Book, Blood, and Blue Dress

Allison Liddell, a bookish, sarcastic teen, is dragged by her sister Edith to a high school party. Forced into a blue dress she hates, Allison's night is already off-kilter. She's an outsider, more comfortable with fantasy novels than real life, and her relationship with her family is strained by loss and trauma. The party is a swirl of teenage chaos, but Allison's focus is on Brandon, her awkward crush. The night's normalcy is shattered when a mysterious, red-eyed boy with rabbit ears appears, checks his pocket watch, and shoots Brandon in the head. Blood stains Allison's dress, and her world tilts from mundane to surreal. The book she clings to for escape becomes the catalyst for a journey she never imagined, as violence and fantasy collide in her backyard.

The White Rabbit's Bullet

In the aftermath of Brandon's murder, Allison is propelled by shock and a strange compulsion to chase the rabbit-eared killer. She dials 911, clutching the murder weapon, and plunges into the night, driven by a mix of horror, adrenaline, and a sense that she's being pulled by forces beyond her control. The chase leads her to a gaping hole in the earth—a literal rabbit-hole. With no time to think, Allison tumbles into darkness, her reality unraveling. The fall is long and strange, lined with bizarre artifacts and weapons, echoing the twisted logic of a nightmare. Blood on her hands, gun in her pocket, Allison is no longer just a bystander; she's been cast as the protagonist in a deadly, fantastical game.

Down the Rabbit-Hole

Allison's descent is both physical and psychological. The rabbit-hole is a grotesque corridor of curiosities—jars of preserved animals, weapons, and relics. She lands in the arms of the White Rabbit, Rab, whose cold detachment and tattooed skin mark him as both executioner and guide. Allison is dropped into a pile of bones, her dress now a symbol of her transformation from ordinary girl to unwilling adventurer. The world she enters is Underland, a place where the rules of logic and morality are warped. Rab's cryptic warnings and the surreal environment force Allison to confront her disbelief. She's not dreaming, not hallucinating—she's trapped in a world that mirrors her favorite stories, but with blood and danger at every turn.

Eat Me, Drink Me, Meet Me

Allison encounters Dee and Tee, twins marked as Eat Me and Drink Me, naked and unapologetic, gifts from the King of Hearts. Their banter is both seductive and unsettling, their allegiance ambiguous. They inform Allison that she is "the Alice," the chosen one, and that the only way out of Underland is through the King's garden and the Looking-Glass. The twins' curse—literalized through their bodies—means Allison must choose between sexualized magic and a perilous journey. Rejecting the shortcut, she opts for the long way, accompanied by the twins, who are both her protectors and her property. The boundaries between desire, power, and agency blur as Allison navigates their riddles and the twisted hospitality of Underland.

Gifts of the King

The twins reveal their status as enslaved angels, cursed by the King of Hearts and bound to Allison as her "gifts." The King's motives are murky—he wants Allison as his bride, but also as a pawn in a larger game. The twins' history is one of loss and trauma, their wings chained, their freedom stolen. Allison's discomfort with their servitude is matched by her growing attraction and empathy. The journey through Underland is fraught with threats—magical creatures, hostile landscapes, and the ever-present danger of being used by those in power. The prophecy of the Alice looms, its details obscured by riddles and half-truths. Allison's choices begin to shape not just her fate, but the fate of Underland itself.

The Long Way to Underland

Allison, Dee, and Tee board The Long Tale, a rickety pirate ship crewed by animal-named misfits. The journey upriver is a trial by water, filled with strange customs, magical tea, and the constant threat of monstrous creatures. The crew's dynamic is shaped by the scarcity of women in Underland, leading to both crude advances and unexpected camaraderie. Allison learns of the Riving, a magical catastrophe that decimated Underland's women and transformed many into men. The world's gender imbalance is both a source of danger and a key to its broken magic. As Allison adapts, she discovers her own resilience and the beginnings of agency in a world that wants to define her.

