Mother in Wonderland

Satire: Explores Mafia, Grand Corruption, Institutions, 'Innocence & Experience'

Foreword By Al Wes Binbulaid & Tod M. Anyway

This story not only approaches a topic that is difficult to broach in itself, but a topic where truth lies in details, illegal actions that are difficult to believe, and grand corruption that causes a sharp intake of breath. Stories allow a gentle way for the reader to wake up. They allow people to enjoy absorbing information which is otherwise very difficult to swallow. They also allow the writer the privileged of taking all those unbelievable details and weaving them together into a medium that makes sense when the actions taken and methods used by an organised criminal network are deliberately designed to hide the overall picture, in the obscure and ridiculous, in a way which would make any normal account of events for a single case sound unlikely. 

Mother in Wonderland

"If Father comes back with our visas Darling, we'll soon be making our way to America."

"But Mother, in school we've been told that 400,000 children a year are stolen from their parents in the USA."

Mother sighed, "you're too young to understand what propaganda is dear. It's all lies. Life under Kim is all lies. No country in the world would deny parents and children the basic human right of being together. Not even North Korea. Now come to bed. Your father will be home late, and we should get some sleep. Alice. Alice?"

Mother lay her head on the pillow for a moment, but was soon fast asleep.

"Alice, Alice, where are you?"

Mother found herself standing in long green grass. There was a large caterpillar sitting on a log in front of her, smoking a long pipe. The smell was peculiar.

"What are you smoking?"

"Surplus to demand."

"What?"

"The children have far too much already."

"But children don't smoke."

"You must be asleep. They smoke one or the other."

"My Alice doesn't"

"How do you know?"

"I'm her mother."

"You were her mother."

"No, I am her mother."

"Well you can't have had her very long, sounds unlikely"

"I've had her all her life."

"I'm so sorry. Maybe you can get a new one."

"I like the one I've got thank you. I'm just trying to find her."

"Well stay safe. Don't go into the woods."

"Why not?"

"There's a mother and baby hunt on."

"So where should I look? Can you help me?"

"Help, you want help? Are you sure? Well, there are plenty of institutions for that. You could always try the hospital if you want attention."

"I want to find my daughter."

"So do you want attention or not?"

"No."

The caterpillar turned his back.

"Well which way is the hospital?"

There was no reply.

Feeling no need to continue looking at his back Mother turned around to scan the fuzzy landscape.

"You haven't taken a fence have you?"

"No", came a soft reply, "I've sat on one."

It was then that she noticed a thin trail of smoke in the distance, rising over a nearby hill, and wondered if it was another caterpillar, and whether it was worth walking over, until she realised that the plume was getting larger and larger until a very large vehicle rose over the top of the grassy knoll. At first she thought that it must be a juggernaut, but as it drew closer she noticed that it pulled no trailer and was in fact a very large tractor. It slowed to a stop at the log. A window was rolled down and giant man's head appeared. He took a long stalk of straw out of his mouth and spoke.

"That's a nasty 'abit. Let me 'elp you onto some mefa-done"

"Just as addictive", replied the caterpillar nonchalantly

"Excuse me for interrupting. I'm looking for the hospital."

"Do you need attention?"

"Yes, yes I do."

"Well as it 'appens, tis just where I'm going."

The door swung open, "I'll give you a hand up"

She looked at the massive hand for a moment and the giant step that she couldn't make unaided, and then into the huge moon-like face that was smiling, before she accepted and was lifted into the cab.

"So you work in agriculture?"

"Me, no, I'm a re-searcher."

 

"Oh, how interesting. What do you research?"

"Small animals; behaviour, development at different dosages."

"Oh, you're an independent researcher?"

"Nar, co-ordinated. With doctors & other institutions. We're all in this together. Would you like a glass of something?"

"No thank you. I'm looking for my daughter."

"Oh, you have a daughter?"

"Yes."

"I see. Do tell me if you find her."

They were driving close to the forest now and the echoes from barking dogs were distracting her, so she wound the window up.

"You're not making any sense. And just out of curiosity, is there a reason why you keep stopping?"

" 'eavy traffick."

Mother looked out of the window away from the trees at the stretching grassland.

"But there's not even a road here. We're in a tractor."

The driver rolled his eyes and nodded slowly, "yes, in a tractor. That's right. And I'm taking you to the 'ospital because you need attention."

Mother decided that it was best not to pursue the point and gave a little smile instead, "thank you for the lift."

It wasn't long before they pulled up outside the hospital. The tractor stopped and the driver rolled down the window. On the sidewalk stood a male figure with chin-length blond hair, wearing a large gold medallion and a pair of red glasses. He was on the phone.

"Yes, she's just gone into ER, now's the time to strike. They're either at school or with a neighbour, two units of freight. No, no don't worry about the neighbours. They're all terrified. Easy job. We've been working on this one for months."

He looked up, smiled and gave a little wave, "guys and gals, guys and gals", then turned to the driver, "have you got the stuff?"

The driver nodded in response.

"And who's the lady?" He asked as he walked round and opened the passenger door.

"She's Mother."

"Come down Hen, here let me help you."

"Oh, so kind."

"I'm here to help Hen. I'm James Blond."

"I do hope so. I'm looking for my daughter. Are you a doctor here?"

"Why yes, I'm a family expert; that's doctor, gardener and volunteer."

"Oh, how delightful. What does your volunteer work entail?"

"Crows."

"They keep crows in a hospital?"

"Yes, they do. Are you not familiar?"

"Well, no."

"Here. Watch this."

