Part 14- Down the Rabbit Hole

a dream
an illusion?
a dream
an illusion of delusion?
.....
She could hear the birds twittering and the warm summer breeze against her skin. The rough bark of the tree was at her back as she smiled up at Morpheus. He smiled back and leaned closer to brush the back of his hand against her cheek.
"Am I dreaming again?" she wondered aloud as she gripped his forearm.
"Do you want to be?"
"Why do you always answer every question with yet another question?"
"Why do you ask questions that you already know the answer to?" he asked with a sly grin. "You've been avoiding me Corinne," he whispered as he played with a loose tendril of her hair. "Drinking coffee, popping pills. Don't you want to know what this is about? Don't you want to find the key?"
She sighed and closed her eyes. "No, not really. All I want is to sleep. Really sleep."
Her eyes flew open when his grip tightened on her shoulder.

"You will find the key and bring it to me Corinne! I need that key! I will not rest until I have it. You will not rest until I have. I promise you that. BRING ME THE KEY!!"


"Damn it," she muttered as she leaned forward. She absently rubbed at her forehead as she blinked gritty eyes. She had fallen asleep while researching exactly who, or what, Morpheus was. And he was correct. She had been doing everything in her power to prevent herself from falling asleep. She couldn't sleep. Not until she found out what he wanted from her. What everyone wanted from her. Heaving a sigh she got up and trudged to the small kitchen. Her slippers slapped against the linoleum as she shuffled forward to the espresso machine. Coffee just didn't do anything for her nowadays.

Her hand trembled slightly as she brought the cup to her mouth and took a healthy swallow. What did he want with the key? What did that woman, she couldn't remember her name, want her to remember? Why was all of this happening to her? She'd give anything to go back to her boring life. Rinsing out the cup she walked into her bedroom and winced at the mess. She rarely left this house. She had rented it a few weeks back after waking up in the woods the last time.

Grabbing a book at random she flipped through the pages. There had to be a reason why this was happening to her. What was the event that lead up to this? Like Alice, she thought glancing at the cover of the book near her, she felt as if she had fallen down the rabbit's hole. Instead of following a white rabbit she was left floundering to muddle her own way out. Her jaw cracked as she yawned. She softly slapped her cheek and rubbed hard at her eyes.
"Don't fall asleep. Don't fall asleep. Don't...fall...asleep...."


a dream
a dream in sleep?
a dream
a life in dream?

Corinne winced as a shaft of sunlight pierced her eyelid. Groaning she opened her eyes then quickly squeezed them closed. "No, no, no!" she chanted as she reached out blindly with one arm and felt around her. The palm of her hand scraped against something solid. Her back rested against something hard and the sound of hooves seemed to be growing louder. The sound of hooves, she thought in confusion then jack knifed into a sitting position.



"Oy! You there! Get out o' the blimey road! Just 'cause ye think yer so blimey important don't mean that ye can just lay in the middle o' the road!"
Rubbing the back of her head Corinne looked to the left then quickly jumped to her feet as the cart barreled toward her.
"Next time I ain't gonna warn ye!" The man driving the cart glared at her and then for emphasis spat. Grimacing Corinne stepped backward and nearly tripped over the hem of her...
"What the hell?" she whispered as she looked down at herself then took another look around.

"Great, just great," she muttered as realization dawned. She must have fallen asleep again and Morpheus had only too gladly dropped her off somewhere new. Grabbing fistfuls of her skirt, why were there so many layers she wondered absently she took a deep breath...and started to gag at the stench. Well, that's one thing they don't mention in the historical romance book she used to get such pleasure out of. They sure didn't mention how it smelled like a cesspool.
Corinne's eyes traveled over the terrain, the horse drawn carriages, the people walking by but came to a screeching halt when she noticed a woman sitting on a bench. A woman dressed odd for this time period. The woman was staring directly at her and she seemed to be urging her forward.
Cora.The name drifted through her subconscious as she seemed to be pulled forward by an unknown force.

She had barely sat before something in her snapped. "Why don't you quit playing games? I'm tired. So, so tired Cora! Please, give me a clue?"
"I did give you a clue. You just refused to see it. Stop looking at the small picture. It's a lot bigger than you."
Corinne threw up her arms.

"There you go again! What do I have to do to find this key?" She frowned. There was something else she was supposed to remember. It wasn't just the key...
Groaning in frustration she pushed up from the bench and walked a short distance away. She heard Cora come up behind her.

"How come I remember you this time?"
"Because your journey is almost over. For better or worse we're nearing the end Corinne. How it ends depends on you."
"What?" Turning around she stifled a curse when she realized that Cora had disappeared without word.

Her hands curled into fists as her anger grew. She was tired of being the puppet. Here, today, she was going to find some answers. She took off at a run but had to slow to a walk when her skirt tangled around her legs and nearly tripped her. Heaving a sigh she started off at a quick pace.

