The
Boy of
OZ 2000.
Episode 1: The Millennium.
Kansas
February 2nd, (2000)
In the countryside of Kansas, February 2nd, 2000, 10-year old Aiden Parker and his mother, Sharon, and his little Jack Russell Terrier dog, Friday, were standing outside of their new home, with both mother and son having two green suitcases. Their green car and a U-Hall truck were parked outside. After the event of last year with Aiden's father and grandmother kidnapping him, they decided to move somewhere else to get away from all the press, media and other sources of attention that were in Tennessee. And since this was the beginning of the 21st century-the millennium-Sharon figured now was the perfect time to start over somewhere new.
Aiden's long brown hair was now light brown and went down to his neck while Sharon's blond hair had been cut and was now short.
"Oh, look at it, Aiden. Isn't it just beautiful?" Sharon said as she, Aiden and Friday looked at the house in front of them.
"Yeah, it's great." Said Aiden. "I just wish that Dad, grandma Viv and my little brother or sister were here to see it." He thought to himself.
"Well...let's get our stuff moved into the house and begin this new chapter of our lives then, shall we?" Said Sharon, looking at Aiden.
"Let's get to it." Aiden agreed. "Mom's right. This is a new chapter in our lives. I'd better not think about my Dad, grandma Viv or deceased unborn sibling. It'll make me too sad." He thought.
With all of that said and thought, Sharon and Aiden picked up their suitcases and they and Friday walked up to the house and went inside to begin the new start of their lives.
THREE HOURS LATER...
Three hours later after Sharon and Aiden helped the two male movers unload their stuff off the U-Hall and move it into their new place, Sharon had payed them for their service and they left in their U-Hall truck.
Aiden and Sharon were now sitting in the kitchen at the kitchen table where Aiden was telling her his story about his journey through Oz again.
"So i clicked my magic shoes together three times while i was on board the UFO and it brought me home in a flash." Said Aiden.
"Hmm...well...that's quite a story, dear." Said Sharon.
"Oh, i know it's hard to believe...but all it really happened, it did." Said Aiden. "Anyway, the magic shoes belonged to the wicked witch Dorothy's house fell on."
"Hmm...the wicked witch. Well, my goodness, quite a place." Said Sharon before placing her hand on Aiden's forehead.
"Why are you doing that?" Aiden asked.
Sharon removed her hand from Aiden's forehead. "Just checking. There's no fever. You feel alright?" She said.
"I feel fine, Mom, don't worry, i'm not delirious." Said Aiden.
"Now tell me again. This place is called Oz?" Said Sharon.
"Yes." Aiden said.
"As in the land that it written about in books by L. Frank Baum and made into a movie and TV shows? That land of Oz?" Sharon asked.
"That's right." Aiden answered.
"And it's nowhere near Africa, and when you, Dorothy and Toto were there, your best friends were a Scarecrow, a Tin Man and a Lion. Hmm...Aiden, you can't really expect me to believe that." Said Sharon.
"But it's true, Mom, Oz exist. Oh, if only Dorothy were here. She'd tell you it's all true, she'd tell you that i'm not lying. She loves Oz as much as me." Said Aiden.
"Now, Aiden, i'm not accusing you of lying here, but i better take you to see the doctor. You know, just to see if you hit your head and dreamed all this nonsense while you were in your coma." Said Sharon.
"But i'm not imagining it, it's not nonsense, every word is true." Said Aiden.
"Hmm...about those magic shoes of your's. Where are they?" Sharon asked.
"I don't know. I guess they must've fallen off somewhere in the river of Africa." Said Aiden.
"That's a shame. If you had them, you could show me exactly how you did it. I must have lost them when i landed in the river in Africa. So much for me proving i'm not lying." Said Aiden.
"Oh, forget it. That's not important. All that matters is that you're home safe and sound." Said Sharon. "Now, come on, let's have some hot coco." She said as she got up from the table.
"Well, i am with you on that, Mom."Said Aiden as he stood up from the table. "Even in Oz, there's nothing like you're hot coco."
"Hahahaha!" Sharon laughed.
...
That night in his bedroom, Aiden was lying in his be with Friday lying beside him asleep.
