Flash Fiction #412 -- Lost in Elsewhere/22

The flying monkeys were uglier than I expected them to be -- and I like monkeys.  Long, scraggly fur hung all over them except for their scrunched-up leathery faces.  The coat was brown to black, the faces a molted brown, and they're large wings black.

Their eyes were nearly white and cat-like.

"What the hell are these?" Edmond demanded and ran toward me as though he had forgotten he could fly.

"The evil witch's flying monkeys," I explained, looking down to where Edmond had almost plastered himself to my legs.  "Don't let them catch you in the air."

One made a dive at Lord Snow, but the big cat reached up and knocked it out of the sky like a toy.  The Flying Monkey hit the ground with a screech of anger and rolled before it got back to his feet.

Then it folded its wings and stalked forward, screeching some threat.  Lord Snow knocked it back again -- he was not using his claws, and I wasn't sure why.

I knocked one out of the air as well and got much the same reaction.

"Get them down," I shouted.  The creatures were getting loud.  "They can't seem to take off from the ground."

"Down here with me?" Edmond protested.

I reached down, scooped him up, and placed Edmond on my shoulder, all the while dodging the other five monkeys' claws.

"Yeah, that's better," Edmond said and dug claws in to hold on.  "Come on, you butt-uglies!"

"We don't actually need to annoy them," I said breathlessly.  I took another down, but now the ones on the ground were starting to form up in a line. 

I needn't have worried.  Lord Snow leapt straight at them and scattered the creatures again.  The ones in the sky were looking less assured and backing off.

"We need to get away," I said, moving up to Lord Snow's side.  "Should I try for somewhere else?"

"Not yet.  Back to the trees."

"They won't be happy.  And monkeys can climb."

"I don't think the trees would much like that," Edmond said.

Excellent point.  While I didn't think I could count the trees as allies, they were not likely to join the monkeys.  So we turned and ran for the trees.  I looked for a tin man, a scarecrow, a cowardly lion -- I'd take Dorothy as an ally right now, little dog and all.

We got into the shadow of the trees before any of the flying monkeys got us, though one came close to snatching Edmond off my shoulder.  I ducked in time and swatted with one hand, grabbing Edmond with the other.  Then we were well into the shadows of the trees, and the flying monkeys were sweeping off with shouts of anger.  The ones already on the ground kept guard on the path, and the others swept back and forth in the air.

We backed up some more, but by then, the trees were starting to make creaking noises and began grumbling.

"Hey, we just want to get clear of the  monkeys!" Edmond shouted above the growing noise.  He dealt with intelligent tress before.  "So, we're just going to walk on through.  But if there is any trouble, Lord Snow and I might have to climb you, and we both have claws."

"Go," a tree ordered, and others did as well.  "Get out.  You don't belong here."

I expected apples to start flying.  However, the flying monkeys did something stupid.  Those on the ground raced forward and launched themselves up into the trees so they could sail down on their wings.

They had claws, too.

The first tree let out a howl of distress.  Lord Snow raced over and swatted the monkey to the ground.  I did the same for the next one, despite that Edmond was yelling something not happy in my ear.  We kept them down -- and that helped us in more than one way.  Nothing got above us in the trees, and the trees themselves had taken up our cause.

Lord Snow had taken a nasty scratch on the shoulder.  I did my best to heal it while we retreated farther into the forest.  I wasn't sure that was any safer, but --

I heard something sweep over the top of the trees -- something more substantial than a flying monkey, and I feared that meant a whole new level of trouble for us.

I was sure of it when I heard a woman yelling.

"What is going on here?  You know better than to torment the trees!"

I watched as the figure came down in the clearing where some of her companions still stalked around, making sure we didn't get back out that way.

The Wicked Witch of the West had gotten an upgrade.  She certainly was not green-skinned, and though I couldn't clearly see her face, she didn't look hideously ugly.  She did have a rather old-fashioned broomstick in hand, but she wore a dark green pantsuit with a silky black shirt.  Her wind-blown hair was short and dark.

I saw her staring down the path to where I stood with my two companions, though she might not have noticed Edmond pressed against my chest.

"Well, what have we here?" she said and beckoned us out with one long finger.

And we went.  I didn't even realize the power of her magic at first because it so overwhelmed everything else.  Lord Snow made a soft sound of distress, and I felt my mouth go dry.

The flying monkeys were putting up such a chatter that I couldn't think straight.  All I could do was put one foot in front of the other and walk toward someone I pretty much thought I didn't want to meet.

Then I heard the sound of soft bells.  The Wicked Witch looked upward with a frown.

"Great.  Here comes Miss Goody Two-Shoes."

Glenda had arrived...