So this is it, I think to myself. I can feel my heart racing at the sight of her guards charging towards me.

“Seize her now!” A piercing scream strikes through the night sky, like lightening. “What are you waiting for?”

“Dorothy run!” The Tin Man shouted from behind, his voice decreasing in volume as he ran towards a doorway. “Run now!”

The sound of her guard’s boots echoed throughout the corridors of the castle and I am now surrounded. I turned to my right to see the Scarecrow dropping to his unstable knees. He cupped his head in his hands as an act of surrendering. I turned to the left to see the Lion, cowering towards the edge of the elongated bridge, where we stand.

“Lion,” I call to him, but he just sat, cradling his body in fear. His once well manicured fur was now tattered with dirt and debris from the castle. Tears cascaded from his eyes, hitting the stone walkway like tiny bullets hitting their targets. “If you’re not going to help me then at least save yourself.” I yelled, my voice sounding angrier than intended.

“She’s going to kill us now, isn’t she,” the Scarecrow asked, raising his head to my eyes. “She’s finally won.”

I could not believe my ears. After all that we have sufficed too, for what? Nothing. “No!” I exclaim, glaring him in the eyes. My temper has been relatively tame, but hearing his doubt seemed to, trigger something in side of me; something that should’ve been set free a long time ago. If I was going to die tonight, I was going to go down fighting.

“Fly!” Her hideous, high-pitched voice commanded. “Fly now!”

I jolt my head upwards at the sound of screeching and sounds of ruffling wings. The sky filled with her grotesque flying monkeys, their wings shimmering in the moonlight.

“Run!” I yelled to the others, trying to lift my feet to run as well. As hard as I tried, I could not manage to lift even a finger. My legs felt as if they were bolted down to the bridge. “Wait,” I called back to the Scarecrow. “Help! I can’t move!”

I re-directed my focus back towards the sky, where the monkeys were quickly approaching. With all hope escaping my body, I closed my eyes and waited for my capture.

“Dorothy, let’s go!” I hear the Lion shout, wrapping his arms around my frail body. My eyes jolt open to see the guards now approaching us, their heavy footsteps slowing them.

“Fools!” She shouted, vanishing in a cloud of green smoke. “I guess I’ll have to take care of you.”

I could hear the Lion, panting for air as he carried my body towards freedom. “We’re going to make it,” he said in between breaths.

In between the midst of all the horrible events, my heart began to grow warm and a smile began to spread across my porcelain face.

“Lion,” I called to him. “ Thank you.”

This had to be one of the most courageous things I had seen the Lion do, yet. Maybe we don’t need the Wizard after all. My head begin to spin and ache with each rapid step the Lion took down the stairway.

“There it is, our freedom!” the Scarecrow shouted, wrestling with the wooden door locks.

“Oh, put some muscle in it, hay bale,” the Tin Man mocked, thrusting his axe into the door. “Like this.” The Tin Man began to pull on the stubborn door, but there was no use, it was not budging.

“Stop. Just stop. You’re not going anywhere.”

The Wicked Witch of the West gracefully descended from the top stairwell to the foyer of the castle. “It’s magically enchanted.”

“What do you want from us?” I shout, my face turning as red as the bow in the Lions mane.

“Just you,” she scowled, her eyes focused on her feet. “The slippers…please.” She outstretched her hand, waiting for me to surrender.

“Fine,” I reply through gritted teeth.

“Good girl,” she said, a grin stretching across her toad green skin.

“Now!” I shout, rapidly dropping to my knees. I could feel the Tin Mans feet elevating up my spine. The pain was excruciating, but I knew it was necessary.

“Why won’t you die?” He shouted, his axe in a ready position. I stared mesmerized at the sight. His body gleamed and shimmered under the candle chandelier. The Scarecrow and the Lion watched in suspense as his axe drew closer to the Wicked Witch’s unprotected body. I stared intently, waiting for a reaction, but it was useless, she concealed her face with her oversized hat hiding any emotion.

“Did you think it would be that simple?” She smirked, her head still down. A crooked smile began to fill the oblong shape of her head, unsettling my stomach even more. The Wicked Witch began to glow in a radiant green light. “I will have those slippers.” She screamed through clenched teeth. The sound of her fists clenching made my blood burn hotter. “One way…. Or another!” She shouted, jolting her head and hand towards the Tin Mans body.

“No!” I shouted, not knowing what exactly was about to happen.

My eyes widened at the sight of the Tin Man, frozen, the poisonous green light now engulfing his body.

“Dorothy, look out!” The Scarecrow shouted, his voice crescendoing as he rand towards my statues body.

“Tin Man!” I shouted, my words crackling in fear.

The Tin Mans body began to rotate towards my locked body. Trepidation spread across his paralyzed face.

“Dorothy,” he murmured through his mouth. “I’m sorry.”

“Die!” The Wicked Witch shouted, her jagged teeth showing with glee. She thrust her hand towards me, sending the Tin Man flying towards my helpless body. I clenched my eyes shut, my body tensing in fear.