"I know it's hard to believe me, Friday." Said Aiden before looking out the window at the night sky. "If i hadn't been there, i probably wouldn't believe it either. Somewhere far, far away there's a scarecrow and a man made of tin who walk and talk. And where there's a Lion, who once was afraid of his own shadow." The light brown-haired boy looked at his dog. "Someday i'll take you and Mom there...if it's real" He said before closing his eyes and falling asleep. Truth be told, he didn't really know for sure if Oz was a real place or not. He wasn't really certain if Oz was real or if he simply dreamed the whole thing while in his coma like his Mom and grandparents said he had. But he was determined to find out.
/
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Sharon was sitting at the table talking to her mother, Viki, on her gray flip cell phone about Aiden.
"Oh, Mom, i'm worried about Aiden. He must have hit his head...I don't know, he looks healthy enough to me...You're right. Maybe after a good night sleep, he'll wake up having forgotten all about this Oz is real nonsense...You're right. Let's just be thankful he's come back to us...Mom...when i saw him standing outside the hospital...Yeah, it's a miracle. Kiss Dad for me, okay?...Thanks. Love you...Good night." Sharon then ended the call and closed her cell phone.
The short blond-haired woman then placed her phone on the table and got up and headed out of the kitchen and into the livingroom where she went up the stairs and stopped at the door to Aiden's bedroom. She quietly opened the door a crack and peaked inside and saw lying in his bed asleep, with his dog, Friday, sleeping beside him. Sharon smiled at the cute sight and then quietly closed the door.
...
February 3rd, (2000)
The next morning after breakfast, Sharon stood outside the house beside the driver door of her car, holding her car key. She opened the door, got inside, closed the door, and then put her seatbelt on.
"All set, everybody?" Sharon asked as she looked at Aiden, who was sitting in the front passenger seat with his seatbelt on, holding Friday in his arms.
"Yep." Aiden said. "I can't wait to go into town. I'm so glad you're taking me with you, Mom."
"Well, i wouldn't dream of letting you run off by yourself. Last time you did, you wounded up on a plane that crashed in Africa. Besides, i have a wonderful suprise for you when we get into town, Aiden." Said Sharon.
"A su-a suprise? Oh, boy!" Said Aiden.
Sharon put the key in the ignition and started the car. She then turned and drove off from the house, heading for the town of Kansas.
OZ
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Sharon drove her green car through the town of Kansas, heading for her destination. Inside the car, Aiden looked around at the beautiful, peaceful town as his drove through it.
"This town is nice, but you should see the Emerald City." Said Aiden.
"Oh, yes, the Emerald City. What's it like, Aiden?" Sharon said.
"It's beautiful. It has a huge palace of a mountain top." Said Aiden.
"Were ever in the palace?" Sharon asked.
"Yes, of course. First i visited the wizard, then after he left, i stayed there with Scarecrow. He's the king of Oz now." Said Aiden.
"A Scarecrow, king?" Said Sharon. "Now i've heard everything."
"The wizard made Scarecrow king before he left. Dorothy and Toto were suppose to leave with him, but his balloon got away." Said Aiden.
"His balloon got away, huh?" Said Sharon. "Oh, brother." She thought. Sharon continued driving through town.
"Oh, boy!" Aiden said as he and Friday looked out the front passenger window and saw a huge carnival and a circus up ahead. "The carnival and the circus are in town, oh boy! Is that the suprise?"
"Yes, dear." Said Sharon.
"Wow, a circus and a carnival rolled into one. How could it get any better?" Said Aiden. "Look, a trained Bear." He said as he looked out his window at a huge brown Bear in a red circus cage. "Whoa, he's so big." As the car drove by the circus/carnival, Aiden gasped when he spotted the back of a black-haired guy who looked to be about in his early 20s. "Oh my gosh. No, it can't be." As the green car drove past the guy, his face was revealed, revealing his eyes to be brown. "It is, it's him. It's Joey, The Wizard Of Oz."
"Huh? What did you say?" Sharon asked.
"I'm sure it was him. It had to be." Said Aiden.
"Aiden, this is Kansas, not Oz." Said Sharon.
"I know, but the wizard left Oz." Said Aiden as he turned to his mother. "That's what i was just telling you, remember? He left in a balloon to come here. This is where he's from."
"You don't say." Said Sharon before stopping the car.
"Oh, yeah, i just remebered, the wizard told me he was from (1986) Omaha, Nebraska. He grew up there in an orphanage after his parents were killed in a vehicle accident." Said Aiden.
"Now wait a second, Aiden, you're going too fast. It's hard to keep up with you." Said Sharon, looking at Aiden.
"Can i go talk to him? Can i, please?" Aiden asked.
