I decided to split up this last part into two different chapters. I haven't written the next one yet, but it's on its way. Please, be patient with me. I'm glad people like this story! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so don't stop!

A few hours later, I go downstairs to the main hall on a whim. I stop in the doorway, finding two strange characters there waiting for me. One is a little girl around 11 who looks oddly familiar, the other a large Lion.

"What the heck are you two doing here?" I ask, bewildered. "Who let you into my castle?"

"We were kidnaped." the girl answered, seeming just as bewildered as I am.

"You were? By whom?"

"You kidnaped us." she replied. "You sent your flying monkeys to kidnap my friend and I."

"Did I? Really?" They both nodded. "Oh. Well, this is awkward. I don't even remember why."

"In that case," says the Lion tentatively, "could you let us go?"

"I don't know about that. I know I must have done it for a good reason, so for now I think I'll just keep you here until I can remember." Both their faces fell. "I'm sorry. I just don't want to go to the trouble of remembering after I let you go and having to kidnap you all over again."

This is so embarrassing. I don't even remember why, or even how these two strangers got here. In the meantime, I suppose I have to entertain guests. I haven't had guests in so long, I hope I do the right things.

"It's so kind of you to visit me in my loneliness." I say. "You might have guessed I rarely have company. It's about dinner time, so let's go see what's in the kitchen."

I lead the two into the dinning room, asking them to "make yourselves at home" while I bustle off the to kitchen. I can only find some stale bread and cheese. I write myself a note to go grocery shopping soon. Putting everything on a tray, I head back.

"Sorry," I say, as I reenter with the food, "but this is all I've got." I set down the tray in front of them, and notice the girl is clutching a little black dog. They start nibbling a little at the food.

"May I see your dog?" I ask, holding out my hands.

"What are you going to do with Toto?" the girl asks, recoiling from me.

"I'm not going to hurt him, for goodness sake. I just want to hold him." Reluctantly, she hands him over. He's a little mut with scraggly, yet smooth, black hair. He has some intelligent shine in his eyes, like he really understands what's going on.

"So, what are your names?" I ask, trying to make some small talk. There was a hesitant pause before the girl spoke.

"This is the Cowardly Lion, and I am Dorothy."

"So your name's Dorothy, is it?" She nods. "That's a strange name, I don't think I've heard it before."

"And you're the Wicked Witch of the West." Dorothy says.

"That's what they call me, anyways." I answer.

"You don't seem very wicked at all." says the Cowardly Lion. "How did you get your reputation?"

After a moment of though, I reply, "I really don't remember."

There is a few minutes of awkward silence. Out of politeness, it seems, the two eat a little more.

"I suppose you might want a tour?" I ask, tentatively.

"Not me." the Cowardly Lion speaks up. "This castle looks creepy."

"Suit yourself." Still holding Toto, I lead Dorothy up the stairs.

"I don't use many of the rooms here." I explain along the way. "I just have the loft for the Monkeys and Crows, a kennel for my dogs, and a couple hives for the bees I keep. Oh, there's also the tower room, the one I'm leading you to now, and my bedroom. It's an absolute mess, so I won't even bother showing it to you. Ah, here we are."

I take a little iron key out of my pocket and unlock the door. I open it, going in first and lighting candles so we can see. Scrolls and books varying from old to ancient are crammed together on the bookshelf. The Grimmerie still lies open on the table with the crystal ball nearby. My broom is propped up in the corner near another table with a large hourglass on it. Why the heck to I have an hourglass? Oh well, I'll worry about that later.

Dorothy steps into the room looking around at all the miscellaneous parchment. "You must study a lot." she says, spinning around on the balls of her feet.

Just then, Nikko enters and starts gibbering something about the Cowardly Lion going berserk downstairs because he saw a spider.

"I'm sorry, I have to take care of a situation downstairs." I appologize, leaving the room. Once outside, I lock the door, as is my custom to make sure none of the Monkeys get in and wreck everything. They did that once, just to spite me because I had just organized everything. I never know where anything is nowadays. Wait, Monkeys can get in through the window! Darn it all!

I turn back around, reopening the door and going back in. Dorothy seems a little distraught.

"What's the matter?" I ask, putting my arm around her.

"You locked me in." she answers, through tears.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I just do that to make sure Monkeys don't obliterate everything."

"But Monkeys can come in through the window."

"That's why I came back, to close the window."

"So you're still going to leave me here?" Dorothy says, breaking into more sobs and sinking down to the floor.

