*
Chapter Twenty:
Captured
*
Dorothy's little band walked back the same way they came. As they walkedpast the presidents' homes, the Scarecrow remarked that it was a mostinteresting experience. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"I'm just afraid," said Dorothy, "that Aunt Em and Uncle Henry justwon't believe a bit of this. The more I tell them about Oz, the lessthey 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 anyoneto believe."
"Not anyone," said the Tin Woodman. "Remember what President Washingtontold you? That you are to tell that writer of your experiences and thathe will write them down and that many children and even some adults willread it and although not everyone will believe it -- a great many will behelped. So your experiences will not have been in vain."
"Yes, I suppose you're right," said Dorothy. "But I do wish Aunt Em andUncle Henry would believe me."
"Hey!" said the Tin Woodman excitedly. "I have a wonderful idea. Whydon't we transport your Aunt Em and Uncle Henry to Oz? Then they'd haveto 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 theScarecrow. "We'll have to talk to Glinda about it. Or maybe the GoodWitch 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 verynecessary that you return to Kansas. In fact, as you know full well, youhave 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 forever."
"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 readyour stories will come and visit us."
"That would really be nice," said Dorothy. "Of course, they wouldprobably want to go and see the wicked witch, even though it would bekind of scary for them.
"Speaking of which, have you been noticing our surroundings? Things arebeginning to look very spooky."
Sure enough, as they had been walking, everyone was too busy with theconversation to notice the changing landscape. They seemed to be in athick dark forest, with strange grotesque shapes peering at them throughthe shadows. Shrill sounds of forest animals and birds could be heard inthe distance. And the darkness was falling quickly. The Lion walked alittle closer to Dorothy and held her hand. "As you know," he said, "Inow have courage and I'm not afraid. But I think I should hold your handso that you won't be
afraid." Dorothy smiled to herself and said, "Thank you, Lion; it is alittle scary."
Just then, a piercing scream rang out. Everyone jumped with fright. Allthe shadows in the trees seemed to come alive and slowly weave towardsthem. The branches and vines from the trees caught at Dorothy's hair anddress.
As the little group's pace quickened, a vine from a grotesque-lookingtree caught around the Lion's throat and appeared to be trying to chokehim. The Tin Woodman jumped into action and hacked it off with his ax. Aloud 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 thevines swirling and clutching at their arms and legs. Now and then,someone would become entangled, and the Tin Woodman would stop and runback to hack off the vines. Each time he did so, a loud, human-soundingscream would ring out from the tree. The sounds of those screams chilledDorothy 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 themselvesin an open clearing. Dorothy dropped to her knees, completely exhausted."Thank Heaven!" she panted. "Thank Heaven we're out of that awfulplace." She got up and embraced the Tin Woodman. "What would we havedone without you?" she panted breathlessly.
The Tin Woodman looked a bit sheepish. "I am a woodman, you know, and Iknow my work. Though I must admit my work has never attacked me before."
Everyone laughed. "Well, thank goodness we're out of that mess," saidDorothy. "It was horrifying."
Unfortunately, the feeling of relief they all felt was to beshort-lived. Dorothy had barely finished speaking when the Lion said,"You are all growing taller." Everyone laughed in surprise, for it washe who was getting smaller -- or so it seemed. In actual fact, he wassinking slowly into the soft ground. They all ran at once to pull himup, but, the more they pulled, the more he sank. It was as if a strongforce was sucking him in.
"Ahhh!" yelled the Tin Woodman. "It's got me, too!" He was already inthe ground up to his knees when Dorothy reached him. "It's no good," hesaid. "I'm sinking too fast."
While Dorothy was trying to pull the Tin Woodman out, the Scarecrowyelled, "Now it's got me!" He was flailing his arms about and grabbingat the tufts of grass in a desperate attempt to escape the dreadfulsuction. But it was no use. By the time Dorothy reached him, he wasactually 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 lookedaround her in desperation. By now, the Lion was up to his neck; she ranto him and grabbed his big ears. "Ouch!" the Lion yelled. "You're goingto pull my ears off!"
Dorothy let go and started to sob. "I'm losing you," she cried. "I'mlosing 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 goand try to get help."
She had barely said the word 'help' when a piercing cackle filled theair. It was a sound they all knew so well and dreaded so much.
Swoosh! The Wicked Witch's broomstick flew past the Scarecrow's leftear. Then swoosh again. This time past the Lion's right ear. She headedfor the Tin Woodman, screaming as she flew: "Got you now, my beauties!Ha ha haha!"
Dorothy stood spellbound as she watched the witch perform heracrobatics. Suddenly, the witch zoomed upwards, high into the air, as ifleaving. But she turned quickly and pointed the broomstick directly atDorothy and zoomed towards her like a rocket. The broomstick was aboutthree feet from Dorothy's face when she turned it up slightly, barelymissing Dorothy's head. As she swooshed by, she cackled loudly, herscreaming laughter filling the air. She did this several times, scaringDorothy half to death. Dorothy had to move from side to side each timethe witch attacked her, or she would have been hit.