The girl who named Alice

Prologue

　　"When you get out, don't think about it and live your life."

　　As the door opened, the guard looked at her sideways and said formulaically.

　　She nodded weakly, her eyes looking into the slightly opened light with a godless expression as cold as ice, and at that moment it was as if a small light was reflected in her eyes.

　　"Alice."

　　Annie took her hand behind her and smiled at her.

　　As Alice walked out of the prison gates, the guards couldn't help but look at her a few more times. Who would have thought that such a beautiful girl would be in prison for murder?

　　Such a poor girl.

　　Catching the pity in the guard's eyes, Annie's originally jubilant mood at being released from prison darkened, and she unconsciously took a few steps towards Alice, holding her hand tightly.

　　"I'm fine." Alice shook her head.

　　The hot, bright sun hung over her like a giant onion, irritating her eyes and making her want to shed tears.

　　The brightness grew brighter and brighter as Alice walked, almost impatiently running forward before stopping and tilting her head back to take a few deep breaths.

　　Perhaps it was the sunlight that stung her eyes, and moisture took hold of them as she wiped the corners of her eyes.

　　It had been three years since her imprisonment.

　　She was wearing the same plain t-shirt and jeans she'd worn when she was imprisoned, tattered and dull and lifeless.

　　"Murderer!"

　　She sighed to the sky.

　　The sky was an unusual turquoise, the sun was warm, there was a light breeze blowing slowly, as she looked at the crowds and the traffic, a sudden chill and unease came over Alice as she lowered her head, she felt that her whole body was now unclean from head to toe.

　 A world so strange she could barely recognise it.

It was even frightening.

She started to chicken out, could she really live her new life like this?

A cool, wet sensation came from the palm of her hand.　

"Annie?"　

"Hmm?"　

Annie's eyes were filled with timidity as she looked at Alice and smiled bitterly.

　Years of prison life had robbed a young girl of her original vitality and colour, and her whole person looked grey, not like someone in her twenties, but more like a flower forgotten in a window, deprived of moisture and nourishment from the soil, grey and bitter.

　Alice gave Anne a blooming smile, like a rose in full bloom in spring.

　"We'll be fine."She said.

Tears immediately and simultaneously streamed down the faces of both young girls.

　Nowadays, she would never again be obsessed with those wonderful fairy tales.