"Well, if you think it'll help...sure, why not?" Said Sharon.
"Thanks, Mom, you're the best." Said Aiden before unbuckling his seatbelt, opening the passenger door, getting out of the car, closing the door back, and running off for the carnival, with Friday in his arms.
"I really believed him. Now...i'm afraid it's all too farfetched to be true. But maybe he'll come to his senses when that guy turns out to be a stranger. I hope so." Sharon thought.
/
Now inside the carnival, Aiden rushed up to a huge red and white stripped circus tent, where two men were working, stopped in his tracks, and preceeded to sneak inside, hoping the two men wouldn't spot him and Friday.
"Huh?" Said the man on the right side of the tent as he noticed Aiden trying to sneak inside the tent with his dog he held in his arms. "You can't go in there, kid." He said as he blocked Aiden's path to the tent's entrance. "The show doesn't open until tomorrow. We're still sett'n things up. For all i know, there's a Lion roamin' around in there and Lions aren't exactly friendly. So go on now, scoot."
"Some Lions are friendly. But anyway, i only wanted to see the wizard. He's a friend of mine, honest." Said Aiden.
"Huh?" Said the man in confusion. "Did you say you have a friend who's a wizard who's with the circus?"
"Yes, that's right. He was here a minute ago." Said Aiden.
"Well, a wizard, hmm?" Said the man.
"Haha! Sure, kid. We all know about the wizard We all know about the wizard around here. We're all under his spell right now, we're all frogs." Said the other man laughingly while holding a mallet.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The two men laughed as the adult Joey exited the tent.
Aiden took notice of this. "There you are, Mr. Wizard." He said, stopping Joey in his tracks.
"Huh?" Said Joey, noticing Aiden.
The two men then looked and saw Joey standing behind them.
Joey then resumed walking away.
"Mr. Wizard!" Said Aiden before he chased after the man, with Friday barking. "No, Mr. Wizard, wait!" He said as he rushed up to Joey from behind, with Friday barking again, making the man stop in his tracks.
"Huh?" Said the two men.
"There's someone else who thinks that guy's a wizard." Said the man.
"Maybe he is." Said the man holding the mallet before he and the other man looked at each other.
Friday barked some more.
"AAHAHAHAHAHA!" The two men laughed.
"It's me, Danny. You must remember me. Why won't you say something?" Aiden asked.
"Uh, look, um, i gotta go." Said Joey before proceeding to walk off.
"No, please, wait." Said Aiden as he grabbed Joey by the arm. "At least tell me you know who i am."
"Oh, i know that, Danny." Said Joey.
Aiden let go of the man's arm. "Then why are you acting like this?"
"Uuuh...acting like what?" Joey asked.
"Like you're scared of me. What's going on around here?" Aiden said.
"Hey, Mr. Wizard, wait! HAHAHAHA!" Said the man as he and the other man walked off laughing.
"You got a rabbit up your sleeve, Mr. Wizard? AAHAHAHAHAHA!" Said the other man, laughing with his partner.
"Come on, Danny, let's go to my tent." Said Joey.
"Call me Aiden. That's my real name. Aiden Parker."
"Oh, i see. Okay. Very well...Aiden." Said Joey before he and Aiden walked off, heading for his tent.
/
Once they were inside the tent, Joey sat down on a crate. "Sit down."
"Okay." Said Aiden before sitting down on a crate in front of Joey, facing him.
"I'm sorry, Dan-uh, Aiden. It's just i talk about Oz being a real place now that i'm home. You see, no one believed me when i made it back to 1986's Omaha. They thought i lost my mind. They wanted to put me away." Said Joey.
"Well, i know how you feel. My Mom doesn't really believe me either. Of course i told her and my grandparents that my going to Oz was just a dream and nothing more." Said Aiden.
"Yeah, that's just what i did too. But can you blame your family for not believing you if you told them? By the way, i'm sorry about leaving without you and Dorothy, but you were better off in Oz. I drifted for weeks before landing in Kansas." Said Joey.
"Oh, no, you were going to Omaha, not Kansas. You mean, Dorothy could've been home sooner?" Said Aiden.
"Well, in a way, yes, but as i said, you and Dorothy wouldn't have enjoyed the trip. And besides, the Kansas i landed in was set in 1986, not the 1900's Kansas that Dorothy came from. Speaking of which, how did you get here?" Said Joey.
