No Place Like Home

by Erik Schubach

  I pulled back a bit and then dug into my bag to pull out my glasses as I squinted at Toni.

  Something wasn't right. When she came into sharp focus my eyes widened, then I looked around at the debris sitting against the wall. Everything was too bright, the colors all too rich.

  She asked, “What is it?”

  I shrugged and said, “I think I hit my head. Something's wrong with my eyes. The colors...”

  Her eyes widened as she started looking around then at me, “They're so vivid.”

  She saw it too?

  Toto exhaled then smiled, though I could see the same apprehension in her eyes that I was feeling.

  The building groaned and shuddered as the activity outside increased. We again looked at each other, I pointed out, “Perhaps we should get out of here while the getting is good?”

  She tried to get me to smile with her response, “Capital idea, Miss Gale.”

  Fine, I did give her a little grin as I blocked Molly's fate from my mind. If I didn't, I'd start bawling again and be useless to anyone who was hurt out there. First order of business was survival. We hadn't lived through the cyclone just to die in a collapsing building.

  We crawled to the wall with the door and had to pull ourselves up and out, falling to the ground.

  Torn up grass the brightest green I had ever seen, and flowers in colors that defied description, littered the area. And we looked up to see the building looming over us, and then made our way out from under it as it shuddered.

  Then we froze as we got out from under its shadow. We weren't on the campus anymore. Or anywhere I had ever seen before. Before us, lay a flowing field and forest like something out of a fairy tale. There was a swath of damage through the landscape left by the tornado. I was starting to question if I were truly awake – or even alive.

  A large bumblebee, easily half the size of a fist buzzed up in front of me. I gasped in surprise then just blinked in shock when it smiled at me then buzzed off toward the flowers. It had smiled at me. I was seeing things now. I looked over to see Toto staring at the bee with her mouth agape too. Ok, so she saw it as well.

  The sound of creaking metal as the structure shuddered again, snapped us out of it. We looked up

  to the building we were still under and then ran out from under it and froze. I was just about on overload with the impossible things we had already seen after surviving the worst creation mother nature could throw at us.

  But... there was a huge castle looming over the valley we were in. It was straight out of some black and twisted nightmare that came out of some Tim Burton movie. Spires and ramparts sticking out at odd angles, dark and blackened vines covering the dark stone. I noted even the blacks and sickly browns of it were a little too vivid. How could black be so... well, so black?

  We heard voices around the corner of the building, and we tore our eyes away from the castle. I finally looked up at the maintenance building. It was a mess of metal and wood, but still roughly in the shape of a building. Only it indeed sat at a forty-five-degree angle, sitting on edge. I would have questioned why it hadn't fallen over yet, if not for the groaning of metal at the corner, where I could see some sort of wooden signpost, with signs broken and dangling down from the cracking post.

  I didn't pay too much attention to the sound of slow splintering coming from the post because my eyes were on the arrow-shaped signs now swinging free by the nails that once secured them firmly to the post.

  One looked to be made of a single plank of wood that was stained a vivid green, with a white flowery script that appeared to be oversize snowflakes overlapping each other. I don't mean painted snowflakes, the letters seemed to be formed with actual snowflakes that weren't melting in the heat of the day. And those snowflakes read, 'Emerald City.'

  The other was made of a patchwork of grasses and colorful flowers, and it read in what looked to be brilliant white rose petals, 'Munchkin Village.'

  We really were dead, weren't we? My subconscious was playing one last trick on me before I faded to nothing, right? I closed my eyes and waited for the void to take me. Nothing happened.

  I opened my eyes again when Toto asked, “This is some sort of sick joke right?” She was staring at the signs herself.

  We heard the raised voice of a woman and a hissing voice as well as the screeching of angry monkeys. I started toward the corner in a rush, my blonde friend on my heels as I started calling out,

  “Hello? Are you hurt? Do you need help?”

