Oz 2.0

To be honest, I didn’t think that I could fall in love with someone that I was initially scared of, but that was before I met Winslow. My name is Lisa Windsor, and my journey to Oz began when a tornado picked up the treehouse that I was hiding in with my rescue dog Bella, during which I hoped that we would survive the flight. When we landed somewhere far away from our home in Michigan, I was startled to hear someone knocking on my door, so I opened it before gasping at the sight of a man half my height in noble attire. After the gentleman welcomed me to Munchkinland, I was alarmed to hear that I had killed the Wicked Witch of the East, after which I learned that my treehouse had crashed on top of her when I landed.

The moment after I was shown the only thing left from the Wicked Witch (a pair of ruby-encrusted shoes sticking out from under my treehouse), I was surprised to see a woman appear from behind my treehouse, who introduced herself as Glinda the Good Witch. After I introduced myself and explained what happened to the wicked Witch, Bella growled and charged towards the munchkin and the woman, and I apologized for her reaction to strangers. After Glinda gave Bella a doggie treat, I thanked her before we were surrounded by other munchkins, who thanked me for killing the Wicked Witch. Halfway through a grand celebration held in my honor, everyone but myself and Glinda dropped to the ground as someone appeared from behind my treehouse, who I learned was Winslow the Wicked Wizard of the West.

After he noticed the slippers sticking out from under my treehouse, Winslow asked for the one who killed the witch to step forward, so I admitted my deed before telling him that I would take full responsibility for her death. As he stroked my chin with his finger and smiled in a way that was both charming and evil, Winslow cooed, “I’ll get you for this, cutie, and your dog, too.” With a tip of his hat, Winslow disappeared in a cloud of smoke and fire, even though part of me wished he had stayed a little longer. Even though he was someone that everyone seemed to be frightened by, something about him was so charming that I couldn’t stop thinking about him, only to come to reality when Bella nuzzled her face against my leg.

“That was quite a close call!” Glinda giggled as the munchkins got up before she handed me the slippers, which I put on as she held Bella’s leash for me. When Glinda told me to be careful with the slippers, I promised her that I wouldn’t lose them before asking if there was anyone in Oz that would help me with something, after which I told her about my wish for the man of my dreams. When a nearby munchkin announced that I could ask the good Wizard of Oz for help, I looked at him in confusion as he explained that the Wizard lived in the Emerald City at the end of the yellow brick road, and I wondered if he could help me after all. Before Glinda could bid us farewell, she kissed our foreheads before explaining that her kiss had protective powers, to which I nodded before we said goodbye to the Munchkins and headed down the road.

As Bella and I made our way to the Emerald City, taking occasional stops to rest along the way, the journey seemed to be running quite smoothly as time passed rather quickly. The City kept getting closer and closer as we skipped through a forest, and I couldn’t help but be in shock when we reached a field of poppies situated between the forest and the City. Unknown to us, Winslow had given the flowers a poisonous aroma that would put me to sleep, which would give him enough time to take the slippers with him. Well, the first half of his plan worked, but Glinda caused a snowstorm to wake me up before he could take the slippers. Thrilled that we were even closer to the Emerald City, I grabbed Bella’s leash before we dashed to the front gates, where a doorman welcomed me.

After the guard welcomed me to the Emerald City and asked for a reason behind my visit, I told him that I wanted the Wizard to find me a man before he said that nobody had seen the Wizard in years. Of all times for him to look down, he chose that moment and gulped when he noticed the slippers on my feet. Probably realizing that he had a celebrity to deal with, he told me that he would announce me to the Wizard at once before opening the City gates, which I stepped through before being instantly welcomed by the other citizens. While the citizens sang a song about their cheerful policy with visitors, Bella and I were made ready for our meeting with the Wizard, and I couldn’t help but marvel at how fast the time flew before we heard a royal fanfare coming from somewhere nearby.

“His Royal Highness, the Wizard of Oz, is coming to meet the visitor with the Ruby Slippers,” a voice boomed before everyone cleared the way as a carriage - pulled by a couple of guards - came into view. Inside the carriage was a man in a regal-looking green suit who I knew was the Wizard. After greeting each other, I was told that if - and only if - I gave him Winslow’s magic staff, I would be given the man of my dreams. I’m sure a coward would try to decline such a challenge, so you could probably imagine how surprised the Wizard was when I stood at attention and saluted him, after which Bella and I skipped out of the Emerald City. Not long after finding the forest leading to Winslow’s castle, Bella and I gasped at the sight of hideous-looking monkeys with wings, some of which picked us up and carried us towards the castle.