Pirates, Tea, and Prophecy

The tea in Underland is a potent drug, inducing visions and lowering inhibitions. At a raucous tea party, Allison is swept into a haze of desire and prophecy, dancing with Dee and succumbing to the world's sensual, dangerous pull. The twins explain the history of the Riving, the loss of magic, and the prophecy of the Alice—a savior from the Liddell bloodline, destined to restore balance. Allison's skepticism is challenged by the evidence of her own power: she alone can wield the Queenmaker, a magical weapon, and her presence stirs hope and fear in equal measure. The journey becomes a test of trust, as Allison must decide whom to believe and how much of herself to risk.

The Queenmaker's Lesson

Dee teaches Allison to use the Queenmaker, a gun forged by the former Queen of Hearts to slay monsters. The lesson is both practical and symbolic—Allison's ability to wield the weapon marks her as the true Alice, but also as a potential queen or destroyer. The group faces attacks from monstrous creatures—jabberwocky, bandersnatch, and jubjub birds—each encounter escalating the stakes and revealing the dangers of Underland. Allison's choices in battle, her refusal to be a passive victim, and her growing mastery of magic and violence set her apart. The Queenmaker becomes a symbol of her agency, but also of the heavy cost of power in a world built on blood and betrayal.

Bandersnatch, Jabberwock, and Blood

The journey through the Tulgey Wood is a gauntlet of threats. Rab reveals his true nature as a bandersnatch, shifting to fight off a monstrous jubjub bird. The arrival of the Duke of Northumbria—a jabberwock shifter—adds another layer of danger and intrigue. The battles are brutal, the magic unpredictable, and the alliances fragile. Allison's role as the Alice is cemented by her ability to survive and adapt, but each victory comes at a cost. The violence of Underland is mirrored by the violence in Allison's own past, blurring the line between fantasy and trauma. The group's survival depends on trust, quick thinking, and the willingness to embrace the madness of their world.

The Duke's Savage Welcome

The Duke's manor offers a brief respite, but also new challenges. Allison is trained in the use of the Vorpal Blade, a weapon of legend, by the savage, seductive Duke. The house is a microcosm of Underland's broken society—luxurious, haunted, and filled with dangerous men. The wild magic storm outside traps the group together, forcing confrontations and revelations. Allison learns more about the twins' curse, the history of the royal families, and the true nature of the prophecy. The Duke's interest in Allison is both political and personal, his motives as layered as his monstrous form. The boundaries between captor and captive, teacher and student, blur as Allison is drawn deeper into Underland's web.

Wild Magic Storm

The storm is both literal and metaphorical, a manifestation of Underland's fractured magic. Exposure to the rain threatens to transform Allison, echoing the Riving's gender-bending curse. The group is forced into vulnerability—stripping off wet clothes, sharing stories, and confronting their desires. Allison's relationship with Dee deepens, culminating in a night of passion that is both healing and fraught. The act of freeing Dee's wings, breaking his chains, is a moment of agency and connection, but also a reminder of the power dynamics at play. The storm outside mirrors the turmoil within, as Allison grapples with her role as savior, lover, and potential queen.

Chains, Wings, and Choices

The aftermath of intimacy brings both relief and new burdens. Allison learns the true extent of the twins' curse—they are the last angels, princes stripped of power and autonomy. The act of freeing their wings is both a gift and a responsibility, one that ties Allison to Underland's fate. The group's bonds are tested by jealousy, longing, and the ever-present threat of violence. Allison's own trauma—her brother's murder, her mother's imprisonment, her near-rape—echoes in her choices and relationships. The line between victim and hero blurs, as Allison must decide whether to embrace her power or flee from it. The prophecy looms, its meaning shifting with each new revelation.

