Stepping on Roses: Chapter 1
I feel terrible for all these really old stories I'm uploading, but hopefully I've edited this enough to made it readable. I remember sitting at my desk, Alice in Wonderland open in one hand and pen in the other as I tried to pick out bits from Lewis Carroll's style. Imagine how weird it was to find this eighteen months later in my drawer.
There will be six parts to this. The story is based on Yami no Kuni no Alice. I'll be posting the second part as soon as it's edited. In the meantime, please leave a comment if you like what you read! It would mean a lot.
Chapter 1
Alice in the Country of Darkness (Part 1)
Wake up, Alice.
A light breeze graced the air and pulled at the strands of golden hair framing the girl's face. Around her, greenery grew in small tufts, scattered with fallen leaves that covered both the ground and the still form that lay on top of it.
Alice, wake up.
Slowly, the girl opened her eyes. Then she sat up. Her body was stiff from having stayed in the same position for so long, but apart from that, she was quite unharmed.
That's strange, she thought, I don't seem to remember ever having fallen asleep.
She stood, brushing the leaves from her dress as she did so, and looked around. From what she could tell, she was in a forest, and quite a peculiar one at that; for whilst she was able to recognise some of the trees and plants that grew around her, others she was sure she had never seen before in her life. For example, a group of flowers to her left were shaped like small golden keys. To her right, a set of dice hung from bright green stalks. And covering everything else were vines, hundreds of tendrils that twisted around tree trunks, drooped from branches and snaked across the ground, creating an intricate web in every direction.
“Now, isn't this odd?” she said, walking over to inspect one of the dice-plants. She rarely spoke out loud to herself for fear of being overheard, though found it a useful way to order her thoughts when alone. She reached out to touch one of the odd hanging dice. Just like a real one, it was hard beneath her fingertips.
“And yet the most curious question is how I got here.” A thoughtful expression came over her. “Let's see... My name is Alice - yes, that's right - and I am sixteen years of age. That seems correct, at least.” In such a state of disorientation, it felt comforting to remind herself of these facts.
She continued: “As for what I was doing before I woke up… Well, I was reading in the garden, and the sun was shining down, and-” She chuckled to herself. “I must have fallen asleep! In which case, this has to be a dream.”
As she talked, Alice began to move towards a more familiar set of greenery, a small bush of black roses that grew at the base of a nearby tree. “A dream… If it's a good dream, then I would very much like to stay here. How long do dreams usually last, I wonder? I shouldn't know - I've never counted.”
The forest was still around Alice, the only sound being that of the wind as it moved faintly through the trees. Slowly, she weaved her way between the dice-plants and key-plants, taking care not to tear her dress on the thorns. Her foot snagged on something. Looking down, she realised she had become entangled in one of the many vines that spun across the floor.
Sighing, Alice bent down. “Perhaps if I were to loosen it a little…” But the vine did not come free, nor did it loosen when she pulled at it. Instead it remained clinging to her, a mottled green hand. Then, to Alice's horror, it began to creep upwards, encircling her leg like a snake. Another joined it, and another, until both legs were swallowed.
She screamed, bent and tore at the tendrils, but this only made things worse. One lashed around her wrist and pulled her back to the ground. From all sides, vines attacked her, bit into her skin, constricted her. If she tried to struggle, thorns ripped her clothes. All that remained for her to do was stay still and allow herself to be swallowed.
Eventually, the vines fell still, but by this time. Alice was well and truly tangled.
Oh dear, this isn't good at all, she thought (in her position, she neither felt like nor had the strength to talk out loud anymore). She called out, but it was just as she had feared - no-one was there to hear her.
She glanced down at her left hand, where a deep scratch split the skin from thumb to wrist. What am I to do now? Should I sit and wait to be rescued? As someone who had always taken care of herself, the idea of relying on someone else irritated Alice. It could be hours before I am found. And if I can't move, then how am I to return home? Can one become trapped in one's own dream, I wonder…?
