The neon lights of Happy Dream World theme park blurred into a kaleidoscope of color as Rei sprinted after the bulbous figure of Mr. Dream. Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out the cacophony of excited screams and carnival music. Rally and Hiro flanked her, their footsteps thundering on the pavement as they weaved through the crowd.
“There!” Rei shouted, pointing at the retreating form of their target as he ducked into the towering Dream Castle.
The trio barreled through the ornate entrance, nearly bowling over a group of wide-eyed tourists. Rei’s eyes darted around the cavernous interior, struggling to adjust to the dim lighting. Fantastical scenes played out around them–animatronic knights battled fire-breathing dragons, while holographic fairies danced through the air.
“Watch it!” Rally growled as he narrowly avoided tripping over a mechanical goblin that scuttled across their path.
Rei ignored him, focused solely on glimpsing Mr. Dream’s gaudy suit. She caught a flash of sequins disappearing around a corner and sprinted after it, her companions hot on her heels.
As they rounded the bend, a bewildering array of corridors confronted them that branched off in every conceivable direction.Whimsical music drifted from hidden speakers, punctuated by the occasional roar of an unseen beast.
“Damn it,” Hiro muttered, his gaze sweeping the area. “Which way did he go?”
Rei’s mind raced. They couldn’t afford to lose him now, not when they were so close to finding her sister. She made a split-second decision.
“We need to split up,” she declared. “Cover more ground. Rally, take the left. Hiro, right. I’ll go straight ahead. Shout if you spot him.”
The men nodded, immediately darting down their assigned paths. Rei plunged forward, her footsteps echoing off the walls. The corridor twisted and turned, leading her deeper into the bowels of the castle.
She skidded to a halt as she entered a new chamber, her reflection staring back at her from a dozen different angles. A mirror maze. Rei cursed under her breath, eyes straining to differentiate between reality and illusion.
Cautiously, she extended a hand, fingers brushing against cool glass. She inched forward, using her reflection as a guide. A flash of movement caught her eye–was it Mr. Dream, or just another trick of the light?
Rei quickened her pace, only to slam face-first into an invisible barrier. She stumbled back, rubbing her nose and biting back a string of profanities. Focus, she told herself. You can’t let him get away.
As she regained her bearings, a muffled grunt reached her ears. Rei whirled around, catching sight of Mr. Dream’s portly frame squeezing through a narrow gap between two mirrors. Without hesitation, she lunged after him.
The hidden passageway was claustrophobic, barely wide enough for her to shimmy through. Rei emerged into a dimly lit room, the acrid smell of cleaning chemicals assaulting her nostrils. Mops and brooms lined the walls, and a utility sink gleamed dully in the corner.
A janitor’s closet. But where was-
A meaty hand clamped over her mouth from behind. Rei’s training kicked in instantly. She drove her elbow back, connecting with soft flesh. Mr. Dream wheezed, his grip loosening.
Rei spun, ducking under a wild swing from her attacker. Her eyes landed on a long-handled vacuum cleaner propped against the wall. She lunged for it, fingers closing around the cool metal just as Mr. Dream recovered.
He charged at her with surprising speed for a man of his size. Rei pivoted, bringing the vacuum rod up in a vicious arc. It connected with a satisfying thwack, and Mr. Dream crumpled to the floor like a marionette with cut strings.
Rei stood over him, chest heaving as adrenaline coursed through her veins. She pulled out her phone, thumb flying over the screen as she sent a message to Rally and Hiro.
“Got him,” she muttered, a grim smile tugging at her lips. “Now, let’s see what you know about my sister.”
As Rei waited for her companions to arrive, she kept a wary eye on the unconscious form of Mr. Dream. The steady rise and fall of his chest was the only movement in the cramped closet. The distant sounds of the theme park filtered through the walls, a jarring contrast to the tense atmosphere within.
She paced the small space, mind racing with questions. How deeply was Mr. Dream involved in her sister’s disappearance? Was he just another pawn, or did he hold the key to unraveling this whole mystery?
