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The blanket was empty when she returned with the pack of cards.
“Alice?” Lorina questioned, glancing around. There was no answer, and no sign of her sister. Miss Liddell gave a small huff of amusement.
“Come out, come out wherever you are!” She brightly called, moving into the wooded area to search. She found no trace of her.
Some other part of the garden, perhaps? She ran through the grounds, and saw no one.
Maybe she went inside! She bolted into their house, yelling her sister’s name. When it became abundantly clear that Alice wasn’t anywhere in or around their home, she tried to stay calm.
Perhaps she agreed to meet a friend, and forgot to tell me. Maybe she went into town to buy something. Maybe she went for a walk. Or maybe she’s studying at the library. Excuses filled the carriage that brought her to the police station. She recounted what had occurred, and between rapid breaths repeated how there was likely nothing wrong, this was just a misunderstanding, her sister was probably fine, had just gone somewhere but would certainly be back. Of course she would be back. Lorina combed through town by lantern-light, asking anyone and everyone if they had seen her, alleys and alcoves of ill-repute be damned. She ignored the ache in her feet and the numb chill in her hands until sunrise revealed that she had been out all night.
“Lorina.”
Her eyelids fluttered. That was Father’s voice. A hand clamped down hard on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.
“Get in the carriage. It’s time to come home.”
She stood firm as he tried to hold her back. She couldn’t. Not yet. Not until Alice was safe.
“Lorina please!” She turned at the sound of her youngest sister’s voice, and saw Edith’s red little face poking out of the carriage window, wet with tears. Distantly, she felt herself turn and shuffle into an empty seat. As the space around her began to rattle, she closed her eyes, seeking just a moment’s rest.
******
Miss Liddell awoke to gentle sunlight streaming through her window. As pieces of the nightmare knit themselves together, she jumped out of bed, and raced down the hall towards her sister’s room. Thank goodness. It was all a dream. Just an horrid, awful dream! She slammed Alice’s door open, and marched in to find her bed…empty. Footsteps slowly padded behind her. Lorina turned to see Edith’s crumpled expression, and suddenly felt her knees hit the floor.
Sobs tore their way out of her. Wails ricocheted off the walls. She could barely feel Edith pressed against her, trying to wrap her up in a hug.
What have I done? It’s all my fault. I was supposed to keep her SAFE.
*******
“Lorina?” There came a small tug at her sleeve.
Miss Liddell flinched and turned to see Edith standing to her side.
“It’s time to make dinner.” The child quietly informed her.
“Yes! Of course.” She blinked. She had been staring at The Garden again. It wasn’t something she could always help. She hadn’t been out there since…nor had she permitted Edith either.
“I’ll start washing the vegetables.” Her youngest sister volunteered, pushing a stool in front of the sink.
“Thank you.” Lorina smiled softly. Such a brave, strong girl. She had been helping a great deal more with the housework, now that Lorina found it difficult to do so.
“Do you think Father will eat with us tonight?” Came softly from the other side of the kitchen.
“...Perhaps.” Miss Liddell offered, which was the kindest way she could think to say “no.”
Indeed, it was just the two of them at dinner. Edith hadn’t set a place for Alice, but Lorina still put a placemat down at her usual seat. Though that made it harder to ignore the vacant chair, it felt wrong to completely erase her presence at their table.
“Can I visit Mallory’s house on Friday?”
Miss Liddell flinched at the break in their otherwise silent meal. “Oh, um…”
Mallory…thank goodness. She lives nearby.
“After your lessons, but only until four o’clock, because we’ll need enough time to get home and start dinner.”
Edith hesitated “...She’s not too far from us. I was thinking that maybe I could…walk?”
Lorina took a moment to consider. “Well, I suppose it will still be light out by then. Alright, we may walk.” She pleasantly decided.
“...I thought maybe I could go…alone?” Her remaining sister ventured meekly.
“What? No! Wh–why ever would you want to do that?” Miss Liddell nervously chuckled. “No.” She repeated as Edith began to open her mouth. “No, I will be coming with you, and I will be happy to converse with Mrs. Tuttle while you girls play.” She smiled tightly. She watched Edith’s shoulders slump, but she did not try to argue.
*****
About a year ago Edith had decided that she was too old to be tucked in anymore, but recently she had allowed Lorina to start doing so again. Her youngest sister got under the covers, and Lorina hugged her so very tightly, as though it might be the last time she ever would. Then she turned out the light, and–
“Maybe Alice ran away.” Crept softly from the darkness.
Lorina whipped back around. “Of course not!” She shrieked. “Why would she ever do such a thing?!” She demanded, a bit hysterically perhaps. The child shrank back beneath her blankets.
“Edith–I’m so sorry.” She whispered, carefully shuffling closer, before stooping down and gently placing a kiss on the top of her sister’s head. “I’m sorry for yelling…but no, Alice would never do that.”
“Ok.” The little girl mumbled, turning away to face the wall. Her sister gingerly reached forward to stroke her hair, but silently withdrew her hand instead. Then she stepped back, and moved to exit into the hallway.
*************
Every morning, Lorina would wake up, remember that she had lost Alice, and before slipping completely into despair, remember that she still had Edith to think of. So she would sigh, force herself out of bed, practice her smile in the mirror, and try to be there for her remaining sister.
