“Chuck! Chuck!” I drowned out the calls with my pillow and continued to sleep.

“Chuck! Chuck! I need help before the storm hits!” Looking out the window, I underestimated the power of the rapidly advancing tornado and went right back to sleep. I blankly stared at my alarm clock with dim eyes. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick...tock... Tick... My eyelids grew heavier and heavier...

I awoke seeing my alarm clock showing that I had slept through most of the morning. As usual, I happened to turn to look out the window and I was astonished with what I saw. It was colorful outside - very colorful. Like a children's “Fairyland.” Hmm...this looks familiar.

“Aunt Rosie! I'm going to go out for a while.” Dashing out the doorway in a hurry, I tripped over in the doorway and landed face down outside. Turning my head a bit up, I saw not the usual paved road but a brick road - a yellow brick road.

“This better not be what I think it is.” But this proved to be wrong. For when I got back on my feet and observed my surroundings, I saw the yellow brick road that I saw as well as an entire town of miniature houses. This scared me. The only things that were the same as what I usually saw of Omaha was the corn and my house of course.

“No! This can't be!” Into the house I ran, frightened and bewildered. “Aunt Rosie! Uncle Dave!” After failing to find them anywhere in the house, I was terribly confused. “This can't be! It just can't! Maybe it's just a dream. Maybe...maybe...” I looked down at my sneakers. I tapped them together three times. No response. I tried again. No response. I tried again a third time. Still no response. This was very frightening.

What do I do? Then a thought came to my mind. This scared me very much and I dared not to find out if it was true. I slowly walked over to the other side of the house. “No! Does this mean that...I'm a...a...I CAN'T STAND THIS!! I can't be a killer! It was an accident! It's not my fault that these stupid witches always coincidentally stand in the path of a falling house!! God!”

Just then, a big, glowing, green ball hovered over the house descending lower and lower and lower and BAMM!! The glowing ball suddenly turned into a beautiful lady with a wand and wings the moment it hit a tree. The lady rubbed her head cursing and kicking at the tree. I found this a funny sight. Then she turned and walked towards me.

“You must be the fairy godmother! HA HA HA!”

“Take THIS, moron.” Her wand pointed toward me, and I was instantly transformed into a toad. Yuck. And – what? So did she kiss me when I was a toad? Heck no! You people are so fastidious when it comes to fiction.

“So where am I? Oz?” I asked her. “And you're Addaperle, aren't you?”

“Yes, I'm Addaperle, but I'm retired now. And this is still the Land of Oz,” she replied.

“And who…did I…is under the…um…”

“Oh that’s Countess Sourapples, Countess Sourgrapes’s cousin. She never really had any importance in Oz, but Countess Sourgrapes might come after you.”

“Oh boy.”

“You’ll live. Maybe.”

"So you say that I have a chance to live?"

"To be honest with you, I'm secretly hoping that a pack of rabid wolves tackle you on some backroad and tear you to pieces. I've already begun betting on your death."

“Right…so where are those Munchkins?”

“Munchkins? Oh! Them! After some Midwest girl, by the name of Dorothy as I recall, accidentally squished the Wicked Witch of the East, all the Munchkins were freed from the witch's evil spell. Apparently, they ran off to Tropical Oz Island after getting that Dorothy on the road to the palace. And - are you okay? You don't look to good.”

“Really? I suppose that's because all this is so hard to believe. I thought this was just a story.”

“Just a story?!?”

“But don't take that as an insult-”

“Why, I've never been so insulted in my life! I'm leaving!!”

“Hey! Wait! How do I get home?!?”

“Follow the yellow brick road, you idiot!”

“Oh.” And with that, I embarked on my journey.

So I was on my way. I actually had no clue why I was even playing along with this entire fantasy. I guess it was because of my confusion. I was still bewildered at the very thought of actually being IN a musical. It was very scary. What if I had to sing? I tried singing in chorus once. You know what happened? I'm in band now. If you don't get what I'm saying, think...think REAL hard...

