The Jester of OZ

Chapter Four

The sun was nearly down, causing the sky to burn a dark blue. Amber's feet hurt from walking so far. As beautiful as the ruby slippers were, they weren't the ideal shoes for walking. The closer she got to Emerald City, the more she had the feeling that she was being watched. Remembering Wiser's words, she wondered if it was possible that this... Jester was doing just that. And if so, if he had the power to reach across space with his magic, then why wasn't he constantly harassing her? All of it was suspicious, plus she was still trying to come to grips with the fact that she, Amber Gale Ridiculamare, was in OZ. Except... this wasn't the OZ her Grandmother had known.

Upon reaching the giant walls of emerald stone, she paused when she saw it up close. When she looked over her right shoulder, she saw a large gated door along with a faint yellow brick road that was covered with overgrown grass and cracked green stone. Squinting, she slowly approached it. Amber didn't know what she expected, but she certainly didn't think that the gates to Emerald City would be wide open like a doubtful invitation. Her eyes widened as the fog parted slightly, allowing her to see where it led. She walked towards the gates, unsure of how to approach, but when she did, what she saw made her stomach churn and her mind freeze in its many thoughts. "H-Hello?! Is there anyone there?!" Her voice tried to mask its fear, but it had no avail as it bounced off the abandoned walls of what was once a great place of prosperity. In front of her, the city fog remained thick. The only silhouettes she could see were the outlines of homes, restaurants, and the tippy tops of the tallest towers that cornered it all into a single place. Quietly, she took a deep breath despite her unease. The feeling of being watched never left her for a moment while she tried to be brave. Wasn't that one of Dorothy's aspirations? Bravery? Courage? Amber couldn't remember. She walked down the road, thinking to herself that the main palace was in the center of the city, and that the Scarecrow must be there if not captured with the other citizens.

Where was everyone? She shuddered to think about what could've happened to them. And she shuddered to think that she was the only one in the entire city.... What if the Scarecrow was dead? Her eyes began to tear, and she cursed herself for thinking such a thing.

The ruby slippers clinked against the stone as she walked. Amber hoped she was going towards the right direction. When she thought she wasn't she turned around to walk back only to find that the fog had covered almost everything. It occurred to her that she had walked so far into the city that she had no idea where she was at all. Panic seeped into her veins. She began to run in the direction she thought would lead her back to the gate, but instead it led her to a large stone fountain that was no longer running. So she turned again, running rapidly through the old streets and abandoned markets as if her life depended on it. Amber hated it. She hated feeling lost. She hated being scared! Most of all, she regretted putting those gosh darn slippers on her feet in the first place! All she wanted to know was her purpose, her path in the world, a place she could call home whenever she needed it. As she ran, turning through corner after corner after corner, she tried to remain appearing as tough as possible. In her mind's eye, she refused to let this... Jester see that she was vulnerable.

Suddenly, a jolt of pain rushed through her ankle, causing her to trip and plummet onto the cracked stone below. Amber yelped, landing on her wrists. She could feel her knees scrape slightly, not enough to bleed, but enough to hurt. Looking back at her foot, she noticed that the heel of her right slipper had gotten caught in a small, deep hole in the pavement. Angry at herself, she tossed her curly hair back over her shoulders before picking up the slipper and sliding it back on her foot where it belonged. As much as she hated these shoes for bringing her to such a place, she still held onto them because they reminded her of Dorothy, of what used to be home. Stopping to catch her breath, she pushed her tears back. She wouldn't think about Dorothy right now. She needed to find the Palace entrance. Just then, she heard something. Something other than the eerie sound of a crumbling civilization. It sounded like a growl, an animal of some sort. Looking up from her dusty hands, she stood from the floor silently thrilled that she wasn't alone. "Hello? Scarecrow? Tinman? Lion? Anybody?!" She called, cupping her hands like she did before. Her brown eyes scanned the fog for movement, waiting for someone to answer. Instead, what she got was a strong, low roar that shook the abandoned city walls. Her eyes widened as none other than a golden brown lion, THE lion, step out of the fog. Its red ravenous eyes glared at her with a wild expression as if it hadn't eaten in days.