Delusions Beyond the Deadly Desert

by Sera Alexia Starr

How a twist of fate brought Dorothy and L. Frank Baum together for a *new* kind of story.

This story is Oz with a twist! What if OZ was REAL? So real in fact that the Baum family loved an actual little girl who helped the real author L. Frank Baum come up and use her story for his new novel, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz? Variation of Oz on a theme?

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DILLUSIONS BEYOND THE DEADLY DESERT

By

Sera Alexia

Prologue

A young light brown haired girl was secretly being watched inside of her new cozy bed. The light in her room emanated from a nearby table. Electricity was barely new in this day and age. It was the turn of the century and barely able to use except people from high society. Dorothy Gale lived on a farm in Aberdeen, South Dakota with her Aunt Em and Uncle Hank. There wasn't any electricity in her small bedroom. But, this lighted glowed well and surrounded her sweet body.

Inside of the mirror one could almost hear the sound of a chicken clucking.

"Billina, shush," the green dressed girl said to her softly.

Billina was only so happy to see her friend Dorothy once again. She couldn't help herself. Billina, the talking chicken was thrilled to see her. The small girl who was watching Dorothy was quite content herself. Her name was Ozma and was Queen of the Land of Oz.

"I am glad our friend Dorothy called for us, Billina. Maybe she needs us to talk to. We shall see her tomorrow. Let her sleep," Ozma watched Dorothy through the glowing lighted mirror. It was obvious Dorothy needed her friends right now. And Queen Ozma decidedly checked on her friend in need.

Dorothy cried herself to sleep just hours ago. It was sad and horrible what she had gone through in such a short time. Dorothy felt alone and discomforted. The only time she ever felt safe was in the confines of her room when she would talk to her friend Ozma and Billina in her room at night before she would go to bed. She would talk about her trips to Oz most all the time with a smile. And Ozma would tell a story of Dorothy's other friends Jack Pumpkin Head, Tik Tok, Emmeraldina, The Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and the Lion to her. Dorothy never told Ozma what was happening in Kansas much, maybe because it hurt too much to say and admit it to herself. But, this time was different, drastically different. Dorothy lost someone for the very first time in her life, and her cousin was ready to come and pick her up and take her away the next morning, her reality was crushing to a halt at such a tender age to deal with such trauma.

Chapter one –

"Dorothy, are you ready?" her cousin Clara asked her.

No, Dorothy wasn't ready at all. Emotionally she was distraught, and leaving her Aunt Em left her shattered and torn. She saw the look on her aunt's face. Dorothy did not have any intentions on leaving her fragile aunt who loved her so very much. She turned to her aunt and talked to her.

"I'd rather be here with you, Aunt Em."

Emily tried to turn away and not let her niece see her cry, "I know that dear." Emily barely let the words out without breaking down, "I will miss you, Dorothy."

"I miss Uncle Hank too," she whispered.

Emily's heart hardened, "You need to be ready, before your cousin takes off without you, sweetie," she tried to smile to her, "You better go see your friend's before Clara brings you to the buggy."

"Frank Junior told me he had something for me. Can I go see them?"

"Go ahead child, I'll talk to Clara before you leave. Go on."

Dorothy's cousin had a buggy waiting to take Dorothy to see her best friend's place down the road a few houses away.

When Dorothy got out she noticed her friends were not the same usual chipper friends they were. They were no Scarecrow, Tik Tok and Lion or Billina. And definitely not the Tin Woodman, Gnome King or Jack Pumpkinhead. Frank Junior stood next to his brothers. Robert, the second eldest brother was also saddened for he had a crush on her. But, Harry loved the time he spent with Dorothy for she used to help him with his schoolwork and they were friends. It was Kenneth the youngest who loved playing with her in the fields. Countless games of Hide and Seek, and playing with his brothers and her affected him. They all felt as if she were a part of the family. Dorothy would miss them greatly, especially their father, Frank Senior. Frank was a man of great imagination. Frank had such an affinity for little Dorothy it was amazing. He and his wife Maud loved her as one of their own. But, now Dorothy was off to live in Minnesota with her cousin Clara.

"My father wanted to be here but he had to open the store. This is for you."

Dorothy opened a tiny mirror with silver trimming, "It reminds me of my silver shoes," she said to him, "I'll miss the Bazaar. It was such a nice fun store."

"You can stay Dorothy, all you have to do is marry me," he smiled to her.

"Marry you? I'm only nine years old Robert," she laughed.

"You, you're the only one I want to call me Robbie," he stepped forward, "I love you, Dorothy."

"I'll miss you Robbie, all of you. I will. You all were really good friends to me after I came back. You and your family were the only ones who believed me, about my adventures. Aunt Em and Uncle Hank never believed me. Then there was Dr. Worley and Nurse Wilson. i don't think they liked me."

"Now, don't remind us. If our father wasn't in the search party you never would have been found the second time," Frank Junior reminded her, which was true. His father is a very good man and creative. If he didn't suggest to search the shorelines of rivers and streams Dorothy may never have been found by the locals.

"Frank, boys may we talk to Dorothy alone?"

"Pa? You came home. Ok."

The boys looked up and saw their father and mother standing side by side.

"Yes, father. Goodbye Dorothy, we will miss you," Frank Junior said to her as he hugged her.

Robert hugged her too, "Goodbye," he whispered too.

Harry did have tears coming down his face, "You'll always be my best friend."

But Kenneth just stared at her with his big eyes.

"Goodbye Kenny," she said to him, "Maybe I'll be able to come back one day. Thank you for being my friends.

The boys walked away as Frank and Maud approached Dorothy but it was too late. Dorothy flew herself into Father Baum's arms. That was what she called him, because Dorothy didn't have parents. She had lived with her aunt and uncle for the longest time. She embraced him generously squeezing his chest with her small hands. He held her in his arms as he let her cry it all out.

