Lost in Oz: The Complete Trilogy

By Joshua Patrick Dudley

For the first time ever, all three Lost in Oz novels have been combined into one complete collection!

When four modern teenagers find themselves lost in a mysterious place, their only goal is to find a way home. When the only way home is through a young girl and her magical shoes, how much are they willing to sacrifice to catch her? Their presence has permanently altered the magical Land of Oz beyond repair and the teens soon discover a prophecy has been set in motion.

Follow Joshua, Tamara, Tommy, and Laura down the yellow brick road in this action-packed adventure. Be amazed when they meet Dorothy Gale and her gang of Ozians for the first time, be in awe as they battle the Witch of the West and the Dark Wizard, cross your fingers, and hope they make it home alive. Can the teens fulfill their prophecy by unlocking the secrets of the Temple of the Deadly Desert? One thing’s for sure…

Oz will never be the same.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9780359373895

Book preview

Lost in Oz: The Complete Trilogy

Lost in Oz: The Complete Trilogy

by Joshua Patrick Dudley

Copyright

Lost in Oz: The Complete Trilogy

Copyright © 2019 by Joshua Patrick Dudley

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Edited by Laurel A. Levesque

Cover art by Joshua Patrick Dudley

ISBN  978-0-359-37389-5

Published by JDuDs Productions

A silhouette of a person Description automatically generated

Chapter 1: Confusion and Conclusions

I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know if this is really happening. Am I sleeping? Is this all a dream? This can’t be real. Okay Joshua. Calm down and think. How did it all begin?

Thoughts race through my mind like a never-ending stream of confusion. My heart is pounding, and my palms are sweaty. Every last inch of my body aches. Beneath me I feel the cool, roughness of the brick road I have fallen onto. I try to focus myself, but nothing seems to make sense. This can’t be real.

My eyes slide back and forth in my head, searching for something, anything familiar, to give me a clue to where I am.  There’s nothing around me besides nature and a road that seems to go on for miles on either side of me. The warmth of the sun caresses my skin as I finally begin to breathe again. My eyes are blurry, but slowly they begin to clear.

Think, kid, what do you know? As I frantically try to remember anything, I feel myself becoming increasingly tense and frustrated. The hairs on the back of my neck stand in attention and I slam my hand to the ground and let out a frustrated moan.

Okay, anything will do. My name is Joshua Dudley. I’m eighteen years old; my birthday is November 15, 1987. I live in Hooksett, New Hampshire with my family. My sisters’ names are Tamara, Caitlin, and Meghan. My three best friends in the world are Tommy, Maria and Laura.

Thinking about these useless thoughts only angers me more. Of course, I know all that stuff. I don’t have amnesia. I’m just lost, that’s all—lost.

Breathing deeply, I rise to my feet and a sharp pain courses through my side. I must have broken a few ribs from the fall. This still doesn’t make sense. Where did I fall from? What I was doing? Who was I with?

Examining the rest of my body I discover a few more scratches and bruises. The most crucially in need of attention are my elbows, which feel as if they have been completely scraped down to the bone. I tear a piece of my shirt off and tie it tightly around the wound to stop the bleeding. Good thing I pay attention in all those Health classes in school.

That’s it! I shout out loud as my brain begins to function again. I was on my way home from school. I pat myself on the back in congratulations. I know where I came from, but that still doesn’t explain how I got here, wherever here is.

"Right, Josh. You were going home from school with Tamara. Mom had just called and said there was something going on with the weather. Was it the weather or something about a feather? I pause for a moment as I finally realize I’ve been talking to myself this whole time. I’m nuts. That’s all there is to it. I’ve gone off the deep end and now I’m trapped in some sort of crazy dream in my crazy mind."

Okay, who else was with you? What else was going on? It was Tamara, Laura, Tommy, and me. School had just gotten out for the day and we were celebrating our freedom. None of us had homework. All we had left ahead of us was a good time. We were going to go to the beach, but Mom said the weather was supposed to be horrible. So, we were heading home. That’s when it happened.

