All Alice had felt when she first woke up was cold, immeasurably cold. Her green diamond eyes searched for a fire, something warm to erase the cold she felt, but everything she saw was blurred. Figures moving slowly, so blurry she wouldn’t even tell if they were human. Alice tried blinking, but blinking made her even colder. A fire, she needed a fire, and as she wished it, it came. The heat began at her toes, she felt the muscles tighten from the heat and relax as she tried to wiggle them. Then the fire moved to her legs, warming the rest of her body after. Alice felt her fingers move, was she moving them? She didn’t know, all she knew is now that the cold was gone, Alice felt naked. Alice blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to push away the blurry images and focus. A white room, utensils everywhere, like a hospital. Alice hated hospitals, but at the moment she couldn’t remember why. The blurry figures sharpened into people, those people sharpened into doctors. A hospital, she was in a hospital. A bright light shined in front of Alice’s eyes, blinding her.


“She seems to be responding to the light. Her pupils are small.” The doctor announced above her. His words sent the other doctors around him into frenzy, collecting notebooks and pencils. He removed the light and snapped his fingers in Alice’s ears, her eyes moved and recognized the sound. “She responds to the sound, I think she’s conscious now.” The doctor stated. Alice found herself rolling her eyes, if she moved of course she was conscious, what an idiot doctor. Alice heard the doors to the hospital room burst open and a powerful voice filled the air. A voice filled with authority.


“How is she?” The voice questioned, the sound of heavy footsteps nearing Alice.


“She’s awake Dr. Nightray, she has just awoken from her thousand year slumber.” The nervous doctor answered. Alice blinked, a thousand years? What nonsense was this doctor talking. The head doctor examined Alice’s arm, twisting and bending it, then he did the same with her legs and feet. Why was she being examined? She just wanted to get out of the hospital and go home. Home? Where was home? Alice couldn’t remember where her home was, or who would be waiting there for her.


“Her arms and legs seem to be moving just fine, Alice. Can you hear me Alice?” the head doctor’s voice echoed in Alice’s ears. Yes, I can hear you, idiot doctor. “Alice, I need you to speak.” The doctor continued. I am, idiot, you just can’t hear me. The head doctor sighed and looked at the rest of his team. “Her vocal cords are still frozen, she can’t speak.” He informed. The doctors scratched down the information on their notebooks, and looked up waiting for the doctor to speak. Don’t make it such a big deal, idiot doctor. I can speak! The doctor turned around and looked surprisingly at Alice. Did you finally hear me, stupid doctor? “Telepathy? Impossible.” The doctor muttered. Alice rolled her eyes, she didn’t feel like putting up with this idiot doctor anymore, she just wanted to leave. But leaving, meant moving. Alice moved her legs, they were sore as if she hadn’t moved in a thousand years. She wiggled her toes and lifted her legs into the air. She could move. Her arms were next, she concentrated on moving her arms back to push her body up. She pictured the movement in her mind, a graceful swift movement that would get her out of the stinky hospital, and it happened. Alice was sitting up and looking around the room. A soft lock of hair fell over Alice’s shoulder as she bent down to look at her legs. Her hair was a lush caramel color and smelled like melon tea, the smell was so nostalgic to Alice. “Alice, don’t move to rashly. Your body is still sore and numb from being frozen in the ice for a thousand years.” The head doctor warned. What is that idiot doctor talking about, a thousand years? Alice felt the cold surface below her naked body, it was ice. Looks like the idiot doctor was right about one thing. Alice swung her fair legs over the side of the ice block. Her arms pushed her body to the ground and her feet landed on cool marble floor. Her legs went numb and she collapsed to the cold floor. Ouch, that hurt. “Alice!” Another voice shouted. This voice was different, it didn’t have the tone of a self-centered doctor. It sounded genuinely concerned, and warm. Alice searched for the voice trying to push herself back up, she wanted out of the hospital. “Alice, don’t move.” The warm voice commanded. Alice’s body obeyed, she fell back to the cold stinky floor and remained silent. Warm hands touched Alice’s body and lifted her up. Alice looked up and saw the warm voice belonged to a beautiful woman with long honey blonde hair pulled up in a loose bun. Even though her eyes were a bright blue, the dark rings under her screamed that she hadn’t had slept in weeks. “Alice, oh my Alice.” The woman whispered into Alice’s ear. A light and fluttering voice that let Alice relax, she would place her trust in this woman to get her out of the hospital. Get me out, please. The woman nodded. “I will Alice, I will.” The woman promised.


