An Introduction to Oz Before Dorothy

by Tarl Telford

  Nearly forty-six years have passed since you went into hiding. Were you planning this the whole time? Had you tired of me such that you could not bear to look upon me again? I weep when I think that you only needed to open the door a tiny crack to let light in. You did not open up to me. You did not open to any of my messengers. Even your own best friend forgot your face.

  How dare you. It was my responsibility to see that the city forgot its trauma. You had no right to ensure your disappearance from Oz. I have not forgotten you, nor will I. Nor do I need to, for you will be back.

  I have finally kept my oath--the one that I made to King Klick all those many years ago. The Winged Monkeys are free. The inlaid charm is now completely removed from the stitching of the Golden Cap, so they cannot be enslaved by it again. The son of Docket is king of the Winged Monkeys now. His name is Perkus. I have the Golden Cap in my possession. All of those years I never dared speak of the true charm on the Golden Cap, for fear that Ondri-baba would use it against me. It is a wishing cap, and its power is to make things that are insubstantial become substantial. I have wished with the Golden Cap that you would come back to me when you awaken and find yourself. Until that time, I will keep writing these letters to you.

  I have raised the sword in your defense. I will continue to defend Emerald City from outward aggressors.

  The Scarecrow is a unique king. He claims to think thoughts that no one but him can understand. Do you know why? Do you remember the pins and needles you used in his brains? True, they are proof that he is sharp, but they were also the Quicksilver pins used to secure your shadow in this world as we brought you back from the dream of death. Those pins were touched by dream. So it is true that no one he speaks with can understand the thoughts he has in his head, for they are dreams, and no one, save myself, in the Land of Oz can dream.

  One day, the Wizard will return. His throne is occupied by another. I doubt that the Wizard will wish to inconvenience anyone of royal status. Conveniently, there is a Ruby Throne that waits for him. With your duties as ruler of Emerald City safely passed on to another, there is no reason to keep you from standing at my side in Chronometria.

  I await your return, Oscar.

  In patience,

  ~ Glinda

  Tabby Abacus and the Dangerbread House

  There's trouble in Sparkwood Forest, and it smells like cookies.

  Tabby Abacus has always had a nose for trouble, but when she spots flowers

  growing out of delicious cookies in the ground, she gets suspicious.

  The cookie-flowers lead into the dark forest, but Tabby is not the only kid

  who has seen them. With time running out for the two trapped children,

  will Tabby's quick thinking save them from a hungry Dangerbread House?

  Tabby Abacus and the Dangerbread House follows the adventures of an energetic

  six-year old as she grows up in the magical Land of Oz.

  This story is part of the Hidden History of Oz universe.

  Tabby Abacus, Chapter 6. SHADOW TAG

  Down by the Guardian Stones, the other kids were playing a game called shadow tag. With the sun going down in the sky toward the far away trees and mountains, the shadows were stretched out long. It was a perfect time to play my favorite game of all to play in the afternoon.

  "Excuse me, but I would like to play shadow tag, also." I asked very nicely to Fickle Muri Pickle, who was not the It.

  "Except you're too young to play shadow tag, Tabby Abacus." said Muri, and she made a face.

  "I will be seven years tomorrow, on account of that day is my birthday, and you are invited because my mommy said so. But that means that you have to let me play today." I said, crossing my arms very strong-like.

  "Go sit over by the Guardian stone. When this game is over, maybe you can play." Muri said as she ran away from Agnes, who was It.

  I watched them as they chased the shadows all over the field. To play shadow tag, the rules are that person who is the It must step on your shadow. When the It steps on your shadow, you are frozen. The only way that you can get un-frozed is if someone that is not freezed up comes and tags you free without stepping a toe on your shadow. I love that game. Except sometimes there are cheater-beaters that stand in the shadow of the Guardian Stones and don't play right.

  I squinted my eyes at two of those cheater-beater people like that. Those two people were not my favorite people in the whole wide Oz. They were that bully Veronscilla Plugg, who was really named Ronsil the Tonsil, only her parents didn't know it. And then there was Meanie Joanie Pillory, who was like a shadow to Ronsil, except she was a little tonsil.

