TTFN!

Well, this post is a bit overdue!

Wonderland is all finished up for the time being, and my "dissertation" is handed in!

Look, see, here's my copy!

I may get around to uploading the individual pages if people want, but...it's a dissertation. So there's a lot.

I think Wonderland was a success! It was pretty well received by my tutors, after a bit of fumbling around in the dark. There's a good strong story, characters and plenty of drama.
You know what? I'd actually love to see Wonderland go in to production someday. If not, perhaps I'll even write it as a novel, take a bash at self publishing? So, don't think this is the end!

Ta ta for now!

Wonderland out!

Tiny bit of research

So, for those of you that haven't noticed, my title logo had some heavy inspiration from the logo of a video game; Silent Hill 2.

You can see the similarities, right? I added a glowing effect to mine, then I decided it would look cool/creepy if it looked like the light was shining from behind the text. Like a grungy silhouette. To be fair, a similar effect would've been very appropriate for this logo here. 

I've also done a little bit of research in to page layouts. I turned to another Silent Hill video game for this, the game manuals are actually quite nicely laid out.

Pretty well laid out right? I think the "Konami" text that makes it difficult to read is just because I downloaded a replacement pdf instead of using the real manual (alas, I don't have it anymore!), so if you pretend it's not there... The text is easy to read, nicely framed by the gradient effect and there's a grungy border effect on pictures that seems pretty cool. The prologue has also been nicely highlighted too.

Silent Hill 2's manual was also cool, but not as friendly on the eyes. There's no nice framing effect, but it's nice to see the character portraits in the background. Still, they're a little out of place, except for on the character page. The prologue isn't highlighted, but it does have its own double page. 

These are my own page layouts (4 of them). I plan to have more than 4 pages in my document of course, but I thought I'd alternate these pages to keep some consistency, rather than a different design per page. Nice and grungy, right? I'll likely be putting a background on text to make it stand out. The handprints stemmed from the whole crime aspect of the series, I thought it'd be appropriate. 

Title Fonts

This has been a surprisingly difficult one. I've attempted to go for a very grungy font, think I did a damn good job to be honest. After 5 attempts, I'm satisfied.

Well, I was bound to try roses, wasn't I?

It's a bit too plain....

Looks creepier in white, and the spider webs actually look like spider webs.

Glowing? Like a torch? I like this one, but...

Glow from behind? This is the one! This is cool! 

Those little bits that look like slime are supposed to be a bit like spider webs. Like a web of lies. Like a conspiracy. See where I'm going?

Black Rock, The Asylum and even China Town

Just some descriptions of the main locations in Wonderland. It all takes place in the bustling city of Black Rock.

Black Rock City: a grimy, desolate slum of a city. Home to some of the most twisted individuals imaginable; it’s not exactly a family friendly place. The city is named after the island it was built upon and it was intended to be the first of many settlements upon the island. However, the industry at Black Rock boomed and the city expanded to fill the entire island. That still wasn’t enough. More and more people flocked to the city searching for work and the prospect of a better future. Living spaces became cramped as more homes were necessary. Blocks of flats became skyscrapers until eventually there were so many buildings that it became nearly impossible to see the sky. With a staggering population to cater to, Black Rock’s once booming industry crashed and the city became more of a shanty town for the homeless. Those that could afford property moved to the quiet, safer outskirts of the city. Everyone else remained trapped in the city. So, Black Rock City became a prison. They say, “Once you go Black Rock, you never go back.”
  In the heart of Black Rock City lies Black Rock Asylum. If you thought the rest of Black Rock’s population were a twisted bunch, get ready for the true horrors of Black Rock. The asylum is run by the corrupted angel, otherwise known as Rosa Red. Rumour has it that there’s more than just one patient that she’s imprisoned in there that doesn’t belong, all to cover up her somewhat illicit activities. She wasn’t always a cold hearted witch. She used to work closely with a pharmaceutical company run by a man named Rory Hart and his wife, Alyssa. Together, they developed medications to treat the patients in the asylum. However, one specific treatment would’ve served to greatly cut down the number of patients admitted to Black Rock Asylum; a treatment that was codenamed “Wonderland”. So, Rosa made plans to “silence” the heart family and stop their research. One thing led to another; Rory ended up dead, Alyssa went missing and their son Alex was kept in the asylum. Alex knows the truth behind what happened between his parents and Rosa; he just has trouble remembering it. Alex’s journey to fix his shattered mind and recover the pieces of his memory begins deep within the bowels of Black Rock Asylum.
 The China Town district somehow remains unaffected by the rest of Black Rock City’s problems. However the corrupt nature of Black Rock is ever present, even here. China Town holds many a secret. Its labyrinthine nature makes it a worthy adversary for any adventurer. It also makes it a great place to hide organised crime gangs, bodies, etc. It’s a shame China Town is so dangerous; the abundant neon lights look beautiful all year around. Especially in the pouring rain, which just so happens to fall near enough every day. 

A hefty script extract...

So, the original plan was to create more than one script extract for my dissertation/pitch document, but then I knocked out a 9 page extract for just one episode... So, I think it's probably for the best that I leave it at that. The episode in question is #11. I thought it would be a great episode to expand upon as it's got action, confrontation, mystery and drama. It's basically got everything I want for my series. It also has a rather touching ending, so I thought it might be quite a nice extract to have. I've started mid way in to the episode, so you might have to refer back to the synopses. In my document I'll throw in a little summary paragraph for the beginning of the episode. Nobody likes repeatedly flicking back and forth through pages of text.
Enjoy!

          SCENE #2. BLACK ROCK CITY, CHURCH ROOFTOP. EXT. DAY. LIGHT

          RAIN

          Alyssa sits on the rooftop of the church, admiring the sun.

          Alyssa pulls a pocket watch out of her breast pocket. She

          clicks a button on the side, opening the face of the pocket

          watch.

          Alyssa smiles at the picture of Rory inside the lid of the

          pocket watch.

          A tear rolls down Alyssa's face.

                              ALYSSA

                         (Shaky voice) "I miss you...")