Laura was driving, and I was riding in the front seat—the best friend always gets the front seat. The weather had gotten really bad. It was raining like we had never seen before. The winds were so strong Laura’s car rocked from side to side, swerving back in forth over the yellow line in the middle of the road. But that’s all I know. The wind and rain got so bad we couldn’t see and then… that’s all. I must’ve blacked out and now I’m here.

Putting my own frustrated fears aside, it finally dawns on me to search for my sister and two friends. If I’m here, they have to be too. Just as I begin to run down the road in one direction, I hear a scream from the other.

I know that scream. I’ve known that scream all my life. It’s Tamara. My twin sister.

I change direction and take off down the road, running as fast as the pains in my body will allow. She’s nowhere in sight. Everywhere I look only trees can be seen—trees and this yellowish brick road.

She screams again. It’s definitely coming from the woods directly to my right. I run into the trees, forcing the branches away from my face. Some still manage to whip at me and scratch me, but I have to get to my sister. Just the thought of knowing she’s here makes me feel a million times better, but I’ve got to get to her and make sure she’s okay.

The brightly shining sun begins to disappear as I run deeper into the woods. It’s so dark I can’t see where I’m going. Trees lunge at me from every side. I duck and dive to maneuver around them. I still can’t see her. I race forward and fall flat on my face. I trip over something. Something big.

As I hit the ground for the second time, my sister’s scream echoes through my ears and her hot breath shoots all over my face.

Tamara. It’s me. It’s Josh. Calm down. Are you okay?

"What the heck? Where are we? What happened?" Her breathing is still heavy and rapid. I pull her close to me, embracing her, hoping to comfort her in any way that I can. Tamara looks a lot like me, we’re twins after all. We’re both pale, red-headed, and thin, but I think she’s prettier than me, regardless of the fact that she’s a good eight inches shorter.

I don’t know where we are, I continue, but I have an idea. It’s nowhere close to home.

What? Tamara seems more confused now than ever. She’s pulling twigs from her long, red hair in frustration as she growls at me for answers. How could we be anywhere but close to home? We live ten minutes from school.

I know, but, trust me: we’re not in New Hampshire anymore.

I climb back to my feet and offer my hands to her. She accepts them, and I pull her to a standing position. She lets out a loud yelp as she realizes her body has taken a beating from the fall.

Where are Tommy and Laura? Have you seen them?

I haven’t seen anything. I had only just started to wake up when I heard you screaming. I spent so long trying to calm myself down that I almost forgot there was a group of us. Are you okay to walk?

Tamara shoots a look of disbelief in my direction. She’s rubbing her knees and trying to check herself for cuts.

There’s much more sun over this way, I inform her as I point in the direction I had just run from. We just have to get out of the woods.

Dragging our feet, we slowly begin to walk toward the road. That road, for some reason it’s all I can think of. I don’t know why, but I feel like I’ve been on it before. Pushing my thoughts aside, I try to start a conversation with Tamara, but she’s stopped.

What’s wrong, Tam?

Shh.

What, why shh? I question her impatiently.

Be quiet. Listen. It’s voices.

I stand perfectly still and try to focus on the mysterious voices. They’re getting closer by the second. I look at her and whisper, There are two of them, over there.

Why are you whispering? We have to get to them and ask them for help.

Before I can argue that I think her plan could be dangerous, she takes off running toward the voices. I begin to run after her, realizing she must be in much better shape than me. I feel like I’m about to collapse. I think I may have packed on a good ten pounds eating that cafeteria food from school. Once I figure out where we are, I’m going on a diet.

Tamara bursts out of the woods and lands on the road, right in front of Tommy and Laura. They all let out a scream.

Tommy is tall and thin, but in good shape. He has dark features and blue eyes that stand out against his pale skin. Laura is also tall and thin. She has blue eyes, hidden behind her dorky glasses, and her blonde hair, that is normally neatly tied back in a bun, is now a fluffed-out mess around her face.

Oh my gosh! Laura bellows at Tamara. You’re okay!

Where’s Josh? Tommy asks.

I’m here, I shout as I hobble my way out of the woods. Relief sets in for a moment as I realize my friends are okay. Tommy has a few scratches on his face, and it looks like Laura may have cracked one of the lenses on her glasses, but they are alive and well.

