Chapter 2: "Welcome to Wonderland,"

Chapter 2: Welcome to Wonderland

───── ❝R U B Y  F R I D A Y ' S  P O V❞ ────

As if thousand of needles pricked my throat, I woke up startled. My breathing came into my consciousness and it sounded like I just suddenly emerged from a tidal wave. I automatically sat up as alertness from sleeping in open spaces kicked in. But a quick roam of my eyes told me I wasn't in the same cold, crimson place earlier- the academy's gate.

I blinked my eyes a couple of times, feeling more awake now that I was out of the confined space of my nightmares. I could feel the coldness of the room seeping through my clothes, but I ignored it, instead I focused on my surroundings.

If I remembered it right, I was just in the forest, just outside the academy's gates. But now, the place I am lurking was undeniably far from what I had expected.

The bed where I lay was soft and warm, clean velvet walls surrounded me. From the ceiling, several crystal chandeliers dangled above the rectangular room with intricate carvings of vines and leaves. The air was faintly scented with flowers, and the light from the chandeliers was gentle and soothing. The door was not far from where I was sitting, and though I could not see through the thick curtains, I could tell that the harsh world from the outside was not visible from where I was.

The room had an ethereal feel, as if it were a place from a dream. I don't know how long I lay there, staring up at the sparkling crystals, lost in thought.

Where the heck did I let myself get dragged again?

That question popped in my reverie but my mind was strangely too calm to comprehend things. I reached for my back where the bleeding was supposed to be. But there was no open wound to touch, instead, my fingers raked through a clean bandage with ease. It was strange. I was sure that there was supposed to be an aching wound here, that I had been wounded in some way. But when I tried to touch it, it was as if the gunshots had never happened.

I then looked down and saw that I was wearing a violet dress instead of my usual clothes. The dress felt soft and new, and there was no sign of blood on it. I couldn't believe it.

"What the fuck?" My lips could not help but to curse. Sure, I clearly remember my desperate pleas to a lady who seems to be the headmistress of the academy, and I am aware of her listening and minding when I begged for help in the very moment of my downfall.

But, did she actually mean to let me in?

Wait, does that mean I am now a student at this institution?

The silence blanketing the place started to unnerve me. The muteness caused ringing in my ear, especially when I was surrounded by noise and mess all my life. I remained seated on the bed. From the window a few feet from me, I caught a glimpse of an emerging clear cobalt sky painted with tall trees that surrounds the forest. It must be dawn already.

Just then, a door creaked open somewhere in the room. The small sound made me flinch because as I grew older, I began to associate the sound of doors opening and closing with fear. It always meant someone was coming to find me, to torture me, to take away my life again.

Yet, as I faced the direction of the noise, I was drawn to the silhouette of by two people approaching my space. They were in the same room but I couldn't see them due to the velvet curtains surrounding the bed.

I sat up straighter and instinctively searched for something that I can protect myself with. But, all I found was a soft pillow. They didn't seem to be people who can cause immediate harm. But just like money, I no longer have trust left to give.

From behind the curtain, a person approached me slowly. And, as the curtains around my bed billowed in the wind, it revealed a pair of eyes that's familiar to my senses.

The Headmistress.

Her face and blonde hair were the last things I saw before I fell into a strange fever dream state. I carefully watched her standing in front of me in a velvet-like clothing, underneath a long black coat with silver wreath trimming.

Her eyebrows immediately shoot up upon seeing my anxious face, "You're finally awake. Are you feeling better?" she asked. I nod, swallowing hard, obviously still shaken up after what happened, the images of which are still fresh in my mind, "I think so."

"Well, before I explain things to you, I'm Rosina Elleanor Stowne, you can call me Ms. Rose, and I'm the Headmistress of Rozbite Lustro Academy." The name surprisingly didn't elevate the anxiety in my head. "You were badly injured when we saw you that's why we brought you here to be treated."

The image of the blood dripping from my gunshot wound flashed like a laser beam before my eyes. I couldn't believe that I had been shot, and yet there was no sign of a gaping hole in the side of my back. It's disturbing to think that I could vividly remember the blood seeping through my fingers and running down the muddy ground, creating a grotesque mask that would haunt me for the rest of my life, but right now, those pain and suffering seem to be all faded away in the oblivions.

