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Chapter 1

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Earlier That Day:

"You're not gonna catch me! Eeeek!" my excited squeal sailed through the pleasant mid-day weather on the farm. The shade of the trees shielded us like umbrellas from the scorching red sun floating in the blue sky above. I threw back a glance at my mother. She filled out in her riding clothes, strapped to her brown mare's back, almost hugging Maple, as her strawberry blonde locks fell to the side. She had a competitive grin on her face as she swung her wooden basket to catch some plums. 

"No, I won't," she agreed. "But I'll be the one with the most plums!"

"No fair, you're taller!" I complained, trying to stand up on my horse mid-ride. "Stay still, Amber, I promise you'll get the juiciest." I reached out all I could and shook a large branch. I waved my basket in the air to catch all the fruits in one go. Of course, I did miss some.

Oh no, mom's getting more, and she's much closer to the house!

"We've got to catch up, girl. What do you say to a detour, Amber?" I chuckled as my horse neighed in agreement. I looped my hand through the basket's hoop and pulled on Amber's reins gently. And she shot off to the side with great speed. The route was much steeper but much faster than the one mom was on. Yes, I'm way closer now!

"Mom, looks like I'm gonna win the race!"

That's when she snapped her head to the side and her grin dropped. "Elise, no! Come back here at once! That is far too hilly for you to be riding up!"

But did I listen? No.

And that's how I found myself on the ground, bruised, with a sprained ankle not five seconds later after ditching her advice. Two boots landed firmly in front of me on the ground. I traced them back up to my mother's crossed-arm stance and her famous I-told-you-it-would-happen eyebrow raise.

"Well, at least Amber's unscathed," I sheepishly pointed out. She scoffed as shook her head, stretching out a hand for me to pull myself up. My brown horse bent down for me to sit on her. She straightened up when I did, hoisting me above. Mom took both our horses' reins and walked up the hill back to the house. Just as we reached the front patio, Amber dropped me with a thud.

"Hey," I accused her, giving her a glare as my backside groaned in pain. "Stop giving me that look, Amber, it's not like I meant to fall-"

Mom's laugh cut me off. She shot me a knowing look. "No one means to fall, honey. Now, play fetch with Biscuit here. After all your ankle's no help whatsoever," she mumbled the last part but my ears didn't miss it.

"I heard that, mom."

"I know." She gave me a wink and disappeared into the stables. She came back a while later, muttering something about an apple pie as she walked into the kitchen.

A small, heavy thing leaped into my chest, a small wet thing running over my face. "Ew, Biscuit, stop licking me! Your breath stinks," I grumbled, wiping my face with the hem of my sleeve. When I turned back, two big black eyes stared up at me, a cute little face and a happy wagging tail. I stroked his head and hugged him. "It's nice to see you too, buddy. Now, run and get me your favorite stick to fetch!"

He was back in a flash with a sturdy mocha stick in his mouth. I threw it far as I could, but not too far away that I couldn't see where it went. Biscuit shot off, bouncing as he leaped over the tiny pebbles. "Hey, Elise, honey?"

"Yes, mom?"

"We're out of wheat flour and I'll go down to the mill to get some, alright?" Mom called out.

"Yes, mom! Are you going out the back door or the front?" I yelled back.

"The back!" I heard her faint voice and then the click of a door a moment later.

I looked at the lovely blue sky and I froze. "That's strange," I mumbled. The edges were getting a stormy grey and I begin to see outlines of a hurricane. Fast. "How in the world- hurricanes don't even reach here!" I got to my feet but sat back down as I was reminded of my sprained ankle.

"Mom!"

No reply.

"Mom, are you there?"

Nope, nothing. 

Right, then I've got to drag myself in and just pray that Mom reaches the shop before this reaches her.

Wait, what about Biscuit?

"Biscuit, come back, boy! It's not safe outside!" The wind was blowing hard now, drowning half of my words in its ferocity. I sighed when I spotted a tiny four-legged figure running towards me. He nuzzled against my leg. My fingers went up and around the shiny metal handle of the door. I pulled it. It didn't budge. I pulled again. Still didn't budge.

"We're going to stay inside, Biscuit. Once I figure out- how -ugh- to get this door- open," I grunted in between my words, trying to yank open the front door. My eyes darted between the house and the giant tornado moving our way, uprooting the plum trees in its wake. We were not going to make it in. So I did what I could. I turned my back to the hurricane, hugging Biscuit into me as I tried to curl into a ball, leaning my forehead against the door.

My heart thudded against my ribcage violently, threatening to leap out. I felt nothing but the wind in my ears and the hurricane tore me away from my home and thrust me upwards. I knew I was screaming at the top of my lungs but no one could hear me, not even myself. And then...
Everything went black.