  I squinted my eyes and them and made a frown, because I don't like people who only stay in the shadows.

  "If you keep your face like that, it will freeze ugly." said Ronsil the Tonsil.

  "Yeah, like a troll." said Mean Joanie.

  "Gruesome as the bridge-trolls." said Ronsil the Tonsil.

  "Only I don't even think you know what that statement means." I said back, smugly. Smugly is when you smile when you say something ugly to someone else.

  They went to stand back in the shadows. I sat down with my back against the warm Guardian Stone and looked at the grass. I pulled out some blades of grass and let them blow in the breeze. I wished that I had my pockets full of cookies again. Mommy took all of them out for the birthday party tomorrow.

  I looked at the grass blowing in the wind, and do you know what I saw? A little blue flower just popped right up. And where there are little blue flowers that pop right up, there are also always cookies.

  I jumped up and ran over to that flower and said hello.

  Ronsil the Tonsil followed me. I turned my back on her and picked up the cookie from the ground. I wiped the dirt away very carefully so I would not get icky dirt on my teeth when I ate that little guy.

  "Hey, you've got a cookie! Give it to me!" Ronsil the Tonsil reached out her grubby mitt to try to take it from me. I held the cookie up in the air far away. Mean Joanie jumped up to try to get it, but I am taller than that little pipsqueak, so I didn't have to share.

  "Except this is my cookie. The flower gave it to me." I did an oops and made a frowny face. "You can't have it."

  Ronsil the Tonsil was taller than me, and I couldn't keep the cookie away from her. Except you know what? I saw a bunch of blue flowers pop up right in front of the forest. I think they called my name.

  I dropped that cookie and ran toward the blue flowers. Because where there are magic blue flowers that call your name, there are cookies.

  Tabby Abacus, Chapter 7. SPARKWOOD FOREST

  You know what? Those blue flowers lighted right up when the shadows hit them. They were not even afraid of the dark a little bit. Even though I thought very meanly just a minute ago, I changed my mind about things that stay in the shadows, but only because they are cookies.

  I fell down on my knees right in front of those flowers and scooped up those cookies as quick as a quick flash. Behind me I could hear Ronsil the Tonsil and Mean Joanie coming. They wanted the cookies, but they could not have them. These were all mine.

  I stood up with my arms full of cookies and I was even so talented that I scooped up a cookie in my mouth. I crunched loudly at them, and then I ran into the forest. There were not getting any of these cookies from me, no thank you, madam.

  I heard them come into the forest after me, but I was a good hide-and-seeker. That was my favorite game to play at night, especially at bedtime. One time, I even made Mommy go outside and look for me. Then I sneaked very quietly back into my bedroom. Then when she came inside and her face was grumpy, I smiled at her from in my bed snug as a bug.

  However, this forest was actually not supposed to be played in by children.

  Sparkwood Forest had mostly grown back after it burned down two years ago. The Guardian Stones were to protect the village from the Wicked Witches, but also to keep the children from going into forest. But, you see, I had to keep the cookies aw
ay from Ronsil the Tonsil and Mean Joanie. Bullies didn't deserve cookies, especially magic cookies made by blue flowers in the shadows.

  Then I heard that Meanie Joanie yelling something very happy-like, but it made my face get hot and boil like water. She said, "We don't need your stinky cookies, Tabby Abacus! We found a whole big house full of cookies and treats!"

  Only I didn't even know that they made houses full of treats inside dark Sparkwood Forest. That made me very suspicious, because they could be tricking me into coming out and not hide-and-seeking me. I put my cookies down very carefully on a flat rock so they would not get dirt on them. Then I climbed through the bushes quietly. When I brushed my arm against a Sparkwood Tree, I felt the yellow sparks make my arm tingly.

  Up ahead, my eyes saw a bluish glow like the night-spiders through the trees. That glowy place was where those meanie bullies were yelling from. I stayed hide-and-seeking in the shadows because I didn't think that glowy houses belonged in this kind of place. Mostly houses of treats were not for real.

