The bricks of the path appeared to be made of stone, but when stepped on they felt soft. While strange, it was surprisingly relaxing to walk on – letting me have a little fun to cut through the stress as I would bounce with each step. The main thing that I didn’t care for – aside from the entire situation of course –was that the bouncing made my unwanted skirt flow up and down with each step. I didn’t like being exposed like even though there was no one around, so I forced myself to throw away fun for my own personal comfort – an act that I was more than used to doing. The path twisted in ways that were completely unnecessary, not dodging anything or even really changing directions but instead actually twisting up and down and wriggling in shape for no visible reason as if constructed by a drunken individual suffering from a spell of vertigo. As I walked, I slowly realised that the shrubbery was changing hue with each bush much like a printer was running low on ink. Once they were almost white, they faded to another shape and colour entirely. I wasn’t really sure if they were planted to be like that, or if it was something that could occur naturally in this strange world.

There was soon faint music that could be heard in the distance. It sounded almost like polka at the circus, except with more classical instruments, and it didn’t sound like it was blaring so I figured that I must have been close to the source - although it also didn’t sound like something I was going to enjoy having to listen to. Soon coming to a downwards hill, there was a clearing. The grass was neatly mowed into dark and light checks, and in the middle of the field was a large, rectangular table. It looked like a party with cakes and decorations, but there were only around two figures from what I could see – this made me think that the party was only just starting, so I had time to hurry down and ask some questions before being too much trouble as more guests arrived. I pressed my skirt down with my hands and jogged down the hill, having to remind myself that I wasn’t wearing shoes despite the fact that I was more than used to running barefoot in grass – but like my mum would always tell me, ‘it’s only safe at home because you know what’s on the ground’ – You never know when a junkie has visited the area. As I reached the table, I saw how beautiful it was. It was so long, but the ornate white and gold tablecloth still managed to cover the entire thing. There were at least 30 seats, each with beautifully carved chairs and full tea sets that matched the cloth. The cakes and treats looked almost fake with how decorated they were, but they still looked so sweet and enticing – and yet, with the abundance of seats and food, the two people were sitting spaced out and acting as if the party had started.

I approached the man sitting at the head at the table and opened my mouth only to have the man stand up. “My, what a tiny little mouse! Are you here for the party? Come! Sit down!” He was intimidatingly tall with long limbs and a spindly frame, his bones seeming to be longer than they should be. His clothes looked to be too big, but were also stiff and hung around his body as opposed to off it; there was almost something cartoonish about him, and his demeanour was borderline Shakespearian. I was surprised by how outgoing he was – but I was even more surprised when he told me off for doing as I was told. “No no! Not there, that’s reserved!” He picked me up by the shoulder after I had sat down, startling me with the sudden touch before he quickly let go – my tiny, shrunk body seemed to weigh nothing to him despite the fact that I was around the size of a small child. With a confused look, he glanced down the table before shaking his head, suddenly sullen “All seats are reserved. Looks like there’s no room…” The man seemed upset that a stranger wasn’t able to join his party, which was a little odd for a man his age. He was unusual, but given the context, I figured maybe he was normal for this place.

“Uh, it’s okay I don’t have to sit-”

“That’s right!” He was suddenly perky again “You’re so small, you can just stand up here!” Picking me up once more, he sat me down on top the table like a little kid. I was almost dazed for a second, not sure how to react to being treated as if I was a weightless bag of chips, but I soon got back to my senses and shook the strange hands off my body. Despite wanting to put him in his place out of my hatred of being touched by strangers, I had to stop myself – I needed this man’s help, and being what he may perceive as rude might risk the outcome I need. Keeping my hands on my skirt, I took a few steps back from the edge of the table. It just felt wrong to be a fully grown dude just standing on a table, not to mention that the man at the head of the table still managed to tower over me. God, he must have been almost 7 feet tall, or that’s what he looked like from my current size. It’s jarring to try and gauge size when you’re no longer sure of your own.

“Uh, yes, thank you. Um-” I felt as if I had been put on a stage, all members of the party staring at me. The first man was a textbook ginger with the red hair, freckles, and a single soulless eye. Now I don’t mean that he had one eye, but rather one of his eyes just lacked life, shrouded in the shadows of his pin-filled top hat without even a hint of a reflection or shine. To his left was a much rougher looking man covered in scars and several patchy skin tones. He was a rabbit-like White, except darker and much less delicate in appearance – his eyes unfocused and his large teeth chipped and sharp. As rough as he looked, in his lap was a very gentle looking child who seemed to be quite tired. Large mouse-like ears protruded from their curly hair. Even the child seemed to be bigger than me in both length and width, and it was extremely intimidating for someone the size of an abandoned cloth clown doll at a thrift store.

“Uuuh—“

“Ya got somethin’ ta say, luv?” The stitched man’s voice was much deeper than I expected, coming out as almost aggressive sounding despite no visual signs of hostility coming from him. I shifted, suddenly conscious of my stretched clothes

“Um, I’m looking for uh, a rabbit known as but not formally named White. He broke into my farm and threw me into a hole and he has white hair and big glasses-”

“An’ red eyes?” The rabbit butted in and I nodded enthusiastically “Yes! Do you know him?” The man then shook his head, one ear standing up straight while the other just flapped around as he moved.

“Nah I ain’t never seen ‘im”

I scratched my head – how did he know he had red eyes if he hadn’t seen him? Maybe he was just familiar with the concept of albinism. As I stood confused and cold, the child spoke up.

“I know him! He’s the shy boy who tells people important things and runs around a lot and is usually really sweaty. I saw him when I got in trouble…” Their voice went from excited to tired almost as if they lost energy mid-sentence. However, despite this, I had to press the matter. It’s socially acceptable for a child to sleep wherever and whenever they please; however, it’s not socially acceptable for a me to run around with a stretched singlet and no pants.

“Do you know where he is? He brought me here through a rabbit hole and was meant to take me to someone called the Red Majesty, or the Red Queen I think, I feel like that’s the same person, and he-”

“Oh no sweetheart did he use the burrow by the rose bushes? That one’s always faulty when it comes to too many people in the hole! People get lost! Separated! Taken off course! Oh so very rude and inconvenient. You must have fallen here by mistake” The tall man spoke while drinking out of a comically small teacup, not caring that he was dribbling – or maybe not noticing. His clothes repelled the liquid as if they were made of plastic. I stepped away from him, not wanted to get splashed, but the tea soaked into the table cloth without even leaving a stain or a wet patch. While everything about everything was unusual, hearing a proper explanation as to why I couldn’t find White calmed my fractured nerves, allowing me to think a little clearer – I guess I was meant to be taken to the Red Majesty right away but got lost during the hellish portal trip. Making my way closer to the stitched rabbit and his… his child? I kneeled down to pry further answers from that tired little mouse.

“I’m so sorry to bother you when you’re so sleepy, but I need to get back to my friend White. I’m not from around here-“

The small mouse listened, little leathery nose twitching with curiosity, but the rabbit was the one who spoke and leaned in with a crooked and oddly wide smile. “We know you ain’t from here luv, you smell too fresh!” I leaned back, staring at him with unblinking and highly judging eyes. He showed no signs of seeing that the comment was inappropriate, but he also showed no signs of perversion or ill intention.

“You smell weird…” The mouse piped up with his tired voice, peaking at me from over the edge of the table. Now, the grown man mentioning my scent was one thing, but the child also picking up on it? That made me feel just a little self-conscious. I lifted my arm and tried to discretely sniff, the covert action immediately being picked up by everyone in the area.