  I skidded to a halt when we saw standing in the shadow of the building, a woman dressed... well, dressed like a witch, complete with a pointed black hat and a broom with a warped and twisted broomstick. She was growling at a monkey who had – wings – the woman's face was twisted up in a rage that chilled me to my bones. It scared me more than the tornado that had just taken a friend from me had.

  They stopped whatever argument they were having when they heard me calling out. The monkey actually hissed like some sort of enraged snake, his fangs gleaming and looking too long to be natural.

  In an instant, we found ourselves surrounded by a ring of monkeys that seemed to drop from the sky.

  They landed with screeches, brandishing pikes and swords and all hissing and showing their fangs.

  On instinct, I held my hands back in an attempt to shield Antoinette from them, but they were all around us trapping us by the creaking and crackling signpost. I may have squeaked in distress when they started closing in on us, and Toni moved beside me, not letting me protect her from this impossible group of simians.

  The monkey in blue armor, who was speaking with the woman was charging and spread his wings to take a gliding leap over his companions, he shrieked as he barreled toward us in the air, a sword outstretched and a wicked gleam of glee and bloodlust in his eyes as he hissed.

  I brought my hands up in front of me as if that would stop him. But a moment before his blade struck, the woman said in a curious tone that was almost soothing and mesmerizing, “Fenriss.” And the monkey veered off at the last moment, flapping his wings as he aborted the attack. I could smell animal, and wet, sweaty hair and leather as the wind from his passing hit us.

  Then in a display of acrobatic grace, the creature pivoted in the air on a wingtip. He then simply fell to the ground in front of us, pulling himself up to his full height just above my waist as he leaned up and hissed violently, spittle and his hot breath hitting me in the face, and possibly pieces of his last meal.

  I held in the wretch that was threatening in the back of my throat, afraid to even move.

  The woman walked toward us, the point of her witch's hat cocked at an angle, almost cooing out,

  “Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Is this your magic that deposited this building in my lands?”

  Her voice was almost hypnotic, and her smile held the venom of a truly wicked individual behind her beautifully sculpted face. The monkeys parted, and she stood in the shadow of the building, just beyond the signpost.

  Her hand lashed out faster than I could follow and I was suddenly finding it hard to get air as she squeezed my throat and lifted me off the ground with one hand.

  I knew I should be struggling, but she kept talking, and I was so fascinated by the tone, I wanted more of it, my current dilemma didn't seem to matter as much as her voice. My own tiny voice in my head was screaming that something was wrong there. But that little voice didn't sound as nice as hers.

  “It was you! I can smell the magic on you! You stink of the wizard!”

  Even though her tone was harsher now, I was entranced by it and how beautiful she was... wait...

  she was beautiful, but she wasn't Antoinette. How had I been swayed by – I realized she was choking

  me. My eyes went wide, and I started gasping for air, clawing at her fingers that felt like an iron vice.

  And I saw a madness burning in her eyes like an emerald flame.

  Toto was yelling, “Let her go you bitch! You're killing her!” She was lungi
ng toward us but pulled up short when that winged monkey in the blue armor... Fenriss? When Fenriss lunged right back, stabbing his blade an inch from her neck.

  The woman turned from me as I dangled in her grasp like I were nothing of any importance. And I saw that wickedness from before as the woman's rage turned into an almost sweet smile. What had happened earlier? How had I even been swayed by her presence? I knew in my heart as spots started swimming in my vision from lack of oxygen, that she was truly evil.

  She lilted out, “But, darling, you're the one dressed up like a dog.” Her voice was full of power suddenly, and the whole world seemed to vibrate with the power of it as she said, “Looks like you're the bitch.”

  I almost stopped struggling to get out of her grasp when it felt like the whole world warped around Toto as her scream became an agony I could feel vibrating in my own bones and soul. She seemed to start to stretch out of proportion, dropping to her hands and knees, her skin rippling and bubbling as she seemed to grow fur.

  Her screams became the howls of a tortured animal in agony. Then the huge, dangerous-looking dog who was standing on four paws where the woman I thought I loved had been, collapsed upon the ground from the excruciating pain she had endured, panting hard, trying to raise her head toward me.