"I love you Father Baum," she cried into his chest. Please don't let me leave! If you adopt me I can live here with you and I can see Aunt Em every day. Please, please! I promise you I will never tell those stories about the other Land ever again!"

Frank had tears flowing from his eyes into hers. "Dorothy, you have to tell your stories. They're true. I believe you, I do. You know I do, honey," Frank encouraged her imagination.

"Frank, don't promise her such things. She's a child."

"Maud, you believed in me when I told you I wanted to start writing. Her stories mean something to me, they are insightful, impressive and beautiful."

"Thank you, Father Baum."

He smiled to her as she smiled back.

"Dorothy, you know we cannot take you into our home. There are already too many mouths to feed. But, we love you as our own, and any time you need us you can count on the Baum's to be there for you along with your Aunt Emily. I'm sorry about your uncle, it was sad he died the way he did. But I am sure he watching over you as my mother is for me," Maud had told her.

"I'll miss you Mother Baum," she smiled to her as she hugged her in turn.

"You'll always be our little girl," Maud smiled from ear to ear.

"Maud, can we?"

Maud looked to her husband solemnly he knew the answer.

"You can write us, and keep telling your stories to me and the boys whenever you want, my precious darling," he said to her.

"Goodbye," she whispered into his ear so only he could hear. With a fond farewell Dorothy went into the buggy with a piece of paper. Frank had given her their address so she could write to them.

Chapter 2-

"Where is she? Ozma where is Dorothy? I can't see her?" The Scarecrow asked the Queen of Oz.

"Calm down, dear friend. She is there. Not in the same room I suppose but she is there, don't you see? Her clothes blend with the sheets."

"And there is Toto too. At least she has him to comfort her through this tragedy. I miss Dorothy as it is. When will you talk to her?"

"Soon enough, Scarecrow. Here she is, waking as we speak. Let me talk to her, I shall tell in the morning of our progress."

Soon Dorothy was wiping her eyes awake, she noticed the mirror in her room glowing once more, it meant Ozma found her.

"Ozma!" Dorothy jumped top her feet.

"Dorothy, shush. No one can hear you."

She smiled and nodded to her friend with happiness.

"Are you well?"

The young brown haired girl looked to the floor below her in sadness.

"I want to be with Aunt Em, and the Baum's. They're my family, the only ones I have."

"Baum?"

"They are the family that took me in as their own. I wasn't adopted Ozma like I had hoped to become. I don't want to live with my cousin Clara. She isn't as nice as Aunt Em, and my clothes were given to charity. Clara tells me there are people who have less than me and I need to respect and help them. I miss my blue dress, Ozma. It was my favorite. But, things are different now. I don't have anyone much anymore. My cousin doesn't seem to listen to me about Oz, Ozma. I want to live with you!"

"You cannot leave your family Dorothy."

"Please help me. I don't want to be here. It's awful. My reality is much to bear. With Uncle Hank gone and Aunt Em miles away. I'm not the same. If the Baum's were around I could talk to them, but I will never see them again either! I'm nine years old. Ozma I'm scared. Clara doesn't understand me. Frank Junior would talk to me and make me feel better. Father Baum would tell me stories as I sat on his lap, and I would tell him stories! Stories about Oz."

"Oz!"

"Yes, I'm sorry. I know Oz is a word that should never be mentioned to anyone. But, I had adventures, and I needed to talk to someone who would understand me and Father Baum loved my stories. And uses them to tell his sons friends about this magical place. And when he tells them it reminds me so much of when I'm with you and my friends in Oz. Father Baum is a good man. A very good man, and his sons are great to me. They will never tell anyone about Oz, I know it to be true! I miss them so much. I do, Oh Ozma, I want to see my friends again, all of my friends once more," Dorothy began to tear up in front of her.

"What is his full name Dorothy? Would you like me to check up on him? I will use my mirror."

"Oh will you? Can you?"

"I will be back, my friend."

And with that, the mirror turned back to the way it was before.

"Dorothy, is that you?" a voice came from the other room.

Cousin Clara opened the door, "Your Aunt told me about you. You once believed in a fairy world you dreamt of, you believe you visited a world that wasn't as gray as this world. Your harsh realities keep you grounded, Miss Dorothy Garlen! You know you live in Minnesota now. Aberdeen is no longer your home or that world of make believe! There is no world of make believe. People are in this world starving, and here you are talking to nonexistent people. I heard you in this room Dorothy! You need to grow up, and realize life isn't handed to you."

"I helped my aunt with everything that needed to be done with the farm, with my uncle Henry. I did everything that was asked of me and more. Why do you treat me this way?"

"Tomorrow you start school, you better get to bed. Learn to become someone with your life!"

Dorothy afraid to stand up more for herself, didn't feel the need to challenge Clara, she was tired and went to bed. In another bedroom in another room somewhere in Aberdeen a mirror glowed into a room where Frank Junior slept with his brother Robert and Harry. The younger brothers were well into dreamland when Ozma tried to peek into the life of the Baum family. Frank found himself intrigued by this glow, the mysterious light from within the walls of his room. He wasn't so much scared of it but was appealed with interest.

Could it be? He thought to himself.

He shaked the thought from his head and tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't.

"Dorothy?" he whispered aloud.

"Shhh!"

Frank looked to his brothers both were sleeping soundly.

"Who's that?" Frank Junior sat up and saw the most beautiful vision of loveliness before him. He quietly stepped out of his bed and walked up to the mirror in his room.

"Are-you-Ozma?" he incredulously asked the strange girl with a crowned "OZ" insignia upon her forehead.

"I am a friend," she quietly said to him, "Are you Father Baum?"

"Father Baum is my father, is Dorothy alright?"

Frank found himself unbelieving this was actually happening to him.