          An alarm sounds from Alyssa's pocket. Alyssa pulls out her

          phone, which is sounding the alarm.

          Alyssa looks at her phone with a worried look on her face.

          On the screen two red dots are shown on a map, one with the

          name "Rosa" written next to it and one with "Alex" written

          next to it.

          With a gasp Alyssa stands and runs across the rooftop.

          Alyssa dives from the rooftop and shoots her grapple hook,

          zipping off across the sky.

          SCENE #3. ABANDONED FACTORY. INT. DAY.

          Alex is held over the shoulder of a security guard.

          Alex struggles against the security guard holding him, but

          cannot break free.

          Alice calls up to Rosa.

                              ALICE

                         (Shout)

                    "Why are you doing this?!"

          Rosa gives a slightly sarcastic laugh.

                              ROSA

                    "I am YOUR employer, I don't have

                    to give you any answers. You

                    disobeyed me, Alice!"

                              ALICE

                    "I told you Alex would improve out

                    of the asylum, and he has! If you

                    just give him chance!"

                              ROSA

                         (Interrupts)

                    "No more! That boy is a danger to

                    himself and others, he needs to be

                    kept in the asylum!"

          Alex looks on in shock. He knows it isn't in his nature to

          be violent.

                              ALICE

                    "What about the fire?!"

          The question catches Rosa off guard. A slight look of shock

          appears on her face.

                              ROSA

                         (Through gritted teeth)

                    "I see you've been doing your

                    homework..."

                              ALICE

                         (Slightly smug)

                    "It's what you pay me to do."

                              ROSA

                         (Irritated)

                    "I pay you to make patients

                    better!"

                              ALICE

                         (Shouts, interrupts)

                    "And I have! If finding out the

                    root of his problems means

                    uncovering this mystery then that's

                    what I'll do! I'll tear down this

                    very city to find the answers I

                    need! I'll do whatever it takes to

                    help Alex!"

          Alex looks at Alice and smiles slightly.

                              ROSA

                    "As admirable as that is..."

                              ALICE

                         (Interrupts)

                    "Tell me about the fire!"

          Rosa sighs, she then smirks slightly.

                              ROSA

                    "I had my reasons."

          Alice stares for a moment in disbelief.

                              ALICE

                    "It was you... Why?"

                              ROSA

                    "There's no reason for me to

                    explain myself to you."

          Alex feels numb with rage.

                              ALEX

                         (Weak voice)

                    "...You killed my father...?"

          Rosa looks to Alex and smiles sinisterly.

                              ALEX

                         (Shouts)

                    "Why?! How could you?!"

          Rosa ignores Alex, she turns on her heel and steps back

          towards the shadows. She clicks her finger as she walks

          away.

                              ROSA

                    "Kill the girl, I need the boy

                    alive."

          Rosa disappears in to the shadows.

          Alice is frozen to the spot. She knows she won't be able to

          hold off the guards.

                              ALICE

                         (thought)

                    "Sorry Alex... Can't say we didn't

                    try."

          Alice closes her eyes and breathes deeply.

          Alex can be heard shouting, but Alice can't make out what he

          says. She has closed off the rest of the world as she waits

          to die.

          The security guard behind Alice begins to step towards her.

          SCENE #4. ABANDONED FACTORY ROOFTOP. EXT. DAY. LIGHT RAIN

          Alyssa lands on the rooftop of the factory. She runs over to

          a hole in the roof.

          Looking inside Alyssa can see Rosa standing on a balcony

          talking to Alice on the ground floor.

          Alex is held in the arms of a large security guard.

          Another large security guard stands near Alice.

          Rosa turns to walk away.

                              ROSA

                    "Kill the girl, I need the boy

                    alive."

          Alyssa smirks with a slight laugh. She knows this rescue

          will be quite easy.

                              ALYSSA

                    "Arrived just in time it seems. Too

                    bad, Rosa. I need them both alive."

          Alyssa attaches her grapple to the roof and dives through

          the opening.

          SCENE #5. ABANDONED FACTORY. INT. DAY.

          Alice snaps out of her moment of hopelessness.

          Alice watches Alyssa swing down from the rooftop.

          Alyssa swings in with her foot out, ready to kick.

          Alyssa kicks the security guard holding on to Alex in the

          face as he turns to look towards her.

          The guard releases Alex quite abruptly, causing Alex to fly

          through the air.

          Before Alex can hit the floor, Alyssa scoops him up with her

          free arm.

          Alyssa continues her swing back up on to the rooftop with

          Alex in tow.

          Alice watches all this in awe. The security guard behind

          Alice has stopped walking towards her. He also watches in

          amazement.

          Alice looks up towards the roof.

                              ALICE

                    "It's been fun, Alex."

          Alice's eye become teary. She smiles slightly.

                              ALICE

                    "I hope you find the answers you're

                    looking for..."

          Alice's closes her eyes, once again waiting to die at the

          hands of the security guard.

          Alyssa drops down from above with her grapple attached to

          the roof. Using her free arm, Alyssa grabs Alice around the

          waist.

          The security guard behind Alice makes a rush to grab both

          Alice and Alyssa, but Alyssa kicks him away as she pulls

          both herself and Alice up with the grapple.

          Rosa runs back out of the shadows, throwing herself against

          the railing of the platform.

          Rosa looks down to see both security guards rubbing their

          faces and no sign of Alice or Alex.

          Rosa looks up just in time to make eye contact with Alyssa

          as she pulls Alice to safety. Alyssa pulls herself up

          through the hole in the roof.

          Rosa slams her hand down on the railing, enraged.

          SCENE #6. FACTORY ROOFTOP.

          Alyssa pulls herself up on to the rooftop, then she helps

          Alice up.

          Alice looks up at Alyssa's face.

                              ALICE

                         (Surprised)

                    "You... You're the one that saved

                    us back in China Town! You're..."

                              ALYSSA

                         (Interrupts)

                    "No time to talk yet, we have to

                    get far away from here!"

          Alyssa pulls Alex up on to her back and puts an arm around

          Alice, using the hand of that same arm to hold on to Alex's

          arm.