  Behind me, a long way back in the village, I heard the bell ring to call everybody and their brother for the Square Fair. Mommy and Daddy would be meeting with all of their friends and eating brisket and cake. I squinted my eyes to see in the darkness outside the glow. I was not going to let those bullies play a trick on me.

  I peeked out from behind a big tree to see if I could find out where Ronsil the Tonsil was laughing and yelling from. My eyes got big as saucers as I saw the magical blue glow around all of the clearing in the woods. It was a house made absolutely all out of sweets and candy!

  My mouth got all watery and my fingers reached out for the yummy good things to eat. Ronsil the Tonsil and Mean Joanie were stuffing cakes and candy in their mouths as quick as the wind. I wanted to run out and be right by them, friendly-like, and eat all of the good things that my stomach could handle. And even then, I would make myself eat more. Sometimes my stomach doesn't know when there is more of a good thing, and it should just be quiet.

  The only problem, you see, was my squeaky shoes wouldn't move. I made a mad look down at my feet, but they still wouldn't move. Then I saw blue glowing flowers pop up all around my squeaky shoes. I felt the cookies pushing my feet from under the ground. They even made a cookie pathway for me to walk right up to the house.

  Only I didn't. The gingerbread house smelled happier than Mommy's kitchen on Christmas morning. I really wanted to run out there and stuff my face like the other two children. Nobody would ever have to know. The windows on the house looked right at me and invited me in. No house had ever looked at me like that before. Then one of the windows winked. That was it, mister. Something was definitely funny about this house.

  Tabby Abacus, Chapter 8. STINKER TWINKLE

  Quick as a squirrel, I scampered up the Sparkwood Tree. My feet scratched the bark and let some tingly sparks fall down on top of the growing cookies that pushed up under my feet. I watched the house with my eyes very suspicious. The light shone out of the windows. It shined on the cookie path that led to my tree. I wondered if the house wanted me.

  My eyes got very squinty, and then I felt something creeping, sneaking in the back of my brain again. It tickled my nose and made my mouth smile really wide. I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. The stinker twinkle came into my eyes, and I got an idea.

  There is only one thing I like more in the whole entire wide world of my life than I like cookies and sweets. Do you know what that one thing is? I like being a stinker. I am very happy to be prone to shenanigans, thank you very much.

  If this house wants me, it will have to find me and catch me. And I'm the best hide-and-seeker in these woods that I am actually not supposed to be playing in. And that is something very special to be.

  I scooted down the tree. My squeaky shoes were quiet, but they made sparks that tickled my legs. I jumped down on top of that pile of cookies and smashed it all to tiny crumbs. I took a big breath to fill my lungs up with loud words. "I'm Tabby Abacus, and I am prone to shenanigans. And guess what? You can't catch me."

  And then I jumped down behind the tree as a big cake splatted against the bark. Sparks shot out over my head, making the frosting sizzle. Now the forest smelled like baking cake.

  Ronsil the Tonsil tried to yell at me through a mouth full of fudge brownie, but it only sounded like, "Blah, blah, blah." But that's mostly what she sounded like anyway.

  Mean Joanie picked up a cream puff to throw at me, but she decided to stuff it into her face instead.

  I ran around the back of the house, keeping the Sparkwood trees between me and the sweets. Cookies shot out at me from the planter boxes on the windows. Glowing blue flowers pushed at my feet, trying to shove me into the clearing. Then the front door opened and light went all over the clearing.

  Ronsil the Tonsil and Mean Joanie didn't even look up. A mat rolled out behind them. It was red like a tongue. But it was covered with cakes and pies. Then a strange whistling sound from inside the house made them finally look up.

  I watched from behind the tree at the front of the house as the mat lifted itself up and stepped on the shadows of Ronsil and Joanie. It freezed them right into place, just like freeze tag.

  "I can't move my feet." Joanie cried.

  "I can't move at all." Ronsil the Tonsil blah-blah-said. "Give me that fudge."

