There was the feeling of falling that erupted from her core as she attempted in vain to open her eyes; she span, the room span, everything span together and then without warning, it stopped. The sound of crashing echoed all around her and eventually her lids parted and the first thing that came to her vision was the swinging lantern high above her on the ceiling. Back and forth, squeaking as it went.
"Where?" She asked allowed pushing herself to sit up and look around. Her name was Seychelles; a dark skinned island girl from off the coast of Africa, at least, that as much as she recall at the moment, the fall must have knocked more than the wind from her lungs. Holding her head, Sey attempted to remember how she came to be but her memories appeared to be a whirlwind that tore her cranium apart when she tried to pick it apart. All she knew was wherever she was now, was not where she was meant to be.
The building she was in appeared to be somewhere far from the modern world. She was laid on the floor of a bedroom with wooden floors, and flora paper on the walls. An old iron bed toppled onto its side was to her left, and there were books, pictures and other regalia that littered the floor as if a storm had passed through. The strangest thing about the room was it was in greyscale, as if awaiting the dash of colour to bring it to life. It made her feel more uncomfortable as she looked down at her hands and they too were in a weird greyscale.
'We're not in Kansas anymore'
Her own voice echoed in her head. Seychelles couldn't take the feeling this place gave her and in an instant was up on her feet and heading for the door twisting the doorknob in a swift motion and pulling it inwards where she gasped going wide eyed.
Beyond her was a world of colour and a small village of tiny houses and colourful walkways. Gingerly she reached out and seemingly hitting a barrier passed through and found her greyscale appearance was now a flourish of colour. Behind her was a large crashed house that seemed to only lead to one bedroom despite the size of the building. The steps Seychelles too forward filled her with excitement and the only conclusion to her was that this was some form of amazing dream, and hurried off along the path to explore the new surrounding. It was at this moment she noticed the checked dress she wore and ribbons of red in her hair; it felt right and at the same time felt out of place, she hoped to find someone who could provide her with answers to the unease that lay along the bottom of her stomach.
It was so quiet in this world. She could only explore the village as when she made to leave she was met with a wall of paper and sketch of the path she may be able to take. The feel and smell of the paper overwhelmed and confused her. This world was incomplete but felt less and less like a dream as she continued back into town. Within some of the houses there was furniture created of nothing but outlines and in others notes of characters to perhaps live within it's realm. Through each small round window the girl peered into brought nothing but more questions, and left her feeling lonely realising the lack of presence of anyone else.
"Miss Seychelles?" A voice called out as Sey reached the centre of town.
"Yes?" She asked looked over her shoulder feeling a bubble of relief to hear another's voice, peering towards the owner of the voice and spotted a small boy sporting a sailor outfit and a mess of blond hair. A sharp pain went through her, she remembered something. Her feet walking through the halls of the meeting hall, she was running late, a young boy, no, a micro nation stopped her and begged her to sneak him in.
"Sealand?" Seychelles responded looking at him "What are you doing here? Where are we?"
He was overjoyed to see another person as much as she did and ran over burying himself in her dress, still feeling like a child in need of protection. "I was hoping you would know" The boy was gently embraced by his elder and Sey sighed looking around. It was like they had been trapped in a novel and couldn't move on. What were they meant to do now?
A high pitched shrill of laughter filled the air as a stream of black smoke flew off the pages of the unfinished world and entered the village landing before them. Seychelles gripped the boy close to her expecting to see another human being but instead the smoke just towered there as if something was missing. A voice rang clear though.
"Welcome to Oz my pretty" The voice laughed "Sorry it is not complete but do not fear, the pages will be filled and the actors will arrive. You two are the lucky firsts that are needed to beginning"
Before Seychelles could reply the smoke spat a spell at high speed at them and she braced herself only the feel it skim her and collide with the boy in her arms. She screamed trying to keep an arm around Sealand as he went limp.
"What did you do?" The African yelled at the smoke.
"He must lose his form to take his place" The voice mocked as the micro nation's body changed instantly in Sey's arms becoming smaller and fluffy. Where the young British boy had once lay was now a small West Highland Terrier. Seychelles felt her body trembled in disbelief and terror. Again the voice laughed harshly "Unfortunately, your ruby slippers are missing Dorothy. But in time they will come to you"
The boy now turned dog appeared to be unconscious as Seychelles stood up to the smoke monster. She took a defensive stance trying to somehow intimidate the non- physical being and to which the creature laughed once more taking flight and encircling the other lazily brushing along the pages and the house. The creations became torn and the details were pulled away from the rough edges, whatever could have been the beauty of the place was quickly escalating into hell as the beast's movements became faster and faster and the sound of the mocking laughter became louder and sharper.
Confused at what was going on, the smoke dived at the girl and her new dog spinning past them and lifting them up from the ground. Seychelles cried out once more and used all her energy to keep her grip on the tiny puppy, her eyes snapped shut. When they did open the girl only discovered her feet could not touch the ground as a cyclone threw the two personifications through the air and towards the paper of the unfinished page on the outskirts of the town. One arm raised up to protect her body; Seychelles never expected to pass through the paper like it was nothing and the wind stopped releasing the two of them over a seemingly never ending corn field before gravity reached up and dragged them down with a shout.
