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.