James Blond stretched out his arms and began chanting something under his breath. Two crows emerged from a small basement window and took flight. A few moments later they'd landed on his shoulders and were rubbing themselves against his neck.

"Introducing Macy and Nancy"

Mother began to gag, "oh they stink!"

"You get used to it."

"Aren't you afraid of catching something with them rubbing themselves against your neck like that?"

"It seems revolting at first, but now I love it and to be honest that's why I volunteer here."

"I'm looking for a little girl."

"Well. why didn't you say so. I did mention that I'm a gardener. I'll take you to the Secret Garden."

"The Secret Garden?"

"Yes, it has to be in a different location, not so obvious you see."

"I'm not following."

"Make up your mind!"

"What do you mean?"

"It's a children's garden."

"Oh, I see. You speak German."

"Nein, nein, nein."

"Oh, you're so funny and modest."

"No, I'm calling the police."

"What?"

"Well, we need a lift there you see. It's too far to walk."

"Oh Mr Blond, I'm so glad I met you. Everything's getting easier."

An expensive-looking car pulled up. The driver's window came down and a flashing light was placed on top. James Blond opened the back door and they both climbed in.

"To the Secret Garden", he commanded.

The car accelerated quickly. Within a few minutes they had pulled up outside a large blue-bricked building situated in woodland.

"Anything I should know?" The driver asked

"She's come to find a girl. It should be plain sailing."

"I'll be waiting here then. Call me if you need anything."

Although the sun was shining brightly outside, the inside of the building was lit with artificial light. There appeared to be no windows. They entered a reception room and Blond pointed to a chair.

"Please take a seat, I'll just be a moment." He proceeded to the counter.

The cashier seemed to recognise him,

"we've been expecting you Mr Blond."

They spoke quietly for a few  minutes before Blond gestured to her to follow. They went up a flight of stairs and he opened a door on the left.

"You've got twenty minutes."

The door shut behind her. Mother found a little girl in the room, but she wasn't Alice. She was crying, Mother hugged her, "it's okay dear."

Twenty minutes later the door opened, "it's not the little girl I was looking for."

Blond frowned, "you can't be picking and choosing afterwards!"

"We still need to find her mother though."

"You're suggesting something highly illegal. I'll have no part in it. She's to have no communication with her mother by Family Court order. Her mother wasn't even on time to pick her up from school. Talk about irresponsible! I'll have my $50 now please."

"$50?"

"Yes, you had your 20 minutes."

"But she was upset. I only hugged her."

"They're always like that, and it's all the same price."

Mother put her hand in her pocket, "I've only got my phone with me."

"Then you're coming with me!"

Blond grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the door and down the stairs.

"I had a feeling you were trouble when I met you, why do you think I brought the police along, eh? You didn't think of that, did you?"

Mother thought quickly, 'self defence, self defence', she stamped on his foot as hard as she could and dropped her weight. His grasp loosened and struggled free and ran, "goodbye Mr Blond."

"Why you Mother..."

But she was gone. She was already outside. By the time she'd sprinted across the road. A car engine start behind her. The road stretch left and right. In front the trees offered cover. She lunged forward into them without looking back, and sprinted for a thousand heartbeats, then stopped. She was panting for breath. She stood in a little glade under an oak tree. It was impossible. Impossible. It had to be a dream. With dread she looked around. Behind her lay a winding path with leaves ruffled by the wind. No sign of anybody. Her breathing eased as she exhaled deeply. Her phone rang and she picked up.

"It's no use. Your arrest warrant was issued yesterday and a mother hunting party was sent out three hours ago to find you."

"What? This is stitch up!"

"No. This is predictive policing. You were a future risk. We will catch you for what you were going to do. My proxy is hunting you as we speak, Mother..."

She hung up, placed her phone on the ground and continued further into the wood.

'I'm paranoid, paranoid', she thought. She'd walked about 500 meters when she heard helicopter blades overhead. She looked round to see the machine hovering over the glade that she was just in.

"You're not tracking this mother", she laughed

The trail started to head uphill steeply and she found herself scrambling among rocks. Voices were coming from the summit up ahead. She slowed down as she rounded the corner, peering from behind a boulder. She saw a movie set. A middle-aged man in a grand hat with curly mustache and a small beard was singing.

"I'm a modern man I think you'll find..."

"Cut."

She stepped out from behind the stone, "you're filming up here?"

The actor turned around and smiled,

"what a pleasant surprise. We have company. Won't you take a seat under the tree Madam? But you must be quiet."

Mother stepped forward and sat down in the chair. There was a click and a large cage dropped down around her. The actor gave her a sidelong glance,

"entertainment, do you know few people ever suspect entertainment - the key is relaxation."

He then pulled off his fake beard and mustache and picked up his walky talky.

"We've got her."

There was a crackle.

"Well done Munchausen. I'll be right there."

Mother looked from the hilltop to the grassy plain below. From the 'Secret Garden' and on past the hospital ran a huge, six-lane highway.

"You know, I never even noticed that highway before."

Munchausen closed his eyes and nodded sympathetically, "no I'm sure you didn't."

"And if somebody had tried to explain it to me I never would have believed them."

"I always hear the same words from inside the cage. But, ignorance is no defence against the law. There's heavy traffick today. Did you know 400,000 a year flow along that road."

"Oh my Alice, Alice. My poor Alice."

"I'm here Mother."

Mother opened her eyes.

"Oh, my dear Alice. I had the most terrible dream."

"Father's back."

"I am, and guess what? I have the Japanese visas, and I've already arranged a boat. From there we'll fly to the United States where we can apply for asylum. In a few weeks Darlings we'll be living the American Dream."