Summer Love | TLOS

Ch. 28

15/1/14

Hah, Micah is literally the WORST lab partner ever. He's sooo disorganized, and forgetful, like what the heck? I don't remember him being so awful when we were dating! Today, he spilled an unknown chemical all over my new jeans! I spent, like, half my savings on them. AND THEY ARE WHITE!! Rest In Peace my jeans. I should get started on my Biology homework that Micah's going to copy tomorrow. Ugh, I really hope something bad happens to that kid.

Alex squeezed her eyes shut as she and her friends were tossed in the tempest. Large pieces of wood planks slammed into their bodies, splintering and scratching their skin. Alex wanted to scream, but the wind took away her voice and breath. Suddenly, Alex was thrown like a rag doll against a house, and her strawberry hair continued to whip across her freckled face. Her headband had blown off. Soon, the others joined her against the house. Alex squinted her eyes in an attempt to see, but she quickly closed them again. There was too much dust to see anything.

The house was blown to the opposite side of the cyclone, and fell through the air at a very rapid speed. Finally, the scream that was stuck in Alex's throat came out loud and clear. Her scream was accompanied by Conner's scream. With a loud and painful thud, the group and house landed on the ground. Conner moaned, his face squished against the soft green grass shooting up from the moist dirt. After a few moments of laying on the ground, Conner rolled to his back.

"This is it. This is heaven, isn't it?" Conner groaned.

"We're not dead, Conner," Alex said. "We're in Oz."

Conner turned his head. Alex was already standing and goggling at the vibrancy of the landscape. She faced the group who were still laying sprawled on the ground. Conner sat up, and grabbed his sister for support. One by one, each of the group members awoke with the same feeling that they had died, and this was the afterlife.

Faintly, a moaning sound reached Alex's ears, and it wasn't Conner this time. Alex walked in the direction of the moaning. It slowly became louder and louder. Alex came to the barn where two legs stuck out from underneath. The person, or rather, thing, groaned in pain. Alex pitied the being, and beckoned the others to help her lift the old barn. Instead of the lift, the FAT used magic to levitate it. Underneath, a man made of tin was laying on the ground. His jaw was detached from his face, and hang loosely as if it were a wiggly tooth. The tin man had a pained look on his face. In his hand was a hatchet.

Alex gasped, and grabbed her brother's shirt. "Conner, it's the Tin Woodsman!"

"Oh God, it is," Conner replied, concerned for the not-so-fictional character of his childhood. "Uh, maybe we should ask if he's okay. I'd hate to be one of those fans."

Alex nodded. Alex and Conner approached the character, and crouched down near him.

"Are you okay?" Conner asked.

"No, obviously not," the Tin Woodsman grumbled. "I was just squashed by a flying hunk of wood!"

"Why didn't you just get out of the way?" Conner queried.

Alex slapped his arm. Conner pulled back a little. He looked at his sister with look as if to say, What did I do?

"Conner! You don't just ask why they didn't move!" Alex snapped.

"Sorry," Conner mumbled.

"I'll have you know," the Tin Woodsman said, interrupting the twins. "that I haven't moved in ages!"

"I'm sorry to here that, Mr. Woodsman," Alex sympathized.

"It's quite alright. I suppose I deserve it."

"How come?" she asked. "You haven't done anything."

The Tinman thought about it for a moment. "I suppose you are right. Er, what's your name?"

"I'm Alex Bailey, and this is my twin brother, Conner," Alex introduced enthusiastically. Conner waved and smiled sheepishly.

"And the people over there?"

Alex looked at their group. "Oh, those are our friends."

"Emeralda and I are not friends," Conner groaned, rolling his eyes toward his sister.

The Tin Woodsman blinked at Alex. "Would you be so kind as to oil my joints for me?"

"Oh! Of course!" Alex exclaimed, bringing herself to her feet.

She found an oil can sitting on a large rock, and brought it back. Alex oiled each of the Tin Woodsman's rusted joints. Conner helped screw on the jaw, and oil it too. The Tinman moving his fingers, wrists, knees, and ankles. He brought himself to his feet.

"Thank you, Alex and Conner Bailey!" Tinman cried breathlessly.

The three walked back to the group who was standing around, awkwardly staring at the ground. Alex explained to everyone that they needed to get to Munchkinland, so they could stop Lloyd from fulfilling his nefarious plan.

"The only problem is, I'm not quite sure how to get to Munchkinland," Alex concluded.

"I do!" Tinman piped.

Alex clapped her hands with excitement. "Well, then lead on Mr. Woodsman! We will follow you!"

The Tin Woodsman nodded cheerfully, spun on his heel, and marched out of the luscious meadow. Soon, they came to the yellow brick road. Alex hopped up and down giddily. Conner hadn't seen Alex so happy since the day they had first arrived in the fairy tale world. Her happiness made him happy, and it was a nice change for him. 

A/N: Hey, everyone! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next update tomorrow! -Flora