Oh good, we’re all here, Laura concludes, her blonde hair still blowing around the light, afternoon breeze.

Thanks for that astute observation Laura, Tamara sneers derisively. But where’s here?

That’s a good question, I think to myself. My eyes are drawn back to the road. What is it about that darn road that…

Oh, no, I murmur.

What? Tamara asks me, but I’m not fully listening. Josh, what’s up?

I think I know where we are, I offer. But I don’t think any of you will believe it. They all look at me in desperation. As they close in on me like a pack of rabid wolves, I point down to the road beneath us. They pause for a moment, staring at the yellow brick.

No! Laura shouts.

It can’t be! Tommy continues.

Tamara begins to speak, I swear if you tell me you think we’re in…

Oz, I interrupt. We’re lost in Oz.

Oz? Tamara screams. "Are you kidding me, Josh? You think we’re in Oz?"

If you’ve got a better idea, let me hear it. I demand.

Tamara goes to speak, but in her frustration turns and walks away from me. I look to the others to see what their thoughts are on our situation. Laura has dropped to the ground and is beginning to cry with her face in her knees. Tommy’s mouth is so far open I can fit my head inside of it. Clearly everyone else hates the idea of being in Oz except me.

Tommy frantically starts patting himself down, feeling his pockets.

Let’s call for help! Tommy finally chimes in. Who’s got a phone? I can’t find mine.

Laura starts rummaging through her backpack. Mine’s gone, too.

I check my pockets and find my phone. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. As luck would have it, my phone was completely crushed in the fall.

Well, my phone is broken. Tamara, do you have yours? I ask her.

Mom took mine away, I’m grounded for sneaking out to go to Rachel Arnold’s party last week, remember? Tamara huffs, still standing away from the group.

Okay, guys. I try to take command. What are we going to do about it? We need to formulate some sort of plan that doesn’t involve our phones… or lack thereof.

Laura raises her head from between her knees. A plan? You want to make a plan?

Well, yeah I reply calmly. We’ve got to do something.

Tamara returns to the group, still red in the face with anger. I’ll give you a plan, Josh. Sarcasm drips from her lips. Let’s go see the Wizard. Isn’t that what they do in the movie? Maybe he could give you a brain and maybe, just maybe, he could get me out of here.

Tam, come on, I begin.

No, Josh. Don’t say anything else. Not a word. You’re so serious about this aren’t you? You actually think we’re in Oz. Grow up.

Okay, Oz or not, we have to figure out what to do, Tommy finally adds. I mean, we can’t just sit in the middle of this road all day.

Right! Good! Now you’re thinking. I begin to get excited at the idea of someone else trying to help the four of us out of this situation. I think the best thing for us to do is just to walk down this road. We’ve got to come to something or someplace eventually.

Josh, I can’t walk in these shoes. These are Prada, Tamara whines as she displays her expensive shoes to her brother and friends.

Get over it, I reply forcefully. I’m not carrying you, and we’re not sitting here all day. Take off your shoes and start walking.

But… she begins.

No buts, move it now! I’m quite proud of myself. I’m not normally so forceful and Tamara is definitely not normally so submissive, but to my surprise, she takes off her shoes and begins to walk. Tommy follows closely behind her, and I help Laura to her feet. Tears are still streaming down her face.

Laura, I try to console her. It’s okay honey. We’ll figure something out. Please don’t cry.

I’m not worried that we won’t figure anything out. She whimpers.

Well, then, what’s the problem?

"I’m just… scared. What if this is Oz? What if we are really here? Have you ever read those books Josh? They’re terrifying—the things and creatures that live in Oz. I can’t handle it. I couldn’t even watch the movie when I was younger. The flying monkeys were just so… scary. And what if we don’t find a way home? What about my parents? My sister?"

For a moment, I actually feel truly sorry for Laura. But, forcing her to her feet, I vow to protect her from any harm. I look ahead of us and Tamara and Tommy are out of sight.

Come on, Laura, we gotta catch up.

No, just wait, she shouts. Laura reaches for the backpack that had been nestled comfortably on her back since we had left school. I’m surprised she didn’t lose it in the fall. She reaches in and pulls out a copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum.

