Chapter Five
As the man in the tuxedo led them through the throng of people, the ground beneath their feet began to shake accompanied by a muffled grumbling sound. Cool Cat jumped into Tin Ear Man's arms, trembling.
"What is that?" Straw Hat Man asked, looking around at the crowd who seemed unaffected by the force of nature about to confront them. Some faces looked up and toward the windows, but most people continued on, as if the ground was not about to open up and swallow them.
"It's merely Mount Celine," explained their tuxedo-garbed guide. "She erupts once an hour, you could set your clock by her… if clocks were allowed in the Neon City that is. Ah, here we are!"
They'd arrived at an elevator, and the man in the tuxedo pushed the button for the highest floor. Cool Cat squeezed himself into a corner and pinched his eyes shut. Straw Hat Man pressed himself up against the glass walls and watched the Neon City shrink below them. Tin Ear Man began to sing softly.
The elevator came to a halt with a jolt reminiscent of the lab landing in this land, and Sara's stomach momentarily fluttered. The elevator doors opened to reveal an exquisitely appointed room done exclusively in gold.
"Holy Donald Trump, Batman," Sara muttered under her breath as she stepped off the elevator and squinted against the brightness of the room.
"Holy what who?" asked Cool Cat.
Sara shook her head. "Never mind." She scooped Rosanna up and held her close to her chest so the little dog couldn't get into anything.
"Wow," Straw Hat Man said as he lifted a hand to shade his eyes.
"Yeah," agreed Cool Cat squinting.
"Whatcha all talking 'bout?" asked Tin Ear Man as he slid off his sunglasses, "Oh," he said as he too squinted at the remaining light bouncing off all the gold in the room. He slipped his dark sunglasses back on.
"Who are you?" boomed a voice.
Sara looked around and finally toward the ceiling, as that was where the voice seemed to be coming from. "We're here to meet with the Wizard of Las Vegas."
"What do you want?" The voice boomed again.
Sara licked her lips and squeezed Rosanna just a bit tighter. "Please sir, we need your help." She put a hand on Straw Hat Man's shoulder, "My friend is in need of a brain… And he," she moved on and stood next to Tin Ear Man, "he needs heart. And," Sara moved and took Cool Cat's hand in her own. "He needs courage."
"And you?" Bellowed the voice.
"I just want to go home," Sara said simply.
"And you think I can grant all these things? That I should with nothing in return?"
"Well… yeah." Sara answered matter of fact. "What is it that you want?"
"Bring me the broom of the Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West," declared the voice.
"We'll have to kill her to get her broom away from her."
"Yep," said the booming voice.
The voice was silent and Sara began to think he'd left the building. Or maybe he'd been attacked by his own butterflies and fallen asleep.
"What the hell do we do now?" Tin Ear Man asked exasperated.
Sara lifted her chin, squared her shoulders, and steeled her spirit. "We go get that broom."
ozozozo
By the time they were back outside and standing again in the field of emerald grass, the sun had set fully and the field was lit with only starlight.
"How're we supposed to find out where she is, let alone get there, get the broom and get back here again?"
Just as Sara shrugged, the answer, or at least part of the answer, was provided. The sky above them darkened, and a cluster of flying monkeys swooped down on them, snatched them up with claw like feet and carried them across the sky, depositing them a few miles away on the rooftop of a very tall, darkly foreboding building. One beam of white light shot straight up into the night sky.
"Hello Sara," said Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West as she emerged from the shadows. She carried a martini glass in one hand, and stroked the head of the cowering Hodges with the other. Her broom was propped up against a nearby wall.
"Yowza," stuttered Straw Hat Man. "Now that's a dame."
"Thanks," the witch smiled as daintily as she could and winked at him, and then turned her attention back to Sara. "I'll take those shoes now."
Tin Ear Man leaned in and whispered, "I don't suppose you have another one of those lab things to drop on her, do you?"
Sara shook her head. "No, we're going to have to figure this out the old fashioned way."
Tin Ear Man nodded enthusiastically in agreement. "How?"
"I've no idea," Sara muttered.
The Wicked Witch began to saunter slowly toward them across the rooftop.
"I've got an idea," Cool Cat whispered.
"What's that?"
"Run!" Cool Cat said as he took off like an Olympian off of the starting blocks.
They managed to elude the monkeys that surrounded them, escaping down the stairs, except for one Sara struggled with only to have the monkey grab the picnic basket from her arm. And Rosanna along with it. The little dog yelped with the shock of the jostling, and pushed her wet nose through the opening, smelled the monkey and quickly withdrew back into the safety of the basket. The monkey scuttled over to Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West and handed her the basket.
"Rosanna!" Sara screamed, "Rosanna! Give me my dog back you bitch!"
"You can have your little dog back," the witch said, dangling the basket by one finger over the edge of the roof. "As soon as you give me those shoes."
