This is a creative essay I wrote combining the world from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.'

Whispers of the past filled the cool night air as Alice made her way down the cobblestoned street. She pushed open the wooden door that revealed an air of smoke and the scent of tobacco mixed with the sting of alcohol. Stepping inside, she spotted a seat at the bar and made her way to it. She slumped onto the stool, leaned her elbows on the bar, and stared at the array of bottles that lined the shelves.

‘Now, which one says, drink me, tonight?’ she asked herself.

‘Darling,’ a female voice said, ‘which one doesn’t say drink me?’

Alice turned her head and was met with a young woman dressed in a little black dress with the most immaculate pearls clasped around her neck. She played with black sunglasses in her hands.

Alice smiled. ‘What are you drinking?’ She pointed at the tumbler on the bench that held two ice cubes and a light brown liquid.

‘Whiskey, dear. Has a certain kick to it.’ She turned back to the bar and gestured to the barman. ‘Joe, over here, darling.’

The young barman strode over. ‘I’ve told you before, Holly, my name is Larry.’

Holly straightened her posture. ‘Well, Larry doesn’t suit you. Let me call you Joe, darling. Please?’

Larry smiled, ‘All right, sweetie. Who’s your friend?’ He raised his bushy eyebrows at Alice.

‘I’m Alice,’ she said. ‘What drink would you recommend?’

Holly held up her hand, ‘No, no, she’ll be having the same as me.’

Larry poured another whiskey and placed it in front of Alice. He walked to the other end of the bar and served another customer.

Holly held up her whiskey and said, ‘To my new friend, Alice.’

Alice clinked Holly’s glass and took a sip of her drink. She coughed rather horrendously. ‘Oh my,’ she placed the glass on the bar, ‘that does have a certain kick to it.’

‘How rude of me, I haven’t introduced myself.’ She placed a delicate hand on her chest. ‘I’m Holly. I arrived in London a few weeks ago from Africa. Gorgeous place. The animals are a splendid sight to see. Before that, well, I was living in New York with an Indian Prince.’ She took a sip of her whiskey. Now, what is it you do, dear friend?’

Alice crossed her legs and swivelled the bar stool to face Holly. ‘I’m a writer, or at least I’m trying to be.’

Holly held her glass tightly in her left hand. ‘I used to know a writer, Fred. Well, that wasn’t his real name, but he always felt like Fred to me.’ She finished her whiskey in one gulp and gestured to Larry for another. ‘Thanks, Joe,’ she said giving him a wink.

‘What was Fred’s real name? I may have read some of his-’

‘Have you written anything? Have you been published?’

Alice breathed in deeply, she very much disliked being interrupted. ‘At this moment I haven’t been published. Although, I hope that the book I’ve just finished will find its way to the publishers.’ Holly smiled and nodded for Alice to keep talking. ‘It’s about a girl who trips after following a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and lands in a place called Wonderland. It’s a curious place where even curiouser things happen. The Mad Hatter isn’t the only mad one there, or so the Cheshire Cat says.’ Alice stopped because Holly had finished her whiskey, again, and was looking at Alice with an odd expression.

‘How wonderful. A place where everyone is mad. Is the Mad Hatter extraordinarily good looking? You must come back with me, once you finish your drink.’ Holly handed Alice her glass. ‘It’s perfect timing, I want to introduce you to some of my literary friends. I’m sure one of them would love to publish your little story. Oh, please say you’ll come.’

Alice finished her whiskey and smiled as a warm feeling started to spread through her.

London’s nightlife swirled around Alice as she followed Holly through the streets. It’s fair to say that at this point Alice was feeling rather giddy from that whiskey. The lights dazzled the night sky. They reached a town house where a basket of flowers hung from the window and Holly opened the glossy black door.

They climbed the stairs and stopped in front of a door with a brass number four on it. A jolly tune seeped under the door and met their ears. Holly opened the door and everyone in the room turned towards her and cheered in unison, ‘Holly.’ She waved and pulled Alice into the room.

