Chapter 8: Green
The two remained in silence as they listened for the distant rumbling. It came, twice, meaning Tik-Tok only had one remaining turn left.
But then there was a long pause, silence filling the room like vapour. Nothing stirred, or moved, for a long time. The stony (pun intended) silence was broken when a whispering voice filled the air. Mac realised a rock near the King's head had grown a mouth and eyes, and was busy telling the King something before melting back into the rock. The King looked puzzled, before looking at Mac. "It seems the Copper Cube has broken down." he said.
"His actions must have run down." Mac said.
"Well that's not good." the King frowned, before scratching the end of his nose with a finger. "I say you better go and unstick him so he can finish his turn."
Mac didn't like that idea at all. He gulped, but he knew he had no choice in the matter. He watched the hole in the stone wall being pried open, and he vanished down into the hallway. It led on for a few steps before Mac walked into the large room. It had marble floors, and a marble ceiling. But unlike the hazy dream he could hardly remember now, it had supports of columns and he could see the walls. All around him were vanities, drawers, sofas, tables of all shapes and sizes, and atop all of them were small ornaments of various colour and make. Some were pot, others marble, some stone. Mac made his way around the furniture, careful not to bump into anything.
"Tik-Tok?" Mac called out, but then spotted him. Sure enough, Tik-Tok was frozen in the middle of the room. "Tik-Tok!" he hurried over to his friend and put his hand to the key that wound up his movements, but couldn't move it any more. "...you're not frozen..."
"Shhh." Tik-Tok whispered. "Me fake break-ing down so you come in. Pre-tend to wind me." Mac did as he was told, and Tik-Tok turned to face him. "Me see it this way; if you is in here with me, and if I loose me last turn you see what I am turned in-to."
"..wow, that's a pretty good plan!" Mac said, very much impressed by the 'Copper Cubes' idea.
Tik-Tok grinned widely, before turning and beginning to make his way around the ornaments. Mac followed him, and watched as Tik-Tok looked from one piece of nick-nackery to another. Finally he settled on an empty vase and put his hand on it.
The two locked eyes for a second.
"Oz."
There was a brilliant flash of light, the thunder roared. Mac had to shut his eyes since the bright white light was almost blinding, and when he opened his eyes... Tik-Tok was gone. But he could see nothing different about the room at all. He couldn't see any new ornaments anywhere. Tik-Tok's good idea had gone to dust.
~*~
"Your Highness, Mombi has arrived!" a Gnome declared, and sure enough in strode the Princess dressed in a gown any queen or princess would be jealous of. Ruffles, bows, cuffs, the whole shebang. Behind her were the Wheelers, all tied together in order to pull her chariot.
"Ah, Princess Mombi." the Gnome King grinned. "A pleasure."
"Yeah yeah..." Mombi muttered.
"Kneel." the King said.
"What?!"
"Kneel; you may be a Princess but I'm a King. Kneel."
Mombi growled dangerously but kneeled.
"Lower."
She got down on her hands and knees.
"Lower."
Now she was flat on the floor.
"...Lower!" the King then erupted into a fit of laughter that seemed to shake the entire room.
"Listen! I came to tell you, Mac of Fosters is here, and he-"
"I know." the Gnome King said in a bored voice.
"You know?"
"What, did I stutter? Yes! I know. He's here now. And soon... he'll be gone. Just like Ozma. Soon, no one will remember Mac, OR Ozma. And I, shall rule Oz."
~*~
Mac had been inspecting some of the ornaments, looking for something that might look like one of his friends. Maybe a clock, or an antler... something! But it was becoming harder to find anything. So, he left it to pot luck. He shut his eyes, reached out his hand and grabbed something.
"Oz!"
~*~
The distant rumble echoed in the room.
"Yes... two turns to go and it's goodbye Mac." the King grinned, "And I, shall finally be human."
~*~
Having failed that one, Mac moved away to try again. He picked up a pincushion, dazzled with pins with bright colours on the pinheads. "Oz!"
The rumble shook the room, leaving Mac stood there once more.
"One turn left." he mumbled as he put the pin cushion back. He walked away from it, and entered another area of the room. Scratching his head, he looked around. Still, things were everywhere but nothing caught his eye. Growing agitated, Mac shut his eyes and spun on the spot for two spins then reached out and began walking. Feeling blindly he found a cuppboard adorned with nick-nacks on top. He couldn't see it, but his hands landed on a metal plant at first, but then something didn't feel right so he moved his hands away and to the left. Now in his hands, he gripped a green coloured bird. He peeked his eye open for a split second to see what he was holding, before shutting it tightly, to brace himself.
"Oz!"
There was a wonderful flash of light which filled the room, so bright even through Mac's shut eyes he could see it. He waited for the rumbling, the crash of lightning, but instead...
"MAC!"
~*~
The voice of the Scarecrow echoed on throughout the mountain, and the Gnome King's eyes widened in horror.
"No..."
~*~