Sean stayed low over the Horsefly's neck. By looking straight ahead and through the Horsefly's perked up ears, he avoided freaking out from his fear of heights. He could see the end of the maze in his sights. He could see the train tracks. He was so close. When a sudden shadow and soft hiss came from his left. Looking up, he let out a scream as something with sharp claws and scaly skin swooped in on them. The Horsefly dived to avoid the claws, letting out a frantic whinny as a small jet of white flames with blue streaks singed the Horsefly's long tail. Sean tried to hold on, but he could feel himself sliding back as the Horsefly picked up speed. Unable to look away except at the fast approaching ground, Sean screamed out. "What are you doing?! Pull up! PULL UP!" As a rush of powerful heat warmed his back, he looked over his shoulder and screamed louder. The larger creature was gaining on them, and it was horrifying to look at. The creature was bright red with long insect wings that shimmered different shades of yellow and green. Its eyes were a bright green and tiny green horns lined its spine and long tail. Smoke leaked from its nostrils and its long mouth was filled with sharp fangs. Its front legs extended out toward them with sharp green talons as it hissed aggressively. There was only one thing that he thought it could be. A Dragonfly!

The Dragonfly reached them, its talons scratching the Horsefly's hind legs. The Horsefly unleashed a wild whinny, bucking violently to kick the Dragonfly in the chest to slow it down. Unintentionally, bucking Sean right off itself. Sean flew up into the air as they continued to zip away still locked in a heated chase. While falling, Sean screamed so loud that he thought he'd go mute. He couldn't straighten himself out. His dress rippled around him as he spun through the air, unable to even see the ground coming. This is not how he wanted to die. Extending out his hands, he screamed out to anyone around. "SOMEBODY SAVE ME! PLEASE!" Sean gasped as the Ring of Wonderland began to glow a bright red under his black glove. He watched the ring faded, then yelped as a massive hand stretched out underneath him. The hand moved in slow motion like it had all the time in the world. The hand followed his body down a bit, causing him to hit the persons hand safely but roughly. The fingers started to curl over him, prompting Sean to raise his hands and scream out. "DON'T! I'm not a bug!" The person's voice was deep and calming, when he answered. "I know. I know EVERYTHING about you. Sean William McLoughlin."

The fingers unfurled away from Sean, allowing him to sit up. Looking at the figure before him, Sean began to ask a question, but the strange man answered for him. "Who am I? How do I know you? These are useless questions. I know who I am, and I know who you are. What you should be asking yourself is... Who are you?" Straightening out his dress, Sean climbed to his feet. The strange man was wearing a long tan trench coat with a black button up shirt underneath and black jeans. However, the most unsettling thing about him was the bloodstained bandage around his eyes. Sean waved a hand, causing the man to blurt out dryly. "I can see you just fine. In fact... I see more than you can imagine." Sean crossed his arms about to say something, until the man interrupted impatiently. "Can I guess what you're about to say? Don't waste my time, Sean. You can call me the Caterpillar. Or The Host. In some circles, I am even known as the Narrator or Author." The Host brushed his long greasy bangs back away from his face, before regaling aloud like he was talking to himself. "Sean's voice felt hoarse after his fall. So, with a deep sigh to collect himself, he decided to convey his thoughts in as few words as possible." The Host smirked to himself, then said flatly. "You haven't even tried to answer my previous question. So, tell me how do you plan to break that down into as few words as possible?"

Sean narrowed his eyes on the Host, while the Host narrated out fluently without need of him. "Narrowing his eyes on the Host. Sean attempted to snap out that he knew who he was. That the Host's question was the pointless one." The Host shook his head solemnly, before replying normally. "Knowing a name does not mean that you know who you are. It's a title. A cover to a book with contents that are missing. Contents you must find through self-discovery." The Host lifted his chin a little to fall back into his narrating tone as he regaled aloud again. "Sean rolled his eyes impatiently. Finding the Host's answer to be unsatisfactory. Wasn't everyone's life a series of self-discovery? Every decision building one's story into a novel around one's own life experiences?" Sean blinked sarcastically, butting in flatly. "I didn't think that." The Host waved a dismissive hand, saying simply. "Not in those exact words, but it sounded more poetic in my retelling of it." Sean crossed his arms, growling out. "That's called taking creative liberties. I don't appreciate it." The Host brought his hand closer to his face, causing Sean to fall back across his palm. Staring him down, The Host told him a bit darkly. "I don't recall asking for your approval. I'm writing your story and doing it MY WAY."

