**Chapter 4: The Cheshire Cat's Cruel Joke**

The once-familiar stone walls of the castle now seemed to be suffocating Alice, pinning her down like a giant, immobile form. She was trapped, with no way to escape. The Queen and her card soldiers had fled in fear, leaving Alice to her enormous size and awkward predicament. The Cheshire Cat reappeared, chuckling to himself as he watched Alice struggle to free herself. His eyes gleamed with mischief as he sauntered over, his tail twitching back and forth. "Well, well, well," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "Looks like you're in a bit of a pickle, Alice." Alice glared at the Cat, her face red with frustration. She tried to move, to shift her massive body, but it was stuck fast. The castle walls seemed to be holding her in place, refusing to budge. The Cheshire Cat took a step closer, his grin growing wider. "You should be more careful what you eat, Alice," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You never know what might happen." Alice's anger boiled over, and she let out a loud roar. But before she could react further, the Cheshire Cat vanished, leaving behind only his signature grin. As Alice sat there, helpless and frustrated, she felt a tickling sensation in her nose. She tried to ignore it, but it only grew stronger, until she felt a massive sneeze building up inside her. "Ah-Ahh-Ah-ahh-Ah-Eh-ah, ahhh-ah-Eh, ehh-ah, ah, ah-AH-AH-AH-HA-HAAA-Ehhh-CHOOOOOOO!" The castle shook with the force of Alice's sneeze, but she didn't budge. She was still stuck, her body parts protruding from the windows and doorways like a giant, immobile statue. The sneezes continued, one after another, each one shaking the castle and sending dust and debris falling from the ceiling. Alice's nose was on fire, and she couldn't seem to stop the sneezes. "Uhh...Uhhhh....Uhhhhhh...uh-huh-huh-uhh-Huh!-Huh!-Huh!-Huh-UH! UHHH! HUH-HUH CHOOOOOOOOOOO! Ahh...Ahh...Haa...Ahhh-ACHOOOOOOOOO! AH-CHOOOOO! CHOOOOOO! Ehhh…Ehhhhhhhh…Ehhhhchooooo! Ah-Ah-Ah-Haa-CHOOOO! Ehhh-Ehhhhhhhh-HEECHOOOO!!! Ahchoo! Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-CHOO! Choooo! Chooooooo! Ahh-AH-choo! Ahchoo! Ahchoo! Ah-Ah-Ah-Ah-HA-CHOO!" Just when she thought she was going to collapse from the sheer force of her sneezing, a small figure appeared at the window. It was Nivens McTwisp, the Queen's royal messenger, who was secretly a friend to Alice. "Alice, I've brought you some help!" he cried, holding up a small vial of liquid. "Drink this, and you'll shrink back down to your normal size!" Alice's eyes lit up with hope as Nivens poured the liquid down her throat. She felt a strange, tingling sensation, and suddenly she began to shrink. Down, down, down she went, her body decreasing in size until she was no bigger than a bug. She was free, but she was also lost in a vast, unfamiliar landscape. As she looked around, Alice realized that she was in a forest of grass and plants, with no sign of the castle or the Queen's kingdom. She was alone, and she had no idea how to find her way back home. The cold was seeping into her bones, and she could feel the beginnings of a nasty cold taking hold. She shivered, her tiny body trembling with fear and uncertainty. And as she stood there, a tiny sneeze escaped her lips. "Ah-ha-ah-ah-ah-Ah-choooo!" The forest seemed to stretch on forever, with towering blades of grass and strange, colorful flowers that seemed to loom over her like giants. Alice knew that she had to find shelter and warmth, and fast, or risk being overwhelmed by the cold and her own fragile body. As she looked around, she spotted a dark and foreboding forest in the distance. The Tulgey Wood. She had heard stories about it, about the strange and terrifying creatures that lurked within. But Alice had no choice. She had to brave the unknown, and find a way to survive in this strange and wondrous land. With a deep breath, she set off into the unknown, her tiny heart pounding with fear and determination.