I didn't have any way to tell time. There was no day or night there. Just this ever-present shrouded gloom. I was tired by this point. Not having anyplace better to go, I went to the cherry tree and sat down beneath it. The dark woods seemed even darker and spookier now, and I had no idea how I was going to get home.
I woke up to find someone prodding me on the arm. I hadn't planned on sleeping at all, and I had no idea how long I had been asleep. In fact I thought that I was still dreaming when the rabbit with the antlers spoke up. "You shouldn't stay here."
"I wish someone would explain to me what is going on," I said.
"Ah," it said, apparently struck by a thought. It stood up on it's hind legs and rested its chin on one paw as it pondered. "You don't know. Well, that makes more sense. There's no telling what you've managed to set in motion."
"No one here makes any sense at all," I said, more to myself. I wasn't going to start having a conversation with a rabbit. That's probably a sign of going mad.
"You least of all," it said. "Going to the face-stealers is bad enough, but to saunter right up to Her garden! And then you talked with Ariel. Either you're completely mad or your plan is too deep for me."
"I'm Ariel," I said. "I don't know who she is, but she's not taking my name."
"You took her name, actually," it said, "And I'm not sure what effect that has. It's outside of my realm of experience. But it's Her bread and butter."
I stared at him, trying to make sense of what he was saying. "Look, who are you? Or what are you?"
"My name you mean?" It made a sound that might have been laughter. "You are either naively dangerous or dangerously naive. Names are some of the most powerful things that you can exchange. But you can call me Chaplin."
This was unbelievable. "As in Charlie Chaplin?"
He bowed. "My favorite actor, of course. And as for what I am: the newcomers would call me a jackalope."
"Can you tell me how to get back home?"
He looked at me strangely. "That is a thornier question than you realize. But for the question I think you meant to ask, the answer is that the gate you came through will be opening again soon. If you're there when the moon is rising behind the tree you can return to where you think you want to go."
"You're surprisingly helpful," I said. "Aren't you supposed to trick me?"
"Caution is good," he said, "But I have a reason to help you, even if you don't remember it. I may not be safe, but I'm not one of the newcomers." He nodded in the general direction of the sycamore tree. "Right now you had better hurry."
"Well, thanks," I said, standing up and wiping my hands clean.
"I chose to get involved," he said, "But others might not make the same choice." He hopped off, and I set off for the tree.
