ALICE'S CELL, RADCLIFFE ASYLUM
I n my cell, I put my umbrella next to my Tiger Lily and prepare to sleep. Waltraud tells me there is no shock therapy today. She thinks Ogier went overboard last time, and I ended up hallucinating. I don't even try to understand why she doesn't believe me.
When I enter the cell, Waltraud doesn't lock the door behind me. Before I check out the reason, I am surprised to see I have a visitor in my cell.
"Fabiola?" I say. "I mean, White Queen?"
"How have you been, Alice?" She smiles serenely, as usual. "I thought I'd surprise you."
"How did you get in?"
Her smile widens. It's like she's telling me she can do a lot of things like this.
"I am honored by your visit, anyways."
"I see the umbrella was useful," she says.
"Very useful. Thank you," I say. "May I ask where you got it?"
"It's one of Lewis Carroll's gadgets." The White Queen laughs. "He invented many of those later in his life. He even invented martial arts of his own. It's called None Fu."
"So I have been told." I roll my eyes. "Does it work?"
"Not with everyone," she replies. "I came to tell you something, Alice."
"All ears, Fabiola." I lower my head.
"Remember when I told you you're not Alice?"
I nod.
"I lied," she says. "I know a woman in my position shouldn't lie, but this was… a white lie."
"Why did you lie?"
"The truth is, I am still not sure if you're the Alice, but I am also not sure you're not."
"Can't you tell by my looks?"
"That's a tricky thing. Before we left Wonderland, Lewis made us drink a potion that would make us forget your face." She sighs.
"Why?"
"He wanted to protect you in case the Wonderland Monsters escaped, and we'd need you again. He cared a great deal for you," the White Queen says. "I heard you did brave things in the last couple of days." She smiles the way Lewis smiled at me. "I am proud of you, whether you're the Real Alice or not."
"Thank you, Fabiola. That means a lot to me."
"This is why I brought you a present." She pulls out a hand mirror. I back off immediately. "Don't be afraid. I am not going to let anything hurt you. But if you want to take that route of saving lives, you need to take one brief look at it."
"Why, Fabiola? You know I have a mirror phobia."
"There is a reason why you have it, Alice," Fabiola says. "Mirrors show truth sometimes. Your mind is suppressing one, and it's my job to show it to you, so you know where you stand. A strong and brave heart isn't enough. A true heart, no matter how much the truth hurts, is the strongest of all."
"You think I really should?"
"Do you know what the name 'Alice' means? It means 'the truth.' Whether you want to know or not, that's your choice." She lays the mirror on the floor. "It's going to be a hurtful memory, but you need it. Sometimes the truth comes along with a little pain. The pain will subside eventually, and the truth shall remain. See you soon, little hero," she tells me and walks out the door. She doesn't walk out through the wall or anything. Just the cell's door, which she shuts from the outside.
She leaves me trapped with a mirror in my room.