“Dorothy, dorothy baby wake up.”
Dorothy peels her eyelids apart, a glowing light spills around a shadow just above her. The shadow caresses a hand down Dorothy’s cheek and whispers “I’ve missed you baby. I’m so sorry I left you, I’m home now.”
“M-mama?” Her words were forced to come out as they almost choked on the back of her throat. She leans forward hugging her while sobbing, her mother passed away when Dorothy was just a young girl. She tightened her arms not wanting to ever feel what it was like to let go, she opened her soggy eyes and realized she wasn’t alone in the brightly lit room. Lion stood not too far away, his once rough and torn skin was healed. Next to him Tin Man was kneeling down, crying onto the shoulder of a small boy. To the right Scarecrow embraced a woman presumed to be his wife. It was heaven like to feel such an overwhelming emotion of peace and sublime.
She never wanted to leave, neither did the others, at first.
“I don’t wanna lose you again mama.” Dorothy cried.
“You can’t lose me again, I’m already dead.”
“Wh-what mama?” She reared back to finally make eye contact with her mother, only this time in a different light she saw her face. It was horridly disfigured, the left side of her face was ground down with her eye swollen like a spoiled grape. It suddenly popped with clear fluid spurting out on Dorothy’s face. Her mom then swooped down and dug her nails into her stomach ripping her entrails out. Dorothy began choking on blood immediately, pain surged throughout her frail body but was helpless.
Tin Man slammed onto the floor by an invisible force as his son began to cry out for mercy, he began to have chunks of his body removed that resembled what looked like teeth marks. His scalp peeled revealing a pink layer before his skull was caved in. Tin Man pulled with all his weight trying to stand up but was forced to stay, only his voice could travel.
Scarecrow flew back upwards at an angle towards a wooden cross, upon making contact with it, railroad spikes flew into his body piercing his knees, elbows and palms. His wife was engulfed in cracked vines and dry leaves that swarmed around her body like tentacles of an angry octopus. One by one they began to peel away skinning her alive once more.
Lion was beaten down by glowing hot brands, multiple appeared out of nowhere and began to slam into his body pressing down at certain spots until his skin seemed to cook. All suffered greatly, all felt the pain emotionally and physically, and all had no end in sight.
Everything went dark instantly like a reel running out of film, Dorothy and the others jerked up gasping for air as if they had been submerged under water for too long. Thick clouds of smoke hovered above them almost entirely blocking the night sky. The field around them was swallowed by flames, unaware of what or who had helped them, they caught a glimpse of someone wearing a black cloak running from the field. Through the smoke it was hard to tell if it was even real or a figment of their imagination.
Lion rolls over and shakes his head around trying to s**k in any clear pouches of air. He commands Dorothy to jump on his back, she does as told and they run through the field with Tin Man and Scarecrow following close by. They see a patch that hasn’t been burned yet and take advantage by cutting through it finally coming back to the brick road.
“What happened? Is everyone okay?” Dorothy asks.
Lion nods his head. Tin Man slides his hand over his mouth as the memories still dance before his eyes, he nods his head as well before turning away. Scarecrow replies “All seem to be fine now, this was the work of the witch though. I don’t need to recall what was felt or seen in our slumber as I’m sure we all remember, but that’s just a glimpse of what she can do. We must be careful, and stick to the roads.”
They agree in silence and begin to walk down the road. As they go further down they see gleams of light reflecting off of what looked like giant buildings made of diamonds, Emerald City. It was real and just a stones throw away.
Excitedly Dorothy skips ahead and feels pressure being relieved from her tightened chest. She was happy for a moment and wanted to bask in it, until she heard the screeching. Somewhere in the night sky, a creature flys by attempting to s****h Dorothy. She was quick to drop down as it hovered past her with extended claws hanging. In the background she could hear more company following it.
Run faster they’re coming!” Dorothy spouts as her feet pound on the yellow bricks. Pain tingles in her rail thin legs as anxiety and fear hate-f**k her thoughts. The lion running on all fours gains speed next to her and drops to the ground sliding in-between her legs as they give way. She lands on his back as he yells for her to stay down. The Tin man leans forward trying to catch up sliding out two rusted axes stained with blood. He grips his fingers around them and slashes at a beast swooping down towards Dorothy. She leans back closing her eyes as intestines spill out onto her stomach and chest.
The beast falls to the floor in two pieces separated at the waist. The scarecrow comes up from the right. A black piece of cloth wrapped around his eyes as he follows the path by sound. A winged hybrid between a bat and monkey growls exposing its yellow fangs and comes flying down. The sound echoes into his mind far before it’s close enough to be a danger. He jumps over the lion grabbing Dorothy pulling her onto his back.
The lion leaps up into the air and swings it’s massive paw shredding flesh and meat off a now exposed pale white skull. The lion thuds against the ground and continues to run, each step vibrating the floor under its massive weight.
The Tin Man digs an axe into another creature from the sky and feels his body tensing up. His arm locks in place as the creature claws and reaches for his face inches away. He uses his good arm shoving two fingers into its eyes for a grip and pulling away. A shriek is heard as its face freezes in a picture of horror. Tin Man pulls it’s head off as veins and tendons snap apart in a sloppy motion. He pulls the body off the axe and holds it upside squeezing the blood across his rusted body. The blood seeps into crevices throughout his body lubricating his stiff joints.
Scarecrow hears another creature, it comes flying down at an angle with its arms stretched out. He runs faster as Dorothy whimpers at the sight. He arches back in a burst of energy as Dorothy flies back into the air. Her eyes widen as she feels gravity pulling her down quickly. She embraces for the landing and is caught in Tin Man’s arms as he smiles stiffly. Hot blood still rest on his broken face.
Scarecrow collides with the beast gripping his hands around its throat. They fall forward doing a front roll together. As Scarecrow positions himself on his back against the cold ground the creature looks down for a second before flying to the side. Lion tackles against it with his mouth open biting into its ribcage. It swings it’s head violently left to right as the bones crack under the pressure. It hits the floor struggling for air looking up. Lion looks down with a stern look, like a king should be. It bites down on its head and twist snapping the bone from its spinal cord. The creature spews it’s last breath with a gargle of blood escaping its mouth.
All four stand together and look upon Emerald City.
“Let’s find this wizard.” Lion growls as they all make their way to the entrance.