Edith was still sleeping, so she went to the kitchen to get started on breakfast. The Sun was just starting to peak over the horizon, barely enabling her to look into The Garden-that blight on their home. It may as well have taken Alice itself for how little of her had been found. Law enforcement had eventually given up. Lorina still put up fliers with her sister’s school picture around their town. Friends and neighbors had come to offer condolences, which she had politely accepted with a mask of calm and collected sorrow–at least until she saw Him. He had stood outside their door, all in black like her sister was DEAD AND HE HAD REASON TO MOURN HER. LIKE HE HADN’T BROKEN HER HEART AND USED LORINA TO DO SO!
Miss Liddell remembered little of the incident, apart from seeing him on their porch, and then Edith trying to restrain her while he ran down the path back to the main road. Bastard. If it hadn’t been for him, she and Alice would have never been in that Garden in the first place. It was–
yourfaultallyourfaultyouweresupposedtolookafterheryouweresupposedtokeepherSAFE!
Lorina was barely aware of her legs carrying her towards the door. Suddenly there was cool stone against her feet, which swiftly shifted into dew-dipped grass. She stood there, remembering their last picnic together, as though she hadn’t turned it over in her mind a thousand times since. As she dropped to her knees, the world fell around her.
“Please.” She begged, voice raw with the weight of her grief. “Please give me my sister back…PLEASE!”
And in response, the ground swallowed her up.
**********
Lorina cautiously opened her eyes. She hadn’t even had time to process what happened, and now she was floating in some sort of…void, where colors swirled by, and stars twinkled lazily past.
Is this a dream? She wondered, ogling everything around her.
Maybe. An amused and clearly impressed voice replied. There was a man before her now. Lorina had the distinct impression that he was trying to appear mysterious, but couldn’t properly hide his surprise.
“How did you get here?” He asked.
“I…I don’t know.” She admitted. “But I’m looking for my sister, have you seen her? She’s–”
“I have.” He answered serenely, expression being smoothed into a placid mask.
“What?!” Lorina startled. “Then–can you take me to her?!” She pleaded, hope bleeding into her words.
“I can do better than that.” He promised with a conspiratorial smile, and snapped his fingers.
…She’s here. Alive. Unharmed. …My dear Alice. Tears begin spilling down her cheeks.
“Wha-Nightmare?! What are you–” She saw Lorina, and froze. “...T-this is a dream.” She whispered, unable to look away. Lorina threw her arms around her, sobbing, practically crushing Alice, who was still too shocked to move. She blinked at the woman holding her, trying to grasp that she was real.
They were finally together. They would never be parted again. Lorina could hear herself promising this aloud, smoothing out the hair around her sister’s face, pressing kisses to her forehead, swearing that she would take her home.
“Only if she agrees to go.” Nightmare added easily. Lorina whirled on him.
“What do you mean “agrees”?!” She screamed. Who was he to suggest that her sister wouldn’t choose to come back home to their family?! Their family…yes, perhaps they no longer had a mother, and they barely had a father, and she knew that Alice and Edith had trouble getting along but–what about her? Wasn’t She worth staying for? Not that–of course Alice was going to come back. It wasn’t as though she had come here on her own! She had probably just needed some help getting back, and now that her big sister was here, they could both return home, safe where they belonged.
“So?” He prompted, addressing Alice. “Do you choose to go home?”
Miss Liddell expected her answer to be immediate. Instead she paused, looking at him, and in that moment, Lorina felt her heart begin to shatter. Then her sister met her gaze, and nodded.
“I’m ready.”
There wasn’t relief in her tone, as might be expected for someone being rescued from God-knows-where. Rather, it was steel.
“Very well.” Their host allowed. “But first, some rules.”
“Why?” Lorina demanded.
“To ensure that both parties leave of their own free will.” He returned calmly. A narrow staircase appeared, ending in a large circle of light, too bright to show what lay beyond it. “First, you must walk in front, and she,” he pointed at Alice, “must walk in back. Second, no matter what, you” he stared directly at Lorina, “must not look behind you, until both of you have left this realm. Is that understood?”
Fury trembled within her, but Lorina breathed deeply. “If these are your conditions, then so be it.” She offered a gentle smile to her sister, who still appeared grave, but drew closer. Hesitantly, she tested her weight on the first levitating step. When it held, she took another, and then heard Alice coming behind her. Her footsteps sounded heavy, and wooden.
Why? What’s happened? What has this man or this place done to her?! Whatever it was, she could fix it once they were back home. Lorina tried to tell herself. They could hang on just a little longer. But it was as though Alice were dragging herself forward. Despite how much it hurt to listen to, Lorina knew she was doing what was best for her sister. How could she not be?! How did Alice even come to be here?!
What if–NONE OF THAT MATTERS NOW! SHE IS COMING HOME! WHY WOULD SHE COME WITH ME IF SHE WANTED TO STAY?!
Because she doesn’t want to hurt you. Slithered into her mind. Lorina stopped her ascent, and heard her sister startle behind her.
“...Alice.”
Escape glowed just a few steps ahead.
“...Do you want to come back home with me?”
“…I’ve missed you.”
A tearful chuckle escaped from Miss Liddell. “I’ve missed you too. So very much.” She felt her throat tighten. “And I was so scared…I didn’t know what happened to you. I thought…”
“I’m sorry.”
The remorse in her sister’s voice punched the air from Lorina’s lungs. A sob forced its way out, and with it came the knowledge of what she must do.
“…I forgive you, Alice, just…” She shuddered, and forced herself to continue speaking.
“Promise me that you will be happy.”
“What?” Alice questioned, confused.
“I love you.”
Lorina turned around, and all Alice could do was stare as her sister–smiling, tears in her eyes–was ripped away by the light above.