Chapter 18

• The little girl cleared her throat and began with Alice falling down a rabbit hole into a magical world filled with talking animals and eccentric characters. As she narrated the tale, her eyes sparkled with wonder and excitement, and her voice carried a musical lilt that enchanted Carmen.
• “And then the Mad Hatter appeared, and he was having a tea party with the March Hare and the Dormouse,” the little girl continued, gesturing with her little hands to emphasize her words. “Alice drank from the shrinking potion and grew smaller and smaller until she was only as big as a mouse. She climbed on the table, and they all had a wonderful time together.”
• Carmen couldn’t help but smile at the little girl’s infectious enthusiasm. “You’re a great storyteller,” she said, still caught up in the magic of the tale, and perhaps forgetting about all her miseries for a while.