We're Not In Kansas Anymore Toto

RE: "We''''re not in Kansa anymore, Toto!"                           









Word count 1, 310. plus--I made the happy ending like I said I could.



"I’ll get you my pretty and your little dog too!" shrieked the witch as she disappeared in an explosion of black smoke." The Munchkins cowered in terror until Glenda the good witch calmed them.



"You’d better go quickly to the great Wizard of Oz to help you my dear!" cautioned Glenda.



"How do I get to the Wizard?"



Stepping up bravely the Mayor of Munchkinland offered, "The best way to start a journey is at the beginning."



As the diminutive Munchkins sang merrily advising the pretty, country bumpkin to ‘Follow the Yellow brick road", Dorothy accompanied the portly, pint sized mayor to the colorful swirl of red and gold cobblestone stopping at the tiny point of origin.



"Yellow is pretty, but I’m more of a red person. I think I shall follow the red brick road. Besides, it’s more traditional where I come from," exclaimed Dorothy.



The entire population of Munchkinlad stopped singing and gasped in shock at Dorothys’ near sacrilegious statement.



"What do you mean," gasped the Mayor? "It just isn’t done. Everyone Follows the yellow brick road. It’s the proper beginning of a journey since Munchkinland was built. All roads may lead to Oz, but no one takes the read brick road!"



Dorothy bent over and playfully tugged the Mayors bristly sideburns. "Don’t worry Mayor. I’m an adventurous type and I’d rather the red brick road. Red is a bold and daring color. Besides, it also matches my new shoes! If everyone takes the yellow brick road, then aren’t any of you the least bit curious as to what is down the red brick road?"



"NO" chorused the ensemble! Faces paled. Children hid behind their mothers skirts while the old and weak fainted to the ground.



Dorothy giggled and started to sing her own words to the old song, "I’ll, Follow the other brick road, follow the other brick road, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the other brick road." She laughed with excitement, kissed the Mayor on his cheek, scooped up Toto and her basket and started following the swirl of red brick. As the bi-colored road split, each color going it’s separate way, Dorothy twirled around, waved to the populace of Munchkinland, blew them all a kiss of farewell and again twirled to proceed down her chosen path. Singing and skipping along she failed to notice that none of the Munchkins waved or seemed at all enthused about her radical choice.



After a couple of hours walking through strange but beautiful country, Dorothy realized she was terribly hungry. It had been a rather eventful day after all. First she’d had that awful altercation with the nasty lady back home, then the fight with Aunty Em, running away, having her fortune told, being caught in the tornado, landing on a witch, getting the dazzling ruby red slippers, being threatened. Sigh. It would have been nice if the Munchkins had offered her lunch before sending her on her way. As she walked her eyes began scanning the countryside for something edible. Everything in this land was so different but surely they would have fruit trees or berries that grew wild.



Peering intently at the nearby bushes for signs of berries she gave a small shriek, jumping back quickly as a pair of tiny beady eyes peered back at her from the flowering foliage. Toto gave a sharp bark and lunged but Dorothy held him firmly.



"Don’t be afraid! I won’t hurt you." With those words a small, furry, red and brown feline type of creature came walking out of the bushes, walking upright on two paws. He had extra bushiness around his face that looked like he had lamb chop whiskers. It sounded like a male cat to Dorothy but in this strange world she wasn’t too sure.



"I wasn’t afraid. I was merely startled. I wasn’t expecting anything to be hiding in the bushes, let alone a talking cat."



"I beg your pardon! I am not a cat!" The furry animal was obviously indignant but Dorothy didn’t seem to notice. "I am a Flyrinx and of course I talk! What a silly thing to say."



"I’m sorry…….what is your name?"



‘What is a name?"



"A name is what people call you."



"What is people?"



"I am a people, er…a person. One is a person, more than one is people."



" I am a people, er…person too!" and it smiled.



Dorothy decided to not argue the point about animals not being people. "If you don’t have a name would you like me to give you one?"



The Flyrinx cocked his head and seemed to ponder the question. "Yes. I would like a name. What is a good people name?"



Dorothy was tempted to call him "kitty’ but decided to give him a real persons name. Since he had red fur, she decided he looked entirely Irish. "I think you look like a ‘Pat’." Pat was safe for a female or male she thought and succeeded in not giggling.



Suddenly there was screeching, yelling and yowling from the bushes on the other side of the road behind Dorothy. She screamed, whirling around to see what horrible creature had sneaked up behind her. Out from the bushes tumbled a rolling ball of fur, claws and teeth. She could make out speech but could make no sense of it when the ball of fur stopped rolling near her feet just as she was about to take off running. Two more Flyrinx’s untangled themselves from each other.



"I want a name too! I’m a people. I want a name!" said the Flyrinx with purple and pink fur that sounded more female.



"I’m a people too." The other Flyrinx was yellow, white and green and also sounded female.



Dorothy curtsied in greeting. She thought the purple and pink one reminded her of a flower. "I shall call you Violet," and turning to the yellow, white and green Flyrinx said, "I shall call you Daisy". The yellow and green one reminded her of a field full of daisies.

Each creature seemed pleased with their new names and smiled in an unfeline manner.



"I really have enjoyed talking with you all, but I must be on my way. I have a long journey ahead of me and I’m very hungry. Do you know where I might find some food?"



The Flyrinx’s all stared at Dorothy. When she was beginning to get uncomfortable Pat spoke up. We think there is something you can eat a little farther up the road. Come. Follow us. And as one the Flyrinx’s scampered up the road, their colorful tails waving with each step with Dorothy and Toto running behind.



Within the hour, the group stopped near a field planted with what Dorothy hoped was vegetables. The Flyrinx’s used their hands and quickly dug up what appeared to Dorothy to be a cross between a purple carrot and and a parsnip.



"What is this called?" asked Dorothy eyeing it warily.



"It’s a Purtreat!" piped up Violet.



"It’s good!" added Daisy.



"We love them!" they chorused.



After wiping the dirt off the best she could, first in the grass and then with the red checkered napkin in her basket Dorothy copied the Flyrinxs and bit into one of the vegetables. It had a sweet taste like nothing she had ever eaten. It was wonderful!!! Dorothy greedily ate the Purtreat and began on another. If this was a vegetable, Auntie Em could serve these anytime she wanted!



Dorothy jumped two feet as an explosion sounded very near them.



"I told you I’d get you my pretty!" cackled the evil witch!



Dorothy cowered; clutching Toto tightly to her while the Flyrinx’s stood watching, apparently unafraid of the cackling witch.



"You’re dead little girl! Those Purtreats are pure poison!" and she laughed gleefully as Dorothy fell into a dead heap.



Shrieking madly the wicked witch disappeared in a cloud of billowing smoke.



Looking all around, listening carefully, the Flyrinx’s then paused. The witch really was gone. Quickly Pat ran off into the field and dug hurriedly into the soft, moist ground. Running back he bent over Dorothy, broke a soft bulb and poured a milky liquid into Dorothy’s slack mouth. It trickled down into her throat and suddenly Dorothy gagged, swallowed and began to breathe easier.



"Are you well now?" asked Pat.



"We didn’t mean to hurt you!" chimed in Violet and Daisy, "We had to trick the wicked witch so she would leave you alone. We like you!" The three Flyrinx’s grinned sweetly and adoringly up at Dorothy.



"Next time you eat the Purtreats you have to eat the Bumblebulbs with them. Then you won’t get sick," Volunteered the trio.



Dorothy hugged them all and once again they headed off down the red brick road.



(Ok, happy ending like I promised, lol)

Love, LinnAnn