City couldn’t be responsible for the plight of others. If people choose to stay down here then it wasn’t the fault of Second City in Alice’s opinion. Yet, when she considered how often her parents told her she was lucky to be in Second City and that her great grandparents had been specially selected to inhabit the city many years ago she began to wonder what comprised the criteria for the determination to be included exactly. Alice’s stomach growled and her body seemed to make the decision about nutrition for her as she sat down.
“Ah, let’s see what we have,” March exclaimed seeming to forget his earlier statement altogether but Alice suspected it was still at the back of his mind. March opened the left lapel of his vest and reaching behind him withdrew a sandwich and, upon placing the food item between them, repeated the action on his right pulling bags of fruit and a thermos. Alice wasn’t sure where he retrieved the sustenance from but it seemed edible and she was positively famished. March took a half sandwich for himself and offered her the other half and split the fruit and poured her cup of drink first. Despite their bumpy greeting, she found him all in all pleasant and sociable to be around.
“You have a different perspective on the wholesome state of Second City I find rather curious,” Alice inclined as she finished her half sandwich.
“Second City tells you what they want to tell you. History is told by the victors Alice. Not the people they trod upon.” March keened as he drank directly from the thermos.
“If you wouldn’t mind, could you please enlighten me as to how you were informed that I may be down here and where exactly is here?”
“Wonderland for all I know, I know it used to be a city in its own right. The only names that come to mind start with a New. Maybe it’s New Orleans, or New Hampshire, or New York. I’m not really sure anymore and I don’t think anyone really cares. They’re too busy trying to survive.”
Alice nodded gravely, concerned at present with her own survival. After she finished some fruit from the bag she discarded the container on the ground which March promptly scooped up and placed in a bag.
“Seconds,” he muttered to which Alice replied, “No thank you I’m quite full.”
March shook his head and ignored her for a moment before continuing.
“As to who contacted me to determine whether or not you were alive, Second City contacts the Tea Masters, of which I am an apprentice being both tested and watched. As such, I’d appreciate it if you placed your scrapping in the proper locale due to the fact that Tea Masters do not leave a trail for zombies to follow.”
“Have you no anthros capable of containing such debris without the need to sully yourself with the bother?”
March shook his head ostentatiously and gave Alice a derisive scowl.
“Are you in Second City?”
“No,” Alice had already gathered, “I am perhaps in wonderland or some other New- unknown locale.”
“Then don’t behave as if you are. You’ll live longer,” March cautioned Alice to which she swallowed a suddenly large and imagined lump in her throat.
Wishing to change the subject Alice probed, “how old are you?”
“Eighteen, what’s it matter?”
“I’m sixteen, thank you very much. I just wished to further make acquaintance and change the ghastly subject we seem to be mired.”
“Too bad, your habits are atrocious. You’re sloppy, and you’re liable to get yourself killed out here. I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long honestly. Regardless, I’ve contacted the Tea Masters regarding your whereabouts. You’ve been entrusted to me for the sake of your comfort. You Seconds seem to be a tad skittish. I’ve planned the best route for us to take to get you home. That’s the good news. The bad news is it’ll take a long time and because I’m on my testing, we will be in and out of contact with the Tea Masters. For you, that means I’ll be reporting our progress, and you should behave as there will be no reinforcements should we get into the thick of it.”
Alice nodded, not altogether confident with the proposition but without much choice she had no other option but to agree.
“Fortunately for you, I’ve planned a route that brings us to my friends and my first home. They will welcome you directly and assist you with any need a Second,” March spake that particular word very snidely, “may have.”
March stood up, brushed himself off, checked the ground for any bits, pinched at it as if he were compulsively obsessed and stuck his hand behind his back discarding whatever he felt he’d cleaned.
“You ready?” March asked as Alice contemplated her curious companion. She stood smartly, brushed off her dress in the same manner as March. Pointed in the air as if a sudden and delightful thought had caused her to shout eureka! Pinched the ground and placed what she thought might be a bread crumb in March’s waiting hand which disappeared behind his back once more.