Well, knowing the plot of this story, I anticipated the encounter of a scarecrow sometime soon. I'd have to act surprised at his stupidity and ask him to join on my journey to see the famed wizard, “The Wiz.” Suddenly, I stopped. There was a pole but no scarecrow! What? Hold on. Let me think. Why IS this? This story isn't going right! No! I began kicking the pole. Just then, I felt a tap on the shoulder. I turned around to see a scarecrow.

“Are you the scarecrow with no brains?” I asked.

“NO BRAINS?!? Why, I've never been so offended by such ignorance! Really! One would expect highly educated candidates for the competitive job searches in the emerging markets of society, but here comes a representative of the young generation marching into my household, crude and bigoted.” the scarecrow yelled.

“Sorry. My assumption was due to what I've heard about you.”

“Didn't you hear?”

“Hear? What?”

“I got my brains from The Wiz already.”

“Really? But...how about the...the Tinman...and the Lion...and-”

“Oh them? The Tinman just can't get the girls off him. He seems to be really popular with the ladies. As for the Lion, I heard that he was courageous and saved a lot of people. He's a good feline.”

“And you? What became of you?”

“Oh, I began to go to school and eventually skipping grades to college. Then I earned my bachelor's degree, master's degree, and now I'm going for a Ph.D. It seems that all the universities are fighting over me.”

“You must be very smart.”

“Well, I try not to be haughty. But yes, I suppose I am.”

“Wow. So since Dorothy has already fixed everything up, this entire journey is pretty pointless, huh?”

“Well...in your case...yes-”

“-WoOhOo! So how do I get home?” I asked excitedly. My attitude suddenly changed at the sight of the scarecrow's face.

“As I was saying, yes, Dorothy DID fix up a lot around here but-”

“-but what?”

“Unless you want to stay here for the rest of your life, you must complete the journey to get home.”

“What about those magical shoes that Dorothy used? Why can't I just take a shortcut or something?”

“Because that's the way things are. It only works in the Palace of the Wiz in Emerald City. We learned that in Oz College.” I was speechless. “Well, I really must go back to my studying. Ta ta!” And with that, the scarecrow left.

I was speechless. What was I to do? I wasn't courageous in any way! I wanted to be lazy! I wanted to be at home! Well, it was useless to just complain, so I continued my journey.

* * *

Walking down the yellow brick road alone wasn't very comforting, for loneliness can be very freaky especially in a melancholy atmosphere here in Kansas. I hate Kansas. I always had. No offense to you Kansas people. But before my parents died, I lived in a nice, grand house in the Marin County in California. We would picnic at Golden Gate Park, go the beaches, ~SIGH~... Then it happened. And that's when I moved in with my Aunt Rosie and Uncle Dave in a small town in Kansas. No more luscious green parks. No more crystal blue coasts. This town was very desolate. I'm not saying that ALL of Kansas was desolate. It's just that THIS particular town in THIS particular area was desolate.

Well, I figured that feeling grief over my past wasn't going to help much, so I quickly got back on my feet and saw a large, beautifully carved, wooden house. It reminded me much of the cottage in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Since dusk was nearing, I decided to try to ask whoever lived there if I could stay for the night. So I walked over and knocked. The door opened...

It was the Tinman.

“Hello,” said the Tinman in a friendly tone. “How may I help you?”

“Um, I...well...it's getting dark and...well...I was kinda wonderin' if...”

“You need a place to stay for the night? Sure! We always welcome guests here!”

“W-w-e-e...We?”

“Sure. Ever since I got my heart, I had my feelings again. Love, fear,...you know what I mean. Anyway, I've finally found the right one for me. She's a great gal. We have so much in common. AND, the Wiz said that if I found true love again, I would turn back to human.”

“The Wiz, Mr. Tinman?”

