But I stopped… I could not move.
It was not fear exactly, or maybe it was, but not the kind of fear that makes you scream or flee. It was something heavier, as if the air itself had become thick around my body.
My feet were nailed to the ground, but at the same time my legs began to move on their own, taking slow, almost clumsy steps, as if they did not belong to me.
Doubt and intrigue fought inside me. One part wanted to back away, turn around and run out of that strange place. The other part, however, felt an impossible curiosity to ignore. Something told me I had to continue, that if I backed away now I would lose something important, although I did not know what.
The place was silent, too silent. The wind barely moved among the trees, and the grass under my feet seemed soft, but cold.
In front of me there were several rabbits scattered around the place. Some were still, others moved slowly, as if all the time in the world belonged to them.
Upon realizing it, without thinking too much, I approached one of the rabbits. It was white, small, with black eyes that seemed to observe me more than normal. At that moment I understood: these rabbits were not normal. They were not simple animals.
Then I understood that they could speak, just like the black rabbit from the sacred forest.
That memory pierced my mind like lightning. That encounter had been strange, unsettling, and yet here I was again, in front of similar creatures, as if the world insisted on leading me down the same path.
Suddenly, several rabbits began to speak at the same time. Their mouths moved, but the words made no sense.
They sounded like broken phrases, incomplete ideas, murmurs without order. Some said things that seemed important, others simply moved their lips without emitting any sound.
I tried to concentrate, to understand what they were saying, but for some reason my mind could not join the words. It was like listening to a language I knew, but forgotten. Like a dream that fades upon waking.
I felt a slight dizziness. I brought a hand to my chest, trying to calm my breathing.
It was then when one of the rabbits separated from the group.
It was a little darker than the others, with stained fur and a different gaze. Upon seeing me, it began to approach slowly. Each step it took seemed calculated, as if it knew exactly what to do and when to do it.
When it was close enough, it raised its head and began to whisper.
Its voice was low, almost a murmur, but clear. Instinctively I leaned my body a little toward it, giving it all my attention.
—This is just between you and me —it said—. Seriously, you're going to hear it, and if you're going to do it, pay close attention and listen.
I swallowed saliva.
—All right… tell me.
The rabbit came a little closer, as if fearing to be heard by the others.
—You know, I think you must already know the name, or at least have heard the name of Mary Sue. But it is not a simple name.
I felt a shiver run down my spine.
—She is the one who pulls the strings —it continued—. She planned everything. That Alice left… everything, everything was her doing.
Each word felt like a warning.
—Mary Sue is an enormous woman, do you understand? Be careful. She watches us at all times.
Before I could ask anything more, before I could even react, the rabbit finished speaking.
And then it happened.
Without any explanation, without any warning, the small body in front of me exploded into thousands of pieces.
There was no sound, only a dry and sudden explosion. Fragments of flesh and blood shot out in all directions.
I remained paralyzed.
The blood fell onto the green ground, staining it red. Some drops reached my boots. I could not say anything. I could not scream. I could not move.
Silence returned suddenly, heavier than before.
My mind took time to react. I did not understand what had just happened, nor why. I felt a lump in my throat and a strange emptiness in my stomach.
I breathed deeply several times, trying to regain control of my body.
Without understanding anything, and still unable to process what had happened, I began to walk. My steps were slow, unsure. I moved away from the site of the incident and advanced toward the enormous house that rose in front of me.
Upon approaching, the creature rose from the ground. Its size was intimidating. It moved and positioned itself right in front of me, blocking the path.
It observed me for seconds that seemed eternal.
Then it began to speak.
Or at least I thought so.
The words came out of its mouth, but I could not understand them. They sounded like loose phrases, ideas without connection. At times it seemed to tell a story; at times, to ask a question. Everything mixed, like a riddle without an answer.
I tried to concentrate, but my mind was still trapped in the image of the rabbit exploding in front of me. In its words. In that name.
Mary Sue.
The beast continued speaking for a while, and then, suddenly, it fell silent. An absolute silence.
It looked at me, waiting for something.
But I did not respond.
Not because I did not want to, but because I did not know what to say. I was not sure I had heard everything correctly, or even understood anything.
The seconds passed.
The creature remained there, immobile, watching me.
To my surprise, a kind of smile appeared on its face. It seemed happy, satisfied for some reason I did not know.
Finally, it broke the silence.
—Good, good… I like you. Welcome to the Country of Wonders.
It moved aside, clearing the entrance.
I breathed deeply and advanced.
I crossed the door expecting to find a house, but what I saw left me speechless. It was not a house. It was an enormous, gigantic library, much larger than the exterior suggested.
The shelves rose as far as the eye could see, but they were empty. There were not many books on them, only dust and silence. That struck me as unsettling.
I walked through a long corridor that led toward the center of the place. There was an enormous and long wooden table. So large that it seemed made for giants.
In the distance, sitting in one of the chairs, I saw a woman.
On the table there was an open book. Her hands rested on it carefully, as if it were something very valuable. Beside her, a lit candle fought against the darkness, illuminating her face and the pages.
Something inside me stirred.
I felt that I knew her.
That dress. That white apron in the front. That calm posture.
Everything felt familiar, although I could not remember from where.
My feet began to move on their own again, approaching me slowly. With each step, my heart beat harder. The air became heavier, and a growing anxiety squeezed my chest.
Something was not right.
The sensation became unbearable. The beating in my ears drowned my thoughts. Without thinking anymore, I turned around and ran out.
I ran as fast as I could, heading toward the bonfire. As soon as I reached it, I felt how my body was enveloped by a familiar force.
And immediately, I teleported out of Snow White's castle.
Leaving me once again in the snowy garden.