The door burst open, startling Rei from her thoughts. Rally and Hiro stumbled in, both looking disheveled and out of breath.
“Took you long enough,” Rei quipped, masking her relief at their arrival.
Rally snorted, eyeing the prone figure on the floor. “Looks like you handled things just fine without us.”
Hiro crouched next to Mr. Dream, checking his pulse. “He’s out cold. Nice work, Rei.”
She shrugged, twirling the vacuum rod absently. “He wasn’t expecting a fight in his own funhouse. Now, let’s bring him some place private and wake him up.”
“Why can’t we do it here?” Hiro asked.
“Do you want the janitor to catch us?”
Hiro shrugged his shoulders.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
*****
Luna’s footsteps echoed off the stark white walls as she ventured deeper into the Wonderland maze. Her eyes darted from side to side, taking in the increasingly bizarre surroundings. Paintings hung at impossible angles, their subjects seeming to shift and move when she wasn’t looking directly at them. A clock ticked somewhere in the distance, its rhythm irregular and unsettling.
The corridor widened, revealing a series of archways that defied the laws of physics. Some led upwards, others sideways, creating an M. C. Escher-like landscape that made Luna’s head spin. She pressed on, her hand trailing along the cool surface of the wall to maintain her bearings.
“Curiouser and curiouser,” she muttered under her breath, the words slipping out before she could stop them. A wry smile tugged at her lips–it seemed the Alice in Wonderland theme was getting to her.
As she rounded another corner, Luna found herself face-to-face with an enormous mushroom. Perched atop it was a robotic caterpillar, its metallic segments gleaming in the harsh light. A thin stream of smoke curled from the hookah clasped in its mechanical appendages.
Luna’s nose wrinkled as an acrid smell filled the air. Tendrils of green gas began seeping from vents hidden in the walls and floor. Her heart rate quickened as she realized the chamber was slowly filling with the noxious vapor.
Her captor’s voice crackled to life over hidden speakers, dripping with malicious glee. “Welcome to your first challenge, dear Luna. I hope you’re ready to put that clever mind of yours to work.”
“Cheshire Cat,” Luna growled, remembering the disembodied voice. “What sick game is this?”
A low chuckle resonated through the room. “Oh, it’s quite simple. Answer the caterpillar’s riddles correctly, and you’ll receive the antidote to the poison currently filling your lungs. Fail, and... well, I’m sure you can imagine the consequences.”
Luna’s eyes narrowed as she focused on the robotic caterpillar. Its glowing eyes flickered to life, and it spoke in a monotone voice that sent chills down her spine.
“What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?” the caterpillar intoned.
Luna’s mind raced as she fought to concentrate through the growing fog. The green mist swirled around her ankles, creeping higher with each passing second. She could feel a slight burning sensation in her throat, and her vision blurred at the edges.
“Come now, Luna,” the Cheshire Cat taunted. “Surely this isn’t beyond your capabilities?”
“Shut up,” Luna snapped, closing her eyes to block out the disorienting surroundings. What gets wetter as it dries? The answer danced just out of reach, taunting her.
A coughing fit wracked her body, and Luna doubled over, hands on her knees. As she straightened, her gaze fell on her damp palms. Suddenly, it clicked.
“A towel,” she gasped out. “It gets wetter as it dries.”
The caterpillar’s eyes flashed green. “Correct,” it droned. “Next riddle: I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?”
Luna’s head swam as she struggled to process the new question. The poisonous gas had risen to her waist now, and she could feel her limbs growing heavy. She stumbled, catching herself against the giant mushroom.
“Tick Tock, Luna,” the Cheshire Cat singsonged. “Time waits for no one, especially not in Wonderland.”
Luna gritted her teeth, forcing herself to focus. Cities, mountains, water... but nothing living. What could it be? An image flashed in her mind–her sister poring over an atlas, tracing coastlines with her finger.
“A map,” Luna wheezed. “The answer is a map.”
