The Jester of OZ

Chapter Three

"There's no place like home... There's no place like home... There's no place like home..." Again and again, the phrase engraved itself into her mind and soul, calling to her louder than any voice in the world. Amber felt her body give away to gravity, almost as if she were floating in some sort of dream. Part of her knew she should've been scared, confused, or at least skeptical about what was happening and where she was going. Like the saying, the tapping of her heels couldn't stop themselves. Again, one two three, one two three, over and over like an uncontrolled spell. She felt her messy hair blow around her shoulders, kissing the surface of her back as if being tossed around by wind. Spinning, and spinning, she felt the presence of the basement leave her along with the reassuring feeling her grandmother always seemed to have. She regretted it immediately, wishing she didn't say it. She wasn't expecting it to work at all. She wasn't expecting herself to fall so deep into a trance. While spinning, a fog engulfed her body. A thick, white fog swirled around her, blinding her eyes and telling them to close. She tried to fight the sensation, but it was no use. It took too much strength, too much stamina. Eventually, she found herself giving in, falling into a sleep of some sort, a sleep that made her nightmares all the more vivid.

She heard the laughter again. The same high pitched laugh of a man she couldn't identify. It echoed through her and pulled her closer to what felt like reality again.

When her eyes opened again, her lungs heaved for air as if she hadn't breathed in a lifetime. The first thing she saw was light, a yellowish fever light. Her hands shot to the surface of the ground she now lay on, gripping the grass with fists. "H-Hello?!" Her violent gasping managed to almost yell out in a quivering voice. It took a few moments to catch her breath, and also a few seconds to contemplate if she'd be injured from such an impact. It felt as if she landed so hard on the ground that the air got knocked out of her. Once she had her breath again, her eyes slowly gazed at her surroundings. Amber looked at herself, her black shirt and leggings still untouched. The ruby slippers at her feet were mocking her with their bright red color and all-knowingness. The yellow light, she realized, was a sunset. It appeared that she had landed straight in a field of poppies just outside of civilization's doors. A single dead tree stood a few feet away from her, almost daunting with its black branches and hollow trunk. Where was she? Amber tried to stand, and succeeded after a few tries. Once she stood on the soft green surface, she looked in awe upon the world she was in. "HELLO!!!" She shouted, cupping her hands over her mouth, hoping that if someone else was here, they could tell her where exactly these stupid shoes had gotten her. All she received back was a long and flowing echo, along with the quiet of the countryside.

Confusion and panic seized her heart, squeezing it unmercifully. A gust of wind flew by, causing her long hair to whip backwards. The breeze made the poppies and the grass sound like waves on a beach. Not only that, but the smell of the air felt almost sweet if not for her situation. "... I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore." She whispered underneath her breath.

"Correct." A male voice interrupted her out of nowhere it would seem.

Startled, she jumped back, turning her head to find the source of it. When she did, she looked up at the tree only to meet the large yellow eyes of a single, speckled owl. It looked at her with curious eyes, its fluffy feathered wings spreading slightly as if it had just landed on the branch. It had a fluffy face and a sly expression, almost as if it knew something she didn't. Confused even more, Amber started to turn back around but not before saying to herself, "Owls can't talk, get ahold of yourself." Almost instantly, she was met with a reply, "Who in the land of OZ told you that?" The owl answered, emphasizing the who as if offended. This time seeing him speak out of the corner of her eye, Amber faced him with her jaw dropped. The owl's beak smirked at her reaction. "You do talk! How is this possible?" Her chocolate eyes gaped at him. He let out a chuckle before deciding to fly downwards to a closer branch. Once he was there, Amber moved closer as well, cautiously. "Well, if you're so keen on introductions, my name is Wiser." The small owl made two small jumps forwards, head flawlessly turning. Amber felt a little sheepish and rude, "Oh... My name is Amber, Amber Gale Ridiculamare." She did a small curtsy. Wiser's large eyes beamed at her, "Gale?"