THE FARAWAY LANDS OF OZ - Book One

Part Three, Chapter Twelve: The Old West

EVANORA

Sand. Everywhere was sand and it was so hot. I felt the cold pearls of sweat run down my forehead and stream down my face. The little pieces of stone were sticking to my palms and my clothes were stained in reddish dust.
I had wanted someplace warm and sunny, but I didn't mean it like that. This was even too much for my taste. I stood up from my knees and took a look around the foreign environment.
Theodora, Marcy, Zion, Glinda and Aliyah were the ones who had been forced with me into the loop. Around us were copper-colored tabletop mountains and hills with barely to no patches of green around. A typical form of the American desert that one might know from movies, novels or otherwise.
"Does anyone know where exactly we are and perhaps when we are?" I dared to ask the thing that all of us were probably thinking. Perhaps we had not even travelled through time once more but given our previous experience, there was no way that we hadn't.
"Judging from the tabletops we might be somewhere around the Mid-Western part of the US. Although I got no clue what year it is," Marcy replied to my pressing demand. Although she was spending most of her time on her devices, she was surprisingly smart for a twelve-year-old and highly perceptive. At least compared to others, her age.
The girl didn't have that many friends though since she had not been to school yet. But now that she manifested her powers, we had saved her a place that would be freed up next month. Hopefully, we'll be back by then.
"Thanks. Where do you folks think we should go? We're in the middle of nowhere and there doesn't seem to be much civilization around."
"We should head towards the setting sun. Most towns and cities have been built in that direction, back in the ages of colonization." Once again, the girl surprised – not only me – with her knowledge that might have proven entirely useless under different circumstances.
"Thanks again. Well then, let us go?"
And so, we began to walk towards the setting sun, which we were soon facing and the heat became less bearable as we did so. The searing rays of light and warmth burned down onto our faces and bodies. The temperature soon left everyone with a nasty sunburn and pink flushed and moist cheeks.
"What do you guys think took us this time?" Glinda asked, after we had walked for what felt like ages but had probably only been several minutes.
"It didn't look anything like the magic that got us before, it was red this time so I guess that the Black Fairy is not involved. Perhaps it was another Fairy? Or even another Siren? I have no idea and I even doubt that we are somewhere magical. I feel distant from my powers. As if their source is not quite there anymore."
Glinda and the others agreed with content grunts and heavy sighs. The heat was really getting the best out of all of us and if we don't find someplace where we could have a drink of water and a good portion of shade I, personally, will collapse right here and there.
Fortunately, it didn't take us any longer before we began to make out a small town or city on the horizon. Its buildings were tainted in orange from the illusion that the light was playing on us, and a trembling break divided it from the rest of the ground. It was as if our last energy reserves had ignited, and we were able to reach the town in no time.
"Cattle Valley... haven't heard of it before. And judging by the buildings, dear family: we are – once again – not in 2013. Great!"
We walked through the town, looking for newspapers or similar to find out the date. While we did so, the people here gave us looks as if we had just stepped out of a spaceship. Like we were something not to be approached, something forbidden.
In the end, Zion managed to get a glimpse into today's papers by persuading the newspaper boy to let him have a look at the title page. It was October 13th, 1846. Just like I thought. The way the town looked gave away our second disposal through the continuum.
No paved street but a dirty road, where foot-, wagon- and horseshoe-prints had carved their way into the condensed sand that had hardened due to the continuous exposure to something moving over it.
The buildings were small, and all made of wood with a big sign hanging over every shop and small flower pots, hanging over the apartments. All of these buildings were located along the only road in the town that led from the stables to the sheriff's office in a long and straight line. Among the shops were a saloon, a general store, a smith, a doctor's office and even a rental firm.
Zion and I decided to visit the sheriff first and to clear our situation – altered a little bit, of course – and find someplace to stay while we figured out our purpose of even being here. We walked along the road when a group of men began to circle around us like vultures did around carcasses until they had us cornered.
These men looked intimidating and as if they had been dropped several times too often as babies. They were dirty, seemed uneducated and reeked of alcohol and tobacco. These men were generally speaking, filthy through and through.
"Hey mister. Where are you and ya bitches going for?"
Excuse me, what? How did he dare to call me and my sisters – how did he dare call Marcy? I wouldn't allow this behavior to be left unpunished and before Zion could do something in return, I was standing in front of them and pointing an angry finger at the disgusting men.
"Listen here, mister, don't think to be entitled to call us like that just because you're a man and never dare to insult my husband ever again like this, got it?"
The imbeciles broke out in loud 'oo's and 'ah's and just like pubescent teenage boys. "So, we got ourselves a pussy here that has to be protected by his dear, fat wife!"
I was one step away from breaking all of the accords that the magical realms had with the non-magical. One step ahead of raining down the wrath of the clouds onto them and fry them alive with my lightning. They even began to draw their weapons and aim at us – at least one barrel pointing towards a person.
"What is going on here?!" A voice beamed from behind. A deep and calm voice that made me shudder but in a pleasant way. I had goosebumps all over again when he continued speaking, "Leave these people alone, yeah, Hardy?! You're way in over your head."
The filths began to chuckle as if this had been a not-to-be-taken-seriously prank. "Marshall Holmes didn't see you there! I was just giving these tourists the proper greeting. Don't want them to think badly about our beloved town."
The man who now talked was different from the others. He seemed to be less stupid and didn't have this expressionless aura. He must be the leader of these bandits.
"They already do 'cause they've met you and now, piss off!"
The filthy men dispersed, and we were left facing the Marshall: a dark-skinned, elderly man with a worn gray coat and hat and a beard that moved from his hair, across his jawline and over his mouth. The only thing that seemed to glow brilliantly was the polished, golden star that was crowning his right chest.
"Thank you, Marshall! We owe you one." The man shook our hands, as we introduced ourselves and he led us towards his office. From the outside it looked like a jail – which it also was – with its steel-colored concrete walls. On the inside, it was a dark room with a little section that was dedicated to the two holding cells that were currently empty.
I and Marcy took a seat in front of the Marshall's desk, as he slumped down on the chair behind it himself. "So, what brings you to Cattle Valley?"
I began to explain our situation, "Well, we were forced out of our home and have come here. There is not much more to it really."
The man nodded, "I understand. But what do you want here? And please don't get this the wrong way. Unlike my fellow citizens, I am not that prejudiced against strangers."
"We just want to find a place to stay for as long as we get financially secure and find some way back home."
He pulled out one of his drawers and placed a roll of money and a bottle of dark brown liquid onto the stained desk. "Here. This should be enough to get yourselves a small apartment above the doctor's office. Fully furnished and ready to be moved in."
"Please, we cannot take your money! You did too much for us, already."
Marshall leaned forward as he poured himself a glass of the liquor and ignited himself a cigarette, pointing with his finger towards us. I slid back a little with my chair, not wanting to inhale the toxic fumes.
"When you can take what you are offered then take it. This world is harsh, and you won't be offered much help around here and especially not in Cattle Valley! People are prejudiced assholes, and they will try to destroy you with everything they have. So, take my money and build yourselves a life that will ensure you safety!"
His words were true to some extent. And I took his money anyway but that still made me feel uncomfortable. We walked out of his office, each of us thanking him and walked the way back along the main road towards the doctor's office.
Only then did I realize that my clothes in general might have caused suspicion. Hoodie and sweatpants were not something you wear in 1846. We had to get into that apartment as fast as possible and I would need to send out Zion for clothes for all of us. Something to blend in.

