‘I will feed your metal friend to my beloved creation, and they will burn through his metal and suck at his flesh, killing him very slowly. Then I’ll do the same to your other friends. Do you want that to happen?’
Dorothy struggles to clench a fist, her weak body still standing as she pushes, ‘No,’ from between her dry lips, too feeble to fight as the witch allures, ‘Good, because if I don’t have those boots I won’t stop with your friends either. I will slaughter thousands until you remove them, first the North then the rest, do you want that on your head after everything you’ve already done?’
Dorothy mutters, ‘No,’ turning to the tin-man as he lies healed, waiting to be tortured as he suffers because of the young girl, because of the choices she’d made. Then she finally breaks, falling to her knees as she whimpers, ‘You…you win…’ She sobs with her hands trembling, her eyes glazed as she mourns, ‘You…you are strong and I am weak, y…you are a god and…’ Then she feels it, the courage she had now eaten from her soul, and her strength crushed like fruit, ‘ …and I’m just a little girl.’ Her fingers tremble as she undoes the laces, unthreading one as she looks at the key dangling from her neck, thinking of everything she’s gone through just to go home. Slowly sliding the boot from her foot she clenches it in a weak hand, shaking with hopelessness. Feeling a lump in her throat and watching the look on the witch’s face, the anticipation and pleasure, Dorothy suddenly screams violently, launching the boot across the room. Smashing at a glass jar the witch looks in fear, unable to move or even use her magic quick enough as the Carnivorous takes her.
Leaping to her skin it drips along her chest, stretching itself across her body as she screams in agony, trying to tear it off as her flesh peels away. Moving quickly Dorothy reaches for the tin-man, undoing his chains and freeing him as she watches the witch fall to her knees, too overwhelmed to use her powers as the tar consumes her. She screams, crawling along the floor to Dorothy as the ooze drips over her body, burning through her beautiful skin while the agony bleeds in her begging eyes.
Moving to the door Dorothy feels the witch’s hand along her dress, trying to pull her to the floor as she grabs handfuls of fabric. Looking down at Outika, suffering as she’s devoured, the Carnivorous leeches at her face, creeping into her mouth as she tries to pull it away. Feeling chunks of flesh drip to the ground, the substance stripping her to the bone she screams her last venomous words, ‘Not a little girl, you’re the devil in witches boots.’
Grabbing at Dorothy the tin-man opens the heavy door, pulling her out of the cellar as she stares at the witch’s body, watching the ooze spread along the floor and consume the silver boot. Now nothing but a mound of black the young girl smiles at the witch, whispering, ‘Not so wicked now,’ as she locks the room, letting the Carnivorous digest her slowly, eating her from inside out.
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Threading barbwire through thin skin and burlap Dorothy’s weak hands are numb, pricked with holes and covered in blood. She’d stuffed Scarecrow with hay and sewn his skin back together, removing the broken jagged bones and fixing him the best she could. Still exhausted and thirsty her dazed eyes look down at the scarecrow, lying in the main hall as she lastly stitches his buttons back, not wanting him to see what the crows had done. With one eye already sewn on he looks up at Dorothy, touching at her face gently with a bony finger as he says:
‘It’s good to see again, but you don’t look well, I like to see things but don’t like birds, look, look, they didn’t take my necklace!’
Fingering the tangine stone around his neck he smiles, so grateful to be in one piece again as Dorothy threads wire through the other plastic button and attaches it to his face. Almost falling asleep, her skin slices under the wire as she tightens a knot and listens to Scarecrow gleam, ‘Oh boy! I’ve got two just like before!’ Smiling at him, too weak to say anything Dorothy feels herself drifting away and the scarecrow stands, taking her limp body in his arms as he looks to the poor girl; her skin dry and eyes sunken with blood caked around her wrists, her body bruised and her dress stained with red. With her eyes barely open she lifts a weak hand to the scarecrow’s burlap face, touching at the fabric as her chapped lips quiver, ‘Help Tin-man f…find…the lion.’ Watching her pass-out with exhaustion the scarecrow nods his head and carries her to an empty room, lying her on the bed and wrapping her in a blanket as he turns to see the tin-man enter behind him. Jumping in shock the scarecrow pops, ‘Didn’t expect to see you there,’ then leaning in closer with a smile he taps his plastic buttons, ‘I’ve got my eyes now.’
