OZ; Remake of the tale Part 1.2

3. Runaway

The Sheriff after thanking me for helping him to collared the Lunatic but he also cautioned me on Mrs.Gulch. He doubt that he an get her to drop the charges but he would try.

"Try to stay out of sight for a while, Dorothy." He winked at me.

I nodded and choose to ride back to the farm to seek out Uncle Henry. He needs to be told that Toto is well, as he also like the creature. As for Toto, she can't be far away. One of her favorite was to ride on my bike stern in the rear compartment when we go touring. I went to my bike and gunned up the machine. I took a slow ride without really looking for anything that resemble a furry ball. Soon after I left the boundary limits of the County, I felt a furry thing crawling up my back.

"Hello Toto. Welcome back."

On the way back, I stumbled on a vehicle being harassed by some bandit riders. The vehicle looks like a rectangular box being driven on six weeks; its the not design that matters in this hard climate but functionality. The vehicle was normally used to traders or as transport in between farms. It does have a built in cannon in the turret at the top of the vehicle but his one seems to lack it.

I recognised those riders; they are the Desert Raiders; a bunch of locals which thought of nothing except getting stoned and stealing what they may need. They are riding some makeshift bike design probably from discards or salvaged ones but its able to gather speed to match the vehicle. I spied no weapons on the bikes and their riders are lightly armed. There are four of them and the vehicle in pursuit was slowing down. I gunned up my bike and raced towards the vehicle. 

When I was within distance, I let loose off a warning shot to the raiders. They got my call sign and immediately peeled off to the safety of the nearby canyons. The raiders are not hardened criminals eager for a fight; they prefer to steal or run on any threat.

I pulled up alongside the vehicle and noticed its two rear tires are flat which was why it was slowing. Soon the vehicle stopped with me alongside it. I dismounted and removed my helmet to greet at the still unrevealed driver. Toto meanwhile have gone to a nearby quartz surface and dunk her load of the accumulated oily substance.

"Hello, young lady." The driver emerged from the vehicles side door. He was dressed in a long frock from his neckline to the hem at the knees. His leggings are some straps sandals while on his head was a long crooked hat. "My name is Professor Marvel; inventor, magician, and also soothsayer. Or in some terms, predictorian as used by one alien type; or perhaps fortune teller as named by one other. I can assure you many have named me, but I prefer my own naming; Professor of Probability."

"My name is ..."I offered to introduce myself.

"Ms Gale, I presume." Professor Marvel spoke out my name, I smiled and he points to my helmet. Its imprinted there D.Gale. "Running away, if I may presume."

"Uh?" I shudder at the presumption thrown to me. "No, I was about to go....home."

I was thinking of leaving Uncle Henry and Aunty Em, to avoid them getting into trouble over my issue with Mrs.Gulch. During my tenure of stay with Uncle Henry, I have to admit it has not been smooth. I am a catalyst for issues; I even once burned their structure when I forgot to turned off the switch. So I guess, its time I leave them and then Mrs.Gulch may dropped the charges. It was what I was thinking then, but I also wanted to tell Uncle Henry so he won't be so disappointed with me.

"Tch! You are not telling me the truth. I can tell from your facial expression that you did consider running away." Professor Marvel replied. "I did that once, and here I am since then."

"Was it bad?" The professor continued to speak on his own. "I don't really know. You see I never did returned and they never came searching either."

"Ah, Professor Marvel...if I may."I interjected on his thought. "I did not run away as I have done so."

"Yes, you did not run away, but you did contemplate it." Professor Marvel took me by my shoulder. "Let me tell you that running away is...... fun at times, and dreadful at most times. Eating, sleeping; that I did not mind as I do snored terribly. I once got evicted as I kept the while floor awake. I protested that if was not my doing but my nose."

Professor Marvel point to his nose which now seem to detached itself from his face and began walking away. The professor grabbed it and placed it back on his nose.