As Alice's thoughts became frantic, she noticed something amongst the trees up ahead. A figure. From this distance, she couldn't tell whether she had been spotted, though she wasn't going to take chances.
“I'm over here!” she called.
There was a moment of uncertainty. Then, to Alice's relief, the figure turned and began towards her. The nearer he came, the more She eyed him as he walked, taking in his appearance. He was reasonably tall, with a long black tailcoat and top hat - a gentleman's clothing. A curtain of black hair cascaded over one eye and fell to his shoulders.
Closer still, and Alice was able to make out finer details: the small clasps adorning his sleeves, the silver piping on his collar, the mild intrigue of his expression. Why someone dressed so formally was wondering the forest she didn't know. Nonetheless, she was grateful.
The vines at her feet began to writhe again as the stranger approached, and she called out a warning; yet instead of attacking him as they had her, they arched and twisted to form a kind of walkway, which the man stepped up onto as easily as if it were made of wood.
“You called?” he said, coming to a standstill.
Alice nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
The man looked her up and down. “And how may I be of service, young lady?”
What a peculiar man, she thought. Couldn't he see she was bound?
“I can't move,” she said. “I'm stuck.”
“Oh?” The man fell into a crouch before her. “Well, you're not that stuck, are you? You can move your mouth, and a few seconds ago you nodded your head. Why, I don't believe you need my help at all.”
Alice found herself becoming irritated at the stranger in spite of her helplessness. “I can move my mouth, but I can't stand.”
“So that's what you meant,” said the man. “You should be more careful with your words.”
“Oh, but I usually am. I've just never come across someone to take them so literally before.”
“And why shouldn't I take them literally?” Te man's expression sunk into a frown. “Surely you should mean what you say? Otherwise, what is the point in saying it in the first place?”
“Well, I-” Alice stopped herself from carrying on. Although it was not in her nature to give in, there seemed no point in arguing with this man. She anticipated this conversation carrying on for hours if she chose to hold her corner.
Honestly. At this rate, I shall never get free.
Her thoughts were interrupted as something pressed against her jaw, and she looked up to see the man clutching her face between his fingers and thumb. He turned her from side to side, up and down, passing his eyes over every angle.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking at you.”
Alice was sure there were less intrusive ways to look at someone, but said nothing.
Once the stranger had finished, he pulled back his hand, straightened to his full height and stepped from the platform. He approached one of the key-plants and plucked a small golden flower from its stem before returning.
At once, the vines began to release their grip, and Alice found that she could breathe freely once again. The moment she was free, she leapt to her feet.
“Leaving already?” The man appeared in front of her. With his hat on, he stood over a head taller than Alice. His dark eyes held the same light intrigue as before.
“Well, I was going to explore the forest some more - I've never been here, you see. Then I'll try and find some place to sleep for the night.”
The man's face fell slightly. “How tedious.” He turned his eyes away, then spoke slowly: “You haven't thanked me for helping you. It hurts my feelings when my efforts go unappreciated.”
Alice eyed him critically. He didn't look hurt, by any means. But there was no excuse for forgetting one's manners, so she apologised, curtseyed and thanked the stranger for all he'd done.
A small laugh escaped his lips as she bent. “Now, isn't that something?”
Alice was about to ask the man what he found so funny when her hand was taken up in his and held at chest level.
“This is for you.” Something small and metallic pressed into her palm. “Follow the roses and you shall find the thorns.”
“Roses? Do you mean-”
“Shh.” The man placed a pale finger against her lips. “You know all you need to know. Don't disappoint me now, Alice.” The tip of his thumb brushed gently along her jawline, and for a moment his eyes seemed to hold a melancholic depth to them. He looked away before Alice could fully read his expression.
