In The Great Hall

After a while Alice peeked carefully through her fingers. The glistening light had vanished to her surprise, the tunnels, the water and the torches, too. She found herself in a big, oval shaped hall which was lit by mussel shaped drop-lights gleaming like mother-of-pearl. They seemed to jut out of the dark emptiness into the hall. All around, large, richly decorated doors with keyholes on different sizes were set into the bright walls. Through these keyholes light fell into the hall.

Amazed, Alice looked around. She could neither hear nor see the Pied Piper any more. She was alone in this strange, empty room. Carefully, as if she was afraid someone could at any moment enter through one of the doors, Alice walked to the centre of the room. Below her feet there was a crunching sound - the floor of the hall was over and over covered with black, damp clinker pieces. She let the black, glistening little stones trickle through her hands. Finally she got up and scraped the clinker with her feet. The crunching sound obviously pleased her, and she played more and more happily with the sound until in the end she danced merrily through the hall.

All of a sudden a triangular glass table with a little gold key lying on it stood in front of her. Pensively, she regarded it for a while. Then she took the key and went to one of the doors. Although the keyhole looked much too big for the small key, she tried it. But, on course, it did not fit and the door remained shut. At the next door she was no luckier. Getting more and more impatient, she skipped from door to door and tried to open them. But the key fitted nowhere - she was locked in.

Helpless and a little tired, Alice walked through the hall. Suddenly she noticed on one of the walls a huge curtain that had not been there before. Surprised she approached and felt the curtain: it was on heavy red velvet. She pushed it aside and discovered behind it a garden gate made of iron wraught bars. Through the bars Alice could see the most beautiful garden she had ever seen: with a big fountain, a large lawn and many unknown wild flowers. She tried the key right away and - it fitted.

She opened the gate and beaming with happiness she was about to enter the garden, when an unfriendly looking guard in a uniform and a red peaked cap appeared. He stood right in Alice's way.

And with a loud bang the gate closed right in front of Alice's nose. After she had recovered from her fright, she went disappointed back to the table. Now she found a bottle standing there with the mysterious label "Drink me!" She put the key back on the table and had a closer look at the bottle. Inside of it shimmered an iridescent, greenish liquid.

For some time she thought very hard, then she looked once again yearningly over at the curtain, and at last she drank a mouthful from the bottle. Instantly, she turned into a little, three-year old child: her pony-tail made way for little pigtails, the white lace dress became a straight cotton dress with red and white stripes. With it she wore long, red knee-socks and wooden sandals. Now she even moved no longer like an eleven year old girl, but toddled clumsily like a little child to the curtain. With the little strength and the huge defiance of a three-year old she managed after some efforts to push the curtain aside. Finally she stood in front of the yearned-for garden gate. But she had to realize that she had left the key on the table.

A few times she pulled the doorhandle, but in vain, then she fought her way through the thick material of the curtain back to the table.

But now the uniformed guard whom she had met at the gate a while ago was sitting at the table. Alice looked anxiously at him with her big children's eyes, but then she went on courageously and reached for the key. But the guard simply took it away.

Alice: But I only want to get in the garden. Please give me the key.

Guard: You 're too small for that.

Alice: But I want to get in!

But the guard only shook his head. Defiantly Alice stamped her foot like a little brat that dos not get what it wants. Finally she began to cry out on anger and helplessness. When she saw that all that did not help her, she sat sulking down at the floor.

There she discovered under the table a cake onto which was written with currants: "Eat me!" Courageously she took a bite, and at once she became a young woman in a beautiful evening gown. Alice had some difficulty with this new outfit. As the gown was tailored very tightly, she constantly pulled at it and could hardly move in it. When she got up, she noticed that she had stiletto heels on her shoes, and almost fell back again. Unsteady and clumsy, she made her first efforts to walk in this new typeof footwear. To crown it all, her hair, which she wore loose now, fell into her face again and again. Nervous, Alice tried to master it. After she had more or less come to terms with her new looks, she approached the guard again. But since something inside her had changed and she did neither know nor master it yet, her movements seemed more wooden than ladylike.

The guard did not seem to mind. He kindly smiled at the young lady, and when Alice held out her hand pleadingly, he handed her the key with a gallant gesture. When Alice reached for it, he took her hand and led it to his lips. Half flattered, half confused over the sudden change of mood, Alice pulled her hand back. On her way to the curtain she looked with a faintly coquettish smile again and again back to the guard, who followed her movements with lurking eyes. The unexpected success had reconciled Alice a bit with her new outfit, but still her gait appeared insecure and gawky.

This time she pushed the curtain aside easily. She opened the gate - and again the same guard stepped in her way. Now he was just as cold and refusing as before, and did by no means seem to be impressed by Alice's appearence any more.

Alice: But it's me - Alice. You've just given me the key. Please let me pass, please.

The guard did not answer. Instead he closed the gate without further ado, and installed himself behind it with folded arms and a threatening look. For a short while Alice wondered whether this was the same guard after all.She glanced back into the big hall - it was empty, even the glass table had disappeared. Alice sighed resginedly. It was futile. Whatever she did was wrong. She did no longer comprehend the world. Very sad she dragged herself back into the hall and sat down on the floor to ease her aching legs. Then the Pied Piper came through one of the doors and hurried through the hall, nervously looking at a pocket watch. He held a fan and kid gloves in his hand. His pipe stuck in his belt.

Alice: Pied Piper!

Pied Piper: Almost an hour late! Oh, my God...

Alice: Pied Piper...

Pied Piper: There is going to be terrible trouble.

Alice (suddenly insecure): Sir, could you please tell me...

Only now the Pied Piper seemed to become aware of Alice. He started in a frightened way and saw the young woman sitting on the floor right in front of him, exposing her freshly aquired femine charms in a somewhat clumsy way. Panic-stricken he dropped fan and gloves, rushed to the nearest door, which he opened without any problem, and vanished.

Alice jumped up, and ran to the door. But she could not open it, however hard she shook and pulled at it. Again she was alone and locked in. Very unladylike Alice threw herself on the floor and started to soí without restrains. Her last hope was gone.

Mechanically, she put on the gloves the Pied Piper had dropped. In her deep sadness she did not realize at first that she was turning into the little girl in the red and white striped dress again. When she at last noticed it, she pulled the gloves from her fingers, and throw them away disgustedly. But it was already too late: she had turned into the three-year old child again. Before she had recovered from the shock, she suddenly heard a loud, crunching sound; and something very strange happened...