TIME REMAINING: 12 HOURS, 05 MINUTES
“A lice, that can’t be.”
“That’s what it says.” I try to zoom out, but it’s impossible. I can’t even log in to other applications on the internet, just look at this GPS and talk to the Pillar. “It says my location is the rabbit hole.”
The Pillar stays silent on the phone. He is as shocked as I am.
In truth, I’m not as shocked as I am fascinated by the idea: I have a GPS map of Wonderland?
“So, the March Hare was right.” I try to make sense of it. “The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a magical doorway to Wonderland.”
“I don’t know what to say to that,” the Pillar says. “Why can’t we find you, then?”
“Maybe the rabbit hole is a hole into another dimension,” I suggest. “More of a black hole, maybe.”
“So, the so-called Hatter planned all this to get you to find a secret doorway to Wonderland?”
I think it over. It could be.
“Maybe all he needed was to get to that door,” the Pillar says. “He fabricated all those clues to lead you to the March Hare, who would eventually send you to Wonderland. If you hadn’t met the March Hare, we wouldn’t have been granted entry by Interpol themselves.”
“Are you saying he couldn’t have entered the garden by himself?”
“It’s under surveillance and maximum security,” the Pillar says.
“Then how did he get the rabbit in?”
“Maybe he got it inside after we opened the gates,” the Pillar says. “Maybe he is among us now.”
The idea makes me frantically circle the hole. Could the so-called Hatter be in here with me? But what are the dress, fan, and gloves for? Why would he send me in here, anyway?
“Who else would discover the rabbit hole but you, Alice?” the Pillar says. “I don’t know how this works, but it seems right to me.”
“It doesn’t click for me, Pillar.” I touch the walls, looking for a door out. If this is a replication of the rabbit hole in the books, then I should find a door out.
“Hang in there, Alice. I will talk to Inspector Dormouse. We have to find you.”
“Please do.” I squint at the walls, listening to the Pillar hang up.
It occurs to me that the door is maybe too small or too big, like in the books, so I kneel down and feel the walls.
And there it is, a small door at the bottom of the wall.