Inferno in Oz - 1

Curled up in in a furry ball,

Tiny dog naps sleepily;

Suddenly, his ears perk up --

But what does Toto see?

Someone walking through the sand,

Familiar, but something's wrong...

Her steps are slow and purposeful,

Her eyes intense and strong.

Could it be her? Has she come home?

It's been so long since she's been here;

The urge to see her overwhelms,

But there's a twinge of fear. 

It's Dorothy, his nose affirms,

But different somehow, so enraged --

He feels her pain as if his own,

And now it's been uncaged.

Her boundless fury fills his mind

Black and slick, like toxic sludge;

Poisoning his loyalty

Until he shares her grudge.

If only he'd stayed by her side

They could have used the air balloon --

But dogs are made for chasing cats,

And the Wizard left too soon.

Worming through his little mind 

A fury never felt before;

He tilts his head, as if to bark,

But what comes out's a roar.

His body, fed by Dorothy's rage

Grows and swells in shape and size;

Strengthened by her mindless hate,

A fierce glow in his eyes. 

"Come to me, my special friend,

We need to leave this horrid place --

And if they will not let us go, 

Their world we shall erase."

He knows the sand is dangerous

For anyone to walk upon,

But Dorothy wears the Magic Belt;

For her, the curse is gone.

Frantically, he jolts awake,

Breaks into a panicked run,

Straight across the Quadlings' lands 

Lit by morning sun. 

His breath so heavy, steps so thick

Upon the ruddy ground,

Where once a terrier had been

There ran a hellish hound.

Waiting at the desert's edge,

He waits for Dorothy's return;

Whether they rule over Oz,

Or set it all to burn. 

----

- © Jackson Cambridge, 2015