I awoke, what seemed like, immediately after I had fallen asleep. I laid for a moment adjusting to the new world I had arrived in. The smell of fresh laundry and a spring world untainted by man teased at my senses. Taking in a larger breath of air I distinguished the smell of fresh dirt, new rain, and clean air. Mixed in was the smell of various plants; fragrant flowers, musky bark, climbing vines, fruiting bushes; it was as if I was in a garden.
Refusing to fully awaken just yet I curled further beneath the covers. Burying my face into the pillow and letting the smell of washed linen take over I burrowed under the thick, heavy blankets and felt the silky sheets slide across my skin. It was so warm and cozy in my little nest.
Smiling to myself I rolled over contentedly and found I was not alone in the bed. The bar, muscular back of a man moved softly with each breath inches from my face. I gently sat up, being careful no to wake him. The bed was much larger than any other I had seen and four posts arose from each corner, heavy crimson curtains hanging from them, tied back.
I took in the room, a large expanse of area, three of the four walls glass looking out into the magical garden. The early morning light softly streaming through vanilla clothes laid across the windows, the brute of the light being hidden by large trees whose branches reached high into the sky. At the foot of the bed an elegant breakfast table was filled with fresh fruits and pastries.
Everything was new and interesting to me, yet familiar and comforting. I felt as if I had been here before, many times, yet I couldn't remember any of them. Nor could I remember being anywhere else. Home. The word whispered across my mind. I was home.
From my left the young man stirred and I turned my attention back to him. Staring down at the back of his head I studied his slender shoulders, his ruffled brown hair, and the gages in his ear. With a relaxed moan he turned over and propped himself up on one arm.
"Good morning," he smiled up at me.
My heart skipped a beat and my mind clouded with confusion. As my brain tried to grasp at flickering ideas I heard that voice, that voice that made my blood pick up speed and rush to my cheeks, and looked in those blue eyes, those eyes that made it hard for me to breath.
"Did you sleep well," he asked and I glanced down shyly. Seeing what I was wearing I flushed again and pulled the covers up to hide the exposed skin the revealing nightgown did not. What would he think if he found me here, in his bed, dressed like this?
As I scrambled for something to say, for an explanation, he reached up, took my hand, and pulled me down, rolling on top of me. Even with the sheets between us I could still feel his body pressed against mine and my cheeks burned with a new heat.
Softly, I felt his lips touch mine and all thoughts I had scattered. Closing my eyes, I untangled my hands from the sheets and pulled my arms up to circle around his neck. Laying down beside me he lifted the sheets away from between us and pulled me against him.
"Why are you acting so strange," he asked innocently, nuzzling my hair. His chest was warm and his scent enveloped me.
"I just can't believe this is happening," I replied listening to his heart beat beneath me.
"Me neither," he responded and pulled me closer. "We'll finally tell everyone today. No more hiding, no more pretending."
I suddenly remembered we were going to announce our marriage to the world. I looked down at the ring encompassing my finger before placing my hand on his chest. I didn't want to think of any of that, of what people would say, of how they'd react.
"I love you."
The words were unexpected and my heart skipped hearing them. Pulling back I looked up at his face and saw only tenderness and care.
"Let's stay like this, just a little while longer," I whispered.
Smiling, he pulled my face down to his and we kissed slowly, with no hurry.

Hours later I awoke again. Harsh light welcomed me back to reality as I felt the hard floor underneath me and smelled the disgusting aroma of eggs. Reluctant to leave our secret garden I grasped at the few silky, spider-web tendrils of the dream and tried to fall back asleep.
The blankets were too hot, the sun too bright and at an annoying angle, and the flickering of the TV was too loud. I shifted back and forth, but quickly the dream began to slip from me, and all I was left with was the heart attack of what would never be.