You just happen to be carrying the guide to Oz right in your backpack?

It’s an assignment for English class, Laura continues. Look here, Josh. It has a map and everything. Laura is easily the smartest out of all of us. If we’re going to find a solution, it will most likely come from her.

Well, I’m glad we have a backup plan. I am excited about the idea of knowing we have all the information we could possibly need for the adventure, but I realize there are more important things going on. We have to catch up to Tamara and Tommy. I rise to my feet, expecting Laura to follow and start powerwalking.

Let’s go. We don’t want to lose them! I call back sympathetically to Laura. She quickly joins my side and we start walking.

As Laura and I come to a brief jog, Tamara and Tommy begin running back toward us.

What? What’s wrong? I shout. Why are you coming back?

Tamara motions for me to be quiet. Tommy jumps up and down with glee. They approach quickly and soon are standing right in front of us.

You’re never going to believe this, Tommy starts.

What? I question, longing to know what the excitement is about.

Josh... Tamara mutters, I’m sorry.

Sorry for what? What happened to you two?

Tamara takes me by the hand and Tommy does the same to Laura. They walk us further along the road of yellow brick, until we’re looking down at the long winding road, which we see crosses a river and disappears into a deep forest.

I still don’t see anything, Tam. I begin to get agitated. What is it?

Look down there, crossing the river, Tommy points excitedly.

There, right before our very eyes we see them. The famous four. A young girl wearing sparkling silver shoes and a blue gingham dress leads the way. She’s followed by a small dog and a walking scarecrow, who stumbles clumsily across the road. Just behind them is a man completely constructed out of tin, slinging an axe over his shoulder as he walks comfortably beside a huge, wild lion.

The four seem to be heading right in our direction.

We were going the wrong way, Tommy says. Obviously we have to follow them to find a way home.

You see storybook characters alive, in person and you’re still worried about getting home? Tamara moans. I’m worried I need to be put in a straitjacket and move into one of those tiny little rooms, with the really soft walls.

As the other three continue to babble on, my mind continues to stir. So does Laura’s and she chimes in before I have the chance.

Um, guys. We have a problem, Laura mutters.

What now? Tamara demands.

"If those people are really here, then we’re not just in Oz. We’re in the story. We’re in the book. And we’re back in time, too!"

Okay, so… Tommy questions. It’s got to be just as easy to get out of a book as it is to get out of a made-up country.

Yeah, I don’t see the problem, Tamara interjects.

The problem is, Laura continues, that we can’t talk to them. We can’t be seen by them and we can’t do anything to affect them.

What, why? I wonder.

Because we could risk changing the story and if we do that, then Dorothy might not get home. If Dorothy doesn’t get home, I have a sneaking suspicion that we won’t get home either.

So, what do you think we should we do? Tamara begins to grow angry. She stamps her feet and declares, I don’t care what you say; I’m talking to them and telling them we need to go with them to the green city.

"The Emerald City," Laura corrects her.

Whatever. I’m talking to them.

No, Tamara! We don’t know what might happen.

Tamara begins to take off toward Dorothy and her friends. I believe Laura, so I try to chase her, but the pain in my ribs has increased a thousand-fold since I first discovered it. Suddenly, every cut and bruise on my body begins to ache and I can feel my heart racing again. Sweat beads across my forehead and my eyes throb with pain. They begin to get blurry and then black. I reach for Tamara and just as I am about to grab her, I drop to the ground. Everything’s dark. I’m out again.

Chapter 2: The Awakening

With a quick gasp for air, the blackness begins to fade from my eyes. I hurtle myself into a sitting position and quickly search the area for any sign that Tamara may have changed the story by conversing with Dorothy.

I’m surrounded by dark walls on all four sides. A musty smell fills my nose and I can feel the rot of the wooden planks beneath my hands.

Hello? Guys? There is no response.

I search around me, feeling the floor and the walls for any door or way of exit. As I slide my hand up a wall, groping to find a door handle, I feel something furry at my feet. I pause for a moment; not even breathing—my mind is so full of fear. If Laura was right, this could be some creepy kind of giant spider waiting to make me its midnight snack.

