With a sudden pop of displaced air, the table was empty. The tea was gone. The Hatter was gone. All that remained was the faint, high-pitched ringing of a clock that had finally given up on keeping track of him.
"He drank the Quick-Silver Pekoe," the Hare muttered, not moving a muscle for fear of being decapitated by a flying saucer. "He’s living three Thursdays at once." mad hatter sped up
The tea party wasn't just late; it was vibrating. Hatter wasn't sitting; he was a blur of plaid and frantic energy, his limbs moving like a film reel set to triple speed. He didn't pour the tea; he shattered the concept of pouring. One moment the porcelain pot was upright, the next, twelve cups were full, steaming, and already cold from the sheer wind of his movement. With a sudden pop of displaced air, the table was empty
"No time! No time! The clock is holding its breath!" he shrieked, his voice pitched up into a manic whistle. All that remained was the faint, high-pitched ringing
Before she could blink, he had sprinted around the table, polished every spoon, knitted a scarf out of steam, and returned to his seat. He looked at his pocket watch, which was spinning so fast it was humming.
"Why is he... so fast?" Alice whispered, shielding her eyes from the strobe-light effect of the Hatter’s movements.