                              ALYSSA

                    "Hold on tight everyone!"

          Alyssa points her grappling hook and fires. She pulls the

          trigger and they all zip off.

          SCENE #7. BLACK ROCK CITY, SKYSCRAPER ROOFTOP. SUNSET.

          The rain has stopped. The sun sets in the distance.

          Alex, Alice and Alyssa sit on the edge of a skyscraper

          rooftop, watching the sun set.

                              ALYSSA

                    "I've been watching the pair of you

                    for a while now."

          Alice leans over to look at Alyssa. She notices that Alex

          continues staring off in to the distance.

                              ALYSSA

                    "To think you've both been looking

                    for me this whole time, and then I

                    show up to save you."

          Alyssa turns to face Alex.

                              ALYSSA

                    "Funny, isn't it?"

          Alex continues staring off in to the distance. Alyssa puts

          an arm around him.

                              ALYSSA

                    "You look well."

          Alyssa stands and takes a few steps away. Alex stands quite

          suddenly.

                              ALEX

                    "You're leaving already?!"

          There is a slight pause.

                              ALEX

                         (Shakey)

                    "I've only just found you... I've

                    missed you... Mum."

          Alyssa quickly pulls Alex in to an embrace. Alice has now

          stood up and turned around to face Alex and Alyssa. Alice

          smiles at the touching scene.

          Alyssa releases Alex, she looks directly in to his eyes.

                              ALYSSA

                    "I need you to stay with Alice for

                    the time being."

                              ALEX

                    "Can't you stay with us?"

          Alyssa wipes a tear from her eye.

                              ALYSSA

                    "I can't, Alex. Believe me I wish I

                    could!"

          Alice takes a step forward.

                              ALICE

                    "Why can't you stay with us? Surely

                    with your help we could stop

                    whatever plan Rosa might have."

          Alyssa looks at Alice. Alyssa lets out a sigh.

                              ALYSSA

                    "I can't help you by being with

                    you. Every second I spend with Alex

                    is a risk whilst Rosa is still at

                    large."

          Alice lets out a sigh and places her hands on her hips. A

          look of frustration crosses her face.

                              ALICE

                    "Well, perhaps you could enlighten

                    me then? I've been babysitting for

                    long enough, I think it's about

                    time I found out why I'm wanted

                    dead."

          Alyssa shakes her head with a slight laugh.

                              ALYSSA

                    "You know, you really are very

                    mature for your age."

          Alyssa's face becomes serious.

                              ALYSSA

                    "Rosa wants me dead, Alex too. But

                    she won't harm Alex whilst I'm

                    still alive. I'm still a problem

                    for Rosa whilst I'm alive, and I

                    intend to keep it that way."

          Alyssa turns her gaze to Alex, then back to Alice.

                              ALYSSA

                    "Rosa knows what'll happen if she

                    lays a finger on my child."

          Alice still seems confused.

                              ALICE

                    "...But, what is it Rosa wants? Why

                    does she want you dead? What did

                    she do? Why did she start the fire

                    that killed Rory?!"

          Alyssa flinches slightly at the mention of Rory's name.

                              ALICE

                    "...Sorry."

          Alyssa shakes her head.

                              ALYSSA

                    "Everything will make sense to you

                    eventually, you're so close to

                    solving this mystery. We all are.

                    There are just a few more loose

                    threads we need to pull at. But I

                    need to find some answers of my

                    own."

          Alyssa steps towards Alice.

                              ALYSSA

                    "Alex is safe so long as I'm not

                    wih him. Alex is safe when he's

                    with you."

          Alyssa places a hand on Alice's shoulder.

                              ALICE

                    "I'm not sure my training covers

                    this..."

          Both Alice and Alyssa laugh slightly.

                              ALYSSA

                    "You're doing well. Can you keep

                    him safe for me? Just for a little

                    while longer?"

          Alice looks at Alyssa. After a brief pause, she nods.

          Alyssa turns back to Alex. She pulls him in to another

          embrace.

                              ALEX

                    "We can be together again soon,

                    can't we?"

                              ALYSSA

                    "One step at a time, Alex. One step

                    at a time."

          Releasing Alex from the embrace, Alyssa takes a step towards

          the edge of the building. She turns back to look at Alex.

                              ALYSSA

                    "You've grown up so much. I'm so

                    proud of you."

          Alyssa wipes a tear from her eye.

                              ALYSSA

                    "I love you."

          Alyssa point her grapple and fires it, leaping off the

          building as she does. Then, just like that she's gone.

          There is a pause. Alex stares off in to the distance. Alice

          places a hand on his shoulder.

                              ALICE

                    "Are you alright?"

          Alex doesn't respond for a moment.

                              ALEX

                    "Did you mean that? Do you really

                    see this as babysitting?"

          Alice smirks and shakes her head.

                              ALEX

                    "You don't...hate me, do you?"

          Alice laughs.

                              ALICE

                    "I've not thrown you over the edge

                    yet, have I?"

          Alice nods towards the edge of the building.

                              ALICE

                    "Come on, we have some loose

                    threads to tug at." 

          Alex and Alice walk towards the rooftop entrance to the

          skyscraper.

Loose ends!

So, the stress is kicking in a bit now. Before I depart from this blog, I'll be leaving you with a few things. Pretty character and environment illustrations, just to name a few. I won't leave with boring stuff, like my series budget or merchandise (or perhaps you'd like to see some merchandise?). Basically, I'm spending the week tiyng up loose ends.
The episode synopses have been re-written AGAIN today! This time, they've been shortened down to a paragraph each. I won't post them on here just yet, I'll give you chance to read the full length synopses first. Fear not, I'm not scrapping the full length synopses. I'll be putting those towards the end of my series pitch document, with the shorter versions towards the front. By the way, did I mention I have to compile this all in to a document that's essentially my dissertation? So stressed.

Back to the grindstone, eh?

Episode 10-13: The mystery is solved?

