Sharon panted heavily as the monkeys suddenly dispersed leaving them alone. The monkeys had vanished as quickly as they had come, leaving them alone in the dark forest. Sharon glanced around realizing she was alone, nothing made a sound. "Lando?" She called. "Redoll? Luke? Are you there?" She took a few steps, looking for any sign of her friends when she heard a groan. She perked up at the familiar tone, "Lando? Is that you?" she called moving towards the sound. She glanced around, trying to keep her fear to a minimum. "Lando? Where are you?"

She heard him respond softly. "Down here." Sharon looked at her feet to see the scarecrow lying on the ground, a complete mess. "Oh my goodness!" she gasped kneeling next to him.

Straw and hay was strewn everywhere and the bottom half of Lando's body was missing. His chest was nearly flat as the monkeys had decided that jumping on him would be the most effective way of getting him out of the way. "Are you alright?" Sharon asked, gathering up as much hay as she could before stuffing it back into his deflated body.

"I've been better." Lando grunted, pushing his crooked glasses back into place with his nearly flattened fingers. Sharon looked around and spied Lando's lower half a few yards away. She quickly snatched them up as well as a few extra piles of hay and made her way back to Lando. "Hey, are you alright?" Lando asked, finding the strength to prop himself up on his arms. He eyed the long scratches on her body and the multiple dents and ran his fingers over them. "That really looks painful."

"I'm fine." Sharon said waving her hand. "I didn't lose all my insides after all." Lando chuckled as she began to attach his legs. Lando was about to help her re-stuff the hay back into him when they heard something akin to whimpering. Lando looked around and spotted the source. "Redoll?"

The lion was limping towards her on all fours, sporting many cuts, his fur ruffled and torn in patches here and there. He barely made it to them and nearly collapsed, but Sharon helped him sit upright. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Boy, they really got you." Lando murmured, looking over his injuries. Luckily, the cuts were shallow and only bleeding lightly, nothing too serious.

"Th...They're gone…" Redoll said softly.

"What do you mean?" Sharon asked.

"Luke and Trevor," Redoll answered with a defeated look. "They took them."

Anton grinned and turned towards the window as he heard the monkey's returning. One of them perched himself in the window, carrying his prize. Luke cried out as the monkey roughly threw him into the room, landing hard on the stone floor, face down.

"Well well well…" Luke's head shot up in fear as Anton stood over him. "If it isn't my wife's murderer; I'm so glad you could make it." Luke scrambled up and scooted away in fear, amusing Anton even further. "Your little friends put up a valiant effort; it's a shame that my precious soldiers had to get their hands dirty."

Luke continued scooting back until his back was pressed against Anton's throne, trying and failing to keep the crushing guilt from adding to the negative emotions surrounding him. The sounds of Redoll's voice, tin clanging, and fabric ripping still echoed in his ears. Anton stepped closer to him, his pale glare boring into him. "Now, I'll cut to the chase." he said, kneeling down to Luke's eye level. "Give me the shoes." He said if softly but dangerously, like a tiger waiting to strike.

Luke felt his heart in his throat and swallowed hard. "No." he said, shaking his head. He tensed up, waiting to see what wrath Anton would unleash upon him, but instead the witch smirked.

"I had a feeling you'd say that." He stood and snapped his fingers. Another monkey entered the room carrying a squirming Trevor in his arms. Luke's eyes widened as he stood up, hearing Trevor's whines. "Help me Luke!" They said.

Anton faced Luke, "Now Luke, give me the shoes or else," he said. He glanced back at the monkey. "You're a smart boy; I don't have to spell it out for you do I?" Luke was silent as he stared at Trevor, glancing back at the ruby shoes every now and then. He couldn't give up the shoes, but he didn't want Trevor getting hurt. Claire's words echoed in his head, "Never give up those shoes Luke, or you will be completely at Anton's mercy."

But...would he really sacrifice Trevor for them?

"Don't worry, I won't let anything hurt you, I promise."

Luke had no idea what to do; he was at a loss. Anton frowned, his patience decreasing, "Very well," he turned to the monkey. "Take that mutt and throw it into the river."

"Wait!" Luke yelled. There was a tense period of silence. "I'll do it." He finally said in a strained voice. "You can have the shoes, just don't hurt Trevor."

'I'm sorry Claire...'

Anton gave a twisted smile, "That's a good boy." He purred as if Luke were the dog instead. "I knew you would make the right choice." He knelt down and reached for the shoes. But the moment his fingertips brushed against them, sparks flew from the shoes, almost as if they were on fire. Anton cried out in rage as he recoiled back and crumbled to the floor in shock. His cape covered him, hiding the damage done to him, but Anton slowly turned towards him.

Luke gasped as his fingers were coal black and smoking, the skin peeling off as if he had put his hands in a blazing fireplace. "You...You little brat!" Anton snarled, his face twisted with anger.

Luke shook his head madly, "I-I didn't do that!" He protested. Anton got to his feet and yanked Luke into the air by his collar. "I don't know what happened, I swear!" Luke squeaked. "I didn't know they would do that!"