“Yes, the Wiz. And by the way, I’m now magnetic for my own convenience. But there's no time for explanations. So what are YOU doing here in the Land of Oz?”

“Well, I wasn't planning on coming here but it seems that I've ended up here and I'm trying to get home.”

“You mean that awful town you live in?”

“H-h-How did you know?”

“Simple. The Wiz sent an electronic message to my brain. I have an artificial brain. I still possess all my memories, but my thoughts are processed in this new mind of mine. It works better in my tin body. But there's no time for details. So why don't you stay HERE in the Land of Oz instead of going back to the town that you dislike so much?”

“I MUST go back to my aunt and uncle. My parents are dead and they are the only family I have left.”

“Oh. I'm sorry.”

“That's okay. I never really knew them.”

“I'm so very sorry. Well, you could go to the Wiz. He could help you. Now let's just get some sleep. You have a long day ahead of you. The guestroom's upstairs. Good night.”

I couldn't sleep very well that night. All I could think of was my parents. I tried not to think about them too much because it brought pain and faint memories that brought even more pain. I rolled over and went to sleep.

* * *

That morning, the Tinman and I exchanged goodbyes. Before I left, he gave me a compass to guide myself when I got lost. Then I was on my way. I walked on and on down the windy path deep into the forest.

After a couple hours, I was lost. I took out the compass, but the arrow was spinning. Of course! The tinman was magnetic! He must not have considered that when giving me the compass. That idiot. He should go back to the Wiz and ask for a brain.

Knowing the story of the Wizard of Oz, I expected some lion character. Maybe he could help. It was a good thing I had watched the musical “The Wiz” in San Francisco as a little child. It was a bit more modern that the “Wizard of Oz.” I strolled on.

Just then, a monstrous wolf sneaked out of the bushes. I was paralyzed in fright. It zigzaged across the yellow-bricked road until…until…UNTIL…

BOOM!!! I was on the ground and the last thing I remembered seeing was a yellow tail in midair.

I was awaken by a strong, but friendly, lion face.

“Are you okay? You were almost killed back there,” the lion said.

“Yes. I’m okay,” I answered weakly. Then I suddenly realized something. “W-w-were you…the one…who…who saved me?”

“Well, I hope this doesn’t sound like bragging but…yes.”

“Thanks. Thanks SO much! You’re very courageous!”

“Thank you. But I wasn’t ALWAYS courageous, you know.”

“I know. I’ve heard.”

“So what are you doing here in the Land of Oz?”

“I’m…looking for the Wiz. Is he in Emerald City?”

“Why yes. But I’d be careful if I were you. The witch has drones, you know. And they’re frightening, even to courageous ones like me.”

“Thanks.”

I walked on and on as night fell over the vast woods. The sun had completely set, and I was exhausted. I sat down and rested by a large tree. My eyelids grew heavy. And heavier. And heavier…

* * *

I was awaken by the sound of monkey-like laughing. Wait a minute! That WAS monkey laughing! I opened my eyes, and sure enough, there were monkeys all around me. Then were dressed in black leather outfits and stood around me a large, unorganized circle. Behind them stood a shadow.

“SILENCE!!” a dark voice exclaimed from behind. The monkey screaming was instantly subdued. The shadow paced left and right and left and right, looking at me the whole time. Then it stepped out the darkness.

There was no doubt who that was. I decided to speak first. “Countess Sourgrapes,” I said.

“Oh good, you know me. It was Addaperle, wasn’t it? Perky freak. I would’ve eradicated her, but those cursed tornadoes keep interrupting my plans.” She turned her head a little, and her eyes glowed red.

“Oh come on! I know those are red contacts!”

“Ahh…an observant one you are. Tell me, what happened to your parents? Why are you here alone?” The mention of my parents struck me like a needle in the heart. I tried to restrain the consternation of mixed emotions within in me from showing.

[That's all there is right now. I'm planning on having the Wiz reveal that Chuck's parents ARE still alive. And that they thought that CHUCK was dead.]