Jessica and Gavin walked down the street, past shop windows and cars. Replaying what had happened earlier in her head, Jessica smiled to herself as she stole glances at the guy walking next to her. They were going to see a movie, just the two of them.
"Are you hungry," Gavin asked looking at her. She loved the way he walked with his hands in his pockets.
"A little," she replied.
"Should we get something to eat first then?"
"Sure," she smiled shyly.
"Gavin!" From down the street in front of them two girls turned from where they had been getting out of their car.
"Hey," he called back and headed towards them. Jessica knew them and felt twinge of jealously. They were much prettier than her and were good friends with Gavin.
"What are you two up to," one of girls asked batting her eyelashes.
"We're just heading to movie."
"Oh? We are too," the second girl beamed at him. "Maybe we should go together."
"Okay," Gavin smiled back at the two. "We were just going to get some dinner, you wanna come?"
Jessica glanced back and forth between the three of them.
"That sounds good," the first girl agreed, linking her arm through his. They started off before Gavin turned back towards Jessica. "Let's go."
"No," she said, "You go on, I'm just going to go home." She turned around and headed for her car, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Jessica," Gavin called after her. When she didn't stop he pulled away from the girl and jogged after her.
"Jessica," he said grabbing her wrist.
"Stop," she said pulling her arm away.
"What's wrong," he asked looking down at her.
"You said it was going to just be the two of us. You promised. I can't believe I actually thought you wanted to spend time with me. You know I somehow convinced myself that you missed me, that I actually meant anything to you. Just go."
She looked at him and spun around when she felt a tear slide down her face, running off.
"Jessica!"
She didn't stop, running down the street she dodged people coming out of shops, before ducking into a tunnel. Stopping she pressed a hand against the wall to steady herself, wiping the tears from her face. From behind her she heard footsteps and she turned to see Gavin jog around the corner.
"Jessica!"
"Go away," she said walking away.
Suddenly she felt a tight grip on her wrist and she was pulled around. She stared up him before looking away in embarrassment at the tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry," he said softly.
She looked back up at him, swallowing. Slowly he reached a hand up to her face and wiped his thumb across her cheek, cradling her face. She watched as he leaned down carefully. Gently, she closed her eyes and felt him press his lips against hers. Letting go of her hand, he held her face in both hands.
As he pulled away he looked down at her before pulling her against him. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her ear to chest and hearing his heart beat.
"I'm sorry, " he whispered brushing her hair back.
"I'm sorry."