  Mean Joanie tried to move, but she could not reach the fudge. Then the red mat licked over and reached out and pushed the fudge closer to Ronsil the Tonsil.

  Why was that house trying to make them eat? The light shined from the door over the two bullies and made their shadows stretch past the trees into the darkness.

  I ran out into the light and through their shadows. I grabbed Mean Joanie's hand. It was covered in butterscotch pudding and cookie crumbs. My hand couldn't twist around her hand hard enough to pull her out. As soon as I touched her, she pulled away from me. Didn't she understand that she was trapped?

  "Go away, Tabby. This is our house. We found it first. You wouldn't share cookies with us, so we're not sharing any of these desserts with you."

  Ronsil the Tonsil nodded and said, "Blah, blah, blah."

  The red mat rolled out toward me, and I jumped away. Because I saw what it did before, I didn't wait for it to lick me. I was the bestest shadow tag player here right now. This Dangerbread house was not going to freeze me. I danced quickly backwards and made it back into the trees. A giant cake launched out toward me, so I ducked quick behind the tree. The cake splatted on the Sparkwood tree so hard that the entire trunk started on fire.

  This was getting too dangerous to be fun anymore. It was time for help. There was only one person that would not be busy stuffing their face at the Square Fair right now. And that was the Good Witch, Locasta.

  Candor Bandersnatch and the Secret Gate of Oogaboo (Candor Bandersnatch, Book 1)

  The Land of Oz, decades before Dorothy, held many cities

  and many heroes. After the devastation of the Witch Wars,

  the stony North is now under the protection of the Good

  Witch. Hewing a new life out of the ruins challenges the

  survivors, including the Bandersnatch family.

  HE'S NOT BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE A HERO...YET.

  Ten-year old Candor wants to be strong, like the way he remembers

  his father before the accident, but instead of honor, all his attempts

  at bravery only earn him more bruises.

  Chased by bullies into the mountains, Candor discovers a gateway

  to a faraway place where no one can hurt him. However, this paradise

  comes with its own monsters.

  Far away from friends and family, two worlds collide. Candor's courage

  in the face of fear changes everything.

  CB1: Chapter 5 - Stinging Nettles

  Where there had been only darkness ahead of me, I saw a light.

  I looked back at the darkness behind me. It was different. It wasn't cold and threatening
. It wasn't even as dark. The light ahead of me in the tunnel was different than the light from home. The sunlight was shining into the cave, coming from a different direction.

  My nose tickled. The air smelled different. Where there was always the smell of woodsmoke near Sparkwood Forest, now there was a damp, earthy smell, like dirt after it rains. Father had once taken me to a forest in the mountains to hunt, and the forest smelled like that.

  I glanced back at the carvings on the wall. They looked different now, but I didn't want to take the time to examine them. The carvings would be here when I came back. I wanted to see the forest. I wanted to find the smells that took me back to those days walking through the woods with Father.

  I approached the mouth of the cave. The echoes of my slapping footsteps disappeared in the symphony of birds and insects singing outside. I had never heard nature singing together. In the village, the wind moaned, and there were distant crickets, but there was no birdsong like this.

  The forest stretched out before me, breaking as it flowed down the hillside, offering a glimpse of a green valley down below. I stepped out of the cave and into the beautiful smell of evergreen. The heavy scent of pine filled my mind with happier memories, and I felt the smile brighten my face. My cheeks pulled tight and my teeth felt the tart, stinging coolness of the air. It had been a long time since I had smiled like this.

  I ran out of the cave and stepped into the green magic of the forest. Immediately I felt unpleasant prickling and jabbing at my feet and ankles. I looked down at the plants at my feet. The stems were as thin as my little finger, and each plant reached up to my knees. Yellow flowers capped the ends. It looked like each of the plants had fine hairs poking out of the stems. With every move I made, the stinging got worse. I had never felt pain like this. The closest time was when a bee stung me when I ran through the flowers on the hillside near home. But this was easily ten times worse, and it was all over.