"Are you real? Or an illusion my dream has made of you?"

"I have come for help. Dorothy is needed in heed."

"What can I do?"

"Tell no one about me, Frank."

"But, my father-"

"No one. Come with me."

Frank thought to himself, How?

"Come with me, put your hand upon the glass."

Instinctively, he did. He and his family would have done anything for Dorothy. Frank Junior did not hesitate for a moment. One flash later and Frank was in Dorothy's bedroom in Minnesota.

"Dorothy! Dorothy?"

"Frank? Oh My!"

"Shhh! Clara will hear you," Ozma was heard from the mirror.

"My father was right! Oz is real! I knew it! Dorothy why didn't you tell me?"

"I did, I always have! Oh, how did you get here?" She lowered her voice even lower so she wouldn't be heard.

"It was I," Ozma told them.

"Magic!" Frank's eyes got wider.

"Oh, Frank I can't believe you're here, thank you Ozma!"

"You're my friend, I'll do anything for you," he touched her cheek as they embraced in a hug of friendship.

"Your hug would make the Lion jealous," Ozma said to them, "Dorothy, tell him of your hardships."

She and him sat on the floor in a corner whispering about everything that has happened with her on the other side of the small room so no one would hear them. It had been a few weeks since they had seen each other. Daybreak was soon approaching and Frank had fallen asleep next to Dorothy on the floor. Ozma took it upon herself to put Frank back into his bed cozy and nice so no one would ever know that he had ever left his room. But, on the other hand trouble was just brewing for Dorothy before Ozma had a chance put Dorothy into her own bed.

"Dorothy, it's time for breakfa-," Clara stood in the doorway awaiting for Dorothy to wake out of her bed. But, she wasn't in her bed at all. Crunched in a corner of her room she was found asleep.

"DOROTHY GARLEN!"

Dorothy rose in fear of her cousin.

"Have you been talking to your make believe friends?"

"No. I fell."

"And you landed there? Convenient! Forget Breakfast, feed the chickens, clean the stables, do the dishes, wash up, get dressed, do your hair and start your first day of school!"

"But-," she started.

"Would you like paddle, Dorothy? I gave it to you last week for disobeying me."

"I want to go home to Aunt Em, Clara. Please take me home?"

"Aunt Em doesn't want you. You are needed here. Is this how you repay my kindness? I took you in because our uncle passed away and your parents are dead as mine are too. Such a shame he saved you, but Hank didn't have the heart to save my parents, did he?"

"It's not my fault, Clara. I miss him the same way you miss your mother and father. I'm sorry. But, I'm not the one who you should blame!"

"Uncle Hank should have save my mother and father in the fire, and not you! You know that. I don't have anyone anymore. I don't have my mother, or my father. I have no one at all! I have no one! All I have is you! A constant reminder of who lived through it! Leave me alone, go to school!"

"No! I want to go home to Aunt Em! She does want me! Ozma help!"

"Ha ha ha! You believe in your make believe friends! You've got a dose reality coming your way. Life is not make believe! It's real when your mother and father die and leave you alone and miserable!"

"That's your own fault! Ozma, help me!" It was too late Clara took the paddle and missed Dorothy by a mile.

"Ozma!"

Queen Ozma knew what was going on. She heard everything that was said between Clara and Dorothy. Finally Ozma could bare no more she thrusted her magic slippers power through the mirror. The gust of light broke the mirror into a thousand pieces scattering everywhere in every direction. Clara was taken aback. She believed. But, is was too late, Clara fell down the stairs tossing and turning all the way down.

"Clara!" Dorothy exclaimed.

At the bottom of the stairs Clara lay. Dorothy ran to her, "Clara?"

"You were right, there is magic, and it's out to get me."

"No, Clara it doesn't have to be this way! Clara! Don't give on me please! I need you, I-I love you. Ozma didn't mean it. She saw I was in trouble and defended me."

Clara lay motionless.

"Don't leave me, Clara! Please." Dorothy cried.

"What happened here?" A farm hand rushed in.

"My mirror smashed, Clara fell, and I think she's – she's-"

"She's not dead," he felt her pulse, "Gotta bring her to the Doc! Dorie, come with me!"

Chapter 3-

About that time Frank Junior took it upon himself to approach his father and talk. If anyone could help Dorothy it would be him.

"Papa can I talk to you?"

"Sure, Frank what's bothering you?"

"About the same thing I fear that is bothering you. I know you miss Dorothy."

"Son, we all miss her. She was a big part of our life. We need to settle down and carry on."

"Pa, I think Dorothy might be in trouble."

Frank Baum looked to his son, "What? Are you serious Frank?"

"Yes, Pa. We need to find her. I have her address where she is. She needs us we have to find Emily. We need to go to Minnesota, Dorothy is in danger."

"Son, Emily is living with her sister in Colorado. Dorothy is fine with her cousin."

"But, she isn't!"

"How do you know that? Can you tell me? Did she write you? Frank I have orders to fill and slips to get through. We have to talk about this later."

"Her cousin beats her. She uses a paddle, and Dorothy is afraid. She's scared. She told me. Last night she told me."

"Frank, did you take something from one of those bottles on the shelf?"

"Father this is real. Ozma is real. Oz is real. It's a truly, live place!
I spoke to the Queen herself, Ozma right? She brought me to Dorothy. I talked to her in Minnesota! I was there, Pa. You gotta believe me! Would I ever lie to you, when it was really important? Have I? Dorothy needs our help."

Frank didn't know what to make of this at all. He always knew Dorothy was a very imaginative type of girl and creative, he encouraged her sense of story telling and used it when he told stories. He encouraged her belief in Oz, but always knew Oz wasn't real. It didn't exist in our world at all. Did it? Oz was never on any map of the world; therefore this fairyland never existed in the world.

"Pa we need to go find her. Dorothy needs help."