"Fine! Take them, just give her back to me!" Sara screamed, tears welling up in her eyes and she guardedly made her way toward Sophia still at the edge of the building. "Take them, I said," Sara offered her feet as best she could while remaining standing.
Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West set the basket down on the ledge and reached for the shoes on Sara's feet. A jolt of electricity sent the witch reeling backward with burned palms. "I'd forgotten. Those shoes will never leave your feet while you're alive. So, my dear, you will have to die. The question is…" she taped her finger tips together in thought, "how best to kill you."
Sara swallowed hard as she listened.
One floor below, her three friends had found a hiding place from the monkeys who chased them and were listening to the witch's monologue.
"How about suffocation by dry ice?" Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West offered.
Sara shook her head. "To much fresh air, wouldn't work."
The witch nodded in conferment. "All right then. I suppose I could electrocute you with a rewired power tool."
Again, Sara shook her head, and this time, stuck out one foot. "You'd have to drive a nail into my shoe. And wouldn't that defeat the purpose?"
"Defeat… cute." Sophia acknowledged and swished her ponytail. "I could burry you alive."
One flight down, half hanging out the window listening, Tin Ear Man looked at the others. "That would suck."
Sophia turned her back for a moment, Rosanna stuck her nose out again, and not smelling any danger, she popped through and ran.
"Run Rosanna, run!" Sara screamed.
Downstairs, Straw Hat Man heard Sara and ran for the door to the room. Rosanna ran by a moment later and he grabbed her up as she passed. He retuned back to the window. "I have a plan. And you," he looked at Cool Cat, "will lead us."
The witch began to pace in evil thought. "Mold in the walls would take to long, and it would decrease the value of my property…I could just throw you through a plate glass window, couldn't I?"
Now that Rosanna was away from the evil witch, Sara allowed herself to formulate a plan on how to reach the broom and get out of there.
"I'll tell you what dearie," Sophia turned around. "I know how smart you are, so I'll have to think about how you'll die."
Just then, the stairwell door burst open, and Cool Cat pushed through, wearing a short red jacket with big gold buttons and a tiny round hat a top his head. Tin Ear Man came through the door next, wearing his another red jacket over his white peacock encrusted jumpsuit. Straw Hat Man carried Rosanna through the doorway. Rosanna had a tiny round hat a top her head.
"Sara, come on!" Shouted Straw Hat Man.
"This way, hurry!" Cool Cat shouted and led the way down the stairwell. Sara took just enough time to take Rosanna into her arms and hug the dog tightly before she followed.
They made it down to the third floor, when suddenly they were confronted by the witch's army of monkeys.
Tin Ear Man pushed through their little group to the front, "I'll handle this," he said as he slung his guitar around to the front and sang the sweetest version of "Rock-a-bye Baby" you've ever heard in your life. The monkeys were so enchanted by his voice, they slumped to the ground in a sleep deep enough to have been brought on by butterflies.
Sara and her friends hopped over the sleeping primates and ran down the rest of the stairs and outside. They found themselves at a huge pool with floating candles, and lots of lounge chairs set up on the deck.
Sara stopped running. "Come on!" encouraged Straw Hat Man.
"We have to get the broom!" Sara cried.
"You mean this broom?" Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West screamed from above them as she swept down from the rooftop, landing smoothly near the edge of the pool, her broomstick in her hand.
"You know what Witch? I have had ENOUGH!" Sara rushed the witch like a linebacker, with one arm straight out. That hand made contact with Sophia the Wicked Witch, and with the other hand Sara grabbed the broom.
The witch went flaying backwards into the water. "What have you done!" She screamed. "You've destroyed my beautiful wickedness! I'm melting! I'm melt-" and Sophia the Wicked Witch of the West was gone.
"You killed another one?" Straw Hat Man asked, looking down into the pool. Only a black evening dress and a pony tail holder remained.
"I didn't mean to!" Sara insisted, though somewhat satisfied. "I only wanted the broom."
"Come on, let's get back to the Neon City and get you on your way home," said Tin Ear Man.
ozozozo
"What's this? You have returned?" boomed the voice in the gold room.
"Yes," Sara said firmly. She approached the middle of the room and set the broomstick down on the floor and backed away. "There's the broomstick, and the Wicked Witch is dead."
"I heard. You committed meltacide."
"Now it's time for you to pay up," Sara insisted. "We did as you asked."
"I have to think about it, come back tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" The friends shouted in unison.
"These are large requests you make of me…I shall need some time…" As the Wizard went on and on, Rosanna ran over to the window, nabbed the drapery in her teeth and pulled it back to reveal a man with salt and pepper hair and glasses speaking into a microphone. "…for I can not just grant such wishes with out thinking through…" the man turned around and yelped when he realized Sara and the others could see him. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. I am the great and powerful Wizard of Las Vegas."
