Chapter Three
After a few hours of walking, Sara and Rosanna rounded a curve in the road and came to an intersection; the green brick road broke off into three separate directions. Hundreds of people were walking down all the paths; Sara quickly picked Rosanna up before she got lost in the crowd.
"What do we do now? Which way are we supposed to go?" Sara asked Rosanna. The little dog glanced up and whined a little in answer. Sara tried asking passersby which road lead to the Neon City, but she was either ignored or quickly brushed off.
"Excuse me!" Sara hollered into the busy crowd. "Which way to the Neon City?" She hoped someone, anyone would answer.
"Some people go this way," said a voice.
"Who said that?" Sara asked looking around for the source of the voice.
"And some people go that way."
"Which way?" Sara locked eyes with a man dressed in a white tee shirt, jean shorts and black socks with sandals and a large straw hat sat upon his head. A book was tucked under one arm, and he carried a large plastic cup in one hand.
"Of course, some people go both ways," said the man in the straw hat and then waggled his eyebrows.
"Hello," Sara began. "Do you know which road leads to the Neon City?" The man in the straw hat shook his head. And then he nodded. "Make up your mind," Sara pleaded, tired and exasperated.
"Well, that's just it," answered the Straw Hat Man, "I don't have one to make up."
Sara closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. "You don't have a what to make up?"
"A mind. That is a brain. I don't have a brain."
"Then how is it that you can speak?" Sara looked around trying to find someone else to get directions from.
"Dunno," said Straw Hat Man, "but some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"
"They're called politicians," Sara agreed. "Can you please tell me which way to the Neon City? I really need to see the Wizard."
"Whatcha going there for?" Straw Hat Man asked.
Sara sighed. "I'm off to see the wizard, and hopefully he'll send me back home."
"Say, do you think the wizard might give me a brain?"
She shrugged. "He might. There's no harm in asking, I suppose. Do you know the way? We could walk together." The idea of having some company for the walk was very appealing.
"Sure!" Straw Hat Man was excited; he took off his hat and twisted it in his hands. Sara saw his dark hair stood up at odd angles and the spikes tipped with blond. "Imagine! A whole brain all to myself."
"OK, then let's go."
Rosanna's tail wagged fiercely with excitement.
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"And that's why I bought this book," Straw Hat Man had the book in his hands and was flipping the pages trying to gain Sara's interest. "It tells how you can beat the system." He flipped the book closed and showed Sara the title. "See, it even says it right there, 21 Ways to Win at 21."
It was a few hours later, Sara and Straw Hat Man were cresting the top of a hill, and Sara's stomach was beginning to growl. "I don't suppose there's a diner or a buffet around here is there?"
"Huh?" asked Straw Hat Man.
"Never mind," Sara answered defeated. She looked down at Rosanna whose quick pace and excited dance down the green brick road had slowed down some. Sara scooped up the little dog and cradled her. Rosanna heaved a deep sigh, rested her snout on Sara's arm and closed her eyes.
Straw Hat Man and Sara crested the top of the hill and stopped in their tracks, stunned at the sight spread out before them.
Acres and acres of trees. Apple trees. Sara's stomach growled and her mouth began to water at the sight of all those shiny beautiful apples. "Oh my," Sara whispered in awe. "Come on!" She grabbed Straw Hat Man's hand and they raced down the hill.
Neither of them noticed the sleek figure in a black evening gown hiding behind one of the trees. A long blonde ponytail flicked as the figure shrunk back further into the shadows.
Rosanna woke up when she began to jiggle in Sara's grasp and started to bark animatedly, caught up in Sara's excitement.
Sara set the dog on the ground near the edge of the orchard and hurried into the forest, stopping at the first tree and reaching up to pluck down the juiciest looking apple she'd ever seen in her life.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Sara looked at Straw Hat Man. He blankly returned her stare and shrugged.
"Who said that?" Sara asked, turning her back on the tree, searching for the source of the voice.
