Wonderoz Chapter Nineteen: Dorothy

The light from her emerald had changed directions so drastically and so suddenly Dorothy didn’t even think to explain or call to her comrades. She simply took off running through the woods with newborn Toto tucked underneath her arm. Behind her Flinch, Eye, and Nick ran in a panicked sprint to keep up with her.

The borogoves sped before them creating a path that led back onto the Yellow Brick Road and lighted their way as they exploded out of Tulgey Wood and into the sparkling night air surrounding the border of Munchkin Land.

Dorothy stopped, watching the emerald’s light point straight up into the air and lead her eyes to a spiraling shadow in the sky just above another forest.

“Alice!” Dorothy screamed. The figure passed in front of the moon and Dorothy saw Alice clutched in a man’s arms.

“Alice!” Dorothy went to charge ahead again but she was clutched back into the protective arms of Eye, Nick, and Flinch.

“Get a hold of yourself!” Nick ordered in a familiar, fatherly tone as he gripped firmly onto Dorothy’s forearm.

“We can’t go further now!” Flinch whimpered, clutching onto Dorothy’s ankles.

“We can’t get to her there,” Eye heaved heavily. “She’s way up on the moon!” His hand tenderly grasped her hand.

“Blah! Blah! Blah!” Toto gummed at Dorothy’s earlobe as if to say, “there! I helped too!”

POOF! A huge cloud of smoke emitted from what looked like the trees in the distant forest. All five remained still and quiet in the shock of the moment. They waited for the carnage, the debris, the end.

“What should we do?” Flinch sniffled.

“We have to go there.” Dorothy pulled out the matchbook she had received from Alice through the Mad Wizard. She pointed to what looked liked another forest. “That’s the Giant Garden, correct? Not a forest?”

“Why yes!” Nick exclaimed happily. “It is.” He cleared his throat. “I remember it now.” He explained his sudden burst of joy.

Toto snipped at the matches but Dorothy pulled them back in time. “That’s where Alice was.” Dorothy continued. “Her friends are there.”

“Are you suggesting we help them?” Astonished Eye exclaimed.

Dorothy replaced the matchbook in her pocket. “I have to. Alice told me to go to them. Besides, if I passed by those who needed me I wouldn’t have found you four now would I?”

“Bap?” Toto burped as if to say, “I’m included in this loser section?”

“We can probably get there by sunrise.” Dorothy turned to her friends. “If you’re still with me that is.”

And in the most surprising feat of all Flinch was the one who said what they were all thinking. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

Dorothy beamed and grabbed them all into a big hug. “Thank you so much.”

“Gorp!” Toto burped, alighting Eye’s hair with pink bubbles of singeing static.

Dorothy hurriedly wrote a note for Mace and had the borogoves deliver it before they raced off down the Yellow Brick Road and through the ruined Old City of Munchkinland.

“What happened here?” Dorothy asked as she examined the charred remains of what had once been a mansion shaped like a tulip.

“The Wicked Witch of the East and her Cards.” Nick answered in a dark, depressed voice. “Munchkinland was a peaceful place until she took over power. Now all the Munchkins live in constant fear on the other side of the garden.”

“The Giant Garden serves as a safe haven for all refugees and criminals of the Queen.” Eye answered. “Its a world all in its own separate from all the Corners and the Center.” His eloquence was surprising, but wholly went unnoticed by the group.

“What happens if she catches these supposed enemies?” Dorothy asked.

Eye drew his hand across his throat, the edge of his fingers serving as a swiping blade. “Off with their heads.”

“What?” Dorothy gasped. “But I thought people in Wonderoz couldn’t die?”

“They don’t.” Flinch mumbled. “She takes their heads and plants them in her own personal garden.”

Dorothy grimaced and the shade of her face went from fresh pink to sickly green. She shuddered. “She plants them in her garden?”

“It’s a garden of live flowers. A prison really.” Flinch continued. “The heads bloom into flowers.”

Dorothy tried to picture the scene but shook it off. “What about the bodies that remain?”

Flinch shrugged. “Depends on the condition its in. Better looking bodies are made into Cards. The less appealing ones she turns into her flying monkey.” He glanced up at Dorothy. “If you think that’s disgusting then you should hear what she does with the heads of women she likes.”

“What do you mean?” Dorothy gulped.

Flinch sighed. “A lot of times she’ll cut off the heads of beautiful young girls so she can use them.”

“You mean she uses heads like someone would use wigs?” Dorothy held her hand over her throat protectively. “Are you kidding me?”

“She has over fifty heads I think.” Eye murmured to himself.

Dorothy looked over at him suspiciously. “How do you know that?”

Eye shrugged. “I dunno.”

I squatted down on Dorothy’s shoulder. “I don’t trust him, love.” I whispered to her. Toto stared up at me with huge unblinking eyes and made me feel unsettled in the worse way. “What’re you looking at, snot?”

“HAR!” The little thing screamed as if saying, “get off my Mama you intangible weirdo!”

Dorothy popped her hand atop Toto’s head. “Toto shush.”

“If you’re tired Dorothy, you can ride on my back.” Flinch said rubbing up against Dorothy’s leg.

“No. I’m fine.” Dorothy stroked Flinch’s mane.

As they walked into the shade of the Giant Garden Dorothy took a lantern from her basket and gave it to Nick. Nick walked ahead with Flinch walking close beside him because Flinch was afraid of the dark. Dorothy walked closely beside Eye making sure he didn’t wander off. Then she reached out and took his hand in hers.

Eye looked down at their hands then over at Dorothy‘s profile. “Dorothy?”

“Yeah?” Dorothy murmured quietly in the dark.

