OZ

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 ∂σяσятнү walked farther into Oz, away from her creaky old house and towards the land she loved. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she looked around at the Munchkins dancing around her and Glinda. As they all cheered and sang, Glinda walked over to Dorothy, smiling.

"Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" Glinda's musical voice swirled around, sounding as if it were coming from all sides.  

"Don't you remember me? It's me! Dorothy!"

Glinda paused, glaring at Dorothy before leaning closer, squinting at her. "Shhh." She whispered, "Stick with the script or you'll get us all in trouble!"  

The good witch backed away, smiling again, waiting for Dorothy to answer. Dorothy looked around more closely this time, watching in shock and confusion as Glinda's form flickered and the wonderful colors around her began to dim.

The munchkins around Dorothy began to scream, clutching their heads and collapsing to the ground. "Say the line! Say the line!" Glinda's voice was now a small rasp and she collapsed as well, shaking on the ground, her eyes rolling up into her head.

Dorothy screamed and ran back into her house, hiding under her bed until the horrifying noises outside finally stopped. Shaking, she got to her feet and walked slowly through the house to the front door, calling softly for Toto. Opening the door, she gasped, fear gripping her when she saw the devastation outside.

All of the plants were shriveled up and all of the colors of Munchkinland were now dismal shades of grey, black, and brown. The little Munchkin homes were falling apart and neither the Munchkins nor Glinda were in sight. Dorothy stepped off of her little porch, pulling back when she heard a whimper as she stepped down. Toto!

Dorothy picked up the old dog, who was scratched and bloody, clumps of his fur ripped off and drifted into the wind. She cuddled him gently, looking at the most severe of the wounds. It was a group of five very deep scratches-- it looked as though a small hand had dug into Toto's side, pulling the flesh from the bone. There was nothing she could do to help Toto and Dorothy hugged him tight, crying as he died in her arms.

After crying for a long while, Dorothy felt someone watching her. In fact, she felt several pairs of eyes watching her back. Turning slowly, Dorothy looked back at her house.  Munchkins covered the slanted roof and their impish faces smiled wickedly at her. No longer the colorful, happy Munchkins that Dorothy knew so well, these Munchkins were very pale, wearing clothes of grey and black. Their eyes were small black orbs and they had sharp, pointy teeth and nails that were now more like small talons. A few of them even had blood on their hands and faces from when they had attacked Toto.

She stood up and backed away slowly, the Munchkins turning their heads as one to watch her. Leaving Toto's body on the porch, she backed away some more and the Munchkins scootched forward, beginning to climb down the side of the house, always watching her. Turning around to run, Dorothy ran into someone.

Glinda!

Dorothy backed away from Glinda, staring at the monster standing before her. A seven foot high Jitterbug towered over her, wearing Glinda's skin and now ratty pink dress stretched over its own form. The bruised, bloody, and rotting skin was held tight by the giant cockroach's large form and it hissed at her, falling forward onto all of its legs, instead of just the back two.

Jumping to the side, Dorothy ran as fast as her legs could carry her, covering her ears so as to not hear the horrible screams of the Jitterbug and the hollering of the wicked Munchkins as they ran after her. She ran as far as she could, stopping only when she was too exhausted to go on.

Dorothy looked around, dazed after her long run. The Munchkins had stopped following her a while back but she had not stopped until she felt safe. Too exhausted to continue, Dorothy lay down by the side of the yellow brick road, looking at what was ahead in this colorful part of Oz. Color had returned once she had left Munchkinland and now Oz felt normal again, with birds singing in the trees, and magical creatures roamming around happily and freely. She would be at the Scarecrow's fields soon. Dorothy yawned, falling asleep.

He would help her.  

He would explain everything.