"How'd you like it if someone walked up and plucked something off of you?"
Sara turned back around, and found a craggily looking face sneering back at her from the trunk of the tree.
"Sorry?" she said and felt Straw Hat Man ease up next to her.
"How'd you like it if someone came up and plucked something off of you?"
"I don't suppose I would like it at all," Sara stammered, unsure of the practicality of talking to a tree. She glanced at Straw Hat Man, "I've never seen a talking tree before, and at home, I thought I'd seen everything."
"Come on Sara," said Straw Hat Man, "You shouldn't eat those apples anyway." Straw Hat Man put his fists on his hips. "I heard one girl fell into a deep sleep after eating one."
"That was two towns over," said the tree. "And it wasn't even one of my apples!" The tree was very indignant.
"Says you," said Straw Hat Man and waved a dismissive arm at the tree. "Come on Sara!" He slipped his arm through hers and pulled her back toward the road.
"But I'm hungry!" Sara exclaimed.
"Don't worry, I'll get you some apples!" Straw Hat Man whispered before sticking his thumbs in his ears and waggling his fingers as he stuck his tongue out at the tree.
"Why you…" said the tree and hurled an apple at them.
Straw Hat Man grinned at Sara as apples came hurtling toward them. "Told ya!"
More apples came flying through the air and Sara and Straw Hat Man ducked and began to gather them up.
One apple flew over Sara's head, and she chased after it, even getting down on her hands and knees to look for it. She'd crawled a few feet before she came across something she never thought she'd find in an apple orchard. A pair of blue suede shoes.
Sara sat back on her heels and her eyes traveled up the owner of the shoes. She saw a white jumpsuit, covered in sequins sewn on in peacock patterns.
"Howdy there momma, what's got ya'll shook up?"
Sara got to her feet to get a better look at him. His hair was black, his jaw was square. He wore a large pair of black sunglasses and a guitar was slung over his shoulder, resting against his back.
"Hello," Sara began.
"Ma'am," he said. "Colonel," he nodded, his eye line just over Sara's right shoulder; she glanced and found Straw Hat Man joining them.
"We're going to Neon City to see the Wizard," Straw Hat Man offered excitedly. "And we've got all these apples…"
"That's great man," the new comer said and sniffled a little.
"Have you…" Sara eased up closer, seeing her own reflection in the dark sunglasses. "Have you been crying?"
"Just a little, ma'am. Got some bad news today. See, I'm a singer, always wanted to be one, but now my manager says I got a tin ear and ain't got no feeling for the song."
"No feeling for the song?" Straw Hat Man asked confused.
Tin Ear Man thumped his chest, "Ain't got no heart."
"No heart?" said Sara and Straw Hat Man at the same time.
"Nope. No heart." Tin Ear Man said and sniffled again.
"Well, let us be the judge of that," Straw Hat Man said. "Sing something for us."
Tin Ear Man slung his guitar around, took a deep breath and began to sing a song that seemed to be about the environment. Something about saving a horse. Sara and Straw Hat Man cringed slightly. Tin Ear Man's manager was right; the tone was flat and off key. Straw Hat Man had a thought and whispered into Sara's ear. She listened as Tin Ear Man kept singing, and then nodded.
"Thank ya, thank ya very much. Well, what'd ya'll think?" Asked Tin Ear Man a moment later when he was done with the song.
"Well," Sara began and tried to use a non-judgmental tone. "We're going to see the Wizard of Las Vegas, I need to get home, and he's going to ask for a brain-"
"And maybe he'll give you heart," interrupted Straw Hat Man.
Tin Ear Man cocked his head. "Ya think?"
"Couldn't hurt to try." Sara comforted. "It couldn't be any more difficult to than giving him a brain."
"Well then, let's head 'em up and move 'em out," said Tin Ear Man, happy with the thoughts of finally getting some heart.
Sara put one last apple into her basket and they headed off back down the green brick road.
