Chapter 20

Captured

*

Dorothy's little band walked back the same way they came. As they walked past the presidents' homes, the Scarecrow remarked that it was a most interesting experience. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"I'm just afraid," said Dorothy, "that Aunt Em and Uncle Henry just won't believe a bit of this. The more I tell them about Oz, the less they believe!"

"Perhaps you shouldn't tell them all at once," said the Tin Woodman.

"Perhaps you shouldn't tell them at all," said the Lion.

"Perhaps you're right," sighed Dorothy. "It is too incredible for anyone to believe."

"Not anyone," said the Tin Woodman. "Remember what President Washington told you? That you are to tell that writer of your experiences and that he will write them down and that many children and even some adults will read it and although not everyone will believe it -- a great many will be helped. So your experiences will not have been in vain."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," said Dorothy. "But I do wish Aunt Em and Uncle Henry would believe me."

"Hey!" said the Tin Woodman excitedly. "I have a wonderful idea. Why don't we transport your Aunt Em and Uncle Henry to Oz? Then they'd have to believe."

"That is a wonderful idea," said Dorothy. "Can we do it now?"

"Well, it's going to take a great deal of arranging, I'm sure," said the Scarecrow. "We'll have to talk to Glinda about it. Or maybe the Good Witch of the North. I'm sure we'll be able to do it somehow."

"I'll bet if they came here they wouldn't want to go back to Kansas," said Dorothy, excitedly. "In fact, if Uncle Henry and Aunt Em were here, I wouldn't want to go back!"

"Dorothy," said the Tin Woodman very solemnly. "I'm sure it's very necessary that you return to Kansas. In fact, as you know full well, you have a very important part to play -- a very important part. But one day, when your work is done there, you will come to live in Oz with us for ever."

"Oh, it will be so marvelous, won't it?" said Dorothy.

"Indeed it will," replied the Tin Woodman.

Everyone nodded vigorously.

"Also," added the Lion, "perhaps many of the boys and girls who read your stories will come and visit us."

"That would really be nice," said Dorothy. "Of course, they would probably want to go and see the wicked witch, even though it would be kind of scary for them.

"Speaking of which, have you been noticing our surroundings? Things are beginning to look very spooky."

Sure enough, as they had been walking, everyone was too busy with the conversation to notice the changing landscape. They seemed to be in a thick dark forest, with strange grotesque shapes peering at them through the shadows. Shrill sounds of forest animals and birds could be heard in the distance. And the darkness was falling quickly. The Lion walked a little closer to Dorothy and held her hand. "As you know," he said, "I now have courage and I'm not afraid. But I think I should hold your hand so that you won't be

afraid." Dorothy smiled to herself and said, "Thank you, Lion; it is a little scary."

Just then, a piercing scream rang out. Everyone jumped with fright. All the shadows in the trees seemed to come alive and slowly weave towards them. The branches and vines from the trees caught at Dorothy's hair and dress.

As the little group's pace quickened, a vine from a grotesque-looking tree caught around the Lion's throat and appeared to be trying to choke him. The Tin Woodman jumped into action and hacked it off with his ax. A loud squeal seemed to come from the tree as the ax cut the vine.

"Quickly, everyone! Run!" shouted the Tin Woodman.

They all ran like the wind, weaving in and out of the trees, with the vines swirling and clutching at their arms and legs. Now and then, someone would become entangled, and the Tin Woodman would stop and run back to hack off the vines. Each time he did so, a loud, human-sounding scream would ring out from the tree. The sounds of those screams chilled Dorothy to her bones. As she ran, she could feel herself getting weaker. She was becoming exhausted.

The vines seemed to be everywhere, clutching and clawing at her. Suddenly, the dense foliage came to an end as they all found themselves in an open clearing. Dorothy dropped to her knees, completely exhausted. "Thank Heaven!" she panted. "Thank Heaven we're out of that awful place." She got up and embraced the Tin Woodman. "What would we have done without you?" she panted breathlessly.

The Tin Woodman looked a bit sheepish. "I am a woodman, you know, and I know my work. Though I must admit my work has never attacked me before."

Everyone laughed. "Well, thank goodness we're out of that mess," said Dorothy. "It was horrifying."

Unfortunately, the feeling of relief they all felt was to be short-lived. Dorothy had barely finished speaking when the Lion said, "You are all growing taller." Everyone laughed in surprise, for it was he who was getting smaller -- or so it seemed. In actual fact, he was sinking slowly into the soft ground. They all ran at once to pull him up, but, the more they pulled, the more he sank. It was as if a strong force was sucking him in.

"Ahhh!" yelled the Tin Woodman. "It's got me, too!" He was already in the ground up to his knees when Dorothy reached him. "It's no good," he said. "I'm sinking too fast."

While Dorothy was trying to pull the Tin Woodman out, the Scarecrow yelled, "Now it's got me!" He was flailing his arms about and grabbing at the tufts of grass in a desperate attempt to escape the dreadful suction. But it was no use. By the time Dorothy reached him, he was actually up to his waist. Dorothy was afraid to pull on him too hard, for fear he would tear and all the straw would come out. She looked around her in desperation. By now, the Lion was up to his neck; she ran to him and grabbed his big ears. "Ouch!" the Lion yelled. "You're going to pull my ears off!"

Dorothy let go and started to sob. "I'm losing you," she cried. "I'm losing all of you!"

Just then, the Lion yelled out, "Hey! I'm not sinking any more!"

"Oh thank goodness!" shouted Dorothy, greatly relieved.

The Tin Woodman and Scarecrow -- who were by now also up to their necks - shouted out in unison, "I've stopped, too!"

"Well, thank Heaven!" said Dorothy, now crying with happiness. "I'll go and try to get help."

She had barely said the word 'help' when a piercing cackle filled the air. It was a sound they all knew so well and dreaded so much.

Swoosh! The Wicked Witch's broomstick flew past the Scarecrow's left ear. Then swoosh again. This time past the Lion's right ear. She headed for the Tin Woodman, screaming as she flew: "Got you now, my beauties! Ha ha haha!"

Dorothy stood spellbound as she watched the witch perform her acrobatics. Suddenly, the witch zoomed upwards, high into the air, as if leaving. But she turned quickly and pointed the broomstick directly at Dorothy and zoomed towards her like a rocket. The broomstick was about three feet from Dorothy's face when she turned it up slightly, barely missing Dorothy's head. As she swooshed by, she cackled loudly, her screaming laughter filling the air. She did this several times, scaring Dorothy half to death. Dorothy had to move from side to side each time the witch attacked her, or she would have been hit.

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