Coughing as she was sprawled across the floor, the African girl released her grip on the small dog and stared at Sealand wondering if he was ok. The dog whimpered and rolled a little away from the girl's body. Seychelles let out a small laugh of relief as the situation overwhelmed her once more and she slipped into unconsciousness beneath the ears of corn.
It seemed to be becoming a habit that the young woman would pass out and awaken somewhere new. She stretched and looked around to find this time a platform in the middle of the corn field was the resting place. Seychelles sighed again feeling the small dog nuzzle against her knowing they had at least not been separated but the question remain of where was she? That voice had mention something about OZ; the world held familiarity and yet her brain couldn't connect the dots, but looking at what Sealand had become, it was not a friendly has she could have first hoped for.
"Are you ok Miss?"
The new voice sent a shiver up Sey's spine, and she instantly knew why looking over to see the addresser this time. Sitting with his legs over the edge of the platform was a man in baggy and patched farmer's clothes looking at her with confused green iris' and messy blonde hair.
"England?" She responded befuddled and hoping this meant another somewhat friendly face. All Seychelle's got in response however was a quirked eyebrow and a confused look back.
"England? Is that the right response?" England asked. This was bizarre maybe he wasn't the person she thought he was, but it had to be the British Isles, who else could it be.
"No…you're name is England!" Sey responded harshly not wanting anything else to go array.
"My name?" He asked blinking a few times before smiling "Then that means…you know me Miss?!" He quickly jumped up and ran over taking her hands and breaming happily. "Oh than goodness I found someone who knows me! I have been sat her trying to shoo away the crow praying to be sent someone to answer my questions and here you are Miss?"
"Seychelles" She answered slowly, this wasn't a joke was it? He really didn't know where he was? Who he was?
England pulled the girl up to stand before bowing in a gentleman's fashion and kissing her hand "Nice to meet you Miss Seychelles, or is it wonderful to see you again?"
"England…you know me, I was a colony of yours for a good number of years along with my elder brother France"
His eye twitched at the other man's name. Some form of recognition the man couldn't deny and yet had no answer for.
"I am sorry Miss Seychelles but I do not recall that at all. In fact I recall barely anything but this urge to chase away the birds from the never ending crop" he motioned towards the fields.
"How is that going for you?"
"Well I am unable to outsmart them" England sighed "I do not have a brain"
Seychelles eyes went wide recalling with the smoke had said moments before Sealand became a dog. But that was not possible right? Maybe the other just hit his head and in time his memory would return, no need to worry or fret and yet here her heart was pounding against her chest like a jackhammer.
"No Brain?"
"Yes no brain at all, I am just a scarecrow after all" He smiled his eyes had become blank and lifeless as he seemed to quote from a script. Feeling unnerved The girl scoped up the still unconscious puppy and held him tight.
This was the man who had conquered half the world and lost it again, the man who presented himself as a gentleman to the best of his abilities, even when he was back into a corner. She may not completely like the man but the childlike version of a human before her wasn't much of an improvement. England looked down at the dog.
"Who is this?" He asked returning to himself.
"This is Sealand" Again the signs of recognition ignited in the man's eyes but were soon gone. Seychelles bit her lip, they couldn't stay here waiting for the man's memory to return. Maybe they could find another to help them, or even an exit to this bizarre world of paper "Is there a road near by"
Again the man drifted off "The yellow brick road can take you to the Emerald city…"
"A city? Can we find help there"
"Surely the wizard can grant me a brain…"
"That wasn't my question"
"We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz!" He sang loudly and continued skipping around and around. In a panic the girl grabbed the man's shirt and shook him back into reality refusing to let him go
"Where is this road England!? Please help me!"
The blond man blinked a few times before point beyond Seychelles' shoulder. Turning to where he was pointing to, she went wide eyed at what she saw ahead of her. The corn began to part, wilt and die as the soil ripped itself apart and a bright colour of yellow bricks pushed themselves upwards interlocking into a road that grew past the platform and into the distance.
"I really cannot take much more of this" Sey whimpered pulling the useless man to the new made road. Ok, so they were on a road that just appeared out of nowhere in the middle of what seems like a never ending cornfield. Everything was going to be fine, England would get his memory and then she can at least feel like she had a somewhat responsible adult t help her make better decisions. "Ok which way"
England thought a moment and looked around pondering "It could be that way, although that way is always nice, but so is that way…"
"England!" she snapped and the man came to his senses
"Sorry…I don't know what happened there, but I think we need to go that way"
"You think?" she asked not sure what to feel about the strange infliction but right now she desired to get out of the open area fearing the smoke monster from earlier.
"Something is tugging me in the direction towards the forest since I don't have a mind to contemplate this decision, instinct is the best thing I have to go on"
Seychelles really couldn't fault that logic or lack thereof. Neither had any idea where they were or how to proceed and with the youngest member of their party still sleeping off the drastic change in lifestyle, could she really look the gift horse in the mouth. The make shift group began the long journey, walking along the shining bricks of the newly created road as the last brick was slip in.
The villain behind the action released the quill from the ink as he sat in the unoccupied chair of the Wicked Witch of the West with a smile on his lips. The figure had no appearance of which to speak but his mission was clear. The Land of Oz was dying as the last Dorothy had moved on and the players lay beneath the overused pages.
"Every play needs actors to bring it to life" He sniggered "Help me rejuvenate this world through your steps and actions my dear, for soon this place will truly be, no place like home"