1Please R&R. This is my first story I'm actually determined to finish. All thanks to my beta reader, The Lonely Lady of Shallott!
The little boy looked down the hole and smiled. He took a step closer, almost putting his foot in and shone the light down into it.
The only thing he could see was the roots from the trees and dirt. Everything else was all black, just a round black abyss. Intrigued, he lifted his foot up, holding it over the hole. He slowly lowered it, ready to jump down into this new unknown world.
"Adam!"
He put his foot back down on the ground, turning his head to look at the direction the voice had come from. He put the flashlight down on the ground and slowly walked away from the opening, wishing he had more time to explore. He walked out from the clearing and into the forest, looking around for the source of the sound.
"Adam!"
He looked to the side and saw his older brother. Smiling he ran over to him, ready to share the news of his discovery.
"Todd! Todd, I found some-"
"Adam! Mom told you not to go out in the forest alone!" His older brother sounded mad, like he didn't want to get in trouble with their mother, no matter how exciting his new discovery was.
"But-"Adam started, but was promptly cut off.
"No buts! I don't want mom to get mad at me for your curiosity!" he shouted, grabbing hold of Adam's wrist. "Come on, we're going home."
Adam struggled against his brother's grip, but soon submitted to his brother's wishes. One day he'd go back, one day he'd see what was down that hole.
He managed a last look at his clearing before he was dragged off. He turned his head back to his brother and tapped him on the shoulder with his free hand.
Todd sighed. "What Adam?"
"I can walk on my own now." He replied, looking down a bit. "I promise I won't run back."
"You promise?"
Adam looked up into his brother's eyes and nodded. "I promise."
"Okay. Come on now, mom will get home in a bit and I want to be there so I can get out of dishes."
"No fair!" Adam screamed and ran in front of Todd. "I don't want to do them either!"
Todd ran out in front of Adam and smiled his fun-loving attitude back. "Race you!"
The two ran out of the forest, laughing and pushing each other around. They made their way out of the forest, away from the mysterious hole, probably never to see it again. To forget it was ever part of their lives.
A hand slowly slid out of the hole, grabbing hold of the flashlight. It was dragged back inside the hole, the light flickering out of it as it dropped in the void.
"We're waiting for you, little boy," a voice said from deep inside the hole. "You will come back, you will."
Another voice promptly joined in with the first, deeper than the last. "For the prophecy has foretold your arrival and return."
"Yes," the first voice stated. "Your return to Wonderland."
The two voices began to laugh, a deep and harmonic sound. Soon others joined in, reaching out around the forest, echoing through the trees.
They died down and the hole started to closed, the ground slowly healing itself.
"Little boy, you will come. For it is the only way we canfulfill the prophecy. For the better or for the worse."
As the rip in the earth finished closing, one last voice could be heard from the ground, faintly, but definitely feminine.
"If you can hear me, take this as a warning. Don't come back. Forget you ever saw the hole, forget you ever heard these voices-forget everything of this day. These memories will only hurt you. If we ever meet, turn away and run. You'll know it's me when the time comes." The voice stopped for a second before carrying on. "And Adam, if you do decide to stay, be aware that there's danger in every corner in Wonderland."
The voice stopped, the clearing now silent, not even a birdcall could be heard. It was almost as if time had stopped after the voice. It was almost as if it had commanded silence.
"I believe in you."
The clearing then picked up where it had last left off.