Expanded drabble: Breakdown

Prompt #40 ~ Breakdown (Drabble 37 of 100)

Word Count: 140

{{A/N: Once again, this prompt did not want to be contained to a drabble. I was able to be somewhat brutal and chop it down to 100 words for the official post. I much prefer this edited & expanded version. Also, I do rather feel sorry for Alice—she hasn't been having the best summer. It's about to change, though!}}

It happened quite suddenly.

Alice had been reorganising her room after the evening meal, straightening this, tidying that. Whilst rummaging about in her trunk, she spotted a certain sketchbook that had been hidden away where Mother would (hopefully) never find it.

This little book held depictions (mostly watercolours) of Wonderland and its inhabitants along with information about the Realm Alice would note down as she remembered.

She had been attempting to return nearly the whole summer—but to what end? Alice wondered whether she ought to give up.

(A crying-fit might not be so very inappropriate at such a time. Nevertheless, Alice scolded herself rather fiercely and dried her tears with a nearby handkerchief. After all, nothing was ever accomplished by tears—or so someone had told her once.)

She did have one more idea where to look for answers ...

August thus far

{Fairly drabble-heavy, really}

        At charloft:

{Thursday drabbleprompt} ~ Crowding (12 August)

        100 Drabbles of Summer Challenge (at charloft; Prompt Table):

Prompt #83 ~ Author’s Choice: Security (1 August, 26 of 100)
Four drabbles: Prompt #69 ~ Picture of Return to Sender on envelope, Prompt #43 ~ Travel troubles, Prompt #29 ~ The Kindness (or not) of Strangers, Prompt #56 ~ Picture of crossroads in a forest (4 August, 27-30 of 100)
Prompt #66 ~ Picture of a red balloon (5 August, 31 of 100)
Prompt #5 ~ Wrath (6 August, 32 of 100)
Prompt #51 ~ Picture of ants on a picnic blanket (9 August, 33 of 100)
Two drabbles: Prompt #32 ~ Road Trip, Prompt #6 ~ Pride (10 August, 34-35 of 100)
Prompt #41 ~ Run-in with neighbors (12 August, 36)

        * There was a bit of numbering fail with Author's Choice drabbles 79-82 (this is why the numbers on my Prompt Table will not match the linked comments). It has since been fixed on my Prompt Table, prompt post, and timeline entries. Unfortunately, I cannot edit the original drabble comments on the Charloft daily roundup posts.

        At dear_mun:

...Never did name you, did I? (11 August, reply to bravemallymkun)

        At sixwordstories:

I'm afraid I still don't understand. (1 August, reply to thecuriousest)