The final three episodes of the first series of Wonderland. Leaving the ending of the series open to a second series was a little difficult, but there are definitely a few loose threads in this mystery that I've intentionally left over for Alice and Alex to unravel. Perhaps a second series would see Alice and Alex in a new location? It's quite clear that Black Rock City isn't a safe place, particularly for them. The final episode seems a little lengthy, but I feel it was necessary. A lot is revealed in the final episode, everything has built up to that moment, the answers that Alex seeks are given in that episode. So, effectively the first series of Wonderland is Alex seeking his answers and finding them. A second series could deal with the loose ends; antagonists still at large, Alex's mother still missing or even Alex attempting to fully regain his sanity (the original intention of the first series). A third series? Well, Alex and Alice could go anywhere. They could solve any number of mysteries from here on out. So, without further delay, here are the final three episodes of the first series of Wonderland.

Episode #11: THE WHITE QUEEN 

Alex and Alice return to the factory hideout after a long day of hunting down leads to find Alex’s mother. The moment Alex enters the factory he is on edge, something is off. There is an uncomfortable stillness in the air. As if out of nowhere, Alex is taken by surprise and grabbed by one of the security guards from the asylum. Alice manages to evade the other guard. A clap sounds from above. Alice looks up to see Rosa stepping out of the shadow on an elevated platform, clapping with a smug grin on her face. She congratulates the pair for evading her for so long.
Alyssa sits on the rooftop of a church. She watches the sunset with a dreamy look in her eyes. She pulls a pocket watch out from her jacket and opens the lid. Inside is a picture of her late husband, Rory. “I miss you,” she says with a slightly shaky voice. But there is little time for reminiscing. An alarm sounds from Alyssa’s pocket. Alyssa pulls out her phone to see what the alarm is. Without a moment of hesitation Alyssa dives from the rooftop, using her grapple to soar between buildings.
Alice demands an explanation for Rosa’s actions. Rosa reminds Alice that she is the director of the asylum and that she makes the rules. Rosa reminds Alice of the warning of punishment she issued when Alice left to find Alex. But that wasn’t the explanation Alice wanted. Alice brings up the fire. Rosa gives a twisted smile, congratulating Alice again for being such a good detective. Rosa claims that she “had her reasons” for starting the fire that tore the Hart family apart. Alice is speechless; having not quite expected Rosa to so openly admit that she was the reason Alex’s father was dead. Before Alice can process this, Rosa orders the guards to kill her. Before they can take a step towards Alice, Alyssa swings in. In one graceful glide she kicks the guard holding Alex, causing him to drop Alex. Before Alex hits the floor Alyssa grabs him and continues her swing up on to the roof of the factory.
Alice watches Alyssa swing through the factory in awe. She is relieved to see Alex is now safe. For a moment, Alice accepts that she will die here. With a silent goodbye and good luck to Alice, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. But Alyssa has other plans. She drops back down, grabs Alice and swings her up on to the roof with Alex. Without stopping to explain, Alyssa hoists Alex up on to her back telling him to hang on tight and grabs Alice with her free arm. They zip off in to the distance.
On a distant skyscraper Alyssa explains who she is. Alex is shocked. All this time he spent looking for his mother and suddenly she turns up to save him from a terrible fate. Alyssa explains that she can’t stay with Alex and the she needs Alice to keep him safe. She states that whilst Rosa is still in charge of the asylum she will hunt Alex and herself relentlessly. Alyssa tells them that so long as herself and Alex are separated it means that at least if Alex is caught, Rosa will keep him alive whilst Alyssa is free. Before Alyssa departs she embraces Alex, promising him that one day they will be reunited and that he must stay safe with Alice. Then just like that, she’s gone. 

 Episode #12: THE HOUSE OF CARDS & THE RED QUEEN 

Black Rock City is slowly becoming a more and more dangerous for Alex and Alice. So Alice has decided there’s only one place to lie low, much to Alex’s dismay. After a while travelling through the forest Alex and Alice reach the abandoned manor once again. There is stillness in the air, not even a slight breeze. Alex hesitantly pushes open the front door. The inside of the house appears to have been completely untouched since the day of the fire. Why wouldn’t it be? There’s been no one around to return it to a hospitable state. For a moment Alex stands in the doorway, filled with both sadness and terror. What kind of memories might be uncovered if he were to take another step. Alice places a reassuring hand on Alex’s shoulder.
For a while Alex and Alice wander around the house, not entirely sure what to look for. For the time being, they have no plans, no direction and nowhere to go. Alex had never felt so lost. Even in the asylum he had a strange, twisted sense of belonging. But now all he feels is a sense of emptiness. But what really bothers Alex is the lack of memories he seems to be uncovering. Not once since entering his old home had he remembered anything. Not even now, standing in his old bedroom.
Alex sits at the foot of the stairs in the front room. What was once sadness has now built up in to rage and frustration. Alice peers around the corner and breathes a sigh of relief, fearing for a moment that she had lost Alex. Alice tries to console Alex, but he has no patience for it. In a fit of rage Alex kicks the banister of the stairs. This causes a segment of the banister to fall off and crash to the floor with a loud bang, followed by a loud creak from the ceiling. Alex and Alice freeze in terror for a brief moment. Before either of them can react the ceiling caves in, along with the staircase that Alex is standing on, plunging him in to darkness.
Alex comes to and finds himself in the basement. The door to the stairs is blocked by debris. But before Alex can panic he is greeted by a familiar grin; The Cheshire Cat. Cheshire points out an entrance to a passage behind a shelf. Alex begins to make his way down the passage without the faintest idea of where it may lead. Along the way Cheshire questions Alex about what he has learned since escaping the asylum. Alex realises that he is no closer to figuring out how or why the fire started. The cat chuckles sinisterly, he tells Alex that the answers he seeks lie with The Red Queen, before vanishing.
The tunnel leads Alex out on to a beach. Nearby Alex spots a beach house. He heads over to the house and steps up on to the porch. Carved in to the door are three names; Rory Hart, Alyssa Hart and Alex Hart. Instantly Alex remembers the place as an old holiday home that his parents used to love staying in. Alex enters the house. He stands in the hall for a moment, waiting for a memory to appear before him. Before Alex can even try to remember anything he hears someone enter the house. He turns to see who it is, but he is greeted with a fist to the face, knocking him unconscious.