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"Do you think she's ok?"
"Maybe we should move her..."
"Idiot, your not supposed to move burn victims."
The voices drifted towards Alyssa through her fog of consciousness. She tried to think back on what had happened, but all she could concentrate on was the conversation above her.
"Bring some water!"
"But she might drown..."
"Perhaps she already has."
She opened her eyes just barely and soft, spring light illuminated the concerned faces above her. A group of young girls stood around her, they looked to be about fifteen or so. From somewhere behind the group to her left someone pushed her way to the front. "Stand back," she cried thrusting the two closest girls from her path, like parting the waters of a sea. "I shall perform CPR!"
"Oh please don't," came a voice to her right, the words conveying an annoyance and Alyssa had a feeling that this was reference to a previous event. Not wanting to reenact what happened, she pushed through the wall of grogginess and sat up. Instantly everything started wobbling and her head throbbed. Laying a hand gently against it she felt a slight lump.
"Ow..."
A small gasp went through the crowd and everyone took a step back and leaned in the dramatic way. Looking up she found them huddled together in groups of twos and threes leaning in that absurd way and looking at her like she was diseased. To her side, the girl who had offered to perform CPR still had her arms thrown wide and pressed against the girls behind her.
Taking in her surroundings she wondered how hard she'd hit her head. The younger ones all wore dresses in gorgeous spring colors, the bells of the skirts falling into petals, the tops all green. The look like upside down flowers. The other girl, who she now discovered looked about her age, if not older, was wearing one of those princess gowns, all sparkle and tulle. The sleeves were huge, her makeup was bright and she had a crown and wand. She looks just like, "Glenda," Alyssa asked in confusion. Raising an eyebrow the girl looked down at her with a dubious look.
"The child's completely mad! Take cover!!"
With that all the others exploded into action. They scrambled and crawled over one another and dived, yes literally dived, into the dirt along the yellow bricked walls and turned into flowers. As the last few took shelter, Glenda ran back and forth in panic, obviously not possessing the ability of the others. Looking back at Alyssa she suddenly dropped and disappeared into the layers of her skirt.
As Alyssa got up, the cover of pink sparkles slowly began to deflate and she walked over to the girl. "Glenda," she asked again as the skirt came to rest on the ground and showed the girl sitting nonchalantly on the ground not looking at her. "That's not my name," she said in a matter of fact way looking at up at Alyssa. Not-Glenda had the same blonde hair as Alyssa, except in wavy curls much longer than her own, and the same just-blue eyes.
"Well then, what is it?"
"Giselle."
"Giselle?"
She thought back on the new Disney fairy-tale. Battle of the Puffy Sleeves. In a time when leg 'o' mutton ruled the land. Her inner monologue taking on the deep announcer voice she was fond of. She could see the trailer poster now: Glenda and Giselle angled towards each other, arms crossed, sleeves taking up half the page. It would be great.
"... set the goat free. And that's how babies are made." Alyssa tuned back in as Giselle finished talking and brushed her dress off.
"What?"
"So where did you come from?"
"Huh?"
"Incompetent are we? Where- did you- COME- from..." Alyssa stared at her as Giselle flailed her hands about and exaggerated her words. "Hmm, perhaps you speak Spanish. "¿Dónde pusiste la cabra que paganos porcina?"
"School, I was at school," she replied deciding whatever she had just heard wasn't quite right.
"Well how'dja get here?"
"I'm not exactly sure... What is this place?"
"'This place' exactly or 'this place' in general?"
"Overall."
"Pimpland."
Alyssa did a double take and looked back at Giselle. Her outfit didn't exactly scream prostitute, but maybe that was the point. "Are you serious?"
"Haha, no," Giselle burst out laughing. "But wouldn't that be odd? Welcome to Pimpland, where everyone's a hoe. No, you're in Charleston." Alyssa looked at her again thinking she was kidding. Giselle saw the look. "Like a Charleston Chew," she said walking away towards a group of flowers. She poked a pair of orange Asiatic lilies with her foot, she wasn't wearing any shoes.
"Get up, what if she had tried to KILL me?!"
From around the garden the flowers seemed to stretch and twist and bend until they were once again the concerned girls that had stood over her, well not so concerned anymore.
"I'm pretty sure that skirt decoy threw her off," one Asiatic lily said walking past Giselle and towards Alyssa. The other, similar flower, swept her brown hair behind her shoulders before uttering, "Ingenious," in a rather mocking way and following the first girl.
"Hmm," the first one said as she approached Alyssa and raised one side of her skirt and felt the fabric between her fingers. "Her petals seem to be wilting, despite the vibrancy of their coloring." The other circled around behind Alyssa, glancing her up and down, and picked up a strand of her hair. "Roots appear to be slightly disheveled as well. Are you getting proper nutrients?" They continued inspecting her, one grabbing her hand and inspecting the fingers, tsking at the ripped cuticles. "She's in poor condition," she said stepping back and standing next to her sister, both with crossed arms and identical curious expressions. "Let's see your carpel." Alyssa took a step back, her eyebrows furrowing, she'd been through biology.
