THE PILLAR’S LIMOUSINE ON ITS WAY TO THE GARDEN OF COSMIC SPECULATION
TIME REMAINING: 14 HOURS, 04 MINUTES
“W hy would he do that?” I ask the Pillar, as his chauffeur takes a bump in the road. I am trying to dig for more info about the garden and the March Hare, although I already learned most of what I’m hearing now.
“Because he wanted to find a way back to Wonderland,” the Pillar explains. “Jittery is one of the most sentimental people/hares. He wasn’t in tune with living in this modern world. He didn’t like it. He thought it was utterly harsh, insane, and rubbish. Unlike others, he looked for you all the time.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you, Alice. He believed you could take him back to Wonderland.”
“But you need Six Impossible Keys to go back.” I am not even going to discuss the fact characters like the Cheshire did their best to escape Wonderland. So why go back?
“Of course you need the keys to go back.” The Pillar drags from his bagpipe some more. “Jittery, however, claimed he found a magical way back. Some kind of a cosmic spell.”
“By replicating Wonderland in real life?” I am just guessing.
The Pillar nods. “It’s some kind of bizarre wishful thinking if you ask me. I never paid attention to the idea. I believe the March Hare was just nostalgic, unable to live in the mad world we live in now. Replicating Wonderland helped him cope with his own insanity. The March Hare had always been a child in a grown man/rabbit’s body.”
“So, the Garden of Cosmic Speculation is actually a replica of Wonderland?” I think this is insane but also incredibly fascinating. It means we have some kind of clue of what Wonderland looked like.
“Not exactly,” the Pillar says, debunking my speculations. “But it works fine as a map. Meaning the distance and location of places is very similar to Wonderland, although he changed the names of locations to sound modern and scientific.”
“That’s why you didn’t know what the Snail Mound was.”
The Pillar nods.
“So why did this Hatter hide the rabbit in the garden?” I ask.
“I told you. He’s playing games.”
“What kind of game requires I collect a glove, a fan, and a housemaid dress, and then visit a replica of Wonderland?”
“It doesn’t make sense to me,” the Pillar says. “But I wouldn’t worry about that now, as I’m sure it will all be explained in the end.”
“Then what should I worry about?” Again, I am not sure if I can trust the Pillar with everything he tells me.
“There is something else you don’t know about the garden.”
“Which is?”
“The Garden of Cosmic Speculation isn’t open to the public. It’s a private garden.”
“Really? This beauty isn’t available for all people to visit?”
“See?” The Pillar breathes out spiral smoke. “Like I told you, Professor Jittery built it to find his way back. There was no point in keeping it open to the public. It’s more of a doorway to Wonderland.”
“So, how are we getting inside?” I ask, but then I realize why Inspector Dormouse is meeting with Scotland Yard right now—probably to get permission to enter it.
“Whatever you’re thinking right now, you’re right.” The Pillar smiles as if reading my thoughts. “However, the garden opens only one day each year for the public, but it’s not anytime soon.”
“So why haven’t we just asked Professor Jittery for permission to enter?” I say. “Why hasn’t he told me about this?”
“Now you’re asking the right questions,” the Pillar says. “The garden has been confiscated and sold to an elite organization. Why do you think Professor Jittery went mad? And why do you think he is locked in the Hole, which no one knows about?”
“So that’s it?” I am starting to understand why Professor Jittery thinks someone is spying in his head. This garden is somehow important in this Wonderland War. Although I don’t know how.
“Aren’t you going to ask me about the name of this organization?”
“I don’t need to,” I reply. “It’s Black Chess. The organization Professor Jittery warned me about. The same organization the Muffin Man tried to oppose last week.” I stare directly at the Pillar. “Except no one knows who they really are.”
The car stops, and we arrive at the magnificent Garden of Cosmic Speculation.