The Wizard of Sunset Beach
Chapter 3
Meg and her new friends rush up to the gate of Oz and ring the doorbell. They wait impatiently for someone to answer.
When someome does, Meg gasps. Standing in fron of her, with a green hat, green outfit, and green hari, was Maria. "Maria?" she asks, stunned.
Maria studies her intently and looks at the other three. "I'm the guard of Oz," she says regally. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"We're here to see the wizard," Meg begins to explain, when suddenly Gregory shoves by her and the guard. "Get outta the way, green hair," he snarls.
"Excuse me!" Maria snaps. "But you can't see the Wizard."
"Why not?" Meg asks, crestfallen.
"Because, no one but me is allowed to see him!" Maria insists.
Caitlin takes a step forward. "Forgive me if I sound a little dumb, but isn't the point of having a Wizard is so others can get help from him?"
Maria glares at her. "What do you know? You're just a scarecrow."
Caitlin starts to cry.
"Now look what you've done!" snaps Gregory, glaring at the guard. "You've gone and made Dopey over there cry.Next thing you know you'll be scaring off that sorry excuse for a lion."
Michael starts to cry, and Gregory puts his head in his hands, mumbling something unitelligable.
"Are you people always this persistant?" asks Maris. She did not want them to come in because Meg was too beautiful...and if the Wizard saw her he might fall in love with her. The guard couldn't have that. She was in love with the Wizard.
"Please let us see the Wizard," Meg pleads. "We've come all this way and I've gotten their hopes up so high...and I want to go home."
The guard's eyes light up. "So you're not from here? You want to go somewhere else?"
"Yes," Meg says, "I want to go somewhere far, far away from here."
Maria hurries out and practically pushes Meg, Michael and Caitlin in. Gregory, of course, has already walked right in. "Go, go, right through there...go see him, now!"
Meg looks back and gives the guard a weird look as she and the others walk into where the Wizard is. The guard shuts the door behind them and they are instantly bathered in darkness.
Michael whimpers. "I don't likek this. Its' so d-d-DARK!"
"No kidding," Gregory says, and then he stands up tall. "HEY, WIZARD. SHOW YOUR FACE!!"
"QUIET!!" Thunders a loud, British voice as a huge, ghostly face appears in the corner of the room, shockin even the Tin Man as he jumps back to the others.
"Who are you?" demands the Wizard in a slightly quieter voice.
Meg steps forward, shaking slightly. "I'm, I'm Meg," she says. "I need your help. I got here by accident and I need to get home!"
"Why would you want to go home?" asks the Wizard quietly. "You could stay here, in Oz. You're beautiful enough to stay - I mean, you look strong enought to be a good worker here."
Meg shakes her head. "You don't understand. The people I love, including my fiancee, are back in Sunset Beach."
"Step back," commands the Wizard, and Meg does. "You...the shiney one. Step forward."
Gregory struts forward. "Yeah?"
"State your business."
"I need a heart," Gregory says emotionlessly.
"Obviously. go back."
The Wizard studies Caitlin and Michael. Michael is shaking and clutching his tail, while Caitlin is studying a peice of straw with great interest. "Well, I can guess what you you two need," the Wizard says drily.
"Alright. I will grant your wishes, under one condition. There is one person in this entire land that has been the bane of my existance, and that is the Wicked Witch of the West. You have to get her broomstick for me and I will grant all of your wishes."
"But...but, won't we have to kill her?" Caitlin asks, her brain putting something together rather quickly for her.
"That's right, blondie. NOW GOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Caitlin, Michael, and even Gregory tear away as fast as humanly possible. Meg is about to follow when the Wizard speaks again. "As for you, my dear...don't worry. Nothing will happen to you."
And the face leaves as suddenly as it appeared. Meg shudders and leaves the room.
Meanwhile, Tess the Wicked Witch watches the proceedings with great interest. When The Wizard announces that for their wishes to be granted, they must get the witch's broomstick, Tess laughed out loud. "Oh, my, that's funny. I can't believe those little peons think that they can defeat me! And that Wizard just made it all the easier for me to get my ruby slippers back and to kill Meg."
Tess turns around and looks at a monkey with wings. "TIM! I need you to go out and capture Meg and bring her back," she informs him.
"Oooh oooh ah," Tim replies, and flies away with a group of other monkeys.
Tess rubs her hands together in anticipation. "Soon those slippers and all of Oz will be mine!" she yells and cackles.
Meg and her friends exit Oz. Maria slams the door behind them. "How are we gonna get the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West?" she asks gloomily.
"I dunno, but...hey. What are those?" Caitlin asks, pointing up at the sky with a shaky straw finger.
"What do you think they are? They're birds," snapps Gregory.
"N-N-N-No, they're not!" cries Michael. "They're flying monkeys!!"
Meg screams as the monkeys swoop down upon them. She feel herself being lifted up and catches a glimpse of her friends fighting off other monkeys as she is carried away.
As all of the monkeys get up and leave, the others look around. "Where's Meg!?" cries Caitlin. They all search everywhere, and cannot find her. "The monkeys must have taken her," Michael concedes dejectedly.
Caitlin sits down on the ground and puts her hand on her head, resembling Winnie-the-Pooh when he is trying to think. "Think... think... think... I have to think of a way to save Meg... think... think... think..."