Escaping into Wonderland by Stephanie Perceival
Molly trembles under her duvet, listening to arguing downstairs. Crashing dishes, shouts, swear words. Glass shatters followed by a scream.
Then there’s silence which is more disturbing than the fight. Pulling her toy cat Dinah close, Molly climbs out of bed, feet padding on the wooden floorboards.
Halfway down the stairs she hears voices.
“I’m shorry…” “No, I’m shorry…” “Love you…” “Love you too…”
Laughter starts and other noises. Molly knows she mustn’t disturb them, tiptoes back to her room. Instead of getting into bed she goes to her doll’s house. It’s called, ‘The Manor.’ Painted roses climb white walls. Red chimney pots crown it. Different to their dingy house, which is grey and cramped.
The Manor, was left her by Granny. It’s so grand it has a library; tiny books on wooden shelves. The same stories Mummy once read to Molly. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland their favourite.
‘If we drank the drink in the doll’s house, do you think we’d shrink enough to fit in?’
Molly had giggled, imagined sleeping in the bedroom with the rose wall-paper and matching curtains that Mummy had stitched.
Molly strokes Dinah’s head, the softness a comfort as she remembers days before Daddy left. After that, Mummy didn’t want to play. Stayed in her room with her aquae vitae, ‘Water of life, Molly. Can’t do without it.’ She’d met Denis online. Now he’s moved in.
The hook on ‘The Manor’ makes a tick of encouragement as Molly lifts it. Inside the family are eating tea, Mr and Mrs Pleasance, with their children, Charles and Carol. They’re a happy family, always smiling.
The meal is ham, eggs and green vegetables, with pie for dessert. Apple pie today but on special occasions would be cherry. Molly’s mouth fills with saliva as she imagines sweet cherries, red juice spilling over her lips. Her tummy rumbles, only sandwiches and crisps for tea again. There are tiny beakers for drinks. In the centre of the checkered tablecloth is a blue glass bottle. A miniature label Mummy made, dangles from it, ‘Drink Me.’
Molly hears Mummy and Denis tottering upstairs, muffled laughter. Shadows stumble past the gap below her bedroom door. Their door clunks shut.
She creeps downstairs, clutching Dinah. In the kitchen dirty plates overflow from the sink; the table is cluttered with opened bottles. Shards of glass cover the floor. Molly picks up a blue Aqua Vitae bottle. There’s an inch of liquid remaining. She tilts it to her mouth and drinks. Coughing as it burns her throat. It doesn’t taste like water at all.
As Molly climbs the stairs again, they move like an escalator. She’s getting smaller and smaller. Dinah’s too big for her to carry and tumbles down the stairs.
Back in her room, the miniature Molly scales her chest of drawers and knocks on the Manor front door.
Mrs Pleasance opens it.
“We’re so glad you’re here,” she says, giving Molly a hug. “We’ll have a midnight feast! Would you like some cherry pie?”
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