This is a small taste of a book I wrote in my very early 20s. I had thought that it would never see the light of day, but given the recent events, I feel it appropriate to publish a portion of it. I had forgotten that I had written it as a love letter to both Alice in Wonderland and David Bowie. Rereading it has been a bit of a strange journey. I remember now that when I wrote it, I had imagined him reading it and smiling… This is where Bowie is introduced to the story (at the very beginning!) I present it here wholly (painfully) unedited, in its natural state.

He turned to Alice and bowed, and she curtsied back. The two of them began to dance together, right there in the middle of the forest. Alice giggled all the while. She was having so much fun, she didn’t even notice that the Cheshire Cat ha moved from her shoulders to a nearby branch, and she was forgetting the time.

Cheshire cleared his throat.

“Oh!” Exclaimed Alice, pulling herself away. “Dee, I’m so very sorry! But I must go. The queen awaits!”

“Good night lady!” Dee exclaimed as he disappeared into the night.

Alice and Cheshire continued on their way. The Black Castle slowly rising above the horizon. It was so beautiful. Alice was still overcome with awe when she saw it. A giant castle of pure, black onyx. It was always so shining clean, as if not a single speck of dust ever touched it.

The queen’s guards, or cards as the Queens liked to call them, opened the gates as Alice approached. Another card led Alice to where the queen was. Not an unusual place to find her these days, the library.

The queen turned toward Alice as she entered.

“Good evening, Your Majesty.” Alice carefully said.

“Dear Alice, call me Miranda. We’ve been friends for how many years now? And you’re still calling me ‘Your Majesty’, it’s not necessary.

Alice smiled. “So, what’s this surprise you claim to have?”

The Black Queen threw back her head and laughed. “Claim? No no no, dear. I have.”

“And so, what is it?”

“I believe that your favorite young singer is appearing at The Club tonight.” Alice only stared blankly. “Your David Bowie is singing.”

“Oh my god!” Alice’s smile broadened. “Do you really have David Bowie at your club?”

“Of course.”

“But that means he can come and go as he pleases, so he might know a way home?”

“Oh, no. No dear. Unlike you and I, Mr Bowie exists both in the mortal world, and here in Wonderland. We still haven’t figured out exactly how, but we think that it has to do with his great genius, creative and otherwise.

“We think this is also why he continues to appear so beautifully young in that other world. But as he will eventually die in that world, he will live forever, as you will, in this one.”

“Well, I guess at least I’ll have one human companion.” Alice said quietly as she plopped into a chair. The queen closed her eyes and shook her head. “No? Miranda, what do you mean, no?”

“We believe Mr Bowie is beyond humanity. How else could you begin to explain his simultaneous existence in both worlds?”

Alice propped her head in her hands.

“My dear Alice. That is not to say that you and Mr Bowie cannot still be friends.”

“Yeah. I know. It’s just these little glimmers of hope.”

Miranda smoothed Alice’s hair. “you’re such a sweet, sweet child.”

“Shouldn’t we be going Your Maj… Miranda?” Alice asked as she stood.

“You’re right. Bradley? That childish little beast of a boy! Bradley!” Miranda walked closer to the door. She seemed suddenly agitated. She called out louder. “Bradley! If you are going with Alice and Cheshire and me to The Club, I suggest you get your skinny butt in here!”

The door burst open and a young boy, completely opposite of his sister’s grace and elegance trod in. The ever young Black King.

“Hello, Alice.” he said, trying to catch his breath.

“Bradley.” Alice returned.

They began to walk from the library when Alice stopped. There was a book encased in glass, she’d seen it before. It was the history of Wonderland. It had once been a self-writing book, but that ceased to occur when she had traveled through the Looking Glass. The two places joined in her mind, and so the thin fabric that separated them ripped, and they became one place. Something that was maybe for the better, after all, hadn’t people found love in that? But it was still something that haunted her.

“It’s the past, Alice.” Said a voice in her ear. “you can’t change it. Nobody can.”

“I know, Cheshire, I know.” Alice said. She began walking and picked up pace to return to the side of her friends.

This night would be filled with magic.

And wonder.