The tin-man looks at him blankly and grunts, ‘The lion’s not on this floor,’ turning to see Dorothy unconscious on the bed. Looking at her worn face, he’s sure she should eat something and orders the scarecrow, ‘Follow me,’ as they search the palace for a kitchen. Eventually finding one they take water and bread to the young girl, watching her eat and drink a little as she mutters, ‘Lion,’ again, and her friends let her rest as they search for him.
Together Scarecrow and the tin-man traipse the palace, walking through the bright yellow corridors, elegant rooms decorated with yellow crystals, and the dungeons carpeted with bones. Despite the tin-man’s torture he walks steadily through the palace as Scarecrow bangs at his metal chest, prancing, ‘What’s this?’ and, ‘Oh that’s odd.’ Acting without fear and almost forgetting his savage attack he runs from room to room, shouting, ‘I want to live here, so pretty!’ and the tin-man moves along quietly, as a sudden roar echoes through the halls. Screeching, ‘That sounds familiar!’ the scarecrow runs through the palace, toward the noise as the tin-man’s heavy body follows behind.
Bounding to the courtyard Scarecrow opens the gate, running inside without hesitation as he quickly stands still, looking out to dead greenery and the strange animal carcases piled on the floor. Unsure what the large beasts are his eyes look past the bodies and he tilts his head quizzically with, ‘Most peculiar,’ as he spots the lion. Staring back at Scarecrow he lies on his side, groaning with blood around his mouth as the curious straw man asks, ‘I remember you, fluffy. What’s wrong?’ Burping, the lion feels wounds spread over his body and struggles to stand, moaning, ‘I ate too much,’ as the tin-man enters the courtyard. Looking down at the animal the metal monster watches him stand, blood still dripping from his body as he lowers his head in guilt, gently offering, ‘I’m sorry.’ Scarecrow stands oblivious and the tin-man groans, ‘Did she feed you for your good behaviour?’ Quickly defending himself the lion grumbles, ‘Her creatures almost killed me, I ate them to stay alive,’ but walking toward him Tin-man grunts, ‘I don’t care, but the girl may, she almost died.’ Ignoring the dead bodies he grabs at the lion’s chain and the animal cowers, stepping away from the metal giant in fear. Looking at the dread in the animal’s eyes the tin-man pulls the chain apart, leaving the collar around the lion’s neck as he roars at the beast:
‘I understand why you betrayed us, you’re a coward, even if you didn’t the witch would have seen us as soon as we left the city, but that’s not the point…We trusted you!’
Turning his back the tin-man leaves the courtyard, his voice echoing, ‘Follow me lion, Dorothy may be happy to know your alive,’ as Scarecrow looks at the dead animals and shouts, ‘Fluffy you ate them?’ Groaning, ‘Yes,’ under his breath the lion walks through the palace painfully, his body wounded and sore as he carries guilt on his shoulders, feeling the straw man pat his back. ‘Never seen that before, they looked dangerous and you killed them, that’s brave,’ he cheers, but the lion huffs, ‘No, it’s surviving,’ as he looks to the scarecrow’s face, gently offering, ‘I’m sorry for what I did.’ Smiling wildly at him Scarecrow taps his buttons happily and shouts, ‘Never mind, I can’t even remember. Birds took my eyes and I’m just happy to see.’ Leaving the lion with a bitter taste in his mouth he carries the guilt of how the witch tortured his friends, knowing he doesn’t deserve to be forgiven, and wondering if he even deserves the wizard’s help.
Watching Dorothy sleep t
he lion slowly walks into the room, looking at her worn face as his sore pads press against the floor, walking to her bedside. Lifting his head he places his chin on a pillow, letting Dorothy sleep as he stands silently, grateful for what she’s done for him and so sick that he’s such a coward. Feeling the heat of his breath along her skin the young girl smiles to hear a slight huff, and struggles to open her eyes. Looking at his dishevelled face she wants to leap out of bed and wrap her arms around him, but too weak she simply lifts a hand, feeling his cold snout as she whispers, ‘So good to see you.’ The lion smiles, jumping onto the bed as he rests his head against her shoulder, brushing his mane along her face as he whimpers, ‘I’m so sorry.’ Combing a hand through his fur Dorothy gently whispers, ‘It’s okay,’ as she forgives the creature easily, too weak to express how hard it will be to trust him again. Soon enough they rest quietly, whilst Scarecrow and Tin-man walk into the room, watching as Dorothy sees them standing in the corner, patting the bed with a smile. Looking back at her Scarecrow happily jumps to her side, sandwiching the young girl she holds his hand, and the tin-man watches over them as a strange sound creeps through the palace. Unsure if it’s the chatter of monkeys or something else the tin-man waits outside the closed room, keeping guard as nightfall comes and curious if the Carnivorous will spread from the cellar.