Alice looked around at the room that was overflowing with people. They were crammed into every space and every corner. Alice noted that majority of them were men. Most of these men were ogling at the few marvellous women who sauntered around the room while taking a drag from their cigarettes. It was easy for the women to do this because there was a lack of furniture. The few people who had seats were sitting on old milk crates.

A man with a red bowtie and crazy blonde hair handed Alice a drink. She didn’t know what it was. She took a sip and was hit again with the kick of alcohol. She recognised this one by taste: gin.

Holly stood next to Alice, but was talking and laughing with three men. The one with the bowtie, one with angry eyebrows and piercing eyes, and one with thick black glasses who had his arm draped over Holly’s shoulder. ‘And this,’ she said pulling Alice closer, ‘is my dear friend Alice. She’s a writer, you know.’ She turned to Alice and said, ‘Tell them everything about Wonderland and that curious Mad Hatter, darling.’

‘Holly,’ Alice said in a small voice, ‘Whose apartment is this?’

Holly smiled, ‘Didn’t I mention? Well, it’s mine of course, and these,’ she gestured to everyone in the room, ‘are all my darling friends. The one’s in London at least. I had to pop out for a moment before. The music is sometimes a little too loud. That’s why I was in the bar, and glad I am that we had the chance to meet.’

Alice felt slightly relieved, she worried that she was crashing a stranger’s party. She thought of the Queen and imagined her yelling, ‘Off with your head.’ Alice told the three gentlemen about her curious story.

When she finished the one with the bowtie said, ‘Sounds positively marvellous. You’ll have to let me read it.’ While the one with the angry eyebrows said, ‘What utter nonsense.’

As the night went on Alice had another drink, and another, until everything was fuzzy. The music became louder and she danced harder. Everyone danced. She yelled, ‘We’re all mad,’ and every echoed her.

The night stretched on and when the last record finished spinning everyone started their farewells. Alice hugged her new friends, even the one with the angry eyebrows.

Holly gave Alice a tremendous hug and said, ‘Now, darling, you promise to come by tomorrow to give me a copy of that book of yours. I’m planning on falling deeply in love with it.’

‘Of course, darling,’ Alice said with a giggle. She left Holly and caught a cab back to her quaint residence and curled up for the night.

The following morning Alice had a pain in her head. She couldn’t help but smile as she thought of the events of the night before. Dinah, her cat purred at Alice disapprovingly.

‘Well now, you would have done just the same.’ Alice said.

Alice prepared for the day and looked at the squiggle she had written in her notebook the night before. She could just make out Holly’s address.

The black door wasn’t so glossy in the morning light, but the basket of flowers looked even more beautiful. Alice opened the door and climbed the stairs. She paused before knocking on Holly’s door. She thought of the horrid mess that would be left after the party. Perhaps she’d stay and help Holly clean up as a thank you for all the introductions.

Alice tapped a tune on the door and waited. After a minute or so, she knocked again, a different tune this time. Still nothing. She grasped the handle and pushed against the door. Alice fell into the room. ‘Wow, steady now’ she said while regaining her balance. She looked around the room and was met with nothing.

An empty room waiting to be occupied. Alice’s brows furrowed as she looked around the apartment. ‘Holly, I’ve brought my book.’ Silence. ‘How odd, I could have sworn this was the place.’ She looked at the floor and saw a small sticky patch. ‘Yes, it is. That’s where bowtie man spilled the honey.’ Alice grinned at the memory.

She went out of the room and knocked on the neighbour’s door. ‘Excuse me, sir, I was wondering if you knew where Miss…Holly, your neighbour, is?’

The neighbour looked puzzled shrugged his apologies, ‘Don’t know who mean, love,’ and closed the door.

Alice sighed and looked gloomily to the ground. There in the corner of the hallway, next to what was Holly’s door, were two cards: the Queen of Hearts and the King of Hearts.

#CreativeWriting