“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.
Things weren’t always like this. I used to be a simple girl in a small town. Looking back I almost wish I still lived in that abusive hellhole I once called home. Life is funny like that, once you think it’s bad enough it raises a curtain to reveal you’re only still in the first act of the show. My name is Dorothy, Dorothy Gale. Welcome to my f****d up life I now call home, otherwise known as “Oz”. This isn’t the beginning though, not by a long shot. Let’s take this back to the beginning shall we?