  I blinked as the fucking witch swayed like it had taken a lot out of her, her grip loosening a bit on my throat. She said in a strained tone, “Get her to the castle kennels, breed her with the wolves for daring to call me a bitch.”

  Toto looked up at me... she still had her ice blue human eyes, I could see her intelligence still in there as she struggled to get off the ground as a dozen monkeys gathered around her, cackling and screeching their amusement.

  My mind was reeling. How had this woman done this to her? I could feel the power in the air when she did it. It was impossible, but so were the monkeys. I was digging frantically in my bag for something Uncle Henry had insisted I take with me to the big city. And everything after that is fuzzy.

  Chapter 8 – Wicked

  Dorothy just stopped her story there and shrugged. Then said to us in a syrupy tone that scared me as much as the last part of what she just shared, “So now, it's your turn. Why are you here? Toto told me what the polite one said, but I want to hear it from you instead.” She pointed at me as she narrowed her eyes at Ella-Marie, almost in challenge.

  Ella started, “You want I should be callin' ya a bitch, ya wanker? Don't think that for one moment that I...”

  I chastised out loud in unison with Marie's metal reprimand, “Ella! Be civil.” It would have been almost funny how in tune Marie and I were when it came to our headstrong girl.”

  Ella crossed her arms across her chest, looking almost adorable in the robin hood outfit doing that.

  “Fine.”

  Dorothy looked on in amusement and delight as she clapped her hands in front of her like a child told she was going to the park. I could see that imbalance in her eyes. She wanted to push Ella to see what she would do.

  Before I could think better of it, I said, “Both of you, stop baiting each other.”

  Toto nodded as Dorothy started to narrow her eyes at me. “Yes, thank you, Parker, they're behaving like spoiled children.”

  This got the powerful witch to hesitate and look to Toto with an almost frightening question in her eyes. Toto stood, moving over to grab her hand and just gave her a smile, causing the tall brunette to relax, the emerald flames licking behind her pupil's fading.

  Then Toto said to her, “They aren't a threat, they're from home Dotty. Don't insult Marie by having Parker tell us again how they found their way to Oz.” Then she added as she looked at Ella-Marie,

  “They fought demons on Earth. It isn't happening just in Oz. Maybe they can help us. Especially the dangerous one.” Yes, Ella was the dangerous one all right. And our girl smiled smugly at that.

  I again wondered just how long we had been out while Marie was in charge. How much had they discussed?

  Dorothy started to argue, but I decided to address Antoinette since she and I were apparently the only adults there. Marie silently prompted me, “The only adults, my Parker?”

  I thought back to her with a chuckle. “The only adults everyone can hear,” Then I said aloud,

  “Toni, what happened after that? I feel we aren't getting the whole story. I mean, look at you and look at Dorothy.”

  Dorothy started to interrupt, but Toto instead gave her a quick peck on the lips to shut her up.

  “Things didn't go fuzzy from there. She just doesn't like to talk about it.”

  The witch actually started to grump and let go of her hand, crossing her arms and looking so much like our defiant Ella. I absently wondered again if they knew how much they were alike.

  Antionette exhaled long and slow then shared, “I was still reeling in pain. I knew something happened to me, but I was disoriented and hurting too much to put it all together. I tried speaking, but only a high pitched whimper came out. Then my eyes widened when Dot pulled something out of her bag and tasered that fucking wicked witch, who still had her attention on me.”

  The blonde was grinning as my eyes widened. Oh God, Dorothy tasered a witch! I tried to hide my smile behind a hand.

  Toto looked smug. “The witch dropped my Dottie and fell back on the ground convulsing at the end of the little wires. Then while still holding the trigger and lighting up that bitch of a witch, Dorothy hauled off and side-kicked the splintering signpost solidly. It snapped like a twig and in a cacophony of sound, the building fell down upon the witch, crushing her and some of the monkeys with a ground shaking crunch.”

  Fenriss finished for her as he hopped on to the table in front of me, his tail twitching in excitement.

