The Fall Of Alice

It was nice to know the universe had an ironic sense of humor thought Alice as she brushed the dirt and dead leaves from her dress. She surveyed her surroundings the best she could in the dim light. Her eyes hadn't adjusted from the bright daylight seven feet above, and she couldn't see much.

As the shock of the fall began to wear off she reached out her hand to push herself up. It came in contact with something soft and furry and she snatched it back quickly with a little shriek of fear.

She sat still a moment longer reliving the past hour. She had been in the woods trying to find the plants her botany professor had instructed the class to gather. She knew it was foolish to be out there alone, and on top of it, she had been hurrying since she was running late for dinner with her friends.

She hadn't noticed the hole in the ground since it had been partially covered with fallen tree branches and leaves. One minute she had hurrying along what looked to be some semblance of a path and the next she was falling into a dark hole like her fictional namesake.

She finally stood up and took quick mental stock. She felt somewhat bruised but nothing seemed to be broken. She looked around again wondering how to get out, her eyes able to see more now. She spotted the thing her hand had come in contact with. It wasn't moving. She picked up a branch near her feet and poked at it. Nothing. She pulled it closer with the stick.

Her eyes widened when she bent down to pick up the child's toy. She realized it was a dirty old white stuffed rabbit!

"You've got to be kidding!"