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Present Day:

"Ugh!" my scream of frustration bounced across the empty pit. I turned away walking down the hill as I kicked a pebble with all the force I could muster. "Fairy godmother! Answer me if you're here! Or if I even have one..."

"I'm no fairy godmother, but I think I could help." The voice made me look up. A few meters away from me stood a fox in an old-fashioned suit standing comfortably on his hind legs. His coat was a dull maroon, neatly ironed and impeccable without a smidge of dirt. He had gold-rimmed glasses and the hair on his head seemed to grey... as if indicating his age.

"Who are you? Wait, don't answer that. Am I in Wonderland now?" I asked when I spotted a golden pocket watch falling out of his coat pocket.

The fox looked confused for a second. "What is Wonderland?"

He doesn't know what Wonderland is. So this must not be Wonderland. Way to go, Elise, you figured out nothing helpful.

"Never mind," I dismissed it. "Who are you, again?"

"You asked me not to answer that," he spoke again in his refined, posh voice.

"Well, answer me now."

"Very well," he said and cleared his throat. "I'm Fredrick VIII, long time chief advisor of the Wizard of Oz-" Oh great, we hadn't even left Oz in the first place. "-and you, are Dorothy Gale with her dog Toto."

Now it was my turn to be confused. "Wha...? You're the second person to mistake me for Dorothy Gale today. I'm not her and nor is my dog called Toto. I'm Elise Chadwick and this little dog is Biscuit." At his name, my Terrier friend instantly rushed in front of me baring his teeth at the fox. I raised my eyebrows at Biscuit. Now you come to my rescue?

"No, no, you two look exactly like them," he insisted, not without taking a step back from Biscuit.

"No I-" Wait, how does he know of Dorothy? If I remember the story right, the people of Oz don't even know who Dorothy is until she comes to Oz and introduces herself. "How do you who Dorothy is? It's as if you were expecting her arrival..." I trailed off, leaving Fredrick or whatever to fill me in.

"Yes," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "The whole of Oz awaits her. They've been awaiting her for years now. We've been awaiting you."

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"Ahem."

The clearing of the fox's throat made me shut my jaw that had fallen open. "Oh well, I'm not Dorothy, but since you believe me to be her, I'll go to the Wizard of Oz and expose that he doesn't have any magic and that he's a normal, grey, and boring scientist." I got ready to walk past him and towards the pit when I stopped. "Aren't you the chief advisor of the Wizard of Oz? Then take me to him."

The fox looked utterly bewildered. "That- I-" he sighed before speaking, "-that isn't how it works. Also, the Wizard of Oz is a very certified man of magic, I must tell you. And you cannot just get to him like that. It is a much... complicated process than before. Every time the new Dorothy Gale comes, she comes in to solve a different problem."

"Wait, WHAT now? A new Dorothy Gale? There are multiple versions of her?" I asked incredulously. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I don't think you quite know about the process at all. And I'm starting to believe that you're not Dorothy," he accepted. "It is quite a long story that we need to discuss, so I suggest we go my place back in Oz."

"So I'm not in Oz right now?"

He laughed in amusement. "Oz? What makes you think this drab land is Oz?" Drab? I'd call this 'Over-colorful Land' if you'd ask me. Well, that's probably why no one asked me. "This is the OutLand where everything is the opposite than in the real world. Through portals such as these-" he pointed at the bright pit "-we can get back to Oz."

"Why is the pit-portal so bright?"

"You are very curious, aren't you? Too curious." He then continued on as if I hadn't shot him a burning glare right now, "What is bright for us, is this world's darkness. So light here would be very dark to us. Try that fruit over there on the tree."

I reluctantly plucked the terrible-looking fruit and bit into it. "Tastes terrible too," I commented out aloud, scrunching up my nose.

"What was it before? The fruit, I mean?"

"A plum."

"Ah, that explains it. Plums are sweet and delicious that's why these are the opposite, bitter and not delicious."

"Oh, I get it now." I nodded at him. Maybe that's why my sprained ankle was... un-sprained.

"Now come on, what are you waiting for?" He gestured impatiently towards the pit. "Let's get to Oz. We have matters to discuss and things to resolve. And..." The rest of his words drowned in his mumble.

"What did you say? 'To find...'?"

"Nothing, we best be going, Ms. Chadwick. Time does not wait for us in Oz or in the OutLands."

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Goal reached and chapter 1 published! How do you think the story's coming out till now? Good? Bad? Could-use-some-suggestions? 

Whatever it is, I would love to hear from you readers and it'd be great to get a vote or two if you've liked the story so far :)

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Chapter Word Count: 1853

Total Word Count: 2099

Milestone (2000 words): Reached.