The potion tasted like lemons as it went down my throat leaving a warming after taste. “Ready Alice!” Said the man in a white hoodie with floppy rabbit ears on the hood. He didn’t wait for a response. Grabbing my hand, he pulls me through an arch made of 2 intertwining arches deep in the woods. The night sky transforms into a pastel tie dye colored heaven with candy colored clouds that slowly pulsate, growing bigger and smaller in size. Tingles cover my body as I shrink in size till I’m surrounded by the ever growing grass on all sides, the strange rabbit man still next to me. 214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiAVIVjJ0y
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The flowers tower over us as we make our way through the garden, their intoxicating honey smooth melody filling the air around us. Bright petals of all colors and forms sprouting from the ground. Each flowers’ unique voices sing together as a poison orchestra. Their sweet entrancing perfume floods the atmosphere, beckoning me to come closer to the stalk. He grabs my hand. “Be careful, you can’t stay for long unless you want to end up like that miserable lot.” The rabbit man said, nudging his head to the scattered skeletons on the ground. Lost travelers, reduced to nothing but fertilizer.
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The ground is softer as we exit the garden and into the mushroom groove. Mushrooms of fluorescent colors growing wildly. “We’re almost there. Just a few steps closer.” The rabbit man says as we arrive to a clearing in the mushroom forest. A huge man with 6 arms and blue skin is covering his hookah with tin foil. The dull smell of charcoal smoke clouds the air.
“Who are you?” The man says, exhaling the words as light as smoke. His voice is gentler than I thought it would be.
“I’m Alice.”
“Not what I asked but whatever.” The man blew out the lavender smoke. “What is it you want... Alice” he said as his eyes looked me up and down with disgust written on his face.
“The man said you can help me see the world for what it is.” He looks over me again contemplating whether to speak again. He takes a long drag from his hookah.
“The smoke will cut through all illusions, allowing you to see the world clearly for what it is. But be careful… Alice… you might not like what you see.” The man says with a grin creeping up on his face. “That is unless you like what you see too much, then you’ll have a whole new set of problems.” The grin grew bigger across his face.
“I want to know the truth. I want to see behind the curtain.” I said. He offered me the hookah hose with a knowing look. The hose was heavier than I thought in my hands.
“Breath in deep and hold. The smoke will do the rest.” The grin left his face.
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The smoke was cooling on my throat. I expanded my chest to let the smoke fully enter my lungs and held my breath. I blew that smoke out. The world around me grew fuzzy and all I could see was rings of light radiating from everyone and thin strings of light crafted from rainbows that connected people together. My stomach felt warm while a tingling sensation creeped into my fingertips and toes. I couldn’t help but to smile.
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The rabbit man's face began to twist and turn into a frightening black spiral. My heartbeat spikes as a sinking feeling in my stomach grows. He walks closer. Dread builds in my stomach. Air rushing in and out of my lungs unable to catch my breath. Blood rushing fear builds in my heart with each footstep he takes closer to me. I’m able to feel him breathing as he looms over me. “What did you see?” He says with a grin.
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The muscles in my arms feel weak and loose. I try to move but I’m paralyzed from the smoke. My eyelids grow heavy. Gathering all my strength to keep them open.
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“I warned you… You can’t stay here for long.” The rabbit man whispers in my ear. I lose the fight with the smoke and my eyes shut, my world turning black.
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