I pull myself together and decide I must be brave and find out what the mysterious creature might be. I slowly lower my hand toward it and before I know what happens, it licks me. Thick saliva coats my hand and the happy dog begins to bark.

I reach for the lighter in my pocket and spark it, so I can see what kind of dog it is. It’s a small black and brown dog with wiry hair. I reach for its collar, which is in the shape of a bone. The inscription reads Toto.

No, she didn’t! I scream. I gently push the dog off me and spastically search for the doorknob.  After feeling along two walls and tripping over a small wooden stool, I find it. I tear the door open and discover a small fire crackling outside, with a group of people, and a LION, sitting around it. Toto bursts out from behind me and races toward the fire.

Toto! Good morning! Did you keep the nice man safe? a young girl questions the tiny dog.

I try to speak, but I decide not to, realizing I actually do not know what to say.

I hope he wasn’t any trouble for you. I’m Dorothy Gale. She seems so innocent. She’s not at all how she looked in the movie. Her hair is a fair shade of blonde and she’s about five years younger than I had expected. Her plain face is only made beautiful by the dainty smile that never seems to leave it. And her shoes, why are they silver? I thought they were supposed to be ruby. I hope this isn’t a change initiated by Tamara interacting with the storyline.

He was no trouble at all, I manage to say. What’s up with the shoes?

Those are the silver shoes of the Wicked Witch of the East, the nearby straw man states factually.

Are you sure? I ask, still confused.

That’s what the Good Witch of the North told me, Dorothy replies. They are much more comfortable than the shoes I had, so I was quite thankful for her generosity.

Oh, I’m sure. Excuse me for being rude, but where are the others?

The others you came with? the Tin-Man questions me in a military-like manner.

Yes, sir, I answer quickly and politely. My parents raised me right.

They went down by the brook over there to bathe before bed.

Thank you. I’ll be back in a few minutes. I walk away more quickly than I had planned. This was getting out of hand. I can’t believe I’m talking to people from a book my mother used to read to me when I was a child.

As I make my way through the dark woods, I come upon a rather large clearing. The moon reflects brightly onto the small body of water that rests before me. I glance up to the sky and realize that the moon is exceptionally bright. It looks almost as though the moon is closer to the earth than back home, but that’s not possible... right?

Isn’t that awesome? Tamara questions me excitedly. That moon is HUGE!

Awesome? I thought you hated it here. I remind her.

Oh, I do, but I might as well enjoy the scenery while I’m here. Tamara runs back to the water and jumps in, where both Tommy and Laura have already been swimming.

Come in, man, Tommy starts. The water is perfect!

No, really, I’m fine. I pause for a moment. What did you guys say to them?

Nothing. Laura commands my attention. We told them we somehow got lost here and we need to find a way home. So, they asked us to go to the wizard with them! Everything should be fine!

Have I lost my mind? Are my friends that were once so against and terrified of being here, actually having a good time? This is too much for me to handle. They seem to forget that everything is not going to be fine.

You know just as well as I do that Dorothy has to go through a lot more stuff before she gets to go home. I try to calm myself. "Not to mention the fact that she only gets to go home with the ruby slippers and that girl has silver shoes on!"

Actually, Laura begins, the shoes in the book are silver and she still does get home with them.

Laura! You said not to talk them! You didn’t tell her anything about the shoes, did you? I ask Laura is a serious tone.

No, we figured we’d just wait until she was asleep and grab them, Tamara states.

This is still part of my plan, Laura starts. As long as we don’t change anything in the story, we should be fine.

Laura, why are you acting like this? You’re the smart one! I argue.

Gee, thanks, Tommy is clearly offended.

The other three begin to climb out of the water and dry themselves off. As Laura wrings the rest of the water from her hair, I lunge at her and pull her aside from the others.

Gosh Josh, what are you doing?

We can’t take her shoes. We can’t change the story! I’m beyond angry.

Well, there’s no other way out of here. You know me, I’m always prepared, I did my research. I flipped to the end of the book and that’s the only way to get home from Oz.

So, what? We’re just gonna leave that little girl stranded here in Oz? She needs to get home more than we do. Why are you acting like this? This isn’t you, at all.