Another flash of green from the caterpillar’s eyes. “Correct. Final riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?”
The gas had reached Luna’s chest now, and black spots danced in her vision. She swayed on her feet, her thoughts becoming increasingly sluggish. Take more, leave more behind? It didn’t make sense. Nothing in this twisted place made sense.
“I... I don’t...” Luna’s voice trailed off as she slumped to her knees. The cool floor felt good against her feverish skin. Maybe if she just rested for a moment...
“Oh dear,” the Cheshire Cat’s voice cut through the haze. “It seems our little Alice has lost her way. Perhaps she’s not as clever as we thought.”
Anger flared in Luna’s chest, cutting through the fog of poison. No. She wouldn’t give this sadistic bastard the satisfaction. With a herculean effort, she forced herself back to her feet.
Take more, leave more behind. The words repeated in her mind like a mantra. What could you take that would leave more? Suddenly, an image of her childhood flashed before her eyes–playing in a sandbox, her small feet leaving impressions in the soft sand.
“Footsteps,” Luna croaked, the word barely audible. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Footsteps! The more you take, the more you leave behind.”
For a moment, nothing happened. Luna’s heart sank as she realized she might have been too late. But then the caterpillar’s eyes flashed green one final time, and a small compartment opened in its metallic body.
“Correct,” it announced. “You may claim your prize.”
With trembling hands, Luna reached into the compartment and withdrew a small vial filled with clear liquid. She uncorked it and downed the contents in one swift gulp, praying it wasn’t another trick.
Almost immediately, the burning in her lungs subsided. The room stopped spinning, and Luna felt strength returning to her limbs. As her vision cleared, she noticed the green gas dissipating, sucked back into the hidden vents.
“Well done, Luna,” the Cheshire Cat’s voice oozed false praise. “You’ve survived your first trial. But don’t get too comfortable–the maze has only just begun.”
Luna fixed her gaze on the ceiling, picturing the concealed cameras she presumed were there. “I’m going to find you,” she promised, her voice low and dangerous. “And when I do, you’ll regret ever starting this game.”
The Cheshire Cat’s laughter echoed through the chamber. “Oh, I do hope so. It would be such a disappointment if you failed now. Carry on, little Alice. Your next challenge awaits.”
As the voice faded away, Luna took a moment to catch her breath and assess her surroundings. The robotic caterpillar had gone dormant, its eyes dark and lifeless. The oversized mushroom loomed behind it, a silent witness to her near-defeat.
Luna shook her head, trying to clear the last lingering effects of the poison. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down, not when there were undoubtedly more traps and trials ahead. The Cheshire Cat–whoever he was–clearly had no qualms about putting her life in danger.
With a deep breath, Luna squared her shoulders and faced the passage leading deeper into the maze. The stark white walls appeared to extend infinitely before her, providing no hints of the potential horrors ahead.
“Bring it on,” Luna muttered, taking her first step forward. She had survived the first challenge, but it had been far too close for comfort. Whatever came next, she would need to be sharper, faster, and more prepared.
As she moved deeper into the labyrinth, Luna’s mind raced with possibilities. What other twisted versions of Wonderland characters would she encounter? How many more life-or-death puzzles would she have to solve? And most importantly, how much closer would each challenge bring her to unraveling the mystery of this place and the person behind it all?
The corridor ahead split into three paths, each as nondescript and uninviting as the last. Luna paused, weighing her options. In the distance, she thought she heard the faint ticking of a clock–or was it the beating of mechanical wings?
With no way to know what horrors or wonders lay ahead, Luna chose the center path. Her footsteps echoed in the empty corridor as she pressed on, leaving the site of her first trial behind. The next challenge loomed somewhere in the maze, unseen but inevitable.
Luna’s jaw clenched with determination. She had survived the poisonous riddles of the caterpillar. Whatever came next, she would face it head-on. The game was far from over, and Luna intended to see it through to the bitter end–no matter the cost.