Welcome to Ruby City

Dorothy Gale awoke to a pitch black sky. There was a roaring fire to her right, and there was Toto curled up on her stomach. She remembered she wasn’t in Kansas, she was in OZ. OZ was where Aunt Em and Uncle Henry’s house had crashed there, right on top of the wicked ol’ witch of the East. And Dorothy had the witch’s slippers; her ruby slippers.

“You hungry?”

Dorothy jerked her eyes upward to see a man towering over her. He was rugged in the face, tired looking almost. He was staring at her now with green eyes, waiting for her to reply. She nodded, afraid to say anything. Toto began to growl and the man backed away.

“Your mutt has some teeth on him,” he presented a bandaged hand, “Take care of him, will you?”

Dorothy nodded again and scrambled to hold her little dog to her chest, noticing she was draped in a black coat. She curled her knees under and sat with Toto close to her heart. The man took a few steps and sat on the other side of the fire. He dug around in a pack at his side and pulled out a shiny green apple, and tossed it to the girl. She caught it with her free hand and inspected it before taking a bite. The man pulled out a small pocket book and began to read.

“Who are you?” Dorothy asked.

Without glancing from the words he said, “I’m Jack.”

She took another bite, “Are you looking for the Wizard, too?”

This time Jack looked up, “You’re on the wrong road for that, kid.”

“What do you mean?” Dorothy began to panic. Jack did not answer. Dorothy put down Toto and marched over to the relaxed man, “What do you mean I’m on the wrong road?!”

“It’s just as it sounds.”

“But, I can’t be on the wrong road! I followed the yellow brick road, just like the Munchkins said! I have to see the Wizard; I have to go home!”

Jack closed his book, stood and took Dorothy by the wrist. Despite her protests he dragged her through a line of trees with Toto nipping at his heels. When the trees disappeared he let go of her wrist and the momentum she had built up threw her forward. She caught herself just before falling to her knees. She could not believe her eyes. The road in front of her was no longer yellow, but deep red.

She scrambled back, “This is the wrong road!”

“That’s what I said,” Jack turned on his heel and began back to his campsite.

In a fluster, Dorothy flew after him, “I have to get back to the yellow brick road! You have to help me!”

“You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t wanted to be in the first place, Dorothy.”

The girl stopped, “How do you know who I am?”

They were just on the edge of the campsite. Jack turned over his shoulder, his silhouette against the orange fire, “You killed the Witch of the East, Dorothy. Everyone knows who you are. And those slippers there are a dead giveaway.”

“If you know who I am, then you have to help me!”

“You’d be the death of me, kid. I’m already on a limb helping you out now.”

Jack turned back and went to gather his things. Dorothy could hear her heart in her ears. Toto leapt into her arms. She had to think of something, some way to get back. Jack didn’t want to help her. She didn’t have the Scarecrow. She didn’t know what to do. She hugged Toto even closer with this realization. She looked back at Jack. He was just about to dump a bucket of water on the fire.

“Don’t!” screamed Dorothy.

Startled, Jack turned to her, “Why not?”

“If you throw water on that fire, you’ll kill me. You said it yourself, my slippers give me away. If you throw water on that fire, it’ll make smoke, and that’s just one big signal for the Wicked Witch to find me!”

Jack dropped the bucket, “Well, I can’t have your death on my conscience. What do you think we should do, then?”

Dorothy put Toto on the ground and walked to the fire, “Use dirt,” and she began building a mound of dirt on top of the fire. Once it was out she pulled a charred branch from the remains.

“What are you going to do with that?”

“The Good Witch said I couldn’t take the slippers off, or the Wicked Witch would have all the power. So, I’m going to change their color so they aren’t as noticeable.”

Dorothy proceeded to rub the charred wood over the red of the slippers, covering them in a dark gray ash. When she was done she threw the branch on the pile of dirt and smiled at her accomplishment. Jack had a look on his face as he realized what she was trying to do.

“No,” he said, “I can’t take you with me.”

“Why not?! They aren’t so noticeable now.”

“It’s not the shoes, Dorothy.” Jack shrugged on his coat and pulled his pack over his shoulder. Dorothy followed him as he left the site and trekked to the road. The sky was no longer black, but bore the colors of dawn. In the faint light Dorothy could see her surroundings. The trees were strung with jewels, and the leaves were crimson. This was a different OZ. Her eyes were so glued to the twinkle above her she almost lost track of her own thoughts. She noticed Jack far ahead and she ran after him.

“Wait! Can you at least tell me where this road goes?!”

“Ruby City!” he called back.

“Ruby City? Who lives there?”

“The Witch of the East used to, until your house smashed her.”

“That was an accident. The Good Witch told me she was controlling the Munchkins.”

“Do you believe everything that Witch tells you?”

“Well,” Dorothy thought, “I suppose so. She sent me to see the Wizard so I can go home.”

“And do you see where that got you?”

That was true. But the Good Witch hadn’t let her ask questions; Dorothy didn’t know what the red brick road led to. Maybe the Good Witch wasn’t so good after all. She had stopped while considering this, and Jack had begun to wonder where she had gone. He stopped and looked back. She had stopped in the middle of the road, staring at her feet.

“Where does it lead then?” she asked quietly.

“Somewhere you won’t be safe. There is a cut-through, half way through, which will lead you back toward Emerald City. It’s a long walk, but it will get you there.”

She looked up with doe eyes, “Will you show me?”

Jack nervously rubbed his neck, looking forward to the distant outline of Ruby City. He supposed it wouldn’t be too hard of a promise: get Dorothy to the cut-through. He took a deep breath and let it all out in one sigh, “I guess I could.”

Dorothy smiled, she was just a kid, and ran to wrap her arms around him, “Oh, thank you so much! I’ll repay you somehow, I promise.”