I’m in survival mode. Tamara reasoned it for me. She’s got a lion, a guy with an axe and a guy to use as a shield. She’ll be fine. I want to go home. Laura brushes me off and walks back toward my sister and Tommy.

Are they kidding me? We can’t do that. We have to find another way. We have to get away from these characters and do this ourselves. We can’t change the story. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like I can’t let that little girl get stuck here.

I walk further away from my friends and rejoin the gang of strangers in front of the tiny cabin.

I hope everything is going well, Dorothy states as she offers me a piece of bread from her basket.

I can’t, I’m sorry. I can’t take your food. I try to be as sincere as possible.

Oh, it’s no problem. The others took it as quickly as I could cut it off the loaf. This statement doesn’t even seem to strike a nerve with her. She’s truly so caring. However, it bothers me, and I feel like I must apologize.

I’m sorry about my friends. They have forgotten their manners, they aren’t usually like this. We should be finding our food. I’m sorry.

It’s okay, Joshua. That’s your name, correct?

Yes, that’s right, Dorothy. I’m Joshua.

We sit by the fire for a while and listen to it crackling. The warmth of the flame is comforting to all of us, except the Scarecrow who’s cowering by a tree a few yards away from us. I feel myself beginning to nod off, but my mind keeps racing. I must do something to undo what my sister and friends did. I have to get these characters away from us and back on their own timeline.

In the morning, I begin to announce to the group, "feel free to leave before us. We are very tired from our travels and will require more rest than usual. Please forgive us but do leave before us and we’ll catch up."

Oh, we couldn’t do a thing like that, Dorothy insists. Really, it’s no problem. We shall wait for you.

It will be a while and I hate to delay you any further. You’ve been kind enough. Please, go on your own time. I try desperately to separate our two groups that have quickly begun to bond.

He is right, the Tin Woodman interjects. We should stay on a strict schedule.

Then it’s settled, I state. We’ll catch up with you tomorrow! For now, good night!

I rush away from the fire before anything can be said, or any argument heard. I turn quickly to wave goodbye once more and see a single teardrop in Dorothy’s eye. She must’ve really felt better about knowing there were others like her lost in this place.

Now I feel awful that I left. I took away that little girl’s only hope. She’s about the same age as my younger sisters. Her smile even reminds me of them a great deal. You can see the confidence and terror on her face, just like in Caitlin and Meghan’s faces as each day they take on new obstacles. Wow, I miss them. I want to get home.

I glance up to the sky again and stare at the giant moon. I now notice that it seems to have a slightly green tint to it. It must be the Emerald City in all its brilliance, reflecting its color proudly into the sky! I estimate there’s only about another day or two until we reach it. As long as my little plan works, we should be fine. Dorothy and her gang will play out their storyline and we’ll make our own. Maybe I can even sell it for movie rights when I get home.

For now, I must continue to rest so I can heal. We have a long journey ahead of us, and I have a lot of work to do to get our two groups to separate and stay that way. My eyes begin to droop, and my head feels heavy.

Tommy, Laura, and Tamara are all curled up on a grassy field next to the water they had just bathed in. I stumble my way to them and collapse to the ground. I say a small prayer, though I’m not religious, and within a moment, I am fast asleep.

Chapter 3: The Nebulian Tribe

The next morning, as the sun begins to rise over the grassy, dew-covered field we had slept on the previous night, I blink my eyes slowly as I wake. I glance around and find Tamara, Laura, and Tommy still fast asleep, exhausted from their excessive play time they had while I was busy formulating a plan. Now I’m ahead of the game.

I quickly rise to my feet and run through the woods, toward the area where the fire had burned last night. The sun is shining brightly, so I easily glide my way through the heavy brush that surrounds me. I turn a corner and find the spot where the four Oz characters spent the night.

There’s nothing. Not even a slightly burning ember. They must have left hours ago, meaning that my plan worked perfectly. I do a slight jig expressing my satisfaction with the situation. Now the original story of Oz and the four travelers won’t change. Then all the rest of us have to do is meet up with Dorothy and her gang at the end of their adventure, catch a ride back to Kansas with those silver shoes, where we can hop on the next flight back to New Hampshire, finally bringing this nightmare to its complete and final end! That is—assuming the Kansas she brings us back to isn’t the Kansas of 1899, like Laura implied.