Several seconds passed before the stranger took a step back, leaving Alice to examine the object in her hand. Indeed, it was a key - small, golden and intricately designed. Over and over she turned it in her fingers, wondering what something so beautiful could possibly unlock. Yet when she lifted her head again, there was was no-one to be seen. No-one to ask. The stranger was gone.
There will be six parts to this. The story is based on Yami no Kuni no Alice. I'll be posting the second part as soon as it's edited. In the meantime, please leave a comment if you like what you read! It would mean a lot.
Chapter 1
Alice in the Country of Darkness (Part 1)
Wake up, Alice.
A light breeze graced the air and pulled at the strands of golden hair framing the girl's face. Around her, greenery grew in small tufts, scattered with fallen leaves that covered both the ground and the still form that lay on top of it.
Alice, wake up.
Slowly, the girl opened her eyes. Then she sat up. Her body was stiff from having stayed in the same position for so long, but apart from that, she was quite unharmed.
That's strange, she thought, I don't seem to remember ever having fallen asleep.
She stood, brushing the leaves from her dress as she did so, and looked around. From what she could tell, she was in a forest, and quite a peculiar one at that; for whilst she was able to recognise some of the trees and plants that grew around her, others she was sure she had never seen before in her life. For example, a group of flowers to her left were shaped like small golden keys. To her right, a set of dice hung from bright green stalks. And covering everything else were vines, hundreds of tendrils that twisted around tree trunks, drooped from branches and snaked across the ground, creating an intricate web in every direction.
“Now, isn't this odd?” she said, walking over to inspect one of the dice-plants. She rarely spoke out loud to herself for fear of being overheard, though found it a useful way to order her thoughts when alone. She reached out to touch one of the odd hanging dice. Just like a real one, it was hard beneath her fingertips.
“And yet the most curious question is how I got here.” A thoughtful expression came over her. “Let's see... My name is Alice - yes, that's right - and I am sixteen years of age. That seems correct, at least.” In such a state of disorientation, it felt comforting to remind herself of these facts.
She continued: “As for what I was doing before I woke up… Well, I was reading in the garden, and the sun was shining down, and-” She chuckled to herself. “I must have fallen asleep! In which case, this has to be a dream.”
As she talked, Alice began to move towards a more familiar set of greenery, a small bush of black roses that grew at the base of a nearby tree. “A dream… If it's a good dream, then I would very much like to stay here. How long do dreams usually last, I wonder? I shouldn't know - I've never counted.”
The forest was still around Alice, the only sound being that of the wind as it moved faintly through the trees. Slowly, she weaved her way between the dice-plants and key-plants, taking care not to tear her dress on the thorns. Her foot snagged on something. Looking down, she realised she had become entangled in one of the many vines that spun across the floor.
Sighing, Alice bent down. “Perhaps if I were to loosen it a little…” But the vine did not come free, nor did it loosen when she pulled at it. Instead it remained clinging to her, a mottled green hand. Then, to Alice's horror, it began to creep upwards, encircling her leg like a snake. Another joined it, and another, until both legs were swallowed.
She screamed, bent and tore at the tendrils, but this only made things worse. One lashed around her wrist and pulled her back to the ground. From all sides, vines attacked her, bit into her skin, constricted her. If she tried to struggle, thorns ripped her clothes. All that remained for her to do was stay still and allow herself to be swallowed.
Eventually, the vines fell still, but by this time. Alice was well and truly tangled.
Oh dear, this isn't good at all, she thought (in her position, she neither felt like nor had the strength to talk out loud anymore). She called out, but it was just as she had feared - no-one was there to hear her.
She glanced down at her left hand, where a deep scratch split the skin from thumb to wrist. What am I to do now? Should I sit and wait to be rescued? As someone who had always taken care of herself, the idea of relying on someone else irritated Alice. It could be hours before I am found. And if I can't move, then how am I to return home? Can one become trapped in one's own dream, I wonder…?
As Alice's thoughts became frantic, she noticed something amongst the trees up ahead. A figure. From this distance, she couldn't tell whether she had been spotted, though she wasn't going to take chances.
