"Wait!" exclaims Tara. "You were supposed to tell me, but you never did."
"Another time, Tara," says Bobo and turns to Sgt. Rik. "This was the best time in my life."
"Mine too, Bobo."
Bobo raises the umbrella and is about to speak, when Tara steps up, hugs him fiercely, and looks him in the eye. "Another time! And that's a command."
"Yes, your Majesty!"
Tara steps back, and Bobo lifts the umbrella again. "Take me home!"
The umbrella quickly spirals into the sky and goes out of view moving fast across the mainland.
Tara and Sgt. Rik turn from looking toward the departing umbrella to looking at one another. They turn again and walk side-by-side on a path toward Tara's home.
"Better let me take point, that way I'll get the brunt of it," says Sgt. Rik.
"No!" says Tara. "I'm the one who got us into this."
"Okay," nods Sgt. Rik, as he steps aside.
Tara moves ahead of Sgt. Rik and is about to reach for the door handle when suddenly the door opens wide. Tara's eyes widen, first in shock and then ecstasy.
Tara's Father, in his military officer uniform, fills the doorway and looks down at Tara. She leaps into her Father's arms and buries her face against his cheek kissing him. Inside the cottage, Tara's Mother looks on, holding her hands to her face in great relief.
Tara's Father looks at Sgt. Rik. "Thank you, Sergeant."
Sgt. Rik salutes.
Tara lifts her face from her Father's cheek and looks toward her Mother. She mouths the words, "I'm sorry, Mama."
Tara's Mother nods her head in relief and forgiveness. Tara looks back to Sgt. Rik and then to her Father. "What are we waiting for?" she exclaims. "Let's have a party!"
Tara's Father carries her into the cottage, and Sgt. Rik follows after closing the door behind him.
Meanwhile, Bobo and the umbrella rapidly move across the sky.
The End (for now)
Afterword
In 1912, one of America's greatest storytellers published a new tale that he hoped would begin a successful series. Two years earlier, he and wife Maud moved from Chicago to the orange groves of early Hollywood. The future seemed bright with new beginnings. Indeed, the story sold well but not what its author had hoped. Reluctantly, he returned to the imaginary world and characters that he created a decade earlier. L. Frank Baum considered Sky Island to be his best story, but his young readers wanted to experience more of the Emerald City. For one hundred years, Sky Island has been a little known and less read story of the American master of imaginative fantasy.
In 2012, I was developing a series of solo performances for the stage to celebrate 1912, that remarkable year in American history and the centennial of the City of Torrance (CA). Among the luminaries I worked to bring to life was Baum, and in doing so I discovered his striking story. I was surprised to learn that it had not been exploited by any other artists despite its vivid characters, compelling action, and well-conceived domain. I decided to breath life into this powerful story myself.
As a writer of dramatic works, I have my eye on character, conflict, action, and momentum. In adapting Baum's story for a contemporary reader, I created three new characters. They have a resemblance to Baum's own main characters, but they are more relatable for young people today. Also, I stripped away a lot of secondary scenes and characters that impeded the dramatic movement of the story and the chief character's journey and her dramatic arc. What I did not strip away were the marvelous characters such as the Boolooroo, Ghip-Ghisizzle, Rosalie the Witch, and the Six Snubnosed Princesses. They remain as Baum created them for generations to enjoy.
Baum's work is available in print and online for the reader to experience and compare to my own telling of the tale. I don't pretend to be Baum. I take much of what he created and serve it up for the young inhabitants of a new world.
In doing so, I want to acknowledge actor Mark L. Colbenson who portrayed the character of Baum in our stage and video productions. Mark brought Baum to life in a way that only live stage actors can do.
I also want to recognize Robert Baum, great-grandson of the American master, who was among our audience members and paid tribute to the actor's portrayal. Robert was generous to us in his account of the performance in an article published by The Baum Bugle, Craig Noble, editor.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the love and support of my wife DeBorah Green without whom this endeavor would not have been possible.
J-Powers
Los Angeles
About J-Powers
J-Powers (a.k.a. John Powers) is a writer and director of dramatic stories for stage and visual media. As most artists, he is always looking for content, and there is no greater source of content than recent American history. Powers has created both original and adapted works, and among his recent endeavors has been the multi-platform development of Pentagon Papers: recently abridged edition for the Millennial Generation. While Queen of Sky Island and Pentagon Papers may seem to be polar opposites, both of them derive from powerful works that are little known to contemporary readers. Yet both of them offer much insight. The author's aim is to restore them to their deserved currency with young readers.
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