1 My first trip to... Wonderland

"Alice Goodwin to the office." The Intercom buzzed to life. "Alice Goodwin to the office." My teacher waved me out while the rest of the class ooo-ed and ask what you did. Being one of those girls who are never in trouble I had no clue why I was being called down to the office. I pushed my blond hair out of my face as I grabbed my books and headed for the door.

        I quickly stopped at my locker and put all my stuff up. When I got to the office the secretary just pointed toward the principles office. That could not be a good sign. I took a deep breath and started down the toward his office. I reached the door and lifted my hand to knock when it opened.

        "Welcome Alice." A woman in white said gesturing inside. I stepped past her and into the large office.

        "You wanted to see me, sir?" I asked the man sitting behind the desk that I identified as the principle.

"Alice, dear, you are being given the chance of a life time." A woman in red said from where she stood behind the principle.

        "Alice, you are one of the highest scoring students in your grade and because of that these people want to offer you a... a... What did you all call it?" the principle asked the man by the door. It took me a moment to realize that there were so many people in the small office.

        "A scholarship for an exchange student program at Wonderlin Academy. We will pay for your supplies, room and board, and meals. You will even get an allowance for extra things that you need or want while you are there." The man said.

        "And what do I have to do to go to your academy?" I asked.

      "You only have to get this signed." The woman in red said handing me a packet. "That is the forms that will let you come to our wonderful school." 

        "That's all Alice,  you may go. Your mom should be her to pick you up." The principle said gesturing toward the door.

        "Thank you for the opportunity." I said before leaving. When I got back to the main part of the office I saw my mom standing there. She is just finishing up signing me out.

        "Lets go, Alice." She said heading toward the exit.

        "So, why were you in the office?" Mom asked when we got home.

        "I have been accepted to go to Wonderlin Academy in a exchange student program." I said handing her the packet.

        "You have been accepted, but you never applied." Mom said looking at the papers.

        "Yeah, I know, but it seems like a great chance."

        "I think you should go."  My usual say no mom said yes.

        "Really?" I asked shocked.

      "Yes, your Great Grandmother that your named after went here. I think you should too."

        "Thank you mom." I hugged her.

        "Now lets start packing what you need." I nodded and started pulling out clothes books and toiletries and placing them in an old suitcase. My mom told me stories about my Great Grandmother Alice Dawn. Most of her stories had to have been exaggerated. She almost makes it sound as if she was telling a version of Alice in Wonderland.

        When we were done it was late and we decided to call it a night and tomorrow I would have to get up early to catch a bus from my school to go to the academy. The only things the paper said about how to get to the school was that a bus would stop by the local high school and the only thing I needed with me was the signed papers and the luggage I would be bringing. It was a little strange that it didn't have to mailed in. But who was I to complain they were paying for everything.

        The morning of the departure to the new school I grabbed my bags and headed out to the car where my mother waited. The short trip to the school felt like it took forever. When we got there there was this tour bus waiting. A white rabbit was painted on the side. I almost laughed at the kind of ironic in a fairytale way.

        "Papers please." The bus driver said stepping off the bus. I hand him the papers. he looked at all the papers then handed them back to me. "All a board." He took my bags and placed them under the bus while I hugged my mom goodbye. I climbed onto the bus and waved to her. After a few more minutes we were off.

        We drove a few hours into the trip when the bus started to shake. All the kids on the bus started to freak out a strange laugh came from up front from the bus driver. The shaking  got worse and worse when the bus started a free fall. As we fell I looked out the window and saw colors and and things float past. A tea set floated by as if it weighed nothing. It was like the Rabbit Hole from Alice in Wonderland. The bus stopped with a jerk it's wheels back on the ground. I would believe I was dreaming if I hadn't heard the driver.

​        "Welcome to Wonderland and your new school, Wonderlin Academy, Wonderlands school of magic." The driver gestured toward the ominous looking building that sat at the end of the road.