Sean gawked at the Host, asking a bit perplexed. "What do you mean by that?" The Host flashed Sean a grin, almost whispering back. "I can't state it any clearer than that. As your story unfolds, I'm writing it." Sitting up a little straighter, Sean mumbled out confused. "Why me? I've only just met you... And-" The Host exhaled heavily, cutting Sean off to say firmly with disappointment. "That is where you are wrong. It's why I asked who you are. Because you simply do not know, and it frustrates me when characters are too dense to piece things together with the clues that I've offered you." Shrugging, Sean rushed out with annoyance. "Then just TELL ME! Why is every in Wonderland torturing me like this!" The Host straightened up to his full height. His expression stony and unreadable. After a short pause, the Host said rather coldly. "How does the little crocodile improve his shining tail?" Sean wasn't expecting the question and sat dumbfounded. Opening his mouth, he tried to ask what that had to do with what he asked, until the Host cut in sternly. "He pours the water from the Nile on every golden scale. How cheerfully he seems to grin. How neatly he spreads his claws. And welcomes little fishes in with gently smiling jaws."

Sean gulped feeling like that was a threat to something he wasn't getting. The Host raised a hand to rub his temples, muttering out to him like he was an idiot. "Ok. Here is the dumbed down version for you, Oyster. How do you expect people to help you, when you can't help yourself? I can't just tell you who you are. It would lose all purpose if I did. Simply knowing something is not enough. You have to experience it. Discover what you lost and why you lost it in the first place. Only then does it have meaning. Only then does it help you understand." Sean took a moment to process that, before saying to himself softly. "I've never thought of it like that." The Host lifted his chin, telling him smugly. "I know. I have improved it." Going back to glaring at the Host, Sean tried to stand back up as he said casually. "Whatever. Can you put me down now? I have somewhere important to be." The Host pushed him back down with a finger, telling him in a calmer tone now. "And I still have important things to tell you. After all... YOU called ME here." Sean opened his mouth, but the Host raised his hand to stop him. The Host then licked his dry lips and told him. "Keep your temper. And listen as I share something important with you."

Sean crossed his legs, adjusting his dress over them to feel less exposed. The Host then took a deep breath, before regaling in a narrative tone. "Beware the Jabberwock. The jaws that bite. The claws that catch. The Jabberwock with eyes of flame. He trudges through Tulgey Wood and seeks someone by name. If you wish to see another day, find the Vorpal Blade. For if he finds you along the way... in Tulgey Wood you'll lay... until the end of all days." Sean looked out in the direction toward the end of the maze, mumbling out scarcely. "The Jabberwock? Who is it after? Why?" The Host grabbed the underside of his bandage and slowly pushed it off his face. Sean shuddered, staring into the Host's solid white eyes, when the Host answered almost menacingly. "Whom, indeed. Maybe one day you'll find out for yourself. Until then... you should ask yourself this. Why does the Ring of Wonderland work for an Oyster if it was forged here in Wonderland?" Sean tensed, curling his fingers tightly into a fist. Did the Host know that he had it? The Host grinned wickedly, replying firmly like he'd read his mind. "Yes. I do. And while turning you in would make an interesting twist in your story... I've seen how it will turn out and a it's boring ending. So, I prefer to make you suffer to survive. That is my gift to you. That and this."

The Host removed a small mushroom from his pocket, handing it to him. Getting to his feet, Sean took the skinny mushroom from him. The skinny mushroom was as tall as him. The Host pointed to the top and stem, informing him clearly. "The top will make you bigger. The stem will make you smaller. Unless you want to remain as you are." Sean shook his head, overjoyed as he said. "No, thank you. I've had enough of being three inches tall." Taking a quick bite out of the mushroom top in his excitement, the Host suddenly gasped out. "Not that much!" Sean felt his body shake, then began to grow in height in sporadic bursts. The Host released him, quickly removing a quill to draw a door in the maze wall. He managed to jump through, before Sean grew too big for the space. Wincing, Sean yelped as he continued to grow so tall that he towered over even the tallest trees in the area. His feet were so big now that they crushed and flattened half of the maze. From this height, he had an incredible view of Wonderland. The Cheshire Cat had been right. The area he was trying to get to did look like a giant chess board that stretched out for miles.

