Chapter Text
It was safe to say living in Kansas was pretty dull. Especially on a rather small ranch in the middle of nowhere, but Thomas liked it well enough. Sure, the Kansas prairie side seemed gray most of the time–even more so today with the dark clouds blotting the sky–but it was peaceful.
Thomas Gale and his younger sister Dorothy lived on a small farm with their Uncle Henry and Aunt Em–well, they weren’t their actual uncle and aunt, but the Gales have known