Through the Looking Glass

INT. LYLA'S ROOM - NIGHT

The room is filled with soft light from a desk lamp. Books, notebooks, and a half-eaten plate of cookies sit on the desk. LYLA, 13, sits cross-legged on her bed, staring at a book titled "The Key to Wonderland." Her eyes are wide, as if she's just read something unbelievable.

LYLA

(whispering)

This can’t be real…

She flips through the pages and suddenly stops at a large, folded piece of paper. It's a map, with an intricate maze-like design, glowing faintly in the dim light.

LYLA

(squinting)

No way…

She quickly scribbles down the date in her journal: June 22, 2025 - The Portal Opens.

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT

A dense, almost dreamlike forest. The trees are impossibly tall, their branches woven like intricate lacework. Strange lights flicker in the distance, and the air seems to hum with magic.

LYLA

(nervous, determined)

This is it.

She tucks the map into her jacket pocket and begins to walk deeper into the forest, her boots crunching against the thick layer of moss. The moonlight above flickers in odd patterns, as if the sky itself is playing tricks.

Suddenly, STARFIRE, her horse, appears from the shadows. She’s shimmering in the moonlight, her mane flowing like liquid silver.

LYLA

(grinning)

Starfire, you came! I knew you would.

Starfire lowers her head, snorting in approval. As Lyla approaches, she notices the swirling hole in the middle of a large oak tree—just like the map showed. The tree itself seems to be pulsating with magic, breathing in and out as though it were alive.

LYLA

(softly)

This is it... this is the way.

INT. WORMHOLE - NIGHT

Lyla steps forward, and as soon as her foot touches the hole, everything around her warps. The world spins in colors she’s never seen before, and the air smells of rain and honey. It’s like being sucked through a dream, but in a strange, dizzying way that both excites and terrifies her.

She tumbles through, twisting and turning, the scenery constantly shifting—clouds turn into trees, grass turns into rivers, and the very sky above her shifts from daylight to twilight in a heartbeat. The feeling is disorienting, but she grits her teeth, determined.

A WIND suddenly pulls her from below. Her feet lift off the ground, and she's swept into a surreal whirlwind, her body suspended in the air for what feels like forever. As the wind dies down, she crashes softly onto velvety grass, landing with a small thud.

EXT. WONDERLAND - NIGHT

She stands up and brushes herself off. The air here smells of wild roses and stardust. There’s no moon in the sky, but a million stars glitter above her in wild constellations.

Lyla looks around and gasps.

Everything is unfamiliar, yet it feels like home. Strange creatures peek out from behind trees, a TALKING FLORAL CREATURE approaches, its petals shimmering in the dark, and in the distance, a BIG, ROUND, CLOCK TOWER ticks in reverse.

A RABBIT, wearing a waistcoat, scurries past her. It pauses for a moment, its eyes meeting hers.

RABBIT

You’re late, you know.

LYLA

(stunned)

Late? I’m… I’m here. You’re real?

RABBIT

(impatient)

Of course, I’m real. You think this is a dream? Hardly. This is Wonderland, dear girl.

The Rabbit twitches its nose, then scurries off. Lyla looks around, eyes wide, her heart racing with excitement and curiosity.

INT. WONDERLAND STABLES - NIGHT

Lyla follows the rabbit's direction, crossing the whimsical landscape until she reaches a stable. The structure is taller than it should be, with horses tied to glowing posts. Some of them seem to have wings, while others are made of mist.

Suddenly, she hears a voice behind her.

TALKING HORSE

(dramatic)

Ah, so you’re the one they’ve been waiting for, huh?

Lyla turns to see STARFIRE, her horse, walking up behind her, her coat shimmering under the starlight.

LYLA

(astonished)

Starfire?! You’re—?

STARFIRE

(interrupting)

Yes, yes, I know. It’s strange, but I’m not the only one like this. This world… it changes us.

A strange feeling of power surges through Lyla as she looks around, the animals, the trees, the entire Wonderland—everything seems alive.

LYLA

(focused)

But why am I here? What do I need to do?

INT. CHESHIRE CAT’S TREEHOUSE - NIGHT

CHESHIRE CAT, with his ever-present smile, lounges atop a massive tree, balancing on a branch. The trees here bend and twist in impossible shapes.

CHESHIRE CAT

(playful)

Oh, didn’t anyone tell you? You’ve got a mission, dear girl. A very important one, indeed. But it’s up to you whether you succeed or fail.

LYLA

(seriously)

I’m ready. Tell me what I need to do.

CHESHIRE CAT

(smiling wider)

Not so fast. You must solve the riddle of the Looking Glass first. If you can’t figure that out, the rest will make no sense.

Lyla squints, following the cat’s gaze toward a glowing mirror near the base of the tree. The reflection in the mirror is not her own. It shows images of her past, moments of doubt and regret.

INT. THE LOOKING GLASS - NIGHT

Lyla steps toward the mirror, the edges of her reflection distorting. The whispers of doubt swirl in the air.

WHISPERS

You’re not enough… You’ll never be enough…

Lyla shakes her head, trying to clear the voices from her mind.

LYLA

No. I am enough.

She reaches out to touch the mirror, and as her fingers make contact, a rush of energy surges through her. The mirror shatters into thousands of pieces, each shard reflecting a different part of her journey.

EXT. WONDERLAND - NIGHT

As the last piece of glass falls, Lyla finds herself standing in front of the Queen of Hearts’ Castle, its twisted turrets looming over her. She knows the challenge ahead will test her, but now, she’s ready. Her heart beats steady with newfound strength.

A familiar voice calls out to her from the shadows.

UNCLE GENE

(cheerfully)

I see you’ve made it after all, Lyla.

She turns to see UNCLE GENE, dressed in his eccentric workshop clothes, standing in the shadows, smiling knowingly.

LYLA

(smiling)

It’s all real. It’s all possible.

UNCLE GENE

(grinning)

Of course it is. You just had to believe.

TO BE CONTINUED...