“I'm over here!” she called.
There was a moment of uncertainty. Then, to Alice's relief, the figure turned and began towards her. The nearer he came, the more She eyed him as he walked, taking in his appearance. He was reasonably tall, with a long black tailcoat and top hat - a gentleman's clothing. A curtain of black hair cascaded over one eye and fell to his shoulders.
Closer still, and Alice was able to make out finer details: the small clasps adorning his sleeves, the silver piping on his collar, the mild intrigue of his expression. Why someone dressed so formally was wondering the forest she didn't know. Nonetheless, she was grateful.
The vines at her feet began to writhe again as the stranger approached, and she called out a warning; yet instead of attacking him as they had her, they arched and twisted to form a kind of walkway, which the man stepped up onto as easily as if it were made of wood.
“You called?” he said, coming to a standstill.
Alice nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
The man looked her up and down. “And how may I be of service, young lady?”
What a peculiar man, she thought. Couldn't he see she was bound?
“I can't move,” she said. “I'm stuck.”
“Oh?” The man fell into a crouch before her. “Well, you're not that stuck, are you? You can move your mouth, and a few seconds ago you nodded your head. Why, I don't believe you need my help at all.”
Alice found herself becoming irritated at the stranger in spite of her helplessness. “I can move my mouth, but I can't stand.”
“So that's what you meant,” said the man. “You should be more careful with your words.”
“Oh, but I usually am. I've just never come across someone to take them so literally before.”
“And why shouldn't I take them literally?” Te man's expression sunk into a frown. “Surely you should mean what you say? Otherwise, what is the point in saying it in the first place?”
“Well, I-” Alice stopped herself from carrying on. Although it was not in her nature to give in, there seemed no point in arguing with this man. She anticipated this conversation carrying on for hours if she chose to hold her corner.
Honestly. At this rate, I shall never get free.
Her thoughts were interrupted as something pressed against her jaw, and she looked up to see the man clutching her face between his fingers and thumb. He turned her from side to side, up and down, passing his eyes over every angle.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking at you.”
Alice was sure there were less intrusive ways to look at someone, but said nothing.
Once the stranger had finished, he pulled back his hand, straightened to his full height and stepped from the platform. He approached one of the key-plants and plucked a small golden flower from its stem before returning.
At once, the vines began to release their grip, and Alice found that she could breathe freely once again. The moment she was free, she leapt to her feet.
“Leaving already?” The man appeared in front of her. With his hat on, he stood over a head taller than Alice. His dark eyes held the same light intrigue as before.
“Well, I was going to explore the forest some more - I've never been here, you see. Then I'll try and find some place to sleep for the night.”
The man's face fell slightly. “How tedious.” He turned his eyes away, then spoke slowly: “You haven't thanked me for helping you. It hurts my feelings when my efforts go unappreciated.”
Alice eyed him critically. He didn't look hurt, by any means. But there was no excuse for forgetting one's manners, so she apologised, curtseyed and thanked the stranger for all he'd done.
A small laugh escaped his lips as she bent. “Now, isn't that something?”
Alice was about to ask the man what he found so funny when her hand was taken up in his and held at chest level.
“This is for you.” Something small and metallic pressed into her palm. “Follow the roses and you shall find the thorns.”
“Roses? Do you mean-”
“Shh.” The man placed a pale finger against her lips. “You know all you need to know. Don't disappoint me now, Alice.” The tip of his thumb brushed gently along her jawline, and for a moment his eyes seemed to hold a melancholic depth to them. He looked away before Alice could fully read his expression.
Several seconds passed before the stranger took a step back, leaving Alice to examine the object in her hand. Indeed, it was a key - small, golden and intricately designed. Over and over she turned it in her fingers, wondering what something so beautiful could possibly unlock. Yet when she lifted her head again, there was was no-one to be seen. No-one to ask. The stranger was gone.