"Glinda showed Dorothy how to use the magic shoes to get home. Then the shoes ended up on my feet and i used them to get back home just like Dorothy did." Aiden explained, leaving everything out about the UFO.
"Oh." Said Joey.
"Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow and i took Dorothy to see Glinda. It was no picnic getting to her palace...but she made the trip worth it." Said Aiden.
"Ahh. Glinda, the kindest person i've ever met. I'd like to see her again." Said Joey.
"Oh, would you really? Sounds like you miss Oz, Joey. Are you sure you can't get back? Scarecrow would be delighted to have you live palace." Aiden said.
"Oh, if only i could, Aiden, but i wouldn't risk it again. Especially now that Sarah and i are a family with the TV guy i told you about back in Oz." Said Joey.
"You mean, he adopted you and Sarah? I can't believe it." Aiden asked.
"Yes he did. He adopted us the day i came back from Oz." Said Joey. "But anyway, a hot-air-balloon is so unpredictable, especially if it's a time machine."
"Oh, well, i suppose circus and carnival life is exciting too, Mr. Wizard." Said Aiden.
"Aiden, would you please stop calling me that? As you know only too well, i'm not a wizard at all and the workers here love to tease me about it. No, i don't talk about Oz being a real place, and i advise you not to either. It would just stir up trouble." Said Joey.
"What do you do in the circus and carnival?" Aiden asked.
"I'm the ringmaster. It's exciting sometimes, but not as exciting as Oz, right?" Said Joey.
"Mm-mm. No, nothing's as exciting as Oz. Sometimes it's too exciting. These days i'm happy to be home." Said Aiden.
"Ah, the only home i've ever had. Sometimes i wish i had never left Oz, Aiden." Said Joey before standing up.
"Excuse me," Said the man Aiden spoke with earlier as he pulled back the curtain. "peraid's starting, Mr. Wizard. HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Get out!" Said Joey before the man let got of the curtain, allowing it to close. "Ugh. See what i mean? Well, bye for now, i've gotta go to work."
"I understand." Said Aiden.
Joey then walked off and stopped at the tent's entrance/exit. "Ah, i'd give anything to be back in Oz, i truly would. I miss it more and more everyday. Ah, well, who knows? Maybe someday, somehow, i'll get back there." He said before exiting the tent.
Aiden then stood up and looked on at the entrance of the tent that Joey had exited through.
/
Aiden rushed inside a store to meet up with his mother, Sharon.
"Aiden. You're back. Did you see your friend, the wizard?" Said Sharon.
"Yes, but-"
"But what, sweetheart?" Sharon asked, cutting Aiden off.
"Well, i..." Aiden began.
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Come on. Let's buy you some things." Said Sharon.
OZ
Later, after finishing up their shopping at the store, Sharon and Aiden were back in the car and were now heading back home, with Aiden still holding Friday in his arms.
Aiden then looked in the rearview mirror to see the carnival that he and his mother were leaving behind.
"Should be quite a show, huh?" Sharon said.
"Huh?" Aiden asked as he looked at his mother.
"The circus, i mean." Said Sharon.
"Oh. Yeah." Said Aiden.
"Aiden...mind if i ask what happened when you went to find that wizard guy?" Said Sharon.
"He doesn't look like the wizard. He wasn't the wizard at all." Said Aiden.
"Oh, i'm sorry to hear that. You must have been disappointed." Said Sharon.
"Yes." Said Aiden as he continued looking out the front passenger window. "I suppose there's only one way to make you believe in Oz, and that's to take you."
"Huh?" Said Sharon.
"I don't know how to do it..." Aiden began. "but wouldn't it be cool if we could all visit Oz together?" He said as he turned to Sharon.
"Uhhhh...why, of course it would, Aiden, of course it would." Said Sharon.
"The shoes. If i had the silver magic shoes, there might be a way." Said Aiden before looked out his window again. It was sad that his own mother didn't believe him about Oz being a real place. He guessed that's why he probably never talked about it again with anyone until now. Now, if he only had the silver magic shoes.
(Scene fades to black)
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HELLO, EVERYBODY! Did ya miss me? Of course you did. But enough about me, let's get onto our real topic. After TWO long years after "THE BOY OF OZ" and "THE BOY OF TENNESSEE", Season 2 of the series has finally arrived at last! I can't believe it's been TWO years since the first story. And that was in 2016. And now here we are two years later in 2019 doing a sequel! Boy, time flies, i tell ya.
Anyway, please review and tell me what you think of this chapter.