Not long after the monkeys separated me from Bella, I was left in a room near the top of a dark castle in the center of the spooky forest, where a guard bowed to the primates before grabbing my wrists as they flew away. As I waited for the next part of my punishment, I scoffed as I remembered Glinda’s saying about her kiss having protective powers, since it must have worn off when she saved me in the poppy field. My thoughts were interrupted by a door opening, revealing Winslow in the same outfit that he wore when we met, only with a more sinister grin on his face. Even though I was initially happy to see him after what seemed like such a long time, I tried to run away when the guard let go of my arms, but my plan stopped when Winslow rudely grabbed my hair.

After refusing to let me go until I had given him the slippers, I could have almost bitten Winslow’s nose off as I snapped, “No! You’ll never have them!” Up for a challenge, Winslow let go of me and grabbed an hourglass filled with sand, implying that my life would be over when the hourglass was empty. As sad as I was at my lack of strength, I tried to put a brave face on as Winslow left with the guard, only for my determination to cease when they locked the door. Realizing that my only source of happiness left was music, I sang a song about freedom as a way to cheer myself up, and it helped in more ways than one. I was halfway through the song when I heard a banging sound at the door, followed by the door bursting open to show Bella, who must have escaped her room and followed my voice.

As thrilled as I was about being reunited with my dog, my smile became a look of determination as we left the room, only to scream in fear when I saw some guards approaching us. A chase began throughout different corridors of the castle, and just when I thought we had lost the guards for good, we found ourselves cornered by another band of guards. Not long after being trapped by the soldiers, we were joined by the familiar scheming grin of Winslow, who ordered his guards to get us out of the castle immediately. Before they could even step closer, Bella growled as I grabbed a nearby bucket of water before splashing it on Winslow, who stayed alive instead of melting. After teasing me for wasting time and water with my method of killing him, I clenched my fists and decided to speak up for myself.

After telling Winslow that I wouldn’t leave his castle without his staff, I saw a gentler smile grow on his face as he agreed to give me his scepter in exchange for something else, and that’s when I had a problem on my hands. Ever since I met Winslow in Munchkinland, the item he desired more than anything was the shoes, but he was looking at me in a way that meant otherwise. I knew I promised Glinda that I wouldn't let go of the shoes, but if they were what Winslow wanted, I’d better give them to him. After carefully taking them off my feet, I kissed the slippers before kneeling in front of Winslow, who chuckled, “Oh, Lisa. I’m glad that you’re finally giving me the slippers, but I don’t want them now.”

Confused, I put the slippers back on my feet and asked what he wanted, to which he asked for a kiss as gentle as the one I gave the slippers. Nervously, I stepped forward and kissed him before he suddenly embraced me and returned the favor. When we pulled away to catch our breaths, I found myself lost in his aquamarine eyes, but I was brought back to reality when I felt a guard tapping my shoulder. After being presented with Winslow’s staff, I thought I would have a moment to admire it, but that was until I saw Winslow hovering in the air before we raced to the Emerald City (him with his magic versus me with his staff). Even though I was upset to learn that Winslow had beat me in our race, I congratulated him before we walked into the throne room together, with Bella following behind us with her tail in the air.

After the Wizard was surprised to see us enter his room (to which Winslow and I smiled at each other and shrugged as Bella barked with joy), I was surprised to learn that Winslow’s staff didn’t have any magic on its own, for it only came from him. If you think I was mad when standing up to Winslow, my anger had reached its peak as I complained about being sent on a useless mission, but that was before Winslow cooed, “Oh, Lisa, I’m sure the Wizard has a reason for your visit to my castle.” With a smile on his face, the Wizard nodded before reminding me about the promise we made, where I would get the man of my dreams once I retrieved Winslow’s staff. After asking if he had found the man for me, the Wizard looked around the room and pointed to Winslow as he asked, “How about him?”

In disbelief of what I just heard, I dropped Bella’s leash and stared at Winslow with wide eyes as he returned the glance, and I guess he was also confused. Even though I wanted to scoff at the Wizard for such a remark, I smiled when Bella crept over to Winslow and rubbed her head against his leg, to which he smiled and took her leash before returning her to me and giving it to me. When I realized that this proved how we had changed over time, I felt something inside telling me that the Wizard was correct, but I decided to see if I was right. After gathering my courage and taking a deep breath, I gazed at Winslow and admitted that I liked him, and my smile grew when he told me that he felt the same way about me. Seeing that we could have a happy life together, I thanked the Wizard for his help before Bella and I joined Winslow on his flight back to his castle, where we soon got married and lived happily ever after in Oz.

The end.