Chapter Four- 'The Trial'

Mr. Blonde Guy cleared his throat and looked between the tw females before looking straight ahead of him.

"The Queen of Hearts, bought cupcakes,

All on a summer's night.

Then some tart, ate cupcakes,

And fled the scene in fright."

"What?" asked Alysse turning to look at him, "that is not what happened at all. I wasn't scared, I was chasing you because I wanted to yell-"

"Silence," said the Queen. Alysse glared at her but closed her mouth.

"How do you plead?" asked Mr. Blonde Guy smirking towards Alysse.

"Innocent," said Alysse glaring.

"Call the first witness," said the Queen.

"Calling the first witness," said Mr. Blonde Guy. There was a pause as the carousel did one complete round before Alysse jumped as a loud shout came from the horse next to her. There was the Hatter yelling with joy and behind him was the March Hair and on his back was a sleeping BoreMouse.

"Faster, faster!" shouted Hatter.

"Stop that," said the Queen of Hearts.

"Girl, chill," responded Hatter before looking towards March Hair and rolling his eyes.

"Do you know this girl?" asked Mr Blonde Guy pointing towards Alysse. Hatter looked at her before getting off his horse and walking over to her. He circled the horse she was on, sniffed her hair, before turning to face March Hair.

"I'm hungry," he declared.

"Do you know her?"

"Don't know. Where is the nearest taco place, I've got a case of the munchies," said Hatter before walking over to March Hair and leaning on his horse.

"She did it!" suddenly shouted the boy jumping up and pointing at Alysse. Everyone jumped and from his outburst BoreMouse almost fell off of the horse and March Hair's back. Everyone's attention was on him while Alysse looked up in a desperate plea to a deity she didn't believe in to do something. That's when she saw Cheshire there laying on the carousel's supports. He grinned and gave her a little wave.

"What is going on?" she asked him with a whisper.

"A trial, of course," he said.

"I get that, but for what, and why, can't you just show me to the beach like you said you would so I can collect my things to go home?" she asked.

"Well, did you take a cupcake?"

"Yes I did, but it was because-" she started but was cut off by a clearing of a throat. She turned and saw that everyone else was now looking at her, arms all crossed and none of them were sitting on horses except for her.

"Who are you talking to?" asked the Queen.

"Um…Cheshire," she said pointing up. They all looked up and saw no one there.

"So you admit you took a cupcake?" asked Mr Blonde Guy.

"Yes, because my stomach was disagreeing with me and really needed some food in it. It is okay because I work at the bakery where you got those, just come in, ask for me and I can get youa whole box on the house."

"Did you drink something?" asked Hatter.

"What? Oh, yeah, someone wrote me a note to drink something from this bottle," she explained.

"How do you know the note was for you?" asked the Queen of Hearts who was now just staring at her with wide eyes.

"I heard someone write it, and it was written in a very hasty manner," she said not sure what these people were getting at.

"How do you know Boremouse didn't write it?" asked March Hair.

"He doesn't have the best handwriting," said Mr Blonde Guy.

"Do you often go around drinking out a strange bottles?" asked Hatter.

"What if is poison?" asked March Hair.

"Or worse," muttered Boremouse in his sleep. They were slowly getting closer to her.

"It is too late," said a voice in her ear. She turned and saw Cheshire right next to her, but he then moved to stand with the other before her.

"Look!" shouted Alysse standing up her horse so she was towering over everyone else, "I was just trying to teach you some manners when I fell ill. And I shouldn't have to explain myself to you, I'll make amends for eating your cupcake but it doesn't deserve this attack. Now I am going to go back to my beach collect my things and go home, and none of you shall follow me, or interact with me from here on out. You are all very strange and seriously need some help in how to deal with others. Good day," she said and got off the horse and walked out onto the Boardwalk where the sun was just coming up. She heard and flutter of fabric and a chorus of laughter as she was blinded by the sun. The laughter soon died down and the only thing that remained was someone calling her name.

Alysse blinked before fully opening her eyes to be greeted by the sight of her sister leaning over her. She sat up and looked around her to see she was on her beach, the sun was just setting, and her skin burned.

"Finally, I was wondering where you were. And what did I tell you about falling asleep on the beach, now you're all burned. Did you even use sunscreen?" babbled Loren. Alysse just slowly got up off the towel and her sister started folding it up as Alysse collected her book and sandals in one hand.

"I had the strangest dream," said Alysse holding her head and looking at her sister as they started to head back.

"Well that dream kept you entered long enough for the sun to make you extra crispy. I have work so you're going to have put the aloe on yourself but I will help you when I get home. I will also inform your bosses and see if you can get some time off, not sure what to do when your skin starts peeling-" Loren continued on. Alysse, having grown up with her, was able to tune her out as she turned and looked towards the cave as the sun finally dipped all the way below the horizon.

She heard motorcycles then revving from that direction as she turned to face the way they were going. Once back at the Boardwalk Loren helped Alysse up the steps and that is when she looked over to the railings and that is when she saw them. Mr Blond Guy was watching the Queen of Hearts as she talked to Boremouse, Hatter and March Hair were sharing some fries, and staring right at her, a large grin planted on his face, was Cheshire, or whoever they really were.

"Put your shoes on now Alysse," said Loren. She quickly did as they stopped by the group of dream invaders. They all turned to look at the sisters.

"Hey girl, want to do a lobster quadrille with me?" said the one with long blonde hair once known as Hatter.

"Yes, ha ha, I have a sunburn," she commented before following after her sister into the crowds.

She could still feel all of their eyes on her back as she walked away, but a dream is a dream, it isn't real, she doesn't know them, because really in her dream she didn't.

David tossed his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with his boot, a smirk on his face as they watched the girl walk away. She would be back, they always were.

"Let's go boys," he said.

Alysse still couldn't help to glance back at the somewhat strangers only to see they were no longer there. She heard the motorcycles off in the distance and soon it was taken over by the sound of the Boardwalk.

"Curious," muttered Alysse before catching up to her sister.

The end.

…

A/n: Got a little bit of writer's block there at the end and how exactly I wanted to conclude this story but I had some inspiration yesterday. I spent the entire day at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and last night got to watch The Lost Boys on the beach, it was probably one of the coolest things ever. Usually when I go to Santa Cruz it is to go sailing, my mum's a captain, so this was different since I had only been to the Boardwalk three times before.

There will be a sequel called "Through the Looking Glass" but it will be more Lost Boys centric with mentions of Alice in Wonderland as opposed to this story. So keep an eye out for that, hopefully out soon.

Thank you all for reading.

-Charlotte