Frank closed his eyes, opened them and looked to his son, "Son, Oz is not real. There is no Queen Ozma. You dreamt of Dorothy. Your subconscious envisioned her in your mind's eye. We all want to believe in it, we do. But what you are saying is far fetched beyond belief!"

"Frank? Someone left message for you on the wireless, a telegram from yesterday," Maud called to him, "I forgot, I'm sorry."

"But, pa?"

Frank Junior was angry his father didn't believe him.

Baum went to read the telegram intently and rushed up the stair well to gather belongings, "Frank, you're coming with me!"

"Frank, who is it?" Maud asked.

Frank stopped, "Our number was found in Dorothy's records. Emily is too far away to contact and she's getting old. Frank was right. Our son, Frank was right. Maud, Dorothy needs us. We have to go to her."

"In Minnesota? Frank we're getting ready to close the Bazaar. We don't know how long it will be before you get a new job, you can't just leave and go to Minnesota!"

"Maud, we are on the list of 2 people who are there for this little girl. She's only nine years old and needs a family to watch her. I won't watch her go to an orphanage. I won't."

"Do you believe me now Pa?"

"I do, I don't know how, but I do!"

"Are you family?" Frank took his son Frank Junior to Minnesota with him. The man who asked was at the door, a farmhand of Clara's had been in charge of the house while she was recuperating from the accident.

"I'm, we're friends of Dorothy's," Frank Junior said to the man, "Can we see her?"

"Afraid not, Clara doesn't want Dorothy to mess with folks of these parts. She's a danger to society."

"That's not true. She my best friend, I'd like to see Clara please."

"Frank let me talk, my name is Frank Baum. I'm here to speak with Clara Landy about her cousin Dorothy. I am a reporter from the Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer. Is it possible I can speak to Miss Clara?"

"A reporter? Raymond, let him in," a voice was heard.

Both Frank's walked in to see a crippled Clara in a chair.

"This is what your precious Dorothy has done to me!"

"Raymond, leave me alone."

"Yes'm," he walked away.

Clara was stitched on her face legs and arms all over, sitting inside of a wheel chair. She pulled the chair out and faced the man and his son.

"I'm sorry for your troubles Miss Landy, but I am inquiring about Dorothy? Can we see her?"

"You come here asking for Dorothy, are you a reporter or not?"

"I want to hear the story in her own words madam, for she did save your life, did she not? It is true isn't it?"

"May we speak to her? I brought a friend, someone to help me get acquainted with her so she could talk and get information."

"Upstairs, first door on the left," Clara was cold them.

Frank Junior turned to his father, "Pa, you don't own a newspaper called the Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer?" he whispered.

"Yea, but Clara doesn't know that. It's the only way we can get to Dorothy, be nice!"

Dorothy heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"If you've come to torture me go away, Clara. I will not help you up those stairs!"

"We've come to talk to you Miss Garlen."

Dorothy heard a very familiar voice beyond the walls of her room.

It couldn't be, could it? She thought to herself.

She opened the door slowly, and saw her precious Father Baum and Frank Junior standing before her. Dorothy flung her arms around him with love, and Baum just held her tenderly as she cried. Never in her life was Dorothy ever so miserable. She was never like this. Dorothy was a very happy girl with a brightened smile and hair of every brown shade imaginable. She was a wonderful little girl to love and cherish. Clara was mean and spiteful. After the death of her parents, Clara's heart grew dark and cold.

Dorothy sat in Frank's arms in fear of losing him again.

"Don't ever leave me," She whispered to him.

"Pa, how are we going to get her out of the house?"

"We can't take her away, this is her home now."

"Didn't you come to take me away with you?" she asked him.

"Dorothy, we came to see if you were alright, and you are not alright. You need our help. Clara isn't helping you. Is she hurting you?"

Dorothy looked to Frank Junior and he looked back to her.

"My father knows, Dorothy. I told him. I'm sorry. But, it was the only way to get him to come here to see you. I never saw Ozma again to take me back. Your Mirror? Where is it?"

"It shattered, Ozma saved me from Clara. Clara was going to hit me. Ozma saved me." She whispered to Baum.

"Dorothy, you do know Oz is not a true real place?"

"Father Baum, you always believed in me. You told me to believe in what I see! You encouraged me! "

"Dorothy it is a Land of fairy magic and make believe. It does not exist. We would love for it to be a truly live place where people and fairies live, but it is not a place in this world."

"I believed in you Father Baum, you promised to be there for me. please help me. I love you!"

Dorothy wrapped her arms once more around his neck; Baum was a softie when it came to Dorothy. He loved her so. He held her close to his heart.

"Alright, now how do we get ourselves out of here?" he asked.

"The window?" Frank Junior suggested as he walked toward it. "Pa, Oh gosh, it's a twister! We gotta go! There's a tornado!"

"In Minnesota? There aren't any tornados here?" But Frank held the crying little girl in his arms as he got up to look out of the window and saw the largest one that was ever seen, or tornado as ones may call it.

"Run!"

Clara was already out the door with Raymond and the other farm hands trying to help her down the stair well. Baum, Dorothy and Frank ran down the stairs and out the door to escape the approaching twister that was heading toward the house closer and closer.

"Where's the storm cellar?" He yelled to Raymond.

"Don't got one," he yelled back.

"Frank! Run! It's coming, run for your life!" his father yelled to him as they both kept running with Dorothy still in his arms as she screamed staring at the twisting funnel before her.

Suddenly an odd occurrence happened, Clara's house instead of ripping to pieces in the path of destruction was ripped off of its foundation and lifted high into the air.

"That's what happened to me! Look! Father Baum!"

"Dorothy, shush! Oh my! We have to go!"

"Look!" she kept screaming, "Clara! Clara!" Baum turned in time behind him to see the twister fade slowly into nothing at all and the small house came crashing faster and faster down from the sky.

