Emergency

“JUMP DOWN NOW.”

Her grip tensed but tightened against the trunk of the tree. Their eyes met before she quickly turned away. She shut her eyes ignoring the ground vibrating the branches and the man pestering her to meet him at ground level. He grumbled at the sight of the cowering girl amongst the branches. For god’s sake, there was a large dragon/lizard/bird-like creature skating its way towards them.

“The branches you’re standing on look like they’ll collapse under your weight, but trust me, they’re strong enough to hold someone as big as Michael,” the man billowed from the top of his lungs. “Things don’t make sense here.”

“TRUST YOU?! HOW COULD I EVER TRUST SOMEONE WHO KIDNAPPED ME AND TOO ME TO THIS AWFUL PLACE?”

His jaw tightened as he held back a quip. Belle was dame lucky that a Jaberwocky was racing towards them. He would have left her ages ago.

“Belle, dear.” His eyebrow furrowed. “JUMP DOWN.” His voice strained in an attempt to maintain composed speech.

“NO!” she barked back.

Santiago took a look back at the Jaberwock clawing closer. Dammit. He had no choice.

“Cheshire!”

Out of thin air, a smile materialized two feet from his nose.

“Oh, what a pleasant surprise,” his voice bubbled like a smooth creek. “the Mad hatter has summoned me.”

“Shut up,” his response was out of habit. He shook his head, trying to make sense of the situation. He couldn’t believe hew as about to ask the Cheshire Cat for help. “I’ll give you anything,” he sighed. “if you push her down.”

“Anything?”

“Catnip from my garden.” It was the first thing that came to mind really. He recalled the cat always stealing some in the past.

“I’m offended, Hattie. You’ve been away for too long. I want more than that.”

“Name your price, then.” His attention was split between the rushing Jaberwocky and the scared girl overhead in the treetops.

“My, you talk like a pirate now.”

He glared at the twisted smile. Santiago bite back his tongue. This would be all worth it.

“I want to join your tea party.”

“What?”

“I want to have tea with you, but…”

“HURRY. I don’t have time,” he quipped.

“Belle must join me.”

He frowned at the floating smile.

“Your time is running out…” he reminded in a sing-song tone.

“Ok. Fine. Tomorrow evening.”

“Good.”

The smile was gone in a blink of an eye leaving behind a cackle. She was plummeting towards him the next second. Santiago raised his arms waiting for her to land. Her scream pierced through the forest, which only seemed to startle the beast more and enticed it to quicken its pace. She landed in his arms with an “umpf,” but that didn’t stop Santiago from dashing from the foot of the tree.

Santiago carried her bridal style, ignoring the continuing scream. The scream was an octave higher now, which he discerned was because she locked eyes with the creature coming towards her. Belle’s grip around his neck tightened as she pulled himself closer. Her chest gluing itself to the white flowing shirt he wore.

He ran as fast as he could with the girl in his arms, his destination within reach. From here, he could see the long table he owned. The place he spent many of his boyhood days. Santiago found himself tumbling down a hill. Belle was still in his arms, so they were rolling over each other for what felt like the longest seconds of his life.

When they reached the bottom of the hill, he paused. Santiago closed his eyes to focus all his intent to locate the horrific creature that once pursued them. He heard its shriek in the distance. Santiago released a sigh.

As soon as relief settled over his body, he remembered the forsaken woman who put him at risk. It was then that he felt it. Every muscle pounded to the tune of his rapid heartbeat. It was beating at his existence as if punishing him for putting himself into danger.

Santiago lifted himself off the ground to position himself on all fours. Below him, Belle let out a gasp to collect oxygen from the air. His muscles tensed for a moment. The Mad Hatter realized that he was also breathing in and out quite rapidly. His eyes traveled along the body laying between his legs and all the way up to the features of head between his hands and back down. Her chest fell and rose in quick successions. Her blonde hair was scattered across the bed of flowers beneath them.

Their eyes locked in silence. Santiago heard a ringing in his ears with a bass from his heart accompanying the tune. Belle’s eyes fell on his lips, which only quickened the song. That soft gaze and quiet expression was all too familiar but this time it was for him — the Mad Hatter. Santiago lifted his hand to move pieces of her locks out of her face. As soon as he turned a longer strand behind her ear, he plummeted into the ground. His arms crash landed into the field of flowers.

He sat up, mouth filled with fauna. Belle was dusting off her jeans and turned to him. “Where are we going?”

Santiago rolled his eyes in response. He stood up. Their eyes locked again. Belle quickly turned away.

“Follow me.” He walked past her, not forgetting to know her shoulder as he passed by.

Santiago walked forward with Belle following not too far behind. He took a deep breath hoping to quell the pounding in his chest. Crap. It had to be the Jabberwock that was making him feel this way. He did run like crazy. He walked more, trying to familiarize himself with his old home. Though Wonderland didn’t change, he did. His mind fell in silence until the image. The image of her lips and form beneath him lingered in his mind. The pout of her lips as she stared back at him.

His thoughts were shaken when he was greeted with a glomp. A small hare jumped into his arms. Santiago almost lost his balance. He looked down to the fur ball hugging him. Santiago grinned at the sight of his old friend.

“Marchie, it’s been a while.”

“Hattie! Where have you been all these years?” The hare looked up at him. “Alice has written that she lost contact with you.”

“Well, my friend, I’ve moved away from Alice.”

“Who’s Alice?” Belle interrupted from behind.

The hare and Hatter turned back to Belle.

“She’s his wi-”

Santiago pressed his palm against the small hare’s mouth.

“Marchie, this is a-”

“A girlfriend?” The hare yelled in excitement.

Santiago paused as he looked at Belle in disbelief. She had the same expression as him- wide eyes and mouth agape.

“No-no.” Belle stammered “Santiago and I- no, never.” She held out her hand. ‘I’m Belle.”

“A pleasure!” the march hare leapt out of the Hatter’s arms and into the woman’s.

“You must tell me what Hattie’s been doing all these years.”

Belle’s eyes lit up at the nickname. “Hattie?”

“Please don’t ask and be quiet,” Santiago blushed at his nickname.

“Please tell me about the young Hattie.”

“Yes!” Marchie jumped down to the ground. “Oh, first let’s have some tea. We don’t want you to be parched.” The little hare pulled Belle towards a long white table. “By the way, I am the March Hare, but please call me Marchie.”

Santiago watched as the two females made their way to his old courtyard. He hadn’t realize he was covering a smile and his heart beating the same tune yet again. His body felt lighter and he couldn’t’ fathom the reason for his body to change-

Santiago looked at the girl. She was invested in the gossip with the March Hare. Belle tucked a hair behind her ear.

Oh. This was not according to plan.