#a;speaks

The woman had gotten out of work and changed into her usual sweater and jeans. The sleeves of course were much too long, but they hid the fact that she bit her nails and sometimes even the skin nearby. Scabs and scars littered her arms and hands; all were the effect of who she was. Alice’s hair was of course in the way and fluffy. She looked almost like an organized mess.

ninety-ninetyfive

Alice wasn’t really sure what she was doing here, out in public; she didn’t like it, especially since these were the times that the Mad Hatter or Cheshire cat chose to mess with her and have her cause a scene, yet here she was sitting on a park bench in the center of the most busiest area of the park. There was something nostalgic about this though. Perhaps it was the feeling of being in a park, a place she hadn’t bothered going to since before the fire that caused her family’s demise. 

It wasn't usual for Alice to go outside her house or the daycare, but necessity said she had to. She was running low on groceries and laundry detergent, so she decided to make a quick trip to the grocery store. As usual, her world was mixed together with reality, the Cheshire Cat appearing to give her riddles and taunts to try and get her to stray off her path. Years of this had numbed her to him and she focused on the task at hand. Once she had gotten what she needed she made her way back. The cat had lost interest in her and finally disappeared, leaving her to her own thoughts. She was waiting at a crosswalk when she noticed a small child beginning to cross as a string of cars were headed their way. It happened in slow motion as she dropped her bags and reached for the child, pulling him in to her right before the car made impact. Time began to move again and she uncurled herself to check the child. He began crying and instinctively Alice cooed and pet his hair. "Where's your parents young one?" She stood and noticed a male approaching her, and she assumed that he was the father. Immediately she turned inward to her shell at the thought of having to speak to another person, holding the child's hand and tilting her head down to her feet.