Every square was in a different state of being. The dark squares looked like they were trapped in permanent night. While all the white squares were not just trapped in a permanent daylight but were covered in thick snow. In the far distance at either end of the board kingdoms, he could faintly see glorious castles. One appeared to me made of solid Ice that sparkled in the sunlight and the other looked to be made of grey stones under an endless shroud of darkness. Running between every square and around the borderland were train trackers. Sean tried to see if he could spot the Mad Hatter's house, when a loud siren began to blare out from the town behind him. He could even hear the people start shouting out. "OYSTER! Alert the knights!" Panic filled Sean and he lifted his hand to bite a piece of the mushroom stem. He tried to take a tiny bite, but at his size, he couldn't tell how much he'd eaten. However, it had been more than enough. Sean's body quickly shrank and kept going! His voice going from a deep bellow to a tiny high pitched squeal as he shrank back down to now a mere two inches in size. The change in size had been so jarring, that Sean took a moment to roll over and throw up. His head was spinning, but he felt like he had to act fast.

He didn't want the Knights to find him. He needed to leave the scene of the crime. Sitting up on his knees, he reluctantly brought the mushroom to his mouth and tried to just lick the top. The flavors tickled his tongue, and he closed his eyes. He felt his body grow again and winced. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and saw that he was back to his normal height. Chuckling, he excitedly touched himself and said with teary joy. "I'm me again. Oh, thank god! I think I'm getting the knack of this now." At the sound of clattering hooves on the other side of the still standing maze and a sharp loud train whistle behind him, Sean jumped. His adrenaline was kicking in now. He needed to run. Staggering up to his feet, he saw the Wonderland steam train barreling down the tracks at full speed. The train was unlike anything he'd ever seen. It looked like a large gothic cathedral able to fit thousands of people or more. Every car attached to it looked like apartments and homes, instead of just being the natural train cars he was used to. The train's chugging engine thundered like a heartbeat, growing louder and louder. The thick smoke and ash billowing from the top smokestack covered the tops of the other cars in a thick smog.

Stashing the mushroom in his dress pocket, he looked back at the house just in time to see Googleplier. Googleplier's robotic horse was snorting bursts of steam with a loud hiss as it galloped out of the maze and bolted straight for him. Backing up, Sean felt caught between the train and Googleplier. Googleplier outstretched his hand for him as his horse picked up speed. Without thinking, Sean turned and ran as fast as his legs could take him. He heard the train whistle blow with a loud unyielding warning, but Sean didn't heed it. Leaping over the tracks, he felt the strong heated wind of the train knock him to the ground. Sean stumbled, tumbling across the grass on the other side of the tracks as the train's strong wind practically took him along for the ride. Behind him, Googleplier's horse dinged with a sickening metallic 'CLANG' as its head was hit by the side of the train. The robotic horse fell to the ground, whirling with the sounds of grinding gears. However, Googleplier had easy hopped off his horse. Landing on his feet and glaring at Sean with dark unfeeling eyes before the rest of the train blocked them both from view.

Sitting up, Sean tried to see how much train was left before Googleplier could follow him. He found himself relaxing when he realized that he couldn't see the end of the train. Not wanting to jinx himself though, he got to his feet and ran from daylight into the sudden darkness of the board kingdom's dark square. The moment he entered the dense dark forest, he heard something in the trees start to squeak and rustle. Slowing up a little after he was a little ways in, he looked up. Within the dark cluster of tree branches, all he could see were hundreds of little bright red eyes. His breath caught in his throat, and he stilled to take them in better. Stopping was a mistake. They swarmed. One or two swooping by him to bite him. He swatted at them, screaming as he realized what they were. Vampire bats. They flew around him, trying to sink their tiny fangs into any flesh they saw in the hopes of getting a vein. Whenever they found one, they would cling to him with their strong leathery wings and hind claws. Punching and tearing them off of himself, he took up running again. They chased after him, trying to trip him up, but he just swatted them as he ran.

He was running so fast that he barely saw the pointed signs with spotlights shining on them reading; 'Mad Hatter's house this way. Caution. Time fracture ahead. You are too close. Go back. Too late.' Sean was briefly blinded as his ring shined a sudden bright red, causing him to trip and stumble across a cobblestone path. Behind him, the bats slammed into an invisible wall and began screaming as their bodies swirled and stretched. Those that could escape, flew off with startled squeaks. While those stuck to the wall were torn apart and vanished into thin air. Panting, Sean rubbed his scoffed up knee and whined out. "What the fuck...?" Upon hearing soft laughter, he turned around to see a nice little cottage house with a broken mailbox that read; 'Mad Hatter.' To Be Continued...