The Wonderful Land Of Oz

Chapter 48: (Zeb Hugsen)

(Zeb Hugsen)

*Author's Note: A new arc begins!! This arc is loosely based off the forth book "Dorothy and The Wizard in Oz*

*January 15th, 1906*

*San Francisco*

*Hugsen's Sliding*

*5:00am*

Three months had passed since Dorothy's last adventure as we now see Dorothy sitting on one of the seats in the train while waiting for the train to arrive at her destination and her friend, Betsy Bobbin was with her as well due to the pair spending some time together.

"The train should have arrived at our destination hours ago! I wonder why it was so late.." Dorothy had spoken out to her friend as she looked out of the window with a mixture of impatience yet curiosity in her voice while Betsy nodded her head in agreement.

"You were probably asleep but I've overheard the conductor say that he felt the ground shaking and it spooked the poor man so much that he stopped the train for two hours!" Betsy had explained to her friend as this made Dorothy nod her head in understandment.

"Shaking? Must be an earthquake and I've heard from my Uncle Henry that earthquakes usually happen in California and mostly in this area so I'm not surprised at all" Dorothy had spoken back to her friend in agreement.

"Indeed and we should be arriving at any time and you are going to see your distant cousin, right? Have you met him before or will this be your first time?" Betsy had asked Dorothy once more while waiting for an answer as Dorothy began to answer the question.

"Correct and this will be my first time seeing him so that will be quite interesting considering he's related to Uncle Henry meaning that I'm finally gonna meet his family" Dorothy had responded back with a smile on her face as this made Betsy nod her head in understandment before leaning over with more curiosity as she began to ask a more personal question.

"I've been meaning to ask whatever happened to your parents? I've noticed that you never really talk about them as much and sorry if this seemed personal.." Betsy had asked her friend with a hint of sympathy in her voice while Dorothy gave her a smile of reinsurance as she began to speak once more.

"It's okay, I don't mind and you are my friend so I feel comfortable sharing this with you and to answer your question, I don't really know or remember my parents and all I know is that Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had taken me in when I was a baby but all I can say is that I'm not related to them by blood but I still consider them family" Dorothy had answered back with peace and calmness in her voice as this made Betsy smile.

"I see, well, I'm glad you are happy and that's what matters most, my friend" Betsy had spoken back as both girls shared a warm smile together before it was interrupted with the sounds of the train stopping indicating that the girls had arrived at their destination.

"Hugsen's Sliding!!" The conductor had called out from the main compartment as the train fully came to a stop.

"I'll help you carry your things, is that okay with you?" Betsy had offered Dorothy as her friend nodded her head in confirmation which made her smile.

"Of course, you can take my suitcase while I take the cage containing my cat" Dorothy had directed Betsy while pointing at her suitcase as Betsy picked up the suitcase while Dorothy picked up the cage containing the cat as both girls made their way towards the exit of the train.

The shed at Hugson's Siding was bare save for an old wooden bench, and did not look very inviting. As both girls peered through the soft gray light not a house of any sort was visible near the station,