With morning sun creeping through the window and spreading along her face Dorothy doesn’t move, instead feels herself pressed between fur and straw as she closes her eyes again, waiting a few more hours before waking. With the chrome sun set in the sky the young girl’s eyes slowly open and she looks at the scarecrow lying next to her, who’d occupied himself through the hours by simply looking at his necklace. She smiles at him, feeling her body stronger now, her energy almost restored as she pulls herself from the bed and stretches her limbs. Still sore she feels her bones ache and touches at her back to feel blood, small wounds that re-opened during her rest.
After eating hungrily Dorothy bathes, feeling the layers of crusted blood peel from her body as she soaks in the water before slipping into the same dirty dress, drying her hair as she thinks about Toto, hoping the witch hadn’t laid her hands on him. The young girl left Tin-man and the scarecrow searching for their belongings, wandering through the palace in hope of finding Toto, her wicker basket and the tin-man’s axe. The witch took their possessions when she captured them, and Dorothy sighs at the thought of not finding her little dog. Still not fully healed she feels the cuts along her wrists itch, and although the warm bath soothed her bones, the slits along her back and the scars on her thighs stung enough to bring her to tears. Putting her right foot into a random black shoe, and slipping her left into the silver boot she pulls the lace tightly and thinks of going back down to the cellar, even though she saw the ooze consume the other boot. At first she tries to convince herself she could sneak in, and perhaps if the boot’s magic it may not have been devoured by the substance, but she knows she can’t risk opening the cellar door, it’s too dangerous.
Waiting outside the bathroom the cowardly lion sits cleaning himself, watching the door open as he looks up to Dorothy and smiles, hearing a scream abruptly call from the front of the palace. Running through the hall and making their way into a bedroom the blunt chattering gets louder, followed by screams as they move quickly to the balcony. About to step out of the room the lion pulls Dorothy back, shaking his head as he says, ‘Black on the walls,’ and Dorothy remembers the tar she’d seen smother the palace. Leading the lion along the room the young girl presses her face to a window, looking down to the ground as she watches Argus screaming at the top of his voice. Stumbling in circles he holds several knives in his hand as the winged monkeys hover in the air, chattering as they look down to several of their dead. With their bodies impaled the clay man throws a knife into the sky, screaming, ‘We must die, she’s gone!’ as he aims for a flying creature and spots Dorothy in the window, turning his attention to her as his feminine voice screeches, ‘You, you’re the one responsible, now we have to die, everything dies when the witch is dead!’
Confused she watches him, her body unexpectedly torn to the floor by the lion as a butchers knife smashes through the isabelline glass. Pulling her away from the window the lion looks to see the Carnivorous creep along the rim of the windowsill and hears a sudden scream. With Argus distracted the winged monkeys attack, swooping from the sky and tearing away pieces of his body as he stumbles to his knees. Screaming at them the clay man pleads, ‘You don’t understand, Outika’s…’ and Adam, the monkey leader soars toward him, tearing away the clay head from his body as he slumps to the ground dead. Chattering in celebration the monkeys circle the palace, gliding happily through the air as Dorothy pulls herself from the floor to see Adam burst into the room. Walking toward her the thickset primate brushes dust from his arms and the lion watches him, baring his teeth with a growl. Looking to the animal the leader leaps onto a stone dressing table and addresses Dorothy politely, ‘Please, I am Adam, we mean you no harm.’ Looking at him confused, wondering if his words are lies she bites curiously as she looks to his gentle face, ‘What about the witch, you served her, brought us to her so she could torture us!’
Sighing, Adam rubs a hand along his face and looks up to the young girl, holding his grief inside as he replies, ‘You don’t understand, we were loyal to the witch because we had to be, and bringing you to her was only out of fear of what she would do to my people if we refused. We were slaves, your friend here knows what it’s like to be forced by Outika, and you yourself know what it’s like to be punished by her too. She may have tortured you for several days but she created us long ago, slaughtering many in her imprisonment. Once we were hundreds and now we are dozens, what would you have done in my situation? I take no pride in how I have acted, but I do not regret a thing I’ve done. I would walk on glass for my people and sell anyone’s soul.’