"Wow!" Frank Junior couldn't believe what he saw before him.

"Clara!"

But, it was too late. The house crashed down hard right on top of Dorothy's cousin Clara, feet sticking out and everything.

"Not again! No! Not Clara! No! My cousin, she's-she's-"

"Sweetie, she's in heaven with her mommy and daddy, where she belong, Oh, I'll never let you go again! Never."

The before them was a messy, horrible site indeed. The Baum's never before watched such a horrid thing in their life.

Dorothy whispered to Frank in his ear, "That's how I landed on Glinda, the Wicked Witch of the West! Father Baum, look!"

"Dorothy sweetie, it was a dream," he reminded her, "It was a dream." This was cold hard reality. Cousin Clara was dead.

CHAPTER 4 -

It was about four in the morning inside of a nearby hotel on the prairie land in Minnesota. No one could sleep a wink. Since the natural disaster took Dorothy's cousin Clara two weeks ago.

"Mr. Baum thank you for taking care of Dorothy in this time of need. She appreciates your kindness. I appreciate it too," Dorothy's Aunt Emily came all the way from Colorado to attend the funeral for Clara, which had been very kind. Dorothy stuck to her and the Baum's like glue.

"The only problem is my sister doesn't have children, and won't allow Dorothy to stay with us. She isn't a person who doesn't like children well. And Dorothy isn't a bad child at all. I miss her Frank. She's my little girl," Emily said to him.

Frank cleared his throat, "For what it is worth Ms. Garlen I would love to take Dorothy in. I don't think I could handle it if I found Dorothy in an orphanage. I would love for Dorothy to come live with me, with us back in Aberdeen. Maud will probably kill me for bringing her home but after what I saw, I feel obligated to step forward and give her a chance for a nice solid home."

"Frank, could you and Maud adopt her?" Aunt Emily asked him.

"That's what I am hoping for. First I need to find a way to tell my wife."

Frank Junior was still shaken by the memories of the falling house but learned to get over it. He watched Dorothy toss and turn next to him in the next bed.

"I'm sorry Dorothy," he said to her.

"I can't stop thinking about Ozma. Why didn't you tell your father you met her too? Oz is real you met the Queen. She brought you to me. Why won't anyone believe me?"

"Pa believes in stories, stories that feel real. Stories you want to believe in. Oz is such a far-fetched idea Dorothy. Think about it."

"But, it happened! My house fell on a witch! I followed the road of yellow bricks, I met friends, I had adventures. And Billina was there! It is true!"

"But, you didn't have to tell everyone you went to Oz again! Dorothy, you couldn't have gone to Oz a second time."

"But, The Gnome King helped me, and Emmeraldina was there, I saved Oz again!"

"Oz is as real as you want it to be, Frank, " a voice was suddenly heard from somewhere inside the room.

"Oz-Ozma?" he asked aloud.

"Yes, Frank?" Ozma smiled and showed herself to him in her flowing dark, green gown from the mirror in the bedroom.

Frank hesitated to talk. But Dorothy got out of her bed and approached the mirror.

"I knew you would find me again, Ozma," Dorothy smiled to her.

"I have a proposition for you, Dorothy dear. How would you like to become a Princess of Oz?"

"Princess?" Frank junior gasped at this idea Ozma had, but how? He thought to himself?

"And if you love Aunt Em the way you say you do I want you to invite here into the Land of Oz to live with you."

"But, what about my pa? He's almost ready to adopt her as my sister!"

"Dorothy, it is up to you to do what you feel is right. If you choose the Baum home you will not need me anymore. You will be safe."

"I do need you, Ozma. You are my friend. But, Frank, Robert, Harry, and Kenneth are my friends too. And I love Father and Mother Baum very much."

Dorothy looked to Frank Junior, "I-do-love-you-too," She put her head down.

"You, love me?" he asked her as he stepped toward her.

Dorothy nodded her head yes, "Maybe I do want to be adopted. You will be my brother," Dorothy held back tears that wanted to spill for the first time in a very long time, "I love you," she whispered to him.

Frank for the first time went to her and hugged his future sister. He was man enough to admit he had feelings for Dorothy. He loved her too, "Are you ready to tell Pa you want to become my sister? I will always be here for you. And I will keep your secret about Ozma too."

"But, I won't see you again Ozma, will I?"

"I will see you more time, Dorothy. If you truly want to live with them I will let you live the remainder of your life with the Baum's. If you decide to return to Oz I shall hold a celebration here in your honor and make you a Princess! Take your time and make your decision wisely. I will be back."

Ozma disappeared as Dorothy spoke to Frank, "What do I do?"

A few days later after the funeral for cousin Clara, Dorothy was standing at a train station with Frank and his father.

"You have been on a train, have you Dorothy?" Father Baum asked her.

"Pa, she's been to Oz in a tornado, I really do not think she is afraid of trains."

"Be quiet, Goofy," he made fun of his son as he lovingly messed his sons hair up.

"Stop, pa!"

"I can't!" he picked up Dorothy, "we're finally gonna have another girl in house! Your sister, your finally going to have a sister, Frank! Your very own sister."

"I'm glad, finally a girl to pick on!"

"You love me and you know it!" She teased Frank Junior.

But, she never left Father Baum's side. She was grateful she was finally going to have a family of her very own. But, what Dorothy did not know was that Maud Baum was greatly displeased with the idea of Dorothy living with them. Maud loved Dorothy with everything her heart gave her. But, Maud knew another mouth to feed would throw the Baum family increasingly off budget. Baum's study room would need to go and in place would be Dorothy's bedroom.

Frank sat his son on one side of him inside of the train and Dorothy on the other side as the train took off to Aberdeen.

"Dorothy, what would you like inside of your new bedroom?"

