Wonderland (Intergalactic Fairy Tales Book 1) Read Free Page A

she intended to take this ship.
    “Hey now,” called the creature. “That’s not fair, I can’t reach back that far, and—oh, stop that, it tickles!”
    The tendrils danced and waved in front of Alice’s face, obviously stretched to their limits. She poked at them playfully, eliciting further laughter from the ship. “No, I don’t think I’m going to leave. I think I shall make you my ship,” replied Alice.
    “I can’t be your ship,” replied the creature, suddenly sounding sulky.
    “Well, you don’t seem to be able to stop me from staying aboard, so I think that makes you mine,” said Alice.
    “Oh, bugger this, I don’t have time to deal with you. If you continue to tickle me, know that I can jettison you into space any time that I please,” grumped the ship.
    “Space?” asked Alice, a bit of trepidation obvious in her voice’s slight quaver.
    “Of course, silly girl,” said the creature, closing its side hatches, sealing Alice inside. “I can’t very well be a spaceship if I never go into space, can I?”
    “I guess not,” said Alice, wondering if it was wise to go into space while inside the belly of a living creature. Especially one that seemed to be cross with her. She comforted herself with the fact that this whole thing was quite impossible and that she had to be dreaming, so nothing could hurt her.
    “Hold onto something, little girl,” said the creature, and then lurched upward with astounding speed. “Breaking atmosphere can be a little rough on those that have never done it before.”
    “Who’s to say that I’ve never done it before?” said Alice, grabbing onto the rail that lined the upper walkway. Her stomach dropped into her feet and then threatened to jump up and out of her mouth. When she was confident that she wouldn’t empty the contents of her stomach, she said, “And if we’re going to be traveling together, you should call me by my name.”
    The creature didn’t respond. “It’s Alice,” she said finally.
    “Nice to meet you, Alice,” said the creature, his tone strangely subdued, as if he were dreading something.
    “And what is your name?” asked Alice.
    The creature sighed and muttered, “One-zero-three-one-zero-four.”
    “What kind of a name is that?” asked Alice, her brow furrowed.
    “It’s not really, just something the dock master writes on his chart, so they know that I’m accounted for.”
    “Well, what do your friends call you?” asked Alice, the crease between her eyes deepening in disapproval.
    “I don’t have any friends,” said the creature, banking hard to the side and then leveling again. The ride suddenly smoothed out. “We’re through the atmosphere now, smooth sailing for a while, so if you want to move about, you can.”
    Alice climbed down the ladder and moved slowly toward the front of the ship. She had to think of it as a ship when she was moving around inside, or it made her queasy. Because if it wasn’t a ship, then she really was just food inside a large beast’s gut. When she reached the front of the ship, her eyes opened as wide as saucers. They truly were in space. A black blanket spread out before them endlessly, dotted with sparkling stars, so many more than she’d ever seen from her own yard, and they were all around. Not just up, but down as well. She was so lost in her reverie that she forgot about their conversation for a few minutes. “You must have friends,” said Alice, taking a seat in what was most definitely a chair. It even swiveled. “What about this Absolem you are on the way to meet?”
    The ship laughed so heartily that she could feel it shake beneath her feet. “Absolem doesn’t have any friends either, only business associates. If he had a friend, he might not screw them out of their last penny, and then he wouldn’t have his reputation.”
    “So, you don’t have any friends, or a proper name?” asked Alice, her heart breaking for this strange creature.
    “I guess that about sums it