 Episode #13: THE HOUSE OF CARDS & THE RED QUEEN PART II 

Alice stands outside the manor, unable to enter due to the caved ceiling. An alien feeling washes over her; panic. She knows what she must do. Alice whips out her glasses and places them on her face. Through them she sees Alex’s perspective. He’s talking to a figment of his imagination; a rather disturbing cat. The cat leads Alex to find a secret passage. Alice continues to watch, hoping to track Alex to the other end of the passage.
Alex wakes up face down in the sand. His face feels incredibly sore. Before Alex has a chance to pick himself up, he is dragged to his feet and held in place. Alex looks up to see his captor; one of the asylum guards. Standing in front of Alex is another familiar face; Rosa. Not too far away Alex can see Dinah and the other asylum guard. One big corrupt gathering, it seems. Alex demands answers from Rosa, surprising even himself with his sudden outburst. Alex asks why his father was killed and why his mother had to go into hiding. Rosa smiles, seeing no reason not to tell Alex.
Rosa explains everything, her connection to Rory and Alyssa back when they were both alive. Rory had been the head of a pharmaceutical company with Alyssa working as the head of research and development. When Alex was born the pair turned their attention to the development of a new treatment named “Wonderland” to suppress Alex’s delusions and help him lead a normal life. The treatment would’ve helped many in the asylum too. So, in order to protect her “business” Rosa betrayed her friends. She sent the once sane Thom Jenniel to start the fire and kill anyone that didn’t succumb. However, Thom only managed to kill Rory and the guilt drove him mad. As for Alex, he escaped the fire with his mother’s help, who managed to escape. Rosa found Alex and imprisoned him, hoping to conceal the truth and to use Alex as bait for Alyssa.
Alex stares in complete disbelief. If it hadn’t been for him, had he been born with a sane mind none of this would have happened. Dinah revelled in reminding him of this. At that moment something inside Alex snaps. A strength not his own released, freeing Alex from his attacker’s grip. In one quick moment Alex reaches down, grabs a large piece of metal debris and swings it towards the head of the security guard.
Having seen everything, Alice gasps. The shock of learning about Rosa’s true motives subsides. The integrity of Alex’s mind hangs precariously in the balance. Alice knows she can’t allow him to kill another human being; the guilt would destroy Alex. Alice quickens her pace.
The two security guards lie unconscious. Dinah and Rosa stare in horror as Alex stands over them. Rosa claims that Alex truly is a monster, than he belongs in the asylum. Alex raises his weapon, ready to strike but before he can swing he hears Alice call out his name. As if snapping out of a dream Alex drops the debris and looks at what he’s done. Alice runs in between Alex and Rosa. Alice taps her glasses with a knowing look towards Rosa. Alice tells Rosa that she is going to take Alex, help him recover and if Rosa or any of her associates get in the way Alice will ensure the information she has learned will be used. Alice takes Alex away back in to the city.
Both Alex and Alice know that their journey is far from over. Black Rock City will no longer welcome them, they still need to find Alyssa and Alice knows just how tenacious Rosa can be. They haven’t heard the last from her... 

Episode 7-9

Episode #7: ARE YOU READY TO GO AMONG MAD PEOPLE? 

Once again Black Rock is under cover of torrential rain. Alex thinks back to that last sunny day and can’t help but long for the sun again. He and Alice have made their way in to the city centre, hoping to find some clues about his mother’s whereabouts. Although neither of them really know where to start looking. His mother is truly an enigma, not unlike a ghost. Perhaps she did die in the fire? Alex shudders at the thought, but then he reminds himself that his mother is missing. Even Alice confirmed this and she knows everything.
Rosa storms through the police station, bursting in to the chief of police’s office. The chief doesn’t seem at all surprised by this; in fact he claims he had been expecting Rosa. Rosa tells the chief that she needs Alex to be brought back in at all costs. The chief questions her, asking why she’s so desperate to get this one patient back when there are two escapees from the asylum. Rosa claims Alex is a danger to himself and those around him, more so than the other patient. It’s clear to Rosa that the police aren’t privy to the knowledge of Thom’s escape, they only know that more than one patient has escaped. Had they known Thom was the other escapee he would most certainly be a priority. After some coaxing Rosa convinces to make Alex’s capture a priority. Before the chief can make his announcement Rosa points out that there is a young lady attempting to prevent Alex’s return to the asylum, claiming this person is a criminal and must be stopped. The thought of getting Alice out of the picture puts a cruel smile on Rosa’s face.
Alex can barely even see the sky for all the umbrellas in the plaza. A chill of claustrophobia runs through Alex’s body and for a brief moment he freezes. Alice continues on, unaware of this. Alex remains frozen to the stop, shivering uncontrollably. In the periphery of his vision Alex spots a familiar figure. Alex turns and is faced with the hideous grin of a particularly large cat with backwards human hands; Cheshire. The cat asks him if he’s ready to go among mad people. Without giving Alex much chance to answer the people around him begin to transfigure into some of Wonderland’s most hideous denizens. Alex collapses to his knees and covers his head. He feels someone grab his arm. Alex looks up begging to be released but is quite surprised to see Alice. She helps him up off the floor. Alice worries about Alex’s sudden relapse. After all the progress she’s made with him it seems odd that Alex should suddenly break down in public.
An announcement catches the attention of everyone in the plaza. The police chief’s voice blares out of a speaker and a large screen powers up. The chief states that they are currently looking for a particularly dangerous escapee from the asylum. A picture of Alex appears on the screen, much to the dismay of Alex and Alice. Without waiting to hear the end of the announcement, Alice grabs Alice and they run out of the plaza in to a dark alley. 