“Ma’am I can’t allow you to take her out of the lab. She is a very important piece of the past.” The head doctor ordered beginning to take Alice out of the woman’s hands. The woman pulled Alice to her body and glared at the head doctor.


“Do you know who I am? I am Victoria Reinsworth. Alice is property of the Reinsworth, if you wish to go against our family. Please do.” The woman threatened strongly. The head doctor fell to his knees and screamed his apology, telling his subordinates to do the same. Victoria lifted Alice up in her arms and dashed out of the white room. Alice smiled, finally out of that white hospital room. “Don’t worry Alice, I’m going to take you back to the Reinsworth mansion, you’ll be safe there.” Victoria explained taking a sharp left and dashing down another white hallway. Alice nodded sleepily. Just get me out of this hospital, nothing else matters. “We’re almost out. Just a little bit longer, my limousine is waiting out front.” Victoria said. Limousine? What’s that? “That’s right, you have much to learn about the new era you are in Alice. I’ll teach you, I’ll teach you everything.” Victoria whispered pushing through the glass doors. An expression appeared on her face that Alice couldn’t recognize as the light brightened Alice’s vision. “Poplar, get Alice in the car, we are going to the mansion now. Call Veronica and tell her to prepare clothes for Alice, more modern clothes but with a touch of her own time.” Victoria ordered an old man in a suit that was standing by a long black car, a type of car Alice had never seen before. Limousine?


“Yes Madam.” Poplar replied guiding Alice gently into the back of the limousine and laying her down on the seat. The inside of the limousine was more fantastic than the outside, glasses for water, a bottle of wine, and a bucket of ice. Victoria joined Alice in the limousine and fixed her short skirt. Now that Alice could see clearly she took another look at this Victoria woman. Long honey blonde hair tied loosely in a bun, bright blue eyes and dark skin. She had on a shirt with no straps and an overcoat, two tails circling her legs down to her black boots. It was outlandish and very revealing, something Alice’s mother would never let her wear. My mother? Alice didn’t remember her mother’s face, her voice, or her name. I’ve forgotten my own mother?


“Alice, what is your favorite shape?” Victoria asked out of the blue. When Alice looked at her, she was holding a black telephone to her ear. Shape? “Yes, like a circle, square, rectangle, triangle, star. What it your favorite shape?” Victoria asked again. Alice pulled at lock of hair from behind her shoulders and twisted it around her fingers. I don’t have a favorite-. Alice stopped and dropped the lock of caramel hair, letting it fall dramatically over her bare breast.

A diamond, like your eyes Alice.

Then Alice’s eyes that had lost their color and had been gray, seeing the world blandly, not seeing any color except black and white, caught a ray of light and shone their emerald green. Victoria caught her breath and watched as Alice blinked rapidly, colors came to her, the coat Victoria was wearing turned a dark violet, her eyes became bright blue, and her shirt and skirt became a light green. Who had said that to her? Diamond, my favorite shape is a diamond. Victoria flinched and repeated the words through the phone and set it on the hook. The sight she had just seen was amazing, like Alice was seeing the world for the first time. “Alice, why can’t you talk?” Victoria questioned adjusting in her seat and grabbing a glass of wine. I am talking, you just don’t care to listen. Victoria sighed and took a long swig of her red wine. “Well, we’ll figure all that out later. For now I’ll concentrate on getting you clothes and explaining everything to you.” Victoria concluded swiping a lock of hair behind her shoulder. Alice nodded, she wanted to know the answers. She wanted to know what happened after she went through the looking glass.
(to be continued)