Without realizing it, I raised my hand to touch where the wound was supposed to be, scared that I might feel its existence again, yet once more, I was greeted with nothing but a piece of bandage sleeping through my skin.

As if sensing my fear, Ms. Rose assured me, "You don't have to worry, a bullet just shot pass through your skin and didn't create any harmful effects on your body. And, we have the best doctors in the academy so you no longer have to worry about your wounds."

The doctors must have done a great job, huh? I thought to myself. Despite my relief, my mind continued to race. What if I was rendered incapable of defending myself? Ms. Rose's reassurance was refreshing, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was still in danger. Or perhaps that just my subconscious mind trying to trick me.

I knew that the Headmistress was trying to inject warm energy through her words, so I tried to act like everything was fine. But something about the nurse's gaze whose standing on her side made me feel uneasy.

I sighed while fixing my sitting posture, blinking my eyes to adjust to the light. The Headmistress stand before me, her face full of concern. I force a smile, trying to act normal, "Yeah, perhaps that's the reason why I'm feeling better, now" I said, although my voice is shaky.

"That's good to hear," she replies. "I trust you're not feeling too overwhelmed by your new surroundings?"

I didn't respond, trying to gather my thoughts. My sweaty palms reached for my side, brushing them aggressively against the soft fabric of the linen clothes I was wearing. I'm in a strange room, with strange people. Honestly, I don't know if it's right to feel safe, or even to simply comprehend what will happen to me from now on.

Yet, although I'm terrified, I force myself to take a deep breath and look around the room.

"It'll all become clear soon," she reassured me with a warm smile creeping on her face, "But for now, I think it might be best if you take a little time to adjust and rest. I'll have someone bring you some breakfast in a few minutes."

She turns to leave, but before she can step her heels outside of the room's bounds, I dared myself to speak up, "Headmistress, is everyone here... are they okay? Is this place... safe?"

She turned to me, her face betraying her surprise. "Of course they are," she says. "Why do you ask?"

The chamber was dark, and I could only make out the forms of the people in front of me. I could see the welcoming gaze in Ms. Rose's eyes, and I could feel the fear slowly passing out through my veins, now injected with curiosity and braveness. I had to ask. I had to know.

The Headmistress's words were reassuring, but there was a catch in her voice. Something wasn't right. She didn't elaborate, but there was a glimmer in her eye that said she knew more than she was letting on. The Headmistress's words didn't allay my fears, though. Something just didn't feel right.

"I don't know," I said, my voice small almost like a whisper in the wind, "I just... want to make sure I won't be dying in here."

As soon as the words spilled out of my mouth, I knew I had step out of the boundaries. The Headmistress's face went from placid to grinning in the space of a heartbeat, and she turned to my direction once again, now facing me with her smiling face seemingly hiding something in the abyss of her soul.

The room fall gravely silent, only save for the sound of our breathing. It was like the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving me feeling the tension of my question.

I tried to focus on Ms. Rose, but her face started to blurred in my peripheral vision as the curtains was once again slowly covering my sight. I could only hear the sound of our breathing and the occasional rustle of cloth. It was like the room was holding its breath, waiting for her answer.

Without wasting any seconds, the Headmistress let out a chuckle before opening her lips to talk. "Oh, dear... I understand that you may be a little bit anxious, but don't worry. Everything will be just fine."

She once again gave me the most a reassuring smile before continuing, "This academy is unknown to mankind for being a Wonderland, an arcade for the strong and scarred. Here you can study like a normal teenager, find new friends, make happy memories and build a new life without having to fear for your safety ever again. You can now leave your bloody past behind, and forget the monsters out there in the wild who's trying to destroy you, and be the person you've always wanted to be. In this institution, you are safe. In this institution, no one can find you."

I breathed out the air I didn't really need to, feeling a weight lift off my chest. I tried to find her gaze as the curtains billowed further away, and when it did... I suddenly felt a little alive as I listen to her words.

"Ms. Fridays... you are now part of The Wonderland's survivor protection program."

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T O B E C O N T I N U E D...