Finding My Yellow Brick Road

Chapter Eight - The Wicked Witch of the West

A COUPLE OF days later, I group up with the Tinman, the Lion, and the Scarecrow, and we all go to Dorothy's room to talk to her. I take a deep breath and knock.

"Come in," she says softly.

I open the door and we all enter her room, sitting on the floor in front of her.

"Have you made your decision yet, Dorothy?" The Scarecrow asks cautiously.

"I don't think there's any choice." She responds sadly.

"Well, Dorothy, you don't have to do it!" The Lion protests before telling her the plan we thought up previously. "We could stay right here! Hey, the Emerald City's not a bad place! Get a small apartment, chip in together . . . hey, I bet in no time we'd fit right in!"

"But I could never be happy here," Dorothy whispers. "Besides, I'd . . . never get home." She takes a deep breath, steeling herself. "We have to go all the way. Even if it means to Evillenne. You comin', Gabrielle?"

I suck my teeth at her. "You know I gotchu, girl!" I stand up, pull her to her feet, and give her a hug.

"Well, ladies, good luck, we're countin' on you," the Lion says.

"Us?" My cousin responds, shocked that they're not coming with us.

"The Wiz was loud and clear," the Scarecrow says, "this whole mess is y'all fault."

"Our fault?" Dorothy repeats softly.

"Y'all tornado!" The Lion points out.

"Y'all house," the Tinman adds.

"Y'all fault," the Scarecrow finishes.

"You broke it, you bought it, so good luck killin' that ol' Witch," the Lion says, "let us know when it's done, we will be waitin' in the bar."

"Isn't that just typical," my cousin says, just as they were beginning to walk away. "The three of you were fine comin' along when you thought you thought you were gettin' somethin' for nothin'. But now that there's a price to pay you wanna wait it out in the bar? Cowards."

"Are you callin' me a coward?" The Lion asks, stepping to Dorothy. "Well yes, yes, I'm a coward, hasn't that been established?"

"Ay, yo, cuz, chill out! You can't blame them for not wantin' to come with us! We're the ones who started this crap! So we're the ones that have to finish it! Like you said, we gotta go all the way." I point between the two of us. "Besides, they all have their reasons for not wantin' to go."

"Look, Dorothy, I'm sorry, but-but you seen what my last run-in with a witch done to me." The Tinman gestures to himself.

"And I don't know how to help you because I don't know anything, because . . . I don't know anything!" The Scarecrow explains.

"Y'all were supposed to be my squad! You can't back out on me now! Lion, courage!" My cousin yells shrilly. "If Evillene needs to go, we're sending her off together."

"Says you," the Scarecrow tells her. Then he starts singing this song about not being able to do it, accompanied by the Tinman and the Lion. Dorothy continues the song, telling them that they can, in fact, do it. I just sit back and let them do their thing. By the time the song's over, they're all in agreement: we're going to stop Evillene.

We all head back to the castle to ask for directions.

"What's up, Bulldog?" I ask the guard, who grins at the nickname.

"How you doin' li'l sista'?" He responds.

"See, that's so much better!" I compliment. "But listen: which road to find Evillene?"