"Hey," Straw Hat Man said suddenly and pointed toward a shadow hanging from a tree on the horizon, "Is that…"
"Nope," answered Tin Ear Man. "It's only a crane."
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Sara didn't know if she'd gotten used to the flat notes, or if Tin Ear Man's singing was just better than listening to Straw Hat Man's incessant rambling, but the sound of Tin Ear Man's low singing voice, almost a mumble didn't seem so bad.
It wasn't long at all before the trio and the little black dog came upon a shadowed area of the road. It was darker than the rest of the trip had been. A very tall x shaped building blocked out the sky. The building was lit with green lights, and as Sara's eyes traveled upward, she saw a very large, very shiny golden lion perched on top of the building. Sounds of laughter and bells chiming drifted out from inside.
Sara stopped walking, Straw Hat Man stopped chatting, and Tin Ear Man stopped singing. Even Rosanna seemed to understand this part of the road was different; she whined and did a little dance at Sara's feet, wanting to be picked up.
"That's one heartbreakin' hotel," said Tin Ear Man.
"Ya'll don't want to go in there," said a deep baritone voice.
Sara spun around and saw a man in an expensive designer suit leaning against the building. His green eyes pierced through the darkness and his mane of hair was like lambs wool. As the trio watched, the man, cool as a cat, sauntered toward the doors.
"Well, aren't you afraid to go in there?" Straw Hat Man called after him.
Cool Cat turned around quickly. "Me?" he chuckled lowly, "Picture that. No, I'm headed to a high stakes game in there." He paused before turning back around.
"So, why don't cha go on in then?" asked Tin Ear Man. Cool Cat's feet weren't moving very quickly, hardly at all.
Cool Cat turned around again. "I'm going, I'm going, don't push me."
Rosanna barked and Cool Cat nearly jumped out of his skin, and ran to hide behind a tree.
"What…" Straw Hat Man looked around to his traveling companions. "What was that?"
"Hello?" Sara called. "It's just a little dog, she won't hurt you."
Cool Cat came back out from the shadows looking just as calm and collected as ever. "Yeah, sure, I know that. I was…. I thought…"
"You were scared," said Tin Ear Man.
"No, I wasn't…" Cool Cat's shoulders slumped and he hung his head. "Yeah, I was. I don't have any courage at all."
"Courage?" asked Sara.
"Bravery, guts, nerve." Cool Cat flicked a silk pocket square from his jacket pocket and dabbed at his eyes.
"Stones," offered Tin Ear Man.
"Balls," added Straw Hat Man.
The three of them looked to Sara for her two cents. Sara shook her head and threw up her hands.
"Yeah, none of them," Cool Cat agreed.
"Well, then, why don't you come with us?" offered Tin Ear Man.
"We're off to see the Wizard of Las Vegas," explained Straw Hat Man.
"He's going to get a brain," Sara pointed to Straw Hat Man, "and he's going to get heart," Tin Ear Man took a bow. "And I need to go home."
"Maybe he can give you some bal- courage." Straw Hat Man glanced guiltily to Sara.
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" asked Cool Cat.
As the four of them linked arms and restarted their journey, Tin Ear Man began singing, and the others joined in. None of them knew they were being watched.
Far, far away, on the highest floor of a very tall building, Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West peered into her crystal ball, while her evil monkeys cowered nearby. "So," Sophia the Wicked Witch said "she's made some friends, isn't that just… cute." She said the word with distaste. "Cousin Catherine is no longer around to protect her. I'll get those shoes…." She spun around; the tightly pulled long ponytail swished with the movement. "Hodges, my broom!" she screamed and her highest-ranking monkey was quickly at her side, the requested flying apparatus in his hands. He wore a short red jacket with big gold buttons and a tiny round hat a top his head.
"Yes ma'am, your wish is my command oh beautiful one," Hodges said, trembling at her feet.
Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West grabbed the broom from the cowering Hodges and hopped on to it flying out the window, dark gray smoke trailing in her wake.