I must be getting close to the mind maze now. I'm absolutely sure of- "Lyssie?" I stop. Dead. In. My. Tracks. No way. That voice? That name? It can't be! "Lyssie!" The voice grows louder.
"Trea?" my voice falters, unsure of my own hearing. "Where are you?" I stammer.
"I'm here," he says, coming from a tree right in front of me. I am stunned. No other way to put it, I am stunned. He is right there. Completely back and safe. "They let me go when they said that you accepted a deal to free me and their life." I swallow. No. Not true! I wanna shout it, cry it, something. He brings his head backwards some. "What's wrong, Lyssie?"
"I just- I- I can't believe you're alive!" I say, utterly stunned. Why doesn't this feel right? Why doesn't this reunion feel like it is supposed to be? Ecstatic and happy? Why don't I feel that way?
"Well, here I am, still in one piece," he says with a smile.
"I think... it's too overwhelming," I say, trying to hold my own. "Let's go back home," the word feeling strange in my mouth. It shouldn't. Isn't his house my home? What is wrong with me?
"I think that's a good idea." We walk back, without a word. This is so not right. I look up at him. It's him, though. Flesh and blood. So why does it all just feel so wrong? Along the way, we pass up Shander and Nance, still running around, trying to escape their mind.
"Shander! Nance!" I shout. The run to me, freaking out still. "Just pretend it doesn't exist. It's like the boogeyman in the closet and the monster under your bed. If you don't think it exists, it doesn't." They stare briefly at me like I'm the insane one. Well, quite honestly, I am the one insane. At least on their side. They must be thinking how on earth can I think that when it is so big and near? Probably near me. I look at where their eyes are pointed. Right behind me. Ok. Their imagined Bandersnatch is right behind me. I roll my eyes. "say this with me: z... y...x..." They start in with me, nervously. "w... v... u..." They close their eyes in fright. "t... s... r..." Eyes still closed, their facews show surprise. "q... p... o... n..." I quit reciting the alphebet backwards. They continue without me. "m... l... k... j... i... h... g... f... e... d... c... b... a..." They finally open their eyes, amazed. "Let go back," I tell them.
"Alyssa, who is this?" Nance asks. I don't answer.
"That's Hatter, the King of Wonderland!" Shander responds to Nance. Her mouth gapes.
"So it's real..." she says in utter disbelief.
"Gulliver," I say simply.
"I can see that now!" The two chatter on while I try to take everything in. Like how is it possible that Trea is alive still when all possible hope has been lost.
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