The Vorpal Blade's Edge

The Duke's training is brutal, forcing Allison to confront her physical and emotional limits. The Vorpal Blade is more than a weapon—it is a test of worthiness, a symbol of the Alice's potential to change or destroy Underland. The training sessions are interspersed with moments of vulnerability, as Allison's past trauma surfaces and is met with both challenge and compassion. The group's dynamic is shaped by competition, desire, and the ever-present threat of betrayal. The act of fighting becomes a metaphor for survival, for the struggle to define oneself in a world that wants to use and consume. Allison's mastery of the blade is hard-won, a testament to her resilience and her refusal to be anyone's pawn.

The Cat's Grin and the Prophecy

The enigmatic Cheshire Cat appears, offering riddles and warnings. His shifting form and ambiguous allegiance mirror the uncertainty of Allison's journey. The prophecy of the Alice is revealed in fragments—visions, poems, and the cryptic words of the Caterpillar. Allison's identity is both a blessing and a curse, her bloodline marking her as savior and target. The group's path is shaped by prophecy, but also by choice—Allison's refusal to be defined by fate, her insistence on agency, and her growing understanding of Underland's broken magic. The cat's grin is both a promise and a threat, a reminder that in Underland, nothing is as it seems.

The Mad Hatter's Invitation

The fragile peace of the Duke's manor is shattered when Allison is abducted by the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Dormouse—agents of the King of Clubs. The violence is sudden and brutal, a reminder that Underland's politics are as deadly as its monsters. The group is scattered, their alliances tested by betrayal and loss. Allison's capture is both a setback and a turning point, forcing her to confront the reality of her power and the lengths others will go to control it. The Mad Hatter's invitation is not just to a tea party, but to a new phase of the game—a battle for the fate of Underland, with Allison as the unwilling prize.

The King's Bride

The King of Hearts' plan is revealed: Allison is to be his bride, a symbol of unity and a tool for control. The proposal is both a threat and a promise, offering safety in exchange for submission. Allison's resistance is fierce, but the forces arrayed against her are formidable. The politics of Underland are a web of alliances, betrayals, and ancient wounds. The prophecy of the Alice is twisted to serve the king's ends, but Allison's refusal to be a pawn sets her on a collision course with destiny. The question of agency—who chooses, who is chosen—becomes central, as Allison fights to define her own fate.

The Alice's Power

Allison's power is both literal and symbolic—her ability to wield magical weapons, to free the twins' wings, to survive where others have fallen. But it is also a burden, marked by trauma, loss, and the weight of expectation. Visions and memories—her own and others'—haunt her, blurring the line between past and present, self and other. The prophecy is both a map and a trap, offering hope and demanding sacrifice. Allison's journey is one of self-discovery, as she learns to claim her power without losing herself. The cost of magic, of love, of survival, is high—but so is the cost of surrender.

To Be Continued…

The story ends on a cliffhanger, with Allison abducted by the Mad Hatter and his allies, the fate of her companions uncertain, and the prophecy unresolved. The journey through Underland is far from over—Allison's choices have set events in motion that cannot be undone. The promise of rescue, revenge, and revelation hangs in the air, as the next phase of the adventure beckons. The emotional arc is one of transformation—Allison is no longer the girl in the blue dress, but the Alice, a force to be reckoned with in a world that is as dangerous as it is wondrous.

Characters

Allison Liddell

Allison is a sharp-tongued, book-loving teenager thrust into a world that mirrors her favorite stories but is far more dangerous. Haunted by her brother's murder and her mother's imprisonment, she is both vulnerable and fiercely independent. Her journey through Underland is a crucible—she is forced to confront her trauma, her desires, and her capacity for violence and love. Allison's role as the Alice is both a burden and a source of power; she resists being anyone's pawn, fighting for agency in a world that wants to define her. Her relationships—with the twins, Rab, the Duke, and others—are marked by attraction, empathy, and the constant negotiation of power. Allison's development is a testament to resilience, as she learns to wield magic, claim her desires, and shape her own destiny.