“Aight then, this way.” He too pointed took a few steps then swung around and went in the opposite direction. The woods looked formidable but Alice speculated that if March could be trusted with her safety he was reasonably well qualified if not most assuredly curious. She was most excited to meet his friends and see if they were equally as curious and whether or not they agreed with his sentiment. Nevertheless the most pressing question on her mind was about his earlier antics.
“Excuse me Mr. Hare,” she asked as they jaunted along at a considerable pace.
“Just call me March,” he interrupted.
“”My apologies, March,” she corrected herself.
“You said it once. You have my attention,” he quibbled.
“Yes, right. Well, I was curious about how you stood on the tree earlier and if you’d care to explain it.” She asked.
“You seem awfully curious all the time and if you’ll pardon the correction,” he imitated Alice’s accent once again and she was beginning to wonder if he was indeed mocking her or not, “I wasn’t standing on a tree, I was standing under the underneath of a limb.”
“Yes,” Alice resisted the temptation of repeating his bouncing if not somewhat confusing sentiment, “How did you do that?”
“This is military grade equipment. You Seconds are wasteful. You throw away things that are still good and make another one. A fellow apprentice and I were able to scavenge one and a half suits. I wear a half and a half of a half. These handy boots were part of the bargain.”
“Ah,” Alice responded seemingly satisfied until she began to become inquisitive about the function of his special shoes as the thought of reviewing statistics appeared unfavorable.
“Do they do anything else?”
“More questions?”
“Yes, if you please.”
“Yes they make me faster than as fast as I already am. Okay? No more questions. I need to concentrate.”
Alice agreed readily although she wasn’t sure what March needed to concentrate on as he walked because it seemed he was simply walking and turning about.
On a small grass covered hill outside of the artificial woods, several mysteriously cowled figures and one patron who, by appearance, contradicted the formality of the cowled figures, stood waiting to see March and his package walk out as the timers on the artificial lighting began to dim. As they analyzed copious amounts of information from the comfort of their elaborate masks, minus of course the figure who did not look like the others, they seemed as still as statues with only the artificial air systems used to ventilate the lower levels of the unnamed city below Second City revealing they may indeed be alive or at the very least well-dressed mannequins.
One may presume, quite erroneously, that these still, mysteriously cowled figures had only a minor interest in the affairs of March or Alice. In fact, the sole purpose of the mysteriously cowled figures was to observe the actions of March in particular and ensure the safe return of Alice.
“Brother Dodo approaches, friends,” Sister Lory announced pulling off her cowl, as was her constant habit when the necessity of darkness wasn’t needed to read the lines of information or vie
w data links to video and sound. Locks of blue hair tumbled free and she ruffled them with her fingers in an expression of her mortality and desire to be comfortable.
The person who didn’t look like the others turned and acknowledged his presence without registering any expression on her face. At most she was apathetic about the event at hand. She was more concerned with attaining her formal titling.
“Good evening family, how does our latest apprentice fair, siblings?” Brother Dodo asked in regard to March as he too removed his cowl and the mysteriously cowled figures followed suit revealing masks of varying birds and animals.
“His progress is hampered by the acquisition of the package.” Sister Eaglet who had the most interest in the affairs of March and his companion offered, “The package is of all importance dear friend and sister. The Under City is in shambles and zombies wreak their havoc willy nilly. Improved relations with Second City may allow for the better care of the citizenry that abide here.”
“Your pupils have had the most interesting time with the completion of their apprenticeship. They still seek to retain their ties to their former lives as well.” Brother Duck both commented and complimented Sister Eaglet.
“Has that not come as an advantage in this ordeal? March’s route takes him through several areas with which he is well acquainted.” Sister Eaglet retorted contemplatively. Prior to accepting her two latest pupils,