The Scent of Magic

The Scent of Magic

A cool breeze wafted through the trees carrying pockets of pheromone laced air and the white rabbit ears twitched as he turned his head toward the wind. He sniffed at it rhythmically drawing in the different scents and smells around him. There was a strange smell he did not recognize. Slowly he hopped from behind the bushes.

“Damn, costly moments lost in suspicious contemplation have made me late and lives will be terminated when I am late. I can hear the queen’s voice now ringing with power and savagery, Off with their heads. It’s the summer equinox and this day is longer here, this realm of Earthen simplicity. So, contrast to my home land what I call the Land of Wonder. Some have called it Wonderland. To each their own, I guess. Oh well whats the time?”

Vigorously I grab at my golden pocket watch and gasp at how late it is. 

      “Time favors no one and flees from us all the same, I guess. I ignore the zig zag dash that most rabbits use for fear of predatorial beasts and with renewed haste I dash straight toward the rabbit hole leading back home.”

 That strange scent filled his nostrils.

       Precious seconds tick by like the sweat fleeting from my face. Time runs different in the Land of Wonder. I hear a girl’s voice cry out wait little rabbit, wait for me. It is her that the stange smell is emanating from. I ignore it and dive head first into the hole before the last rays of gold kiss the ground. Lives are at stake after all. No time to talk to time to dilly dally.  Time is a selfish bastard or thief stealing precious moments away from all of us. It demands respect and cannot be bribed or persuaded. I slide down against the slanting dirt wall bits of debris fling into my face time ticks in my ear the thud of a strange girl echoes behind me as she pursuers me. I’ve never felt more alive. My heart hammers in my chest and wind rushes through my fur lashing at me as gravity and duty pull me faster and faster down into the dark abyss below. The walls disappear and the space opens up. A faint light twinkles far away as I plummet. I curve my ears into twin parachutes catching the rising currents and momentarily my hurling progress stops. I slow to more of a swim than a plunging meteorite. I land with a thump but jump forward and pump my feet harder than ever. I hear pleas and cries behind me as a loud crashing occurs. Did I mention lives are at stake? Maybe even mine. I can not look back I can’t waste seconds on good deeds no matter how noble they may be the queen will never understand she will never care. It won’t matter. I’m late, I’m late for a very important date.  The trial will begin any moment, damn my stupid curiosity and that intoxicating smell.”

Once again with a trembling paw I raise my golden pocket watch and hear the chain rattle as I dare to glance at the inevitable.

A kind voice shouts at me. “Oh, please wait. Where am I? How do I get out of here? Come back please.”

“Oh my, I’m late, I’m late for a very important date. “I cry out

I do this to let her know her cries have not fallen non deaf ears or an unkind uncaring heart but to emphasize that there is a more pressing more urgent matter at hand. I also cry out so that maybe this fool girl can follow the direction of my voice. It’s the least I can do. Lives are at stake after all.

A twinge in my tummy twists and tightens but I refuse to falter in my mission.

I shove a key into a tiny lock and thrust my shoulder at the door the moment I hear it click.

Tick tick, tick, tock echos in the tunnel matching my heartbeat. I dodge out of the way as a platter slams into the wall just above my head showering my with bits of porcelain.

“Have some cake won’t you rabbit. Do stay for tea.” He urges

I spare a glance at his massive green top hat and patchwork suit of horrible crooked stitching. His eyes catch mine momentarily and there in the depths of his lies a madness that chills me to my core. His smile doesn’t touch his eyes, but seems to feed his sickness. The mask of jolliness and clumsy buffoonery can’t hide the smell emanating from him. He smells like a predator. I am a rabbit with primal heightened fear glands embedded into my dna and as such am bred to fear all predators. The pheromones leaking from him scared me more than a wolf or fox or even the queen herself for they don’t hide their nature. It’s the deceptive ones that send chills down my spine. Adrenlelien burns through me spiking my heart to a dangerous flutter of flight mode. I run faster than I have ever ran. A cup nearly misses me as it slams into a tree that I just passed. Jumping and running faster and faster makes me suck in ragged gulps of air. Purple and green smoke flood my nostrils as I flee a massive caterpillar blowing puffs of different colored smoke in all directions. 

           “Where are you headed to my trembling little friend?” He says in a low deep voice

“I’m late, I’m late for a very important date. The queen will be so mad.” I gasp

I don’t stop and wait for his reply, but it sounded like he said “No one can escape their destiny no matter how fast they run. “   

Without thinking I took out my watch and glanced down at it. I knew I shouldn’t have. My throat grew tighter and I could barley swallow. It was getting harder to breath. I don’t know if it was the caterpillars words or just sheer exhaustion but I allowed myself to slow down and stop for a minute under the shade of a giant daffodil. Pulling one of the leaves towards my mouth allowed the dew to gather together and flow into my mouth. I swallowed so grateful for the quenching water and smiled as it cooled my insides.

I heard a girls laugh coming from the direction of the mad hatter. In a bolt of panic I dashed toward the castle. A floating tail blocked my path, but I had no time for the likes of a Chessire cat. I pooled all my strength and jumped high over it.

“Impressive feat for such a cowardly little creature.” It purred

“Says the one invisible to the outside world. Keep hiding and judging but I’m late for a very important date. “I quipped

The road widened and the castle loomed in the distance.

I could see the formation of guards marching and I knew I was almost there.

Part of me wanted to turn around and go help the stupid girl that followed me down the rabbit hole, but that wasn’t my fault. No matter what reasons or excuses I told myself It didn’t stop the gnawing inside my stomach to stop. The smell of fresh paint and fresh cut grass washed over me. I didn’t have time to wonder where the paint came from. Splashes of crimson speckled the path in front of me while two jack of cards haphazardly slapped paint on the white roses. All I could do was shaking my head in disbelief. What fools these clueless cards must be. 

I darted up the stairs in time to see two huge and abnormally wide humans enter the room. In one fluid motion I jerked the horn to my mouth and blew several times.

“Here ye, Here ye, Here comes the Royal Queen of Hearts. All rise. “

The pounding of my heart almost drown out my words but I yelled them just the same.

I didn’t bother announcing the king but he is such as dunce it won’t matter.

The court preceedings went as normal with me guiding the king to every procedure and every little thing. I didn’t personally give a flip who ate the queens tarts, but apparently it was a matter of grave royal importance.”

A girl wandered into the court room and interrupted the trial. Her flowing golden hair and youthful slender face captivated everyone’s attention. She was pretty as humans go. The queens face reddened. She was about to announce who she thought took the tarts and we all knew it was not the right person but for fear of our own necks we stayed silent. But not her. She spoke up for the innocent and the one that was to terrified to speak. She was lost looking for a way back home but she took time to stand up for an innocent life she didn’t even know. My mind came to a shocking baffling conclusion. Somethings are more important to spend time on and that’s the lives of others. She said her name was Alice and she was the only one to ever stand up to the queen.

The queens face got redder and redder but Alice didn’t back down.

Her act of bravery made me rethink everything. Time will no longer control me. I will live with purpose and help others so that the guilt of neglect will never sink its claws into me again. As I watched her grow in size and kick the cards that attacked her away effortlessly.

I heard the queen yell “Off with her head.”

Thank you Alice, your my hero. I said to her as she ran away.

 I will never die a thousand times a day to fear, but I will rise up and be a voice for those that are too afraid to speak or act. It’s time for me to stand up to the bullies of life.

Time you have no me hold on me. I release myself from the fear of time. I will do what I feel is right no matter what it costs.