Dee (Eat Me)

Dee is one half of the cursed twins, marked by blue-black hair, sapphire eyes, and a mischievous, seductive demeanor. Beneath his playful exterior lies deep trauma—he is an enslaved angel, a prince stripped of power and autonomy by the King of Hearts. Dee's relationship with Allison is charged with desire and vulnerability; her ability to free his wings is both a literal and emotional liberation. He craves agency, love, and the chance to be more than a pawn. Dee's humor masks pain, and his loyalty to his brother and to Allison is fierce. His development is a journey from objectified gift to empowered partner, as he reclaims pieces of his lost self.

Tee (Drink Me)

Tee, the other twin, is marked by purple-black hair, amethyst eyes, and a brooding, guarded presence. He is the more serious and traumatized of the pair, carrying the weight of their shared history and the scars of their curse. Tee's relationship with Allison is complex—he is both protector and supplicant, drawn to her strength but wary of vulnerability. His longing for freedom is palpable, and his envy of Dee's moments of liberation is tinged with pain. Tee's development is a slow thawing, as he learns to trust, to hope, and to accept the possibility of love and agency. His loyalty is hard-won, but unbreakable.

Rab (White Rabbit)

Rab is the enigmatic, tattooed White Rabbit, whose actions set the story in motion. He is both executioner and guide, his loyalty to the King of Hearts complicated by his own trauma and cynicism. As a bandersnatch shifter, Rab embodies the violence and unpredictability of Underland. His relationship with Allison is antagonistic but layered—he is both a threat and a reluctant ally. Rab's detachment masks a deep sense of loss and a longing for meaning. His development is shaped by shifting allegiances, the demands of survival, and the possibility of redemption.

Duke of Northumbria (North)

North is a powerful, arrogant duke cursed to shift into a jabberwock. His presence is both seductive and dangerous, marked by gold eyes, horns, and a tail. North's interest in Allison is both political and personal—he is drawn to her power, her defiance, and her potential as a queen. As a teacher, he is brutal but effective, forcing Allison to confront her limits and claim her strength. North's own trauma—his curse, his role in Underland's broken hierarchy—shapes his actions and desires. His development is a dance between savagery and vulnerability, dominance and the longing for connection.

Lar (Caterpillar)

Lar is the Caterpillar, a butterfly-winged soothsayer whose prophecies shape the group's journey. He is languid, mysterious, and deeply attuned to Underland's magic. Lar's relationship with Allison is one of riddles and revelations—he offers guidance, but never clear answers. His prophecies are both a map and a warning, forcing Allison to confront the limits of fate and the power of choice. Lar's own motives are ambiguous, his allegiance shifting with the winds of magic and prophecy. He embodies the uncertainty and possibility of Underland, a reminder that nothing is fixed.

Chesh (Cheshire Cat)

Chesh is the shape-shifting Cheshire Cat, a creature of riddles, grins, and shifting allegiances. He watches Allison with a mix of amusement and predatory interest, offering guidance that is as likely to mislead as to help. Chesh's presence is a constant reminder of Underland's madness—the rules are always changing, and nothing is as it seems. His relationship with Allison is flirtatious, challenging, and tinged with danger. Chesh's development is tied to the unfolding prophecy, his motives as inscrutable as his smile.

Edith Liddell

Edith is Allison's younger sister, a foil and catalyst for her journey. Their relationship is marked by rivalry, affection, and the shared trauma of family loss. Edith's presence in the story is both a reminder of the world Allison left behind and a symbol of the choices that shape destiny. The possibility that Edith could have been the Alice underscores the randomness and weight of fate. Edith's development is mostly offstage, but her influence on Allison is profound.

King of Hearts

The King of Hearts is the unseen force driving much of the action—a ruler who uses prophecy, violence, and seduction to maintain power. His motives are layered: he wants Allison as a bride, a symbol, and a tool. The King's history is marked by bloodshed, the Riving, and the enslavement of the twins. His presence is felt in every choice, every threat, every twist of Underland's broken magic. He is both antagonist and architect, a reminder that power is always personal.