"Nasty bugger. Throws tantrums at me most times by blocking the passages." Professor Marvel made me laugh. He then offered me a seat next to his vehicle. But there was no seating available.

"Pardon me." Professor Marvel clapped his hands and the sand around us became a set of marble seating for two complete with a table.

"I presume you are comfortable now." Professor Marvel remarked as we sat down.

I looked at the table and then at the Professor. He must had read my mind as soon as I complete my thoughts, the drinks and food appeared before us. There was a lovely sun shade over us by then.

"Tell me, Ms.Gale; are you comfortable? Like home perhaps. That is what you would missed most when you leave home. Then the loneliness would come in. I hated that which was why I have my friends. I called them the Munchkins; small people but good company for a chat or sometimes to scratch your back."

Professor Marvel took out from his vest pocket They are little people at the height of a man's palm; and there are six of them. They looked; well like small midgets, dressed in similar loose tunic and some tight hoses for their leggings. They all looked like males and bowed when I was caught looking at them.

"My name is Dorothy. What's yours?" I asked of the midgets.

The six of them looked at each other and started off their whispering among themselves. Then the one in the middle walked towards me.

"We are Munchkins. We have no name, but since you asked; we would give you one. I am M1; he is M2, M3 , M4 and M5. That one is N1." M1 points to the last one. "She is a lady."

I looked at N1 who know reached for her hairband to released her tousled up hair bun. When she swing those hairs of hers, I could had sworn I think I saw gold dust settling on the marble table. She's beautiful and got nice lashes too. She then reached into her tunic and pulled out the restraining corset that flatten her chest.

"That felt good..." She replied but the other Munchkins were frowning away.

"N1 sneak away with us dressed like us, but as a lady; her place is in the village. She is a disgrace to us." M1 complained of the newly revealed Munchkins. The other four all nodded their head in agreement.

"Disgraceful...." they all chorus out. But N1 ignored them and looked at me with pleading eyes. I took sympathy to her.

"How do you do?" I replied.

"Not too good. Do you think you can adopt her as your friend? We can't stand having a lady in the pack." M1 points to N1 who stood apart from them.

I looked at the Professor Marvel. He smiled and replied.

"They are my friends; not my pet. Sure you can have her if she wants you. But beware; she eats a lot."

"And her flatulence....." M1 lamented which the other four followed on with their chorus.

"Sweet to the ears but intoxicating to the nose." They end up with a long humming sound. Without any hesitation, N1 walked towards Dorothy.

"I like you. Would you take me please? " N1 replied. Dorothy smiled and held out her hand for N1 to climb on. She then placed N1 on her left shoulder.

"Okay, now that is done. So tell me, Ms. Gale; are you still keen on running away? You have a friend to speak to now."

I did not replied and when I wanted to, the Professor spoke up again.

"Pardon my senility. I met your Uncle Henry on the way here. He said to tell you that Aunty Em is not feeling well."

That does it. I got up and rushed to my bike. I placed N1 inside my jacket pocket and roared up the bike. I rode for the farm without saying good bye to the Professor. It also did not occurred to me to asked how he knew my uncle or who he was.

Meanwhile back at the vehicle, the Munchkins looked at the lady riding away.

"Hey Prof, do you think she is the one we seek?" M1 asked of the Professor.

"Yes, Princess Gale is coming home soon. She would defeat the Witches and restore the Kingdom."

The Professor looked to the coming storm. He then sighed.

 "Its her first test. Then after that, its all up to her. May she find more friends to help her in this quest."

 "If she dies, then our lady would also perish. That's one less issue to contend with." M1 muttered to the rest.

"M1, why do you think N1 would perish there. She may be of help to Dorothy. After all, she ...." The professor asked of the Munchkins.

"An outlaw in our land. She won't last long there. They be looking for her." M1 made the comment and walked away. He was followed by the rest who chose to ignored the Professor..

As for myself, when I was riding, I saw the building storm. It would be a bad one and I hoped all at the farm have seek sheltered. I need to get there before the storm picked up or I would be in the storm for eternity.