Near dusk she stopped in front a dilapidated house. She had spent most of the day walking around trying to gather information. While she had earned distrusting expressions because of her high class attire in the slums she had learned that there was a house that everyone swore was haunted.
It had been vacant for years but sometimes people said they heard the sound of crying coming from the house. A voice was always pleading and weeping. For whatever reason she felt as if she should start here.
Blowing out a breath Corinne pushed open the rickety gate, she had to fumble with the sticking handle for a moment, and climbed up the creaking stairs.

The air was damp and musty. Taking a step into the house Corinne quietly closed the door behind her. She turned to the first room on her left and stepping over a lamp she walked around the desk to stare at the discarded ledger. The pages were yellow and looked brittle. Leaning forward her heart jolted when she realized it was open to today's date, the date she had fallen asleep, more than a hundred years ago. She strained to make out the faded handwriting. She jumped when she heard a muffled sound coming from below.



She had almost passed the kitchen when the setting sun caught on an object laying on the counter. Hesitating, looking over her shoulder, she hurried into the kitchen.

Could it be this easy? Was this the key? There were actually two but...
And if it was where was Morpheus? It couldn't be this easy. Uncertainty gnawed at her for a moment before she shrugged and placed the keys down the front of her bodice. The noise from below grew louder.

Creeping down the stairs her slippers barely made a sound.

Corinne let out a gasp as she absently glanced into the room nearest her and what she was seeing registered.

Remember Corinne! The music, the cellar, the blood, Morpheus, the old man, the fire… Remember Corinne...The phrase played through her mind as she swallowed back the bile. So much blood. Over the dampness of the cellar she could smell the stench of the blood. Turning away she forced the sight from her mind and edged once more toward the noise.

She paused when she heard a groan and then what was the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh. She hurried the rest of the way until she stood just out of sight.

"Where is the key old man?"
Corinne's mouth dropped open. Morpheus! His voice sent a shiver down her spine. She didn't know if it was in fear or in remembrance of his gentle touch against her cheek. She shuddered. Sure he had caressed her check but not ten seconds later he had gripped her shoulder in a crushing hold.
"Obviously that isn't the box. I was able to open it with this key." Something metallic hit the table. "And imagine my surprise to only see worthless jewelry in this box."

"The cards you read said that I would find the key if I found the girl. Your books say that if I find the girl the box becomes mine. Why are you running me around in circles?"
There was another sound of flesh hitting flesh and then a hoarse cry.
"Morpheus! That's enough!"
Corinne pressed back against the wall. There was another man in the room!
"Come here Morpheus."

Swallowing Corinne could hear whispering. Edging around she peered through the bars. An old man sat slumped over the table. His face was bloody and swollen and he looked as if he was having trouble breathing. Suddenly, as if he had sensed her, he straightened and looked directly at her. His mouth fell open then just as quickly snapped shut. He made a small shooing motion with his hand and she moved back just as she heard approaching footsteps.
"I'll ask you one more time. Where is the key?"
"Morpheus, we swore to protect the key. What happened to you?"
"Why protect it when we can use it?"
"To use it for what end? We don't even know what's in that box."
"Enough! Where is the key?" Morpheus bellowed.
"I swore to give my life to protect the key."

There was a small silence and when Morpheus finally spoke his voice froze the blood in her veins.
"So be it."
There was a whistling sound, much like the sound of a blade cutting through the air before there was a thunk and then a sucking sound. After a moment it sounded as if something tumbled to the ground.

"You instructed me well. From you I learned to never take my eyes off the prize. You honored your word, old man. Rest in peace."
"Morpheus! The key! It's near! I'll clean this up! Go!" There was an underlying excitement in the unseen man's voice. A voice that sounded familiar....
Heart thundering Corinne moved from her frozen state and turned to run. She heard the door creak open behind her.

"You! Give me the key Corinne! Give it to me!"
She froze for a moment and then picking up her skirts she fled toward the stairs.

She didn't dare look back but she thought she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. She clattered up the stairs with him in hot pursuit behind her. He was mumbling something incoherent but maybe it was just the sound of her heart in her ears that was drowning him out.
Her corset dug into her side as she reached out for the handle to the front door. She didn't know what made her do it but she dodged to the left as she shoved open the door and flew down the stairs. She heard Morpheus let out a curse as he tripped behind her.

Gasping for breath, black spots formed in front of her eyes and she feared that she was going to faint. Corsets weren't meant for running, she thought inanely as she reached the gate.

Remembering the handle she decided to forgo it and gripped a plank in the fence.

"Please let me get across! Please!"

She heard Morephus struggling to get up and she looked heavenward as she silently prayed. Her heart stopped when she felt her skirt getting tangled in the fence and then...she heard her skirt rip as she cleared the fence and hit the ground running.

"CORINNE!!!!!!!!!!"

She didn't look back as she heard him scream her name but all the suddenly her skirt tangled around her legs and she was tumbling...tumbling...just like Alice.

a dream
a life we dream?
a dream
a dream we live?
©cyclopseven

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