"I get my own bedroom?"

"Well, we won't have you living with Kenny will we? You're a girl," Father Baum teased her.

She made a cute, funny face to him as he made one back to her.

"Father Baum, can you tell me a story?" she asked him.

"Now wait. This Father Baum stuff has to go. How would you like to call me Pa? Would you like that Dorothy?" he smiled to her sweetly.

"And I can call Mother Baum, my Ma? And both of you will be my very own Ma and pa? Can I really?"

"Only if we can call you our daughter?"

She thought to herself, "It's a deal! But, you were going to adopt me anyway, Pa, right?" she put her head on his side leaning again her new father.

Frank couldn't stop smiling to her "Your right. I love you Dorothy Alexandria Baum."

"That's right Garlen won't be my last name anymore," she frowned.

"But, you'll have us forever," he reminded her.

"Hello, Dorothy," Maud smiled to her as she opened the door to let them all inside.

Dorothy went up to Maud and hugged her greatly, "Thank you for letting me be with you," small tears welled into her eyes.

"It's always a joy to be with you," Maud told her, "I have lemonade and cookies waiting for you all. Come inside."

Dorothy finally felt as if she were home, but still couldn't shake the feeling that she left her friends in the wind to be forgotten. She needed them as much as they needed her. Oz was still her clutch; it was where her heart was. But, a family is what she wanted more than anything in the world with a mother and father, now she was to have brothers.

CHAPTER 4 .... CONTINUED!

Days had soon passed into weeks, and weeks had passed into months. Dorothy was fitting in well into the Baum household. But Dorothy hadn't been feeling well at all. Maud and Frank were needed to sign the last of the papers to complete the adoption. However, more hardships fell to the Baum family. Baum's family store the Baum's Bazaar had faded from existence and he used a printing press and started a newspaper called the Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer. And Dorothy along with their son Harry had fallen ill with what was thought to be the fever. Harry however was feeling much better than usual but Dorothy seemed to be getting completely worse by the day. It was Maud who took it upon herself, and concerned for the child's interest called up her Aunt Em for guidance.

Within 2 weeks time Emily had taken yet another vacation to see her niece Dorothy. She was not well at all. Maud feared the worst, and tried to approach her husband and children gracefully. Frank everyday prayed for a miracle. He loved that little girl like it was his own. His heart ached for her to get better, the more vulnerable he was to her the more he felt his heart would break. He loved her.

One night Dorothy told him and her aunt Em about the time she met her friend Tik tok for the first time. It had reminded her of the first time she had met the Tin Man from her first visit to Oz. She was grateful to have been to another land other than ours.

"My chest hurts pa," she felt as if she could barely breathe as her eyes lids began to close again.

"Dorothy, look to me. Keep you're eyes on me. You must not sleep," Frank feared if she fell asleep he'd lose her forever, "Dorothy, why don't you tell Aunt Em when we went to the circus? I will see Ma for a moment ok?"

"Ok," was all she could say.

Aunt Em moved closer and Frank got up and went over to a half fallen Maud with tears down her face. She sat at the table clutching her face in her hands.

"Maud?"

"Oh, Frank. The adoption agency is closing down the first of the month," she held back, "They want their papers. We're losing her to the sickness. These bills are never ending. The medicine worked for Harry but they won't work on her. Why? Frank, Why? Why are we losing her? What are we going to do?"

"Maud, listen to me. We are not out of this yet. Dorothy still has a fighting chance, she does. My little girl-no, our little girl is going to make it. Are you listening to me Maud? Maud? Our Dorothy will fight this. She will make it and everything will be the same again!"

"But, Frank our home, the money? It's going to Dorothy's needs. Frank, we need food, we need to live! Dorothy is dying. Frank, Dorothy is dying. Our little- is-is dying," Maud cried in his arms, "Dorothy."

"Frank? Frank?" Emily called to him urgently, "Lyman Frank Baum!"

He ran into the room and bent near Dorothy's side, "Dorothy?"

"Pa? I can see the sands. The desert is pretty and someone is waiting for me."

"Dorothy, honey, come back to me, I need to talk to you. Dorothy!"

"Pa, I love you," she whispered to him.

Soon, Dorothy was unconscious. Not dead but, in another state of being, one where she was being summoned to. Dorothy felt as if she were going into a balloon and fell on the other side of the desert into a land of wonder. She looked around and saw greatness like the first time she had walked out of her front door into the Land of Oz.

"Ozma! My dear friend," she hugged her greatly. Suddenly Dorothy knew instinctively where she belonged, and it wasn't with the Baum family.

"Dorothy, my powers can heal you and you will never be sick again. If I do this you must promise to come live with me in Oz, inside of the Emerald City. You will live with your friends and me. You are a very special person indeed to have crossed over into our land twice. I give you immunity and a secure place to live among us here within the walls of our land."

"Frank, she is dead! Get the coroner! And the priest! Why won't you move?" Maud was frustrated that her husband wouldn't listen to her.

Frank ands his sons stared into the face of nothingness upon Dorothy, she appeared to them as if she were gone. All of them were utterly miserable and lost without her.

"Frank!"

"Dorothy, your time in the place of Aberdeen, South Dakota is gone. If you decide to return you will have to cross over."

"Am I dead?"

"In Oz, you never die," Ozma smiled to her.

Dorothy didn't think twice. She loved the Baum's wholeheartedly she loved them dearly. But, the sickness had taken her and she wanted to live. Ozma offered her a chance, which she didn't refuse. Dorothy wanted to live, but to live in Oz she needed her body.

"I am only a shadow in his existence," Dorothy saw she only mirrored a picture of a young girl.

"Watch me."

CHAPTER 5

"Frank where is she?" Maud was livid.

Frank, Emily and his sons had seen with their eyes Dorothy's body fade away from existence. Dorothy's body was no longer on the bed before them.

"Where did she go?" Emily demanded, "Frank you better give me an explanation for this! She is my niece!"

"Emily there is absolutely no explanation she's not here!"

"Pa, I can tell you where she is!" his son told him.

Frank Junior went to the big gilded mirror, "Ok witch speak! I know you hear me, I saw you! Bring her back! I want you to bring my sister back! Ozma, I swear if you don't," Frank threatened the mirror.

"Son, she's gone. Dorothy is dead, and her body isn't here. Why are you threatening a mirror?" Frank asked his son.

"Because that's how Ozma brought me to Dorothy in Minnesota! She used her magic!"

"Frank, right now the impossible is possible. We just watched Dorothy's body vanish before us. If magic is in our hands you better tell me what is going on!"

"Pa, Ozma is real. There really is a place called Oz. She met these friends, Ozma is queen and I am in the middle of all this! I am not making this up. Ozma saw me. I spoke to her. This mirror is a portal to Oz. Ozma!" he called her, "My father knows, I know. Her aunt Em knows, my brothers know even my mother knows about Oz!"

"Frank Junior!" his mother demanded to stop.

"No mother, this time I will not stop. We lost her. Even her body is gone! Ozma took her away from us; she is the one who did it. That's the reason this doesn't make sense."

"Frank!" all of them tried to make him stop rambling on his antics.

"It's real, I was there!" Frank stood before the mirror.

"Contact with the other side must not be established, Frank. You of all people must know that," A glow sharpened through the mirror and landed in the room as the appearance of Queen Ozma was spilled before them, "I am Ozma, Queen and Ruler of the Land of Oz."

"is this a joke?" Maud stared at the mirror.

"This is no joke Madam. I am Queen."

Where is Dorothy?" her husband Frank demanded.

"Dorothy Gale is in her room here in the emerald City. The Straw Man is with her of course."

"There is a man made of straw?" Emily asked concerned.

" Yes and he is one of Dorothy's good friends of course," Ozma said to her, "Here is what happened. In Oz, one never dies. Dorothy, my friend and confidant has earned her right to live here permanently within the walls of my land. I have brought her here to live."

"This is absolutely absurd!" Maud cried out to her, "If she is alive bring her to us! Give us our daughter!"

"If I bring her to you, sadly you will mourn your loss of our sweet Dorothy Gale. She will not live and I cannot cure her in a non magical civilized land ."

"Cure our Dorothy and bring her to us! Can you do that? Do it! Prove your magic, prove it!" Emily demanded.

"Magic only keeps her alive within the walls of my kingdom. She is well, and alive she is," Ozma smiled.

"But, we never will be able to see her again. My son was right this whole time," Frank was saddened and hurt, "What can we do?"

"Wait for the son to shine, it always does."

"The papers, the adoption, the sickness, it's as if she never existed and all of this is left unfinished. You can't just take our little girl away from us Dorothy belongs to us. Dorothy is a part of us. There has to be a way to keep her alive, here. Her stories were inspiring. The characters she thought up were real. Her adventures of grandeur were creative and imaginative. You mean to tell me that we have to give up Dorothy to Oz? Why do we have to leave her with you? What if I want to bury my daughter in piece and mourn her as my own? Why can't I do that? I signed papers for her you didn't. You do illegal magic on American territory!" Frank yelled to her, "I want my daughter!"

"Dorothy decided to live here on her own."

"I want to speak to my daughter!"

"Frank!"

"Let me see my daughter!"

The scene changed before him, he saw a happily laughing little girl watching her stuffed friend act gaily as he stood on his head. He was stuffed entirely of straw. The Pumpkin headed creature sat beside her shaking his head from side to side. As the Tin Man watched from behind. The throne to the Emerald City was one step above them with the insignia OZ labeled inside.

Baum heard Ozma speaking, "Do you want to take Dorothy away from this? Dorothy can be alive and well. There isn't much fear in the Land of Oz. If you take her, you bury her and put her memory in a grave beside her forever. She cannot be saved in your world, Frank Baum. Dorothy can live forever, would like her to?"

"I want her to," Maud said to him.

"I do too," Emily agreed as his sons nodded.

"Frank she belongs there. She is safe. All we have to say is that she ran away to never come back. No one will ever find her. This will be for the best. If this Ozma can provide for her then we must do as Dorothy wishes." Maud told him. Frank just walked away.

Frank tossed and turned for hours, he couldn't get the conversation with Queen Ozma out of his head. Was everyone right? Is Dorothy better in a strange land than with the Baum's? Frank thought Dorothy was happy with them. Was he wrong? Could this Ozma provide for Dorothy what was needed? Was Dorothy happy? Frank missed her terribly, his new daughter was his pride and joy. Finally he got up, pacing the hall downstairs near his daughter's room. In the room sat a desk with paper and pen. Frank loved a good story and enjoyed the ones Dorothy told him but he couldn't quite make out what happened. And what had happened to who? Frank sat down at this desk, his writing down thoughts came quickly to what really happened to Dorothy on her first and second trip to you see is that
a tornado landed her on top of the Glinda, the Wicked Witch of the West. A Tin Woodman found her house had dropped on the witch in Winkie Country. He escorted her to the Emerald City, but before they approached the city the met Tip a young boy about the same age as Dorothy. He and his servant the Scarecrow wanted to meet the Wizard so he could help them get home too. Tip wanted to get to the Land of Ev. that was where he lived. the tornado took him away from home. Soon they got to the Emerald City and the Wizard granted Tip's wish, but the Scarecrow remained living with the Wizard as his servant. The wizard tiring of being in charge of someone else's Kingdom set forth with Dorothy, the Tin Woodman, and the Scarecrow to find the Queen of Oz. They ventured East down a road of yellow bricks to find Mombi, the Good Witch. The Wizard and Dorothy found a lunch pail tree and ate dinner as the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman kept watch, they never slept and watched their friends. Dorothy found a pair of silver shoes the next day that fell off of a shoe tree. She put them on and came across the valley of the Kalidahs. The Tin Woodman scared them away with his axe as they found the castle of Mombi the Good Witch. But, the winged monkeys had her castle under attack. The Wizard told Mombi of his troubles. The Scarecrow was given status as King and the Wizard left Oz in a balloon. The Tin Woodman would live with Mombi forever and Dorothy was told her shoes would bring her home once she clicked the heels three times.

Dorothy's second journey to Oz was more complex. After being chased by doctor's into the woods Dorothy met with a young girl in the forest who brought her to a nearby river. Dorothy fell and rolled into a near by boat. The boat in the water traveled down stream but all wasn't well, the water in the river was hit by lightening. This projected her into an unknown realm. And she was again unsure of where she was. Dorothy found the shoes that were lost on her feet the first time but they were covered in red dust and did not know if they had been tampered with. she put them on and raced to find the Emerald City. She met a Lion, a chicken named Billina, and Tik tok a mechanical machine in her travels enroute to find the Emerald City. Dorothy and her friends found a poppy field and soon fell asleep. it was because of the Lions bravery everyone was saved. The Emerald City was found to be turned to stone, everyone was frightened they would be next. The Scarecrow was no where to be found. But, an old lady named Emmeraldina was to be in charge of the Emerald City in the Scarecrow's stead. She had 30 crowns, one for each mood to ever be in. The Scarecrow was found by Dorothy and her new friends in the attic of the Emerald City, he had put together a magical sawhorse as the lead, and set forth to put a Gump's head onto some couch's with powerful wings on both and used the Powder of Life to bring the Emeralds and color along with everyone back to life. All of them traveled to the Gnome King's Mountain to find a way to stop Princess Emmeraldina. They traveled until they couldn't continue to be awake any more. When the woke up they noticed they were in a place called Munchkinland with tiny small little people claiming Dorothy killed the witch who once held them in bondage. A celebration brought Dorothy and her friends closer to the Gnome King. He declared Queen Ozma to have been kidnapped and changed into a boy named Tip! Dorothy tried to see if the shoes she had worked. Tip came to Oz from Ev, and Dorothy revealed Ozma as the Queen, but not before The Wicked Witch of the West dropped in to get her revenge on Dorothy once in for all. The Gnome King saved Dorothy and her friends but it was Dorothy who dropped a bucket of water on the old lady first. She was electrocuted to death, sparks flew everywhere! Queen Ozma took the throne after the Gnome King gave Queen Ozma back her powers which he held for her. The Lion served as her royal pet and friend. Billina stayed in the barn just outside the Emerald City. And Tik tok became Ozma's Royal Army of Oz. Ozma fixed the shoes, which were now ruby slippers. And brought Dorothy home once more.

What spilled out between the pages was magical and inspiring. But it wasn't an ideal storyline to stick to. It was an idea that stuck into his mind, a rewrite, with a different ending and twists. The what if's that made these stories seem to work. Frank was vigorous in his thinking. Dorothy and her adventures inspired him. Realizing this place was real affected him greatly because Dorothy was there. Dorothy was the character that these adventures happened to attract to. It was Dorothy who started him on the track of story telling. Frank was a storyteller at heart, but it was Dorothy who his heart beat for. Her ideas with his, he knew could become positive stories and novels if he ever started to write these ideas down.

"Frank? What's the matter? It's 6 o'clock in the morning. Are you alright?"

"I just had an idea. A stupid, small crazy idea. I'll get to work."

Frank put his work away, into a draw in the desk of the room and walked away.

"Are you well Frank Baum?" the vision before him asked.

"No. You have taken the life of a child I love and gave her essence into the vortex of a magical land. How do you think I feel Ozma?" Frank was talking to Ozma through the mirror the next night.

"I am sorry Frank. I didn't want my friend to die. I needed her to live and be by my side as Princess. I thought you of all people would understand my position."

"You have magic on your side. I don't understand your position. I do however require your thoughts. If you would allow me. I would eventually like to record your adventures one day into what we call books. Have you heard of them?"

"Certainly, they are fairly new here in the Library of H.M.T.E. You can learn a lot from them," she smiled from the mirror to him.

"Then you may understand my question. And think well dear Queen for only my family and Dorothy's aunt knows our secret. I want to take your stories of your adventures and put them down onto paper, into books, for all the world to see. They will be edited of course. And rearranged just so. Just enough to put belief into American culture with a sense of magic and the stories of a young girl. And other great stories possibly if you would allow me. You see, I never really believed any of this ever existed. But, the characters seem so real, fragrant and what happened is timeless and classic. Let me write a story about a young girl, give me time of course. Let me think and get out some of the kinks. I want to publish myself, somehow. If I can. Ozma let me try this and I will drop all claim on Dorothy just so I can see her once again. Please Ozma, give me a chance to talk to her once in a while. The world needs to know of her adventures. This world needs a new happy place and I believe it could be Oz. No one knows about this portal to a new world, Ozma. Please give me a chance to prove myself. This could work, it can!"

Ozma thought hard on this silently. She knew Frank and his family now needed to keep her secret, "On one condition. Distinguishing the world of Oz is fantasy, and not real. You can, per say pretend it is. Would this help your stories and set them on a path for story telling?"

Frank knew that would become an excellent idea.

"One more thing Frank. I gave Dorothy a title to adhere to, and to help me and my people with their needs. You of course have met my requirement as needed with the Land of Oz. I hereby decree that you, Lyman Frank Baum, are the Royal Historian to the Land of Oz!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . TO BE CONTINUED BY THR ROYAL HISTORIAN HIMSELF:

L. FRANK BAUM