I rest my head on my knees that I held together in my loose arms. The forest began to darken to the point I couldn't see what was in front of me. I hated the dark. My mother would walk me to my room when I was little, "Mama" I would cry to her, "Please, there is a monster" I held onto her, begging her not to send me back to my room. "Guillermina!" She yelled my name, and her breath smelled of something fruity. I stepped back, I was only a child, and I was scared, why is she mad at me? I couldn't understand. "There are no monsters," she told me. I watched as her left hand rubbed her head. "Please go back to bed, Mama's tired" I stared at her. "Let me sleep in your room tonight, please" I begged her, "I can't go back, The monster will get me" I cried. I could tell she was getting annoyed. "Guillermina!" I held my breath as she yelled again, "Go to your room and don't come out until dawn" she told me through her annoyance. I couldn't get a word out until she walked away. She left her 5-year daughter, in a dark hallway, scared and doesn't even care. I stood there until I heard her door shut. I walked back to her room and sat outside her door, wanting to be in the safety of my mother's arms.
"What are you doing here, Child?" A voice chimed into my ears. I stared at the tall woman, her hair was white as snow, and had a long white dress to match her pale appearance. Her face was lit by a small handheld candle she held. Her lips were pale pink, her eyes were white, pure white. Kinda scary to look into but they were charming in a way. "Hello?" Her voice was soft and smooth, it landed on a lower range than my mother's. "I'm lost," I told her, standing up. "Can you tell me where I am?" She smiled, "You are in Wonderland, a land ruled by Queen Cecilia"
"Where is this Wonderland?"
"It's everywhere"
I stared at her, I couldn't understand. What is Wonderland?
"I need to get home, how do I get home?"
I watched as the woman played with the fire. "Go back the way you came" she smiled sweetly, "The way I came?"
"Yes," She watches her candle flicker back and forth. "Oh my, I will be late" she turned away from me. "Wait?!" I called as she turned back to me, "Hm?"
"Don't leave me" The words slipped out of my mouth, "Okay" she spoke with a sweet tone, somewhat of a mother, "Then come with me child" I nodded, following close behind her.
"Oh my" I looked up at her as she spoke, "My name is Pearl, Child" She hummed. "I'm Guillermina" I felt safe, "What a lovely name, my child"
My child, my child…I could swim in those words.