Looking into Adam’s eyes Dorothy nods her head, admiring the loyalty to his people as she mouths, ‘I understand,’ and watches him stand straight, bowing his head to her as he continues: ‘My people owe you our lives and we will serve you if you need us, though do not take my kindness for granted. You have no power over my kind.’ Smiling lightly at him Dorothy says, ‘Thank you,’ stretching her hand out to Adam as he shakes it with his strong arm, replying ‘How can we serve you?’
With the afternoon gone Dorothy and the lion eat and drink plentifully, and they ready themselves for their journey back to Emerald city. Finding his axe the tin-man feels comforted to have it in his grip, and Scarecrow hands Toto’s bag to the young girl, smiling, ‘I found him!’ to feel the little dog’s still hidden inside. Dorothy clenches it to her chest, peeking inside briefly as she thanks the scarecrow. Then soon enough the winged monkeys take a hold of the strange friends, flying them back to the Emerald city as Scarecrow tries his best not to struggle, and the lion feels his stomach turn. Silently the tin-man rests in the monkey’s grip and Dorothy feels a hesitant smile stretch along her face, thinking that it’s almost over, she can finally go home.
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As the monkey’s fly over Emerald city Dorothy looks down to see the streets smothered with the Carnivorous, the screams of when the chaos struck distant, and the civilisation dead. Descending to the wizard’s castle, they watch the ooze slithering along the graveyard hill, half way up as it leeches on the newly dead in their graves, having already depleted most of the city’s population. Slowing their speed the monkeys reach the castle doors, gently lowering Dorothy and her friends to the ground. At first they stare out at the city, the green streets black and the hungry liquid crawling along the buildings, searching for food as it scales the hill.
With a keen eye the tin-man notices bones floating in the thick dark water, bare of flesh as a sudden yell echoes in his ears. Looking out to the green buildings, some already covered in black and others awaiting the darkness Dorothy points to a distant house, as a man inside calls to them from the attic window. He screams, ‘Please, plea
se help us!’ begging as his arms wave in the air and he looks at the ooze spreading to the second floor of his house. With a faint glimmer of hope Dorothy shouts, ‘How many survivors?’ and he yells, ‘There’s eight of us, please help, it’s inside the house!’ Looking to the building the young girl watches the substance spread through open windows, creeping inside every crevice as she turns to Adam. ‘Please,’ she begs, ‘Do you know how to stop it?’ and he shakes his head, ‘No I’m sorry, but we can fly the survivors out of the city.’ Grateful the young girl pleads, ‘Please, yes! But… you’ll come back for my friends, wont you?’ Looking at her with a stern face, like that of a soldier and not a slave he answers, ‘You have my word, and I hope the wizard sends you home!’ Taking to the sky with a chatter his people follow and they separate through the city, searching for survivors. Looking out at the buildings and the man waiting in his window Dorothy nods her head, feeling sick at the thought of the witch’s tyranny. Yet the wizard disturbs her more as she notices that the city’s gates are still locked, containing the blackness inside the walls and giving his people no chance of survival. Gently muttering, ‘My god,’ under her breath, Dorothy finally accepts that although the wizard of Oz was nothing but a fake, he has always been terrible, a man to fear.
Making their way through the dark castle the lion thinks of the city, imagines the survivors hidden in basements, locked inside their houses, waiting for the ooze to consume them. He shivers with his nerves on edge as he looks frantically into the shadows, clinging next to Dorothy as he expects the darkness to spread towards them. Excited, the scarecrow dances through the halls, shouting, ‘I’ll be able to think things,’ as Dorothy doubts the wizard’s abilities, sure that they can’t trust such a wicked man.
Walking into the wizard’s throne room the strange travellers watch him hunched over a table, this time dressed in beautiful green robes as he wears his true face, that of a feeble old vulture. Startled by them his beaten face looks at Dorothy with surprise as she smiles at the damage she’d done to him. ‘I…I am ready, you are lucky that you left the city when you did. The witch’s evil’s spread,’ he grumbles, turning to two servants as he shoos them along with his hands, commanding, ‘Go, go prepare!’
Dorothy: The Darker Side of OZ v5 Page 23