 Episode #8: CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER 

The rain pours heavily again. Alex and Alice emerge from a dingy alleyway. The densely packed neon signs make it quite obvious that the pair have emerged in China Town, that and the Chinese writing. Alex wonders if it would be safe to seek shelter back at the abandoned factory, but Alice believes it would be best to avoid the rest of Black Rock for a while. The two of them are taken by surprise when a nearby shop owner calls out to them, asking them to take shelter in his shop. Whilst Alice is unsure if it’s safe to trust anyone at the moment, she is certainly tempted to get out of the rain. So, she and Alex head in to the shop.
Upon entering it becomes quite obvious to Alice that this is a fireworks shop. Alice’s mind races with suspicions and questions. So, without much hesitation she begins to question the shop owner. The owner claims that he doesn’t get much business these days and the last big order he had was over a year ago. Alex instantly becomes interested; just over a year ago Alex wasn’t in the asylum and his family home had not been torched. Alice asks if the owner has any idea who made the order. The owner thinks back and remembers that the order was made in person by a woman. He describes this woman as tall and beautiful with cold eyes and a threatening presence. Alice doesn’t need any more information, it’s clear who made this order; Rosa. Could it be that Rosa had something to do with the fire? Did she cause the fire? In one particularly rare moment, Alice is utterly confused.
Before any more questions can be asked the sound of a helicopter outside interrupts everything. A searchlight floods in through the windows. Without a moment of hesitation the owner pulls Alex and Alice through to a back room. He opens up a secret passage underneath an ornate jade statue and tells them to go. Just before the owner closes up the passage he calls out to Alex, assuring him that he will be reunited with his mother soon. This confuses Alex as not only had he not given the owner his name, he had not even mentioned anything about looking for his mother. But it’s too late to ask questions now. Alice pulls him along the dark, leaky passage.
The passage leads Alex and Alice out into a shrine surrounded by trees. Seconds after they climb out of the passage the pair hear a boom off in the distance. On the horizon Alex spots the aftermath of an explosion in China town. It’s quite obvious to both Alice and Alex where this explosion came from. For a moment the pair stand in silence, completely bewildered. Why had the shop owner just given up his life to save them? How did he know Alex? How did he know about the disappearance of Alex’s mother? Just how was he connected to the fire? But the question that truly weighed heavily on Alice’s mind; what was Rosa’s involvement in all of this? 

 Episode #9: JUST A DAYDREAM 

The rain has let up today, but the clouds are still a gloomy, ever present threat of a downpour. Alice and Alex make their way along a dirt road in a dense forest. After a while the forest opens up to reveal a park. The area seems very familiar to Alex. But Alex doesn’t have much time to think about why he remembers the place; he becomes too distracted by an odd looking man in a top hat. The man sits facing away from Alex, but Alex knows exactly who it is. He calls out to Hatter. Alice is about to stop Alex, telling him he can’t just shout out to strangers, but the man stands and turns. It is indeed Thom. Thom grants them a brief, twisted smile before running away; parting with the words, “Follow me, little orphan!”
Alex and Alice give chase to Thom, who runs back in to the dense forest. It becomes quite a task to weave between the trees and branches and it’s not long before Alex becomes separated from Alice. As he runs, Alex begins to notice things in the corner of his eyes. He looks to the side to see the sinister grin of his old friend, The Cheshire Cat. Cheshire does not run with Alex, but he appears in a new place every so often, keeping up effortlessly. Alex also notices the dim glow of the white rabbit who runs slightly ahead of him. This provides all the confirmation Alex needs; following Thom will lead him to the answers he needs to find.
Eventually, the forest clears away and a beautiful manor comes in to view. Alex stops running; he can’t see Thom anymore anyway. Alex looks around, but Alice is nowhere to be seen nor can he find the Cheshire Cat or the white rabbit. Alex turns his gaze back upon the manor. His parents stand at the entrance, smiling and beckoning him to come closer. Alex takes only one step forward and his parents fade to ash, carried away on the breeze.
Alice comes out of the forest and heads over to Alex. She asks Alex why he stopped running, but he doesn’t answer. Alice looks in the direction that Alex is staring. Lay before them are the remains of a burnt manor. Alice instantly knows where they are; Alex’s old home. Alex is speechless, filled with all kinds of emotions, but none more so than sadness. So badly he wanted that vision to be real, for his time in the asylum to have just been a day dream and for his parents to be waiting for him to return home. The white rabbit tugs at Alex’s jeans. Alex looks down to see the rabbit pointing towards the manor before it runs off and heads inside. But Alex doesn’t follow it this time. Instead he turns away, back towards the city. 

Episode 1-6 synopses

This is going to be a lengthy post, but bear with it if you can!

Episode #1: THE ESCAPE 

In the heart of a dark, dreary city there is an equally drab asylum; home to some of the most deranged and damaged denizens of Black Rock City. The asylum is also home to Alex, a damaged young boy that can’t quite remember why he’s even in the asylum. In his miserable solitude, Alex attempts to remember something, and important event that led to where he is now. Alex shivers, sat on the middle of his bed all curled up in a ball. A sudden flash of a memory appears before him; a large house, a manor. But the manor is burning and a man can be heard screaming out Alex’s name, telling him to run. A clap of thunder from outside pulls Alex out of this memory, much to his annoyance.
Alice sits in her office, writing up a report on Alex. She goes over his case over and over in her head, finding herself less and less interested in Alex’s mental state and more interested in the events the led up to his current state; a fire that led to his father’s death and his mother’s disappearance. Not a single explanation as to why these things have happened. Alice reminds herself that it’s not her job to look for conspiracies, but she can’t help but feel slightly sympathetic for the poor boy. A particularly loud thunderclap bellows through the asylum and the lights begin to flicker. Alice sighs heavily.
The lights go and Alex’s room Is plunged in to darkness. Alex looks around, terrified and confused, hoping the lights come back on. The only light in the room is the slight glow from the electronic lock on Alex’s door. Another thunderclap sounds. In a most unlikely turn of events, despite all the fail safes in place the lock on Alex’s door fails and the door sinisterly creaks open. Suddenly, a white rabbit hops out from underneath Alex’s bed. The rabbit emits a slight glow as it hops towards the door. When the rabbit reaches the door, it turns back to look at Alex and crooks a finger, beckoning him to follow. Without hesitation Alex reaches under the bed, pulls out his copy of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and follows the rabbit.
Alice sits calmly in the darkness of her office. Her calm exterior doesn't do well in portraying her sheer frustration and rage at having been interrupted from her report. Calmly, Alice reaches in to her office drawer and pulls out a torch. Alice marches out of her office in to the darkness. She lets out a banshee like scream, calling for the two security guards. Just like that, her cool, calm façade is shattered.
Alex wanders the labyrinthine hallways of the asylum following the white rabbit every step of the way. But something catches Alex’s eye. A shadow on the wall, a very cat-like shadow points in the direction Alex has come from. Disturbingly, nothing seems to be creating the shadow, but even more disturbing are the human hands on this cat-like silhouette. Alex turns to see what the shadow is pointing at. Facing away from Alex stands one of the two security guards at the asylum. He could easily snap Alex like a twig, whether Alex should give him reason to or not. The white rabbit tugs on Alex’s pants and points towards an open window. The rabbit hops out of the window and with little hesitation Alex follows. 

