Page 5 of There's No Place Like Oz

But no. That just left them even more confused. I supposed that these little hubble houses may not have televisions. Or electricity for that matter. I sighed deeply then tried a new angle. “How about we start with: Where are we right now?”

“Oh, that’s easy. This is Oz!” The woman announced proudly.

“Like, Australia?” I pursed my lips.How the hell did I get to Australia?

That same confused look returned to her brow. “No, Oz is just Oz. I don’t know this Australia.”Alrighty, well that wasn’t very helpful. She pondered for a moment, then came up with a single raised finger as she found her aha moment. “But if you put on Grunhilda’s shoes, you can go anywhere you want!”

I frowned.Wow, what a solution. I can just walk home. No shit.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes, then I glanced back at the location of the long vanished corpse. Her shoes were still sparkling under that fine sunlight. They were quite pretty with their silver. They didn’t look terribly comfortable, but I couldn’t remember the last time I wore shoes that were. So, for no logical reason, I sat down and I tried on the shoes, hoping she’d meant they’d magically take me where I wanted to go, and not that they were literally just damn shoes that I had to walk in. I was still barefoot anyway, so if I wanted to go anywhere, it only made sense to use what was available. None of these little people’s shoes would fit my size seven-and-a-half feet, after all.

The silver shoe wrapped nicely around my foot.Shockingly comfortable, actually.They seemed to magically resize themselves until they fit perfectly. They were cute, and they went well with my black leggings.

My leggings that were soaked in death and starting to smell like it.

“The shoes have chosen you.” She nodded, then she approached me while I was still on the floor and our gazes were more level.

In the background, the little people cheered to see the shoes on new feet. Their mouths all twisted in smiles, and they jumped up and down and high fived among them. “What a wondrous day!” The woman cried out. “You truly are the sorceress of whom the prophecies foretold!”

“The sorceress! The sorceress!” The others cheered. I cringed at the weird way they now seemed to be eyeing me.

“The sorceress who will now save us from famine!” The woman added.

“Uhh….”Not really sure how I’m going to do that…

“The sorceress who will use her enchanted blood to feed the fields!” The cheers continued.

“Wait, what—”

A violent impact connected with my head so hard and fast, I didn’t even have time to register where it had come from.

Chapter 3

I came to, sprawled out on something that was unexpectedly plush and comfortable. I rolled my head to the side opposite the painful throbbing from the impact sight. Small furry fibers brushed my cheek with a welcoming warmth.

I squeezed my eyes tightly together, then I gathered the courage to open them, peeking carefully through only one side to start. I had a blanket on me, I now realized. A comfortable blanket that was soft and fuzzy and slightly weighted. What an unexpected bit of hospitality from the people who just knocked me out cold with a blunt impact. Maybe I deserved that after brutally murdering their queen. For people who sounded so happy to see her gone, they sure had a strange way of expressing appreciation.

I sat up and I rubbed my head while I surveyed my surroundings. I was in a room. A very tiny one. Four even walls, spaced maybe six or seven feet apart and built from stone. Moss gathered in the corners, where moisture dripped in through the unsealed cracks. A small bed, big enough only for a munchkin or a dog like Toto, was against one wall, while a dim fireplace brought in warmth and light.

It felt like a combination between a cabin and that old fashioned dungeon I’d seen on set in the low budget fantasy movie I played in as a delusional prisoner. Well, other than the fluffy rug of unknown animal fur beneath me. I supposed since I was their alleged savior, they wanted me comfortable while I was awaiting execution.

I sighed, then I cautiously got to me feet, testing my steadiness while holding onto the end of the bed frame for balance.

I wasn’t injured other than the pounding headache, so that was good. I also still had the silver shoes on my feet, which was pleasantly unexpected. My leggings and my sweater were gone, however, and in their place was a clean blue sun dress with white polka dots. The hem only reached down to about mid-thigh. This was probably a full length dress on a munchkin woman. If I were to wager a bet, they were the only clean clothes they had that would fit my frame. I’d complain, but it was better than being soaked in someone else’s blood.

Another deep breath and I patted myself down. The shoes went well with the dress, and my hair was now washed and neatly braided. Rather than think about the violation of having been bathed and redressed, I focused on the pops of my gold highlights in each link of my braids reflecting the flames of the fireplace. I was looking rather Little House on the Prairie up in this bitch.

Could be worse, I thought. And the universe was quick to confirm that sentiment, when the door flew open, and a horde of tiny men shoved a man into my box with me to make it worse.

A beautiful, striking, prince charming of a man. He was tall and a normal human height, with mid-length black hair that fell gently over his ears and accentuated his strong jaw that was smooth and clean, and a sharp, angular nose that rested between two high and defined cheekbones. Meeting my gaze was a pair of dark brown eyes, as enticing as the most decadent chocolate, that reflected my same surprise and worry.

“A sorcerer, a sorcerer!” The munchkins proclaimed. Before I could get a single word in, the door slammed shut and he was stumbling into the room. I took a step back in a too-late attempt to brace myself, when he hit right into me and sent us both toppling over. My back hit that fuzzy carpet, and I let out an embarrassing squeak when the coarseness of this man’s simple, all black tunic hit my chest. His slim and muscular physique was heavy and hard as it pressed down on top of me.

He wrenched himself up, so he was now hovering over my body with a hand placed beside each side of my head. He looked down into my eyes with those deep brown spheres, then without saying a word, he leaned in close… and he sniffed me.

“What the hell!?” I came to my senses, and I pushed this pretty, pretty man away from me.

I admonished myself for even having such a thought. I’d just been hit upside the head with a club, and now I was stuck under the hard body of a stranger, and I was thinking about how hot he was instead of how fucking dangerous this was?Get it together, Dorothy. You’re not that hard up for a good lay.

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