Mad Hatter

The Mad Hatter is a force of disruption, abducting Allison and shattering the fragile alliances of the group. His motives are tied to the King of Clubs, the rivalries of Underland's kingdoms, and the ever-present threat of violence. The Hatter's madness is both literal and strategic—a weapon in the ongoing war for control. His relationship with Allison is one of threat and opportunity, a reminder that in Underland, the game is never over.

Plot Devices

Twisted Wonderland Allegory

The narrative structure of Allison's Adventures in Underland is a deliberate subversion of Lewis Carroll's Alice stories. Familiar elements—the rabbit-hole, the tea party, the Cheshire Cat—are reinterpreted through a lens of violence, sexuality, and trauma. The allegory is both homage and critique, using the framework of Wonderland to explore themes of agency, power, and survival. The story's episodic structure mirrors Alice's journey, but each encounter is fraught with real danger and emotional stakes. The use of prophecy, riddles, and magical objects (Queenmaker, Vorpal Blade) provides both foreshadowing and a sense of inevitability, while the constant threat of betrayal and violence keeps the tension high.

Prophecy and Bloodline

The prophecy of the Alice is the central plot device, driving the actions of kings, assassins, and allies alike. Allison's Liddell bloodline marks her as both savior and target, but the details of the prophecy are always shifting—filtered through riddles, visions, and unreliable narrators. This device allows the story to explore questions of destiny versus choice, the burden of expectation, and the possibility of rewriting fate. The bloodline motif is both a source of power and a trap, forcing Allison to confront the legacy of trauma and the cost of survival.

Magical Realism and Body Horror

Underland's magic is unpredictable, often manifesting as body horror—gender transformations, monstrous shifts, and the chaining of wings. The Riving, a magical catastrophe, serves as both backstory and ongoing threat, its effects visible in the scarcity of women and the brokenness of the world. The use of magical tea, enchanted weapons, and cursed bodies blurs the line between desire and danger, pleasure and pain. This device heightens the stakes, making every choice—sexual, violent, or magical—fraught with consequence.

Erotic Power Dynamics

The story's eroticism is inseparable from its exploration of power. The gifting of the twins, the sexualized magic of Eat Me/Drink Me, and the constant negotiation of consent and agency are central to the narrative. Allison's discomfort with ownership is matched by her growing desire and the twins' longing for freedom. The erotic power dynamics are both a source of tension and a means of character development, forcing Allison and her companions to confront the realities of autonomy, love, and survival in a world built on exploitation.

Trauma and Healing

Allison's journey is as much about healing as it is about adventure. Her trauma—family loss, near-rape, survivor's guilt—echoes in every choice, every relationship. The story uses memory, vision, and magical connection to explore the ways trauma shapes identity and possibility. Healing is never simple or complete, but is found in moments of connection, agency, and self-acceptance. The narrative structure allows for flashbacks, visions, and emotional catharsis, deepening the emotional arc and grounding the fantasy in real psychological stakes.

Analysis

Allison's Adventures in Underland is a bold, subversive reimagining of the Alice in Wonderland mythos, blending dark fantasy, erotic romance, and psychological realism. At its core, the novel is an exploration of agency—what it means to choose, to be chosen, and to resist the roles imposed by trauma, society, and fate. Allison's journey is both literal and metaphorical: she falls into a world that mirrors her own pain, where every choice is fraught with danger and desire. The story interrogates the "chosen one" trope, refusing to grant easy answers or simple heroism. Instead, it foregrounds the cost of survival—the ways power, love, and violence are intertwined, and the necessity of forging one's own path even when the world conspires to define you. The novel's use of gender, sexuality, and body horror is both provocative and purposeful, challenging readers to question the boundaries of identity and the meaning of freedom. Ultimately, Allison's Adventures in Underland is a story about transformation—not just of the self, but of the world, and the possibility of rewriting the rules of the game.

Last updated: August 26, 2025