Page 8 of Escaping Wonderland

When those hands finally moved away, Alice felt bereft. Lonely. She wanted the hands back on her, massaging her scalp, brushing her hair, her face. Her skin tingled, and she longed for more attention.

“Lift your right foot,” the woman said.

Alice obeyed, keeping her eyes closed; she’d not been told to open them.

A moment later, the backs of the thin woman’s fingers brushed over Alice’s skin from foot to thigh as the woman pulled something onto Alice’s leg—it felt like a stocking. Alice caught her lower lip between her teeth; the feel of that stocking sliding on had beenexquisiteagainst her sensitive skin.

“Now the other,” said the woman.

They repeated the process, and within a few seconds, Alice had a stocking on her left leg, as well. Her smile widened. She brushed her palm over her knee, thrilling in the smooth feel of the stocking against her skin.

“Stand,” the woman instructed.

After reluctantly forcing her hand away from her leg, Alice stood up. She swayed like a blade of grass in the breeze, but didn’t feel off-balance, didn’t feel dizzy. There was nothing to worry over; she was free.

The woman deftly untied the fasteners on the back of the hospital gown. Alice spread her arms as the woman slid the garment off. Cool air caressed Alice’s suddenly bare skin, hardening her nipples and sending a thrill directly to her core.

The sound of metal hangers clacking together told Alice that the thin woman had moved to the wardrobe. Alice hummed to herself as she waited, keeping her hands still at her sides even though they itched to run over her own skin.

When the woman spoke again, she was in front of Alice. “This should do nicely, I think. I’ll help you get into it.”

The woman guided Alice’s feet up one at a time, slipping heeled shoes onto them, before pulling something up around Alice’s legs—it felt like a dress. The fabric brushed along Alice’s legs as the woman drew it higher. After helping Alice get her arms through the straps, the woman’s hands settled on Alice’s shoulders and turned her around. Within a few seconds, the woman had the dress’s bodice pulled tight and tied securely.

Alice parted her lips; the heat in her body was only increasing now that she was dressed, as though it were rebelling against being contained, against being restricted. She wobbled unsteadily on the heeled shoes.

The woman clasped something around Alice’s neck—it was snug, like a choker—and something looser around her wrist.

“Good! Good!” The woman took hold of Alice’s hands and tugged her along a few steps before moving to stand behind Alice. “Now…open your eyes!”

Alice opened her eyes. She was in front of the tall standing mirror, staring at an unfamiliar woman.

No, that’s not another woman. That’s my reflection.

She wore a sleeveless sky-blue dress with a black and white corset, its skirt hanging midway down her thighs, and black and white striped stockings. Her hair hung in gentle waves around her shoulders, framing a face both familiar and foreign. Her skin was as pale as porcelain, combining with her dark eyeliner and lengthened eyelashes to make her blue eyes stand out like cornflowers in a green meadow. The natural pink of her lips was enhanced by subtle lipstick, and soft blue and violet eyeshadow completed the look.

“Oh, he will adore you tomorrow!” the woman said. “Not that his attention is somethinganywoman should want.”

“Who?” Alice asked; her voice sounded far-off even to her own ears, as though it had come from another person entirely. Her brows lowered.

This…doesn’t feel right.Idon’t feel right.

“Why, the Red King, of course!” The thin woman giggled, settled her hands on Alice’s shoulders, and leaned forward until her masked face was beside Alice’s ear. “You’re perfect. You would’ve been the prettiest of the Hatter’s dollies if the king hadn’t set his eye on you. I suppose you can still be the prettiest, at least until the morning.”

The growing sense of dread in Alice’s gut battled the unnatural euphoria coursing through her veins as the thin woman stepped away.

“She’s ready!” the woman called.

Ready? Ready for what? I’m… No…this… What’swrongwith me?

Alice stared at her reflection with her brow creased. She lifted a hand to the choker, only then noticing the bracelet on her wrist. It had a little tag, just like the bottle they’d forced her to drink; this one saidEat Me.

Movement in the mirror caught Alice’s attention; the door swung open. Two men wearing black and white checkered suits and domino masks entered the room. They moved to either side of Alice and looped their arms through hers.

“Oh, do enjoy what time you’ll have with the Hatter at his party,” the woman said, waving.

The men turned and escorted Alice out of the room.

CHAPTER 3

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