"There, there, now. Don't cry." I hug her to me. "You've got to be a big girl." I stand her back up, smoothing her dress. Then, for the first time, I notice her shoes. Ruby slippers, red as a dying sunset.

Wait, her shoes? They were my sister's shoes, and therefore belong to me. They're sparkly and shiny and I want them back.

"Will you give me those slippers?" I ask, trying to withhold the anger that is slowly rising within me. Those are mine. How could I have neglected them before? Why didn't I remember!

"Why?" she asks in reply.

"They belonged to my sister, and I'd like them as a keepsake for her memory."

"But the Witch of the North told me not to." she answers, starting to recoil from me.

"Who?"

"Glinda, The Witch of the North."

"That no good. . ." I think. "I'll get her back for this."

"How about this," I say, trying to make a reasonable offer, "give those slippers or I'll drown the dog." She looks shocked and horrified.

"Would you really kill such an innocent and adorable-looking creature!"

I reflected before replying. "No, I could never do something like that. But Nikko will." I hand the mutt over to him. "Take that dog the deepest part of the river and drown him!" I say, vehemently.

He gibbers in reply. "I don't care which river as long as it's deep! Just do it!"

"No, no!" Dorothy exclaims, rushing to stop him. "No, wait. You can have the slippers, just give me back Toto!"

"Give back who?" I ask, confused.

"Toto, my dog." She looks at me critically. "Have you ever gotten tested for this short-term memory loss thing? You know, I think you could get pills or something that might help."

"What are pills?"

"Oh, right. Not in Kansas." she says to herself. "Never mind. Where were we?"

"You were going to give me your slippers in return for not drowning the mutt." I answer.

"Wow, you're getting better." she proclaims. "Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"There's only one problem."

"What?"

"I can't get them off."

"What!" This girl must be lying.

"No, really! I tried to take them off for the Wizard when he asked for them and they won't budge. It's really irritating, my feet hurt from constantly walking around in heels." Just to prove it, she leaned against the table for balance and pulled at the shoe. It wouldn't come off her foot.

"Let me try."I reach down to yank at the shoes, but as soon as my fingers get close enough, the things spit sparks at me! I jumped back into Nikko, who dropped the dog.

"That never happened before." Dorothy says, alarmed.

"Catch him, you fool!" I yell. He turns and glares at me. "What?" He continues to glare. "I'm sorry, okay, just get the dog before it escapes." Gibbering under his breath, he goes after Toto. None to quickly, I might add. The mutt gets over the drawbridge without interruption.

"Drat it, the dog got away!" I mutter.

"Why don't you just get your Monkeys to fly after him?" Dorothy mumbled, sounding a little exasperated. I was staring out the window and brooding so intently I didn't hear her.

"Those shoes will never come off," I say, menacingly, "as long as you're alive." Do I know this for sure? Well, of course not. I could probably just get Nikko to take them off for me, but that would be too much trouble. I'd have to yell for him, which would hurt my voice, and if I can't talk well then all my spells go wrong. I learned that last part the hard way.

"See this?" I point to the hourglass. I suppose it really is a handy thing. I still don't know why it's there in the first place, but it'll serve a purpose now. I turn it over. "That's how long you've got to live, and it isn't long. Just long enough for me to think of a wildly entertaining death for you. You can jump out the window if you want to get away, but it's a hundred feet to the bottom, and the rocks are sharp. In other words, you won't survive."

Starting to cry again, she says, "How can anyone be so mean, nasty, and cruel?"

"Lots and lots of practice." I answer, leaving the room, but closing the window first. I lock the door again.

That hourglass lasts for an hour, I wonder if that really is enough time for me to think of a way to kill her so that the spell breaks. Oh, shoot. I left the Grimmerie in there. I'm already half-way down the stairs, and there are a lot of stairs. I turn around and start the laborious climb back up. I'm getting a lot of exercise today.

Finally, I get to the door. I'm completely out of breath. I unlock it, and I hear her crying something about an "Auntie Em". I decide to play a cruel trick on her. I know she must be using the crystal ball I forgot to turn it off to see this person. I concentrate al my energy, making the crystal ball focus on me.

"I'll, give you, Auntie Em, my, pretty! AAAhahahaha!" I hear her sobs redouble inside. "Oh, and by the way, could you slip that book to me. The giant green one, should be on the desk. I'm outside the door." I open the door a crack, and the book falls through. "Thanks deary."

I begin the trek back down the stairs. Halfway down, I trip on a stray rock and fall the rest of the way. It hurt a lot, but also saved me a lot of walking.

I stand back up, rubbing some sore spots and dusting myself off. Now then, what the heck am I doing downstairs . . . . .