I search around the premises looking for anything that could be made into a suitable breakfast for the four of us. There’s nothing much here, mostly trees, but I think I can see a few berry bushes off in the distance.

As I walk into the forest, I hum to myself and think of all the wonderful things my plan has accomplished. I knew I was right from the start and I truly believe things can only get better from here.

Before the thought of happiness can even completely register in my already busy brain, I hear a loud scream coming from the campsite. I figure something must be wrong; it must be one of the terrible beasts Laura was so afraid of. I rush back to the scene of the imagined crime and find my three friends gathered around the burnt ground where the fire once had sparked.

What’s wrong? Who screamed? I ask, noticing nothing dangerous in sight.

"Are you kidding? What’s wrong? Tamara begins to huff. They left without us!"

What are we going to do now? Laura pouts.

Well, if we leave right now, Tommy interrupts, we can probably catch up with them.

I don’t think so, I state firmly. It looks like they’ve been gone for hours. I think it’s better this way—

Oh, shut up, Josh! Tamara shouts. We’re completely stranded now. They were our only hope.

I take a moment to collect my thoughts and analyze the situation. I’ve got to calm Tamara down and convince all three of them that this is truly for the better. I have to make sure that I give no clue that it was by my suggestion that the others left before us. I think I have a plan. I let out a large sigh.

You’re right, Tam, I start.

I am? She looks at me like I just told her she won a hundred million dollars.

Yes. You are. I smile gently, hoping she’s going to buy what I’m trying to sell. I can’t believe that they would leave us here. In fact, I think it was quite rude of them. I mean, in the movie, they seemed so... so sweet.

I know, even in the book they would have helped anyone, Laura states, enforcing everything I’m saying.

Well, what are we going to do now? Tommy asks impatiently.

First, we have to find something to eat. Once we’re satisfied, we’ll be able to think a lot better and consider our next plan of action, I suggest.

The other three agree with me, and I shake my own hand in congratulations. I’m so good, I think to myself as Tommy follows me into the woods to help search for berries. Tamara and Laura go back down toward the stream to try and catch some fish. I’m not a big fish eater, but something is better than nothing.

As Tommy and I delve deeper into the woods, we find the biggest, juiciest looking berries we have ever seen. We run to the bush and instantly begin plucking handfuls of the ripe fruits. As Tommy tosses one toward his mouth, he stops frantically and drops the berry.

What’s wrong, I wonder.

There’s something on it, Tommy moans. "I hate bugs!"

I reach over and pick up the succulent red berry. He’s right. There is something on it. It looks almost like a ladybug, but the patterns on its back seem reminiscent of a beautiful monarch butterfly.

It’s beautiful, I state.

Thank you, the bug replies.

Tommy and I pause for a moment and gaze at each other in astonishment. Did that really just happen? Did a bug just talk to us? We seem to be forgetting where we are. I doubt this sort of thing is an unusual occurrence around these parts, but then, I don’t really know Oz outside of the movie... and it looks like the movie got a lot of it wrong.

What? Tommy and I both managed to mumble at the same time.

I am Princess Orastia. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, the small insect continues. I must thank you very kindly for not eating me, for I do not wish to go through such an experience. No one in Oz can die, but I’m sure it would be unpleasant.  I am but a few weeks old.

So, wait, I begin. Let me try to get this straight. You’re a few weeks old and a princess? Not to mention the fact that you are a bug. This is all very new to me. You must forgive me; I’m not from around here.

The bug’s eyes shift focus between Tommy and me. Tommy’s mouth is still hanging open and his eyes are so wide that he looks like a bug himself. Princess Orastia turns back to me and speaks, again to my astonishment.

Yes, that’s right. I am Princess Orastia, of the Nebulian tribe.

Oh, I see. I’m sorry we disturbed you, your majesty. The words feel almost like nonsense spewing from my mouth. Am I really talking to a bug?

You have not disturbed me; however, the berries you pick belong to my tribe. We work hard year-round to create such a plentiful supply for ourselves and we have no intention of sharing.

I look to Tommy for advice, but still nothing seems to be registering in his mind. I think he might pass out soon.