 Episode #2: DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE 

Power has returned to the asylum. The corridors are flooded with the sounds of hurried footsteps as nurses rush to the rooms of various patients in order to ensure their safety. Alice calmly yet briskly walks through the chaos of it all with two particularly large security guards in tow. She quite openly and obnoxiously mocks the state of the asylum, referring to it as a backwater dungeon. Eventually Alice reaches Alex’s room. She commands the guards to wait outside as she enters. Even as she realises Alex isn't there Alice doesn't lose her cool.  She sits down on the edge of the bed and pulls out a pair of ornate spectacles. She dons the specs and presses a button on the left arm. For a moment Alice sits in silence, seemingly starring in to space, until eventually she takes of the glasses and exits the room, uttering the words “found you,” as she goes.
Alex runs through the asylum ground, soaked to the bone from the pouring rain. Behind him he can hear the shouting and frantic calls of the nurses at the asylum. Alex reaches the asylum gate, but his luck has run out. Unlike the window back in the asylum, the gate isn’t open and waiting for him. Alex drops to his knees. The book Alex holds begins to shake. Alex looks upon it in confusion and is shocked when a white rabbit slips out from between the pages, the same white rabbit that led him out of the asylum. The rabbit hops off to the left of the gate, beckoning Alex to follow once more. So, without hesitation Alex does so.
Alice enters Director Rosa’s office. Rosa paces up and down, but stops as Alice closes the door behind her. Rose makes it clear that she is already fully aware of Alex’s escape and states that she’ll be sending the guards to bring him back in. Alice has another plan. Alice suggests that she should go to find Alex and treat him outside the asylum, pointing out that he has made little to no improvement in the year that he has been in the asylum. Rosa strongly disagrees with this preposterous idea. Alice ego kicks in here, leading to a rather loud argument. In the end Alice is unable to convince the director, and so she sets out anyway, storming out of the office. Just before Alice leaves, Rosa warns her that she will be sending out the guards and that if Alice is to hinder them in any way she will be severely punished.
Alice heads out of the asylum and in to the pouring rain. She puts on the spectacles and presses the button as she heads out of the gate. Alice briefly looks back at the asylum, weighing up her options, but comes to the conclusion that her only option is to go after Alex.
Back in her office, Rosa ponders her course of action. She knows that Alex is a priority and he needs to be brought back at all costs. She picks up her phone and calls one of the security guards to inform him of his mission. When Rosa calls him she finds out that another patient has escaped, a man named Thom Jenniel; another patient that Rosa needed to be kept in the asylum. In a fit of rage, Rosa throws her phone at the wall, causing the phone to shatter. Using the asylum’s built in communication system Rosa calls the security guards to her office. 

 Episode #3: A MAD MEETING 

Alex places a hand on the rusted gate of an abandoned factory. The gate falls off its hinges with a thunderous clang. After recovering from the shock of the noise, Alex looks around in slight confusion. He doesn’t quite remember how he arrived at the factory, but he feels a sense of familiarity in being there. For a moment Alex hesitates, something about the factory seems sinister but a sudden clap of thunder compels Alex to take shelter inside.
Alice steps out of a dingy clothes shop with a couple of bags in tow. The rain is still pouring quite heavily and it shows no sign of letting up. Worried that Alex may not have been able to find any shelter, she dons her glasses to locate him. It doesn’t take long for Alice to pinpoint Alex’s location, so she sets off hastily.
Alex sits in a dusty old office, swivelling in an office chair. He hears someone enter the factory and his heart stops. Without a moment’s hesitation Alex leaps under the nearest desk. The footsteps of this mystery intruder draw nearer. Alex plucks up the courage to peer over the desk. The shadowy intruder gets closer and closer, but Alex is unable to make out the face. Suddenly the room is flooded with the light, followed by a clap of thunder. In the brief moment of brightness Alex is able to recognise the intruder as Alice, his doctor from the asylum.
Alice already knew where Alex was before he stepped out from behind the desk, but she humours him in an act of surprise. The pair have a brief conversation; Alice half reprimands Alex for fleeing the asylum, but then reminds herself that this could potentially work out well for him. Alice presents Alex with the new clothes she’s bought for him. She also presents Alex with a photograph, claiming it was the inspiration for the outfit she chose; a photograph of Alex with his parents.
Alex changes his clothes in privacy. As he is changing he hears some unusual sounds coming from the shadows of the factory. A strange, hunched over man in a ripped up straight jacket shuffles out of the shadows. Alex is too scared to call out for Alice. The man identifies himself as Thom, but tells Alex he may call him Hatter. Alice hears the sound of talking and rushes over, standing between Thom and Alex. Thom briefly mutters about a fire at “the big house”, which instantly grabs Alex’s interest. However, before Alex can question him Thom flees, leaving the pair alone and confused in the dark. 