"You're a fraud!" Sara hollered.
"I am," said the wizard and hung his head. "I am a fraud. But I … I meant no harm!"
"But what about the promise you made us?" Straw Hat Man exclaimed.
"Promises…. ? Oh, of course, well…." He approached Straw Hat Man and clapped him on the shoulder. "You my friend, who is in want of a brain, you have had the brain all along." Straw Hat Man looked at him in shock. "Yes," continued the wizard, "you have. Did you not get apples from the tree for Sara? Wasn't it you who came up with the plan to gain entrance back onto the rooftop?"
Straw Hat Man thought about it. And smiled. "Well, yes. Yes it was."
"See there. And you," the wizard pointed to Tin Ear Man. "You my dear man, who is in search of heart for your songs, you too have had your desire all along. Did you not sing the evil monkeys to sleep allowing you and your friends to escape? Did you not comfort and entertain your traveling companions during the journey?"
"Well, I'll be…" said Tin Ear Man. "I sure did."
"And, my courageous friend," the wizard approached Cool Cat. "You jumped in front of Sara when you thought she was in danger from my concierge. And you were the first to return to the witch's roof top, were you not?"
Cool Cat only nodded seriously, trying to keep his appearance of cool. Inside he was jumping for joy.
"See there. You've had stones all along."
"All right, but what about Sara?" Tin Ear Man questioned.
"Sara?"
"Yes, you need to send her home."
The wizard turned and looked at Sara. She swallowed hard and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "You're not really a wizard are you? You can't, can you?" she whispered sadly.
The wizard only hung his head dejectedly.
"It'll be ok Sara," comforted Tin Ear Man "You'll stay here with us. You'll see, you'll be happy."
"But, it's just not home," Sara gasped.
"Look!" Straw Hat Man pointed upward toward the ceiling. A glittering bubble of pink sparkles wafted gently down.
"Hey wiz, long time no see," greeted Catherine the Good Witch. "How ya been?"
"Hello Catherine," the wizard nodded solemnly.
Catherine glanced around, "What's everybody so down in the dumps about? You all got what you came here for, didn't you? Brain, check. Courage, check."
"Sara can't go home." Tin Ear Man interrupted.
Catherine the Good Witch turned around and looked at Sara. "Is that what you think?"
"He's not a real wizard, he can't send me home." Sara muttered.
"Well, darlin' you too have had what you wanted all along."
Sara's brow furrowed. "What?"
Catherine pointed toward the shoes. "They're magic, remember? They can take you home."
"And Rosanna can go with me?" Sara wanted to make sure, and joy was lifting her heart.
"Of course Rosanna too."
"Oh my, that's just too good to be true." Sara looked at her new friends, and her new felt joy took a nosedive. "But it's going to be so hard to say goodbye."
She walked up to Cool Cat and kissed his cheek. "Goodbye Cool Cat…stay cool." Turning to Tin Ear Man, she hugged him. "And goodbye to you as well. Knock 'em dead." Sara turned to Straw Hat Man, "I think I'll miss you most of all." Her eyes welled up and belied the joy Sara was feeling at the thought of going home. She turned toward Catherine. "I'm ready now."
"Okey dokey then." Catherine the Good Witch took Sara by the shoulders and leaned in to whisper. "Close your eyes, tap your heels together three times and say 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'."
Sara tapped her heels together and whispered, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."
"She's coming around," Sara heard Catherine say, and couldn't understand what she meant.
"Sara… Sara wake up." And Sara wasn't sure who said it, but it sounded like the wizard. "Sara….?"
"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."
Sara opened her eyes, and found herself lying on Grissom's office couch with Catherine sitting next to her and Grissom leaning down over the back of the couch.
"Is she awake?" Doc Robbins walked in followed by David carrying Doc's black medical bag.
"Awake?" Sara mumbled, her mouth was very dry.
"You hit your head," Catherine explained, and dabbed Sara's forehead with a damp washcloth. "We found you on the hallway floor this morning."
"You mean it was all a dream?" Sara asked sitting up and rubbed the back of her head. "But it seemed so real."
"Hey," Nick stood in the doorway, flanked by Warrick and Greg, all looking concerned and relieved. "She ok?"
"Never should have left you here alone Sar, sorry." Warrick looked guiltier than the others.
"She's going to be fine," Doc said as he examined the back of Sara's head.
Rosanna jumped up on the couch and lay down on Sara's stomach. "It was a dream?" Sara asked again, still feeling a bit foggy.
"Was what a dream?" Greg asked.
Sara looked up at him. "You were there. And so were you," she pointed to Warrick. "And you too, Nick." She looked around. "All of you were there. And it was a nice enough place, but I kept telling everyone that I only wanted to come home." She looked at Grissom. "Because, after all, there really is no place like home."
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Sunset