FicWad

He ran. Out of his backyard, he just kept running. Down the street, around the block. His freshly blackened eye was throbbing and his cheek was stinging. He just ran until he couldn't anymore, until the tears were streaming down his face. He was in a thicket of trees, probably in the woods not too far from his house, he wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. He walked along the forest. It was quiet except for the soft sounds of crickets and the rustling of the wind. He brought his hand up to his swollen eye, feeling the cool tears fall down his fragile, damaged face. He sat down at the trunk of a tree and pulled his knees to his chest, burying his head between them.

That house. He couldn't go back to that house. Not back to the monster that lived there. His stomach ached as shuddered out sob after sob, a side effect from his father sending his boot into his stomach multiple times. Never did he want to go back to the man that made him feel worthless. The man that caused his bruises and scars. He wanted to get out, go somewhere far away, where his father could never find him. He wanted an escape. From everything. From everyone.

It was dark now. Ryan hadn't moved from that stop by the tree since he'd sat down there. He got up and looked around a bit, noticing the skinny, lean trees, the short, soft grass and the surprising lack of woodland animals. He would stay for the night, then find somewhere else to stay in the morning, but for now he laid in the green grass, resting his head against a young tree. Definitely not the most comfortable place for sleeping, but it would have to do. A few more tears rolled down his soft cheek as his let sleep overcome him. The last thing he thought before falling into a long, dreamless sleep was how he wished for an escape from this world.

He should be careful what he wishes for.

Ryan awoke in a blissful state. He felt warm, safe and truly happy; that is until he opened his eyes. He sat up confused, looking around to see he was not in the same place he fell asleep the night before. Wild flowers every color of the rainbow and, a few he was pretty sure didn't exist, littered the ground, except for a small circle around him. The trees were strong and dark, becoming tall and thick. Vines hung from their branches almost like curtains and a small path lead out of the cove of trees.

Ryan got up, slowly examining himself and the world around him. He was almost the same, his torn jeans and blue sweatshirt remained unchanged. His hair was slightly messy, not unusual, skinny fingers and chapped lips were too unaffected. The only change was that the bruises began swelling and turning a dark purple along with the bags under his eyes. He sighed, it was dark out when he had gotten here last night. He was sure his eyes had just been playing tricks on him; until he saw something curious.

A small bird hopped over to a thin branch near him. It was bright pink, and had small, glowing, white eyes. Ryan had never seen anything like it, he was mesmerized. Then the bird did something he never expected... OW-OOHGA! Ryan jumped and stared at the small bird that had just released a noise that sounded as if it were the horn of a large steam boat. OW-OOHGA! Again the tiny bird 'chirped'. Baffled by small creature Ryan followed it as it hopped and flew from tree to tree, until he was nowhere near the place he had woken up.

"Alarming aren't they"

Ryan spun around to where the voice had come from, but no one was there. His eyes flitted from tree to tree, expecting someone to pop up and attack him.

"They are Horn-Jays of course."

Ryan turned again, only to see a pair of bright, white teeth stretched into a smile.

"Who are you?" Ryan asked. The smile turned wicked and came a pair of icy blue eyes. "I believe the better question is who are you?" His cat-like eyes stared at Ryan with a intensity that couldn't be described.

"Ryan," he muttered. The smile and eyes beamed and emerged from the shadows a boy about Ryan's age. With straight, brown hair falling long around his face. He had been wearing a grey striped sweater, and dark jeans but seamed to be missing shoes.

"Yes, I see," said stalking around Ryan. "I am Spencer, you may ask me anything."

"Ok, well how did that bird make that impossible noise?" Spencer looked at him for a moment, and then pulled himself up into a tree so he was sitting on a branch. "Well it's not impossible if it happened," he answered simply.

"I have never heard any animal make a noise like that before." Ryan stated.

"And that make's it impossible?" The boy stared at him his eyes going straight through Ryan.

"Well, no but-" Ryan began, but Spencer cut him off.

"Do you like riddles?" He asked, his eyes having a mischievous glow.
Ryan looked confused, what with up with this kid? "Uh sure," he said nonchalantly.

"Why," he paused, "would a boy keep going back to the man who beats and neglects him?" Ryan's heart jumped, he turned to Spencer, who had a wicked grin on his face.

"What did you say," Ryan spat, narrowing his eyes at the boy. Spencer stood on the branch, leaning against the thick trunk of the tree.

"I'm sorry, do you need me to repeat myself?" He said, his eyes large and bright. Ryan blinked in astonishment, not comprehending Spencer's odd and quite frankly rude mannerisms.

"How do you know that?" Ryan demanded. Spencer simply sighed, looking down at the boy.

"Well, If you recall, Alice, I had said you could ask me anything. In order to be able to answer anything I would have to know everything, now wouldn't I. Silly boy."
Ryan stared at him in disbelief. This kid was insane. What was he even talking about? And how did he know about Ryan's father?

"Wait? Did you just call me... Alice? I thought you knew everything." Ryan said in his usual sarcastic tone.

"I do, George Ryan Ross. You simply remind me of an Alice I once knew." The boy said jumping down from the branch and walking behind Ryan. Ryan smirked, whatever Spencer was doing wasn't going to work on him. He decided that maybe home was a better place to be than in the middle of the woods with this kid. Shaking his head, he looked around for the path he had come in through, but he was unable to find it.

"Hey man, how do I get out of here?" He asked turning around looking for the boy who was nowhere in sight. Spencer laughed, causing Ryan to jump at the boy standing now behind him.

"Dude, what the hell?" Spencer's grin was doubling in size, taking up most of his face.

"Do you know where you are, silly boy?" He asked.

"Yeah, in the woods outside of my house and stop calling me that!" Ryan demanded, Spencer laughed once again.

"No, no, no silly boy," Spencer said and Ryan huffed, "you aren't anywhere near home. Why, you're in Wonderland." Ryan raised an eyebrow. Wonderland? He sighed and shook his head, letting his gaze drop to his feet.

He tensed. The once soft, green grass that he had woken up on was a furious red. Looking around all he saw was a sea of crimson. Panicking he looked at Spencer, who was slowly fading until all that was left was his large, white smile and icy blue, cat-like eyes.

"Wait! Wait!" Ryan jumped. "Don't go! Please! Stop! Wait! What is going on?"

"What's wrong?" The voice came from in the tree and Spencer slowly appeared on the tree branch he was perched on before.

"What is this place?" Ryan asked, clearly freaking out. Spencer sighed, obviously tired of explaining this many times before.

"Wonderland is a place you go when you have nowhere else to go, when you run away from home."

"And how do I get back?" Spencer laughed.

"That, silly boy, you will have to find out on your own. But I can help you get started." He said pointing to open path which seemed to have just appeared. Ryan nodded, thanking the boy and headed toward the path.

"Just follow the momeraths!" Spencer called after the boy, Ryan didn't understand until he looked down to see many small, multi-colored creatures running down the path. "And remember," he called slowly disappearing once again, "it's easy to get lost, Alice."

A/N Please Review!
Just editing a few things, I'm thinking about starting this story up again if anyone would be up for that let me know