s eyes widened. “Carien?”

Sarah gasped. “Carien. Wait!”

Carien looked up and gasped. “Ahhh.” She then dropped a fan and white gloves on the floors and hopped out of the nearest door.

Sarah sighed. “Damnit. That was Carien. We have to do something to save her.”

“Ok, good. But as long as I don’t have to shrink.”

Sarah slammed Tess against the side of the room with her foot. “If you want your friend back, you will do what I say.”

Tess gulped. “Ok, ok.” She took a deep breath. “I will put up with becoming a tiny person to save Patrick, ok.” She mumbled under her breath. “I just better not lose my clothing or anything.”

“Ok, then grab the potion on the table and toss it up to me.” She pulled her foot away. “I will drink it first, and then once I start shrinking, you can drink the rest.”

Tess walked over to the glass table in between Sarah’s legs. “This thing?”

Sarah nodded her head. “Yes, now toss it up here.” She lowered her hands.

Tess took a deep breath and tossed the potion upward. “There you go.”

Sarah grabbed the bottle with her fingers. “Got it. So much easier than having to bend over and find it in a massive pool of water.” She sighed. “I have been trapped her for a while now, and this feels like a routine. Gross.” She raised the bottle to her face. “Ok, see you on the other side.” She lifted her head high and drank the contents.