“Ahh!”

A surprise scream pierced my ears, jolting me back to life.

“Lion!” I screamed, tears running down my warm cheeks. My heart began to race uncontrollably.

“Oh,” the Wicked Witch chuckled, the axe buried in the back of the lion. “Well…that was unexpected.” She stated, hysterically cackling at my distressed face.

The Scarecrow leaned down towards the Lion and began to struggle pulling the axe free.

“Here, let me help,” The Wicked Witch offered, swishing her hand upward causing the axe to fly out of the Lion and into the wall with a clang. “Now…for you…” She said maliciously, gliding towards me.

I could feel my lungs caving in, my breaths becoming more and more shallow as she approached.

“Hey! Over here!” The Scarecrow shouted, diverting the Wicked Witch from Me. “Catch me!” He yelled again, flailing his hands into the air like a mad man.

The Wicked Witch spun sporadically, pushing her hand towards the Scarecrow. In an instant the sky began to fall. One by one the winged monkeys pelted the Scarecrow, his stuffing being ripped to shreds.

“Scarecrow!” I screamed again, barely able to make a sound.

The Wicked Witch could barely contain her excitement. Her body began to glow a fiery red, orange. Dorothy gazed at the witch as she cupped her hand and a spark of fire ignited. She began to cackle insanely once more.

“Here, catch this!” The Wicked Witch screamed, hurtling the fire towards the Scarecrow. His body began to ignite in flames. His screams covering the sound of the Wicked Witch’s howling.

“Tin Man!” I yelled, but he was no use. He was frozen in fear. I began to panic for a solution. As I scanned the room I noticed a pale full of water, if there was one thing I could do, it would be to save the Scarecrow from any further pain.

I lifted one foot in front of the other until I could feel the blood surging throughout them again. I ran as fast as I could towards the pale. The metal handle felt cool against my burning hands, and hope began to fill my mind again.

“Hang on!” I shouted, tossing the water on the Scarecrow.

“No!” She shouted, excess water cascading her skin.

“Well,” I said viciously. “Want the slippers, come and get them.”

Her cries rang in my ears like a symphony. Her body began to smoke and her skin began to melt.

“How dare you,” she cried again.

“You’ll never get these.” I said walking towards her crippled body.

“You’ll regret this child!”

“I don’t think so.” I said, a slightly more cynical tone to my voice.

I turned towards the others, the Lion still rapidly losing blood. But I knew this whole even wasn’t over, not just yet.

“Child,” the Wicked Witch mumbled, raising her half decapitated hand to the sky. I focused my attention to the words she began to mumble, but could not understand a single one. It was as if she were speaking another language. “Child.” She spoke once more before dissipating into a puddle of green ooze.

“You…killed her.” An approaching guard spoke, in an almost relived tone.

“You did it!” The Tin Man shouted joyously, free from his paralysis.

I ran towards the Lion and the Scarecrow, each in horrendous conditions.

“It can’t end like this.” I said, shaken and desperate for a solution. “Help!” My pleas filled the castle walls, until they were finally answered.

“Look,” the Tin Man said, raising his clunky head towards the ceiling once more.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Joy began to spread throughout my cold body. An iridescent pink orb began to descend from above, casting a beautiful glow onto our dismal surroundings.

“It’s Glinda! She can help us!

I was overcome with an array of emotions as she began to appear, walking towards the two maimed bodies.

“Sweet Lion. You have shown remarkable bravery today.” She spoke sweetly, laying her hands over his wound. A pink ray of light began to surround the Lion, a light so bright my eyes could barely focus. “For your bravery.”

His wounds began to heal and the blood began to move throughout his tired body.

“Glinda,” he spoke, barely a whisper. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She replied, smiling graciously at him. “Scarecrow, you have shown great knowledge today.” She spoke again, reassuring him of his greatness. She leaned both of her ands upon his destroyed body. His body began to piece itself back together, until he was whole again.

“Now, let’s get you home Dorothy.”

Home I thought to myself. That word, something so simple, yet can ignite the spark of passion that I’ve so been longing to succumb too.

“Home,” I echoed back. “How I’ve waited to hear that word for so long.

“Are you read?” Glinda asked sweetly.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Close your eyes and tap your heels three times.”

That’s it! I thought, not knowing if I should be furious or grateful.

“Okay.” I said following orders.

One tap, two taps, three taps. Did it work? I thought, to afraid to open my clenched eyes.

“Dorothy! A bright, gleeful voice called to me. “Dorothy!”

My eyes gently open, sunlight ravishing my pupils.

“Auntie Em.” I said; my voice drained from exhaustion. “I’m back.”

“Back?” She asked confused by my statement. “Sweetie, you never left. You’ve been unconscious for the past couple of hours.”

My head began to hurt with confusion. Wait; was it all…just a dream? I asked myself, as I lay surrounded by my loved ones. But I remember it so clearly.