  “Thuss ended the reign of the Wicked Witch of the Easst! Long live the new Cardinal Witch! Long live Dorothy of Ozss!”

  I blinked at that, trying to imagine the scene. Ella was smirking and nodding in appreciation.

  “Good on you.” Our girl liked the bad guys getting what was coming to them, even if it was something as absurd as a taser and a building falling on them.

  Marie was thinking the same as she thought to her, “Oh Ella, mon amour, what are we to do with you?”

  Then I realized that for how flippant she was about violence, and how much she seemed to relish the evil trying to push its way out of her control, that was Dorothy's first kill. No wonder she didn't like to talk about it. She still had a conscience, and it wasn't all just Toto like it appeared. The girl from Kansas was still in there.

  Toto swayed a look of strain on her face. Dorothy's eyes widened, and I saw the concern on her own face as she cupped Toni's cheek with a hand so very gently. The once cheerleader smiled at her, and the witch pulled her down onto her lap and held her like she was trying to shield her from something. Love and concern painting her face.

  Fenriss leapt to the back of my chair as Antoinette looked between Ella-Marie and me, and I almost jumped out of my skin when the flying monkey wrapped his tail around my neck lightly. It smelled of animal musk and wet dog. I pulled forward, causing him to release me as Marie giggled at me in my

  head.

  Then Toni said, her voice sounding of the stress on her creased brow. “I'm sorry, ladies. I don't have much time left today.” What did she mean by that?

  She cuddled into Dorothy. It would have been cute seeing two supermodel looking women, who so plainly adored each other, doing that, if not for the concern on both of their faces. Then the blonde woman continued, “That's when the ground started shaking as the sky darkened while the winds started whipping debris around.”

  She looked at us as her girl rubbed a hand up and down her arm. “For a moment I thought the cyclone had returned, but then Dotty was screaming in souls searing agony as emerald lightning seemed to be leaping from the body of the witch pinned under the remains of the building and striking Dorothy in the chest.”

  Her eyes looked almost haunted, lost in the memory, “I
tried to run to her, but I think that was the first moment I realized that I had somehow become some sort of animal as I tripped over my front paws. I swear I almost lost my sanity as I looked over the impossibility of myself as Dot's screams seemed double, then triple in intensity, to fill the whole valley, causing the earth and sky to shudder.”

  She flicked a hand in the air. “All the monkeys left me and circled around her, screeching and slamming their fists on the ground, some flying in circles excitedly above her.”

  Dorothy didn't look happy, the flames starting to lick in her eyes again as her girl spoke. “Then without warning, she was silent, and I could hear my own whining, sounding like a dog. I shut up quickly, pushed my own dilemma out of my mind or I'd have gone mad, and scrabbled over to her as she fell to the ground when the lightning ceased.”

  She looked at me. “It took some time to find my feet and I ran to her, almost tripping over my paws again. I concentrated on Dot, pushing away my own impossible dilemma. When I got to her the monkey's moved aside, and I almost stumbled. Lying there, the ground smoking under her body, was an idealized version of Dot.”

  She smiled at the embarrassed looking witch. “She had been beautiful to me before. The brainy and inquisitive girl who stole my heart the day she walked into the dorm. Others told me she was plain, but I didn't have a clue what they were talking about. If she ever gave you a smile that was meant only for you, you'd be smitten.”

  The two women shared a sad smile, Dorothy actually blushing as the blonde continued, “It seemed like her femininity had been enhanced in some way I still can't put a finger on, and her body, her curves were more obvious, her bosom stretching her shirt. It wasn't until later we found that it was how she wished she could be for me.”

  There was sadness in that statement. It was an almost palpable assertion that Antoinette had found Dorothy perfect before that, and she regretted that her girl felt she needed to look different for her.

  Toto's voice pulled my attention away from Dorothy's face, as I tried to see in it what she may have looked like before. “I whimpered and whined as I saw her feet. The skin on her ankles was still burning and bubbling around the ruby slippers she was now wearing. The slippers the witch had been wearing just moments before.”