Eye gripped tighter onto Dorothy’s hand and remained silent. It was their most intimate moment so far. Their fingers laced unbeknownst to anyone else in the darkness.

Sunlight started parting through the roof of the garden, creating spectacular colors against the flowers. But there was a heavy fog that hung around them and choked their breathing.

“Smoke,” Flinch sneezed.

“We must be close then.” Dorothy fanned the air in front of her. “I hope everyone is okay.” She looked around and saw a huge marigold close to the ground and she thought how nice that would be to sleep in.

“I hear music.” Nick spoke suddenly.

Dorothy went out ahead and came upon the This Way That Way Cabaret first. It was so heavily shrouded in smoke she nearly ran into it were it not for someone reaching out and stopping her.

“Careful there.” The man said. “What’s the rush? Can’t you see we’re closed?”

Dorothy looked up at the man then quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out the matchbook. “I was told to find them.” She quickly explained. “Where can I find them?”

The man looked over the matchbook and clutched it in his hand. “I am Tweedle Dee. Who are you?”

Dorothy coughed against the smoke. “The back of the matchbook.”

Dee chuckled. “No you’re not.”

“No! Read the back of the matchbook!” Dorothy huffed.

Dee flipped it over and his eyes widened. “Alice sent you here?”

A second hand flew out and grabbed the matchbook while a third hand reached out and cupped Dorothy’s face in his hand. “She’s Dorothy! Look! It’s Dorothy!”

“Dum,” Dee scolded softly.

“You’re the Tweedle Twins?” Dorothy sighed with relief. “I was told to look for you.”

“You came a bit too late though.” Dee continued speaking.

“She has freckles. Freckles!” Dum giggled excitedly.

“I know.” Dorothy said, talking to Dee. “I saw that guy with Alice. What happened?” Dorothy tried to make out the twin’s faces in the heavy smoke. “Is everyone okay?”

“We’re fine.” Dee answered. “That bastard who took Alice released a smoke bomb on us. The Cabaret has taken on some pretty bad smoke damage as a result.” Dee placed the matchbook back into Dorothy’s hand.

Dorothy hummed and reached for her basket. “I think I have something that’ll take care of this mess.” She pulled out a vile of green liquid and read the label attached as best she could.

Don’t drink me, please!

I’m a little Windy!

Dorothy rolled her eyes and uncorked the bottle and poured out the liquid inside. As the liquid spilt it turned into a spiral ad then into a funnel that grew and expanded and burst out. The peppermint scented wind blew away the smoke cleaned up the debris.

“Wow!” Dum gasped excitedly. “She is amazing!”

Dee looked down at Dorothy and smiled. “Thanks”

Dorothy smiled back at him her eyes coasting down their body and then back to their faces. “So you are twins.”

Nick gasped when his eyes fell upon the boys. “By Lurline!”

“What?” Dum slapped his hand onto his hip.  “You never seen conjoined twins before?”  He cocked his head back with a snap.

“I can‘t say I ever have.” Dorothy replied. “But you act as though it should be a big deal.”

Dee put his hand in Dorothy’s wild hair. “You are most definitely Alice’s sister.”

“Bop-bop!” Toto said as if saying, “one of you was lucky. I ate my twin.”

Dorothy’s smile faded when Dee said her sister‘s name. “Please tell me what’s happened to my sister. Who was that man? What did he want with Alice?”

“That supposed man was Snap,” Dum sniffed. “He’s a soulless ass who sold out Alice for a few lousy oysters!”

“To who?” Dorothy insisted.

“Supposedly to us.” Dee said as he removed the thin chain from around his neck and placed it in Dorothy‘s palm. The pearl inside clinked inside the little bottle. “We bought all knowledge on Alice.”

“You should have been better with your words.” Dorothy spoke softly as he examined the pearl in the bottle on the chain. “You bought the knowledge but not the presence.”

“She‘s good with words like Alice too.” Dum marveled.

“Not like Alice.” Dorothy murmured, clutching the bottle in her fist. “Just taught by.” She went to hand the bottle back to Dee but he pushed her hand back.

“You keep it. She’s your sister.” He answered. “Besides, you can use that pearl against Snap I’m sure.”

“At least keep the chain.” Dorothy insisted. She took the bottle charm and attached it to the charm bracelet around her wrist. “It looks expensive anyways.” She said, handing the glittering chain back to Dee.

“You very thoughtful, Dorothy.” Dee was beaming serenely.

Dorothy put her fists against her hips and took a defensive pose. One that reminded Nick of how he used to stand before his troops. “So now, who would’ve bought the presence of Alice?”

“The Queen of Hearts,” Eye murmured suddenly from behind.

Dorothy turned and looked with concern. “Eye?” She asked.

Eye had a strange look to his eyes. A different personality and presence. “She wants her.” He whispered, his voice too different. “She needs her. Because without her she’ll be powerless soon.”

Dorothy grabbed a hold of Eye’s hand. “Who will be powerless?” She asked urgently. “Eye, please, what’re you saying? Are you alright?” Eye looked up at her with unfamiliar eyes, eyes Dorothy didn’t recognize. Dorothy forced a smile. “Eye? Huh?”

Eye glanced over at the twins and he started breathing heavily. “Carpenter.” He mouthed and the twins stood in alert. “Where is the Carpenter?”

“What would you want with Uncle Henry?” Dee asked.

“He’s just outside the poppies.” Replied Dum pointing. “What do you want with him?”

“Brain.” Eye said clutching onto the back of his head. “Dorothy?”

Dorothy was clutching tightly to Eye. “I’m here, Eye.”

“I think I know something awful.” He looked into her eyes hoping to find some relief to his sudden terror and distress. “I dunno if I’m Eye Dunno anymore.”