"Leave her alone you two," Giselle said stepping forward from where she had been watching.
"So... Girl-"
"That's not my name."
"Then we're even."
"It's Alyssa."
"Well, Alice-A! How do you propose you're way back?"
"Huh," she asked not so sure she followed.
"How do you intend to get home? Spanish again? Me gusta el gata en mi-"
"I got it. Don't you have some ruby slippers or something?"
"What are you on about," she asked as she walked through a doorway in one of the walls. Alyssa hurried to follow.
"Well in the Wizard of Oz Glenda, the Good Witch of the North, gives Dorothy a pair of ruby slippers, and she clicks her heels together and says, 'There's no place like home.'"
"Are you Dorothy," Giselle asked.
"Well no, but-"
"And am I Glenda?"
"No, but-"
Suddenly Giselle stopped and grabbed Alyssa by the shoulders shaking her as if she were asleep. "Pull yourself together man! You're spewing pure nonsense all over the place!" Grabbing her by the face she inspected Alyssa's eyes. "How much of the Mushroom did you eat?"
"Stop," she cried pulling away from Giselle. "I was just putting it out there."
"And that's how you get arrested," Giselle responded matter-of-factly walking off again.
Alyssa thought about that for a second and decided that this wasn't a very kid friendly place. Catching up to the other she heard her say, "So, you have a question, which means you must find the answer."
"Yeah..."
"You'll want to find the Tweedles."
"Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum," Alyssa asked as they entered another open area of, what she now realized, was the maze.
"Precisely."
In this wide expanse stood a glass house, and as they entered the building she looked up to see a sign that read 'Nursery' in long scrawly letters. Inside more of the Flower Girls bustled around the room watering and feeding the various children. New born babies cradled in leaves slumbered as the stems they laid upon swayed slowly back and forth. Older babies bounced in there cribs made from a tree, the branches above creating a mobile of fruits above them. As they walked down an aisle a little girl that had been playing with make shift dolls grunted and raced towards Giselle. Watching her pick the child up and cuddle her close a thought occurred to Alyssa.
"Were are all the boys?"
"There are none," Giselle responded making faces at the baby.
"Then how did you... ya know, have so many babies?"
Giselle handed the baby off to a passing nanny and they continued walking through the rest of the nursery. "I already told."
"What? You mean about the goat?"
"Well, the goat's only part of it. It's a very complicated process."
They came to the end of their, what could be called, tour and pushed out the door opposite of where they had entered. They strolled past kids playing on a playground make of the surrounding forest.
"And you rub them together, really hard, creating friction ya know?" But Alyssa lost track of what Giselle was saying because as they came out of the three or four rows of trees they stepped into a stunning throne room. The sun streamed through hundred feet windows and the walls were lined with plants. Climbing the three steps to the top of the dais Giselle sat down in a plush chair, sparkly pink to match her dress. With a wave of her silver wand a table appeared, maps and papers scattered across it. From behind her Alyssa heard a scrape across the stone floor and was whisked off her feet by a chair rushing up behind her. As it came to a sudden stop at the table she looked down to find a large map, several pictures, one of which Alyssa identified as a jabberwock, and stack of some foreign money.
"This isn't going to be easy," Giselle said with an amused grin that she sent across the table.
"I was afraid of that."
"That's not the worst thing to fear here in Charleston."

Sunddenly the sky brightened and light beat down at them from a strange angle. Looking up Alissa and Dory saw night and day battling for possession of the heavens.

"The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright --
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night."

The ominous hushed voice drifted through the smoky air. Twee had a peculiar look on her face and glanced between the two girls. Doll and Layo jumped, spinning around to face the identical peculiar look of Dee as she uttered another verse.

"The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done --
'It's very rude of him,' she said,
'To come and spoil the fun!'"

Wyatt looked back at the Tweedles in panic, Doll and Layo held on to each other tightier in horror, and Sylvia rose quickly to her feet. "You mean an Eclipse?!" The laughter was their only response as the figures disappeared into the smoke that twirled away in the harsh wind, the fire being whipped out. They were left in darkness except for the strange light that filtered through the trees. From somewhere not so far off the screech of a newly risen monster vibrated through the air, and all their heads snapped towards it. Dory heard the audible gulp of the two girls standing next to her and Alissa reached out to take Sylvia's hand. "Jabberwocks."