Anton growled like an animal as he threw Luke against the wall roughly. Luke slid to the ground, coughing from the sudden impact. "Blast that Clair…" Anton muttered. "Must she always interfere, even in my own castle?"

Luke glanced at the monkey to see that Trevor was still struggling in the monkey's grasp. He had to get Trevor away from here somehow. Anton only wanted him; Trevor didn't deserve to be here. He had already failed to keep Lando, Sharon, and Redoll safe. He couldn't let Trevor meet the same fate. "P-Please sir," Luke said softly. "Please let Trevor go; I've done what you wanted-"

Anton faced him with a grin that made Luke go pale. "Oh, neither of you are going anywhere." he said. There was a hint of hysteria in his voice, as if he was on the very brink of madness. "I just remembered; those shoes will never come off...as long as you're still alive." Luke swore his heart skipped a beat. He pressed himself against the wall as hard as he could, as if the structure could somehow absorb him.

"Now, how do I go about this?" Anton approached him and drew his sword. "I could just end you," Luke shivered as the tip of the sword touched his cheek, "right here and now." He bit back a yelp as he gently dragged it across his skin, drawing blood.

Anton lifted his sword, examining the few drops of blood on it, "But that would be too simple." He sheathed his sword, "This sort of thing has to be done...delicately." He gripped Luke's chin, making the boy wince as blood dripped from his cut. "I want you to suffer, have the life drained out of you."

Luke shut his eyes, trying to pull his face away when the monkey suddenly let out an angry screech. Luke and Anton looked towards the creature to see that Trevor had bitten him and had been dropped to the floor. Luke's eyes widened as he realized the door was open. "Run Trevor! Run!" He yelled.

The dog sprinted away into the hallway and Anton let out an enraged yell. "You fool! Catch that mutt!" he yelled. The monkey bounded out of the room chasing the little dog, but Trevor was too fast for him. Trevor ran down a winding stone staircase and into a great hall. His ears perked up as he heard other guards coming his way.

Following the scent of fresh air, the dog found his way to the drawbridge that marked the entrance to the castle. Trevor ran as fast as his little legs could carry him as the bridge began to slowly lift up. Trevor ran up the slanting bridge and barely managed to leap off the top. He let out a tiny yelp as he landed and stumbled slightly on the hard ground, but got up without slowing and ran out of sight.

Luke ran to the window, watching Trevor run and sighed in relief. "He got away…" he breathed. "He made it…" He then let out a yelp as Anton grabbed the back of his hair.

"That's more than I can say for you!" He growled. Luke grabbed at the witch's hand as he was practically dragged across the floor. "You and your bloody dog have been more trouble than I thought." He roughly shoved Luke to the ground, his cap flying off his head. Luke tried to keep his tears back as he shook from the pain and fear.

Anton swiftly walked past him. "No matter," Anton said. "This will all be over soon." He went to a cabinet and pulled a large hourglass filled with blood red sand down. He turned it over and placed it on a small table. "See this?" He asked, pointing to the slow flow of red sand falling to the bottom. "That's how long you have to stay alive; and you'll find that it isn't very long, boy." Anton turned on his heel and made for the exit. "I'll have those slippers soon enough."

Luke flinched as he slammed the door and locked it tight. Luke felt his pulse speed up as he looked at the hourglass that was slowly but surely filling up. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, fast and frantic. He slowly picked up his cap, got to his feet and looked around the room; there was no way out of here. He hugged himself and rubbed his arms as he walked towards the center of the room.

He was hurt, scared, and completely helpless. Luke curled up against Anton's throne and finally allowed himself to cry. "Professor…" he sobbed. "I'm scared Professor, and I don't know what to do." he said to no one. "I never should have run off…" he whimpered. "I should have stayed with you...I'm sorry Professor! I'm so sorry!"

He buried his face in his arms, when the crystal ball behind him started to glow softly. Luke slowly looked at it as an image slowly began to take shape. "Luke?" A familiar voice came from the crystal as a familiar top hat came into view. The Professor appeared in the crystal ball, looking around with a worried expression. "Luke my boy, where are you?" he called.

Luke crawled over to the crystal and placed his hands on it. "Professor! I'm trapped in Oz!" he cried. "A witch has me locked in his castle! Please Professor, you have to help me!"

"Luke? Please, answer me!" The Professor continued calling and Luke's heart sank. He could only hear him, he couldn't speak to him. "Luke, we've been looking all over for you." The Professor said, concern and sadness written all over his face. "Emmy and I are very worried; we're all worried...please, come back."

"I wish I could Professor…" Luke said softly, his tears falling onto the smooth glass. The image of the Professor then began to blur and slowly began to vanish. "No! No Professor don't leave me!" Luke cried. "Come back please! Please Professor!"

The image melted away and the Professor was replaced with an image of Anton. "Professor come back! Don't leave me!" Anton mocked before laughing. "You're never going home, boy! Your precious Professor can't save you now!" He let out another laugh as Luke backed away from the crystal ball. He curled back into a ball and wept softly.

All he could do was wait and pray that he would survive this ordeal.

I go on and on saying how Luke is my precious child who is far too pure and innocent for this cruel world and yet I simply ADORE putting him through this shit...I'm gonna such a great parent XD