Again, your majesty, I’m very sorry. I try to reason with her. It’s just that we’re lost and we’re not sure if we’ll ever find food again before we reach the Emerald City.

I see, she states. I shall take that into consideration. Return to your camp. I will fly to my palace and discuss this matter with my mother. If she decides you are worthy of our food supply, then at that time you shall receive some.

Oh, thank you so much!  I begin to say, but the tiny princess has already begun her flight back to her home. I look to Tommy who is now even more pale and dazed than ever.

C’mon, I command. Let’s get back to the camp and wait for the bugs and the girls.

Before he can speak again, he passes out and drops to the ground. I guess the whole talking bug thing was just a little too much for him.

As I drag his ragdoll-limp body back to the campsite, I decide that for the rest of the trip I must be open-minded and optimistic. Tommy begins to stir back into consciousness, but I continue to drag him anyway. I don’t need him passing back out when the princess returns.

When I arrive at the campsite, I find Tamara and Laura, sitting by a newly-lit fire, with one small fish roasting on a stick above it. The smell is intense. I thought fish in America smelt bad, but the fish in Oz reeked of day-old cat box.

I’m not eating that, I disgustedly stammer.

Good, more for us, Tamara snaps. What happened to Tommy?

Well, you see, I begin as I drop Tommy’s feet to the ground. There was this bug on the berries, and it talked, and he fainted.

Better than what happened to us, Laura retorts.

What do you mean? Tommy moans as he slowly recovers. How could anything be worse than talking bugs?

We had talking warrior fish, Laura finishes her tale.

We almost died just to kidnap this little prince and roast his little guts out, Tamara chuckles.

You’re sick, I proclaim. And not to mention twisted. Now we have to stay away from water, or the fish will recognize you and roast us for stealing their prince.

Oh, well, Tamara snarls. Worse things could happen. Was this really my sister talking so cruelly? Tamara was never known as the nicest girl in school, but she was popular and had to constantly defend herself against random attackers. That’s petty, high school drama, but this, this is serious.

Before I can scold her for being a pain, a huge swarm of the Nebulian tribe arrives and hovers before us. The Princess, whom I had previously spoken to, flutters to my ear.

You must bow before my mother, Queen Burrisia, she informs me.

Oh, thank you, I reply cautiously. Your majesty, Queen Bur-res-ti-ahhh, I try to pronounce the name I was just told.

What is your name? The queen questions lightly, in a buzzing tone.

I am Joshua Dudley, from Hooksett, New Hampshire.

Do you have a throne in New Hampshire, young sir?

I try to think fast. Maybe she’ll help us if she thinks we are royalty as well.

Yes ma’am, I do.

Yeah, Tamara interjects, a porcelain throne.

I shoot a look at her, hoping to inform her to shut her mouth before I shut it for her. I return my focus to the queen, whose wings have stretched out to show their full beauty. The colors that swirl throughout her wings almost hypnotize me, and she bows her head down.

You are welcome to our supply, most noble King Joshua Dudley of Hooksett, New Hampshire. The queen hums. But do not call upon us again. Our act of kindness will expire once you have swallowed the berries.

Thank you, your majesty, I reply excitedly. She called me a king! I feel pretty darn cool.

Something you must know about the berries, the queen warns. Just one will fill you as if you’ve had a full meal. So, do not eat with your eyes; eat with your stomach.

With that, the queen’s servants each place three plump berries in each one of our hands. As they zoom around, the humming of their wings almost sounds like gentle music. Before I could thank them again, they were off.

Well, that was pretty cool, Tommy comments.

Tamara begins to chuckle. "Yeah right: Josh, a king? Please!"

You might as well refer to me as your king. I just managed to get you all three meals. You may bow down and kiss my toes later, I joke.

"Thank you, your majesty," Laura giggles as she pokes fun at me, swirls her hand above her head and curtsies.

Our eyes are all instantly drawn to the berries that were placed in our hands. It seems so strange that one little berry could fill you up like you’d just had a full meal. I gaze around to see if the others had tried theirs yet. No one had. We were all intimidated.

So, who’s going to try these first? Tommy wonders.

"What