We talked to the doctor to whom he had sent us, and he took the money, gladly, saying that we are ready to move in and gave us one key for the second-floor apartment. We didn't mean to stay long and therefore didn't bother with duplicating the key so that each of us had one.
The apartment itself was very pretty and neatly decorated with small cabinets and shelves and cupboards, covered with lace doilies and vases of almost wilted flowers. It had pink wallpaper and a greyish-looking parquet floor with quite a lot of rugs covering it.
There was no real kitchen – only a little corner of it, dedicated to preparing meals – just like with the bathroom. Only a little corner, hidden by wooden partings.
The apartment consisted of two rooms – a couple's bedroom and the living area that held a sofa and two armchairs with suitable poufs. Sleeping might prove a little difficult since two of us would need to sleep on an armchair.
We sat down for a while and rested our legs, discussing who should start working and where and when we would be ready to leave again. As much as I wanted to escape this hellhole, we must have been sent here for a reason and we would have to find out what this reason was, before we could consider thinking about leaving.
"We have to find out why we had been sent here and whether there are any Magicks around here that might have teleported us away from home."
"Perhaps, but what is it to us? Why should we care about someone we don't even know and hell, don't even know whether they even exist?!"
I hated it when Zion talked back to me like this. I never quite recognized the man that I had fallen in love with when he had his episode of selfishness.
"It doesn't matter whether we benefit from all of this! The only thing that matters is that we do the right thing! Take the whole Vampire situation, for example: If we have had intervened and gotten out the truth, things might have turned a darker and more dangerous path for everyone. And now we didn't only save two populations and gave them shelter but we also saved an entire realm from certain doom."
I stood up from the sofa and walked up to my husband, placing my right hand to rest on his strong chest. "Let us at least try and stay for a little while."
I knew he complied when he gave me a swift kiss on the lips. At least he trusted me and would do everything for me. That was how I knew that he loved me with all his heart because he could step over his ego and would try to do the right thing. Even if doing the right thing was only for the sake of pleasing me.
"Thanks. Love you." I returned his affection with a swift kiss of my own and felt the softness of his warm lips on mine, as I raised myself on the tips of my toes to reach him face-to-face.
"And we can start investigating with a little shopping trip. Some clothes and something to eat and perhaps some weapons. It seems like everyone has one around here and I feel a little defenseless."
"But you cannot possibly think about going yourself?!" I gave him a smug smile and returned to my seat.
"Nope! Glinda and you are going. I see no point in all of us marching from store to store like a street gang..."
I turned my attention towards my sister. "Would you mind, Glinds?"
She shook her head and stood up, waving with her hand to make Zion follow her.
"See you later!"
"Bye. And bring us something nice! You know my taste, Glinda...!"