 Episode #4: CAT AND MOUSE 

Something Thom mentioned about the fire bothers Alex. Thom had mentioned something about a fireworks shop that was related to the fire. However, Thom hadn’t made it particularly clear how this shop was related to the fire. Alex still isn’t entirely sure what this fire means to him or why he feels compelled to find out about it, but he knows he wouldn’t be having dreams about it if it didn’t mean something to him. So, Alex and Alice make their way to the only place that one might find a fireworks shop in Black Rock; China Town. As they leave the abandoned factory, Alex and Alice don’t realise that they are being stalked by a mysterious woman. The young woman laughs slightly at their ignorance and pulls out a phone.
Rosa sits in silence in her dimly lit office, swilling a glass of whiskey with her hand. She appears a little dishevelled as if she hasn’t slept for a while. A new phone lies on her desk, it begins to ring. Rosa downs the glass of whiskey and picks up the phone. A woman on the other end of the call tells Rosa that Alex and Alice have been located. Rosa tells the woman to pursue them.
The giant oriental gateway that separates China Town from the rest of the city is not far off now. Alice uses the walk as an opportunity to question Alex about what he remembers of his parents. Alex tries to remember, but he finds himself unable to recall much of anything. Alice questions further, asking why they are looking in to a fire, not mentioning that she herself knows all about the fire. Alex can’t even answer that.
Not two minutes after Alex and Alice have entered China town two large thugs show up on either side of them. They look a lot like the two guards at the asylum, but these thugs are clearly of Chinese heritage. On a nearby rooftop Alyssa surveys the entire scene. She lightly tosses a firework up and down in her hand. She lights the firework and throws it towards one of the thugs. The explosion provides Alex and Alice with an opportunity to escape. Alex looks back at the woman that helped them escape. She very briefly smiles, but uses a grappling hook gun to zip away before Alex can figure out who she is. 

 Episode #5: A STORM OF MEMORIES 

The heavens open and a particularly heavy thunderstorm engulfs Black Rock City. Alex’s fear of thunder and lightning leaves him feeling vulnerable and scared, so he and Alice take refuge in the abandoned factory. The sound of rain drums heavily on the roof, echoing through the factory. Out of nowhere, memories begin to flood back to Alex. He begins to tell Alice what he remembers.
Alex recalls sitting in his father’s office as a child, swivelling in the desk chair. The sound of thunder bellows through the factory. Alex is completely unafraid of the thunder in this memory. His father walks through the office, ruffling Alex’s hair as he goes and giving a slight smile. Alex struggles to remember his father’s name, before eventually coming up with Rory. Rory seems bothered by something; there is a tired look in his eyes. Rory goes in to a back room. In the back room, Alex catches a glimpse of well-dressed woman, but Alex can’t make out her face. Still, there’s something familiar about her. Not long after the door closes Alex can hear a particularly loud argument, but can’t quite make out what is being said.
Alex snaps back out of his memory. Alice is impressed by the sudden leap in progress that Alex has shown. It’s not hard for her to join the dots; being in the factory during a thunderstorm sparking off a memory of being in the same situation, albeit in a considerably less decrepit environment. Alice acknowledges this as proof that she was right, Alex needed to be out of the asylum.
More memories come to Alex. This time, Alex remembers the fire. But it’s not like the recurring dream he’s been having. This time, Alex lies on the floor outside the manor and he remembers specifically that the manor was his home. The screams of his father telling Alex to run haunt Alex. But something puzzles Alex. He remembers specifically now that he lived with both of his parents. So, why can he only hear the screams of his father?
Alex returns to the present once again. There are tears in his eyes, threatening to betray his emotions. Alex tells Alice that he remembers how his father dies. But he can’t remember anything about his mother. Alice tells him that his mother, Alyssa, has been missing since the day of the fire. Alex wants to remember his mother more than anything. So, Alex vows to find his mother. 

 Episode #6: ASSASSIN OR SAVIOUR? 

For a change, the sun is shining over Black Rock City, albeit through a cloudy cover. Alice and Alex take the opportunity to go out looking for leads in order to track down Alex’s mother. Little do they know that Alyssa is stalking them in the shadows. Alyssa is particularly interested in finding out who Alice is and whether or not she can be trusted to take care of Alex.
The unusually bright day makes it difficult for Alyssa to stay hidden. She wonders why she chose today of all days to do some recon, but then she remembers how much she’d missed the sun. Alyssa snaps a photo of Alice as she turns her head. With the photo she is able to confirm that Alice works at the asylum. However, she doesn’t appear to be particularly threatening. In fact, it seems that she’s helping Alex. Alyssa is a little confused by this. She knows that Alex was kept in the asylum by Rosa. While Alyssa doesn’t know for certain, she believes this is because Alex may know the truth behind the fire that killed Rory.
In the distance the mystery woman that’s in contact with Rosa watches Alyssa’s movements. She’s almost impressed by the graceful way in which Alyssa floats through the city using her grapple. The enigmatic woman is already fully aware that Alyssa is tracking Alex and Alice, but she has no idea why. Intrigued, the woman sets off to confront Alyssa.
Alyssa stops in a deserted courtyard to catch her breath and compile the data she’s collected on Alice. Alyssa decides she’s learnt enough about Alice to know that for the time being she’s not threat to Alex, but she can’t rule out the possibility that Alice’s link to the asylum could be troublesome. Alyssa’s train of thought is derailed when a woman drops in to the courtyard with a kick directed at Alyssa. In a swift movement, Alyssa gracefully jumps backwards, flipping in the air and launching a throwing knife as she does. The knife just misses its target, but tears the shirt of Alyssa’s attacker. Alyssa lands with a knife at the ready, prepared for anything. The mystery woman reveals herself as Dinah and asks why Alyssa is tracking Alex. Alyssa doesn’t give her a straight answer; instead she asks why Dinah is interested. Dinah laughs off the question. She claims that if Alyssa’s safety cannot be guaranteed if she continues to follow Alex. Then, without warning several thugs drops in to the courtyard, surrounding Alyssa. Before any of them can make a move, Alyssa points her grapple gun and within a millisecond she is soaring through the air.
The sun is setting. From a distant rooftop Alyssa watches Alex and Alice making their way back to the factory. She wishes she could go and see Alex, but she knows it would be far too dangerous. A single tear falls down her face. She wipes away the tear, points her grapple and zips off to her own hiding place, praying for Alex’s safety.