A/N: This is my first "Wizard of Oz" story, though I am somewhat of a regular in the "Wicked" section on the site. I'm a big fan of the Wicked Witch of the West and prefer the "Wicked" view of how the story went. But then I had this one-shot idea, which fits here instead.
This is based on the 1939 movie, but it isn't entirely incompatible with the book.
Disclaimer: L. Frank Baum wrote the book; MGM did the movie.
Wicked Witch of Kansas
Dorothy sat up in bed, carefully sipping some of Auntie Em's delicious vegetable soup. It had been a day since her wonderful adventure in Oz – or had it been only a dream after all? – and the young girl was still confined to her room.
Her spoon scraped the bottom of the bowl, and Auntie Em, who had been sitting on the bed, took the dish from her.
"How do you feel?"
Dorothy yawned. "Fine. I'm a little tired."
Her aunt nodded and stood. "Sleep. You're still recovering."
Toto leapt onto the covers and snuggled up to his mistress. Dorothy scratched him behind the ears.
"Auntie Em!" she asked suddenly.
"Yes, honey?"
"Will Miss Gulch come back for Toto?" She held the dog protectively to her chest.
Auntie Em sighed sadly and took her seat once more, setting the bowl aside. She took her niece's hand.
"Child," she began softly, "Miss Gulch is dead."
Dorothy's eyes widened. "How?"
"We believe she had a heart attack because of the twister."
"Oh, no!" Dorothy fell back onto her pillow. Despite the fact that she had never been fond of the older woman, death was something she would not want for anyone. "Her family must be very sad."
"I'm sure they would be, if there was a family," Auntie Em murmured.
"She was alone?" Dorothy was horrified. Suddenly she felt very remorseful for all the encounters she and her neighbor had had in the past years. "What about her funeral?"
"A few families are taking charge of the burial. There will be a short service tomorrow." Auntie Em leaned across and kissed Dorothy on the head, standing to leave again. "Don't fret, honey. Her soul is with God now."
A tear slipped down Dorothy's cheek anyway. "Auntie Em?"
Her aunt was halfway out the door, but she turned at the sad little voice. "What is it?"
"May I go to the funeral?"
Aunte Em's eyebrows flew up. She looked genuinely shocked. "I don't think that's the best idea, Dorothy…funerals are no place for children."
"Please?" Dorothy begged. "I need to say I'm sorry."
"Sorry?"
"For letting Toto chase her old cat and get in her garden, and-oh, please, Auntie Em, just for a little while?"
Dorothy's face was so earnest and hopeful that Auntie Em sighed and finally nodded.
"All right. But just for a few minutes! And you need to rest tonight, or you aren't leaving this house tomorrow."
"I will. I'll go to sleep right now." Dorothy obediently turned down the lamp and rolled over, pulling the covers up to her chin.
Auntie Em shut the door.
--
The next day, Dorothy washed her face and brushed out her hair, rebraiding it carefully. She put on her Sunday dress and took Auntie Em's hand as the two hurried down the road to the funeral. Toto had been shut in Dorothy's room so he couldn't follow them.
When they reached Miss Gulch's house, where a few other people milled about, Auntie Em slowed and looked down at her niece.
"Are you quite certain you want to go inside, Dorothy?"
Dorothy wasn't, but she nodded and took a deep breath. "Yes."
The little girl clung tightly to her aunt's hand as they went inside. The house was nearly identical to the Gale's. The main room contained several simple pieces of furniture. Miss Gulch's cat was watching the activities from an old chair. It hissed and disappeared under a covered table when it saw Dorothy.
Auntie Em released Dorothy's hand and turned to talk with a few neighbors also in the room.
Dorothy looked around. The dining room and kitchen were open to the main room. There was also a door in the far wall, open just a crack. Unnoticed, Dorothy crept closer to it. Trembling in anticipation of what waited inside, she pushed the door open a bit more and peered into the room.
She froze in terror. Miss Gulch lay on her bed, hands folded across her chest and eyes closed in a peaceful, eternal sleep. The woman looked very dead and slightly…green.
Dorothy let out a squeak, turned, and fled.
"Dorothy!" Auntie Em called after her, but the child didn't stop running until she had reached the safety of her own bedroom and flung herself onto the bed.
Toto licked his mistress helpfully, and Dorothy burst into tears, cuddling the small animal.
"She died all alone. No one loved her. She wasn't really such a mean person, but everybody needs somebody, and she was lonely. We were so cruel to her. Oh, Toto!"
A short time later, when she had calmed somewhat, she remembered the Wicked Witch of the West, from Oz. The Witch had been Oz's Miss Gulch, of course. And if Miss Gulch was lonely, then…
"I'll bet the Wicked Witch was alone, too," Dorothy reflected mournfully. "All she had were those horrible flying monkeys. And it's my fault. I killed her sister. I didn't mean to, but I still did it. And then I killed her, too!" She sniffled and seemed close to crying again.
Toto barked.
Dorothy took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. "You're right, Toto. It's too late to do anything about it. And I suppose if her heart wasn't wicked, then she's in a better place now, as Auntie Em said. But I think I'll pray for her - them - just in case."
And she sent up a prayer for the souls of the witches of Kansas and Oz.
A/N: Hm. Dorothy was a little OOC, maybe. I'm not her biggest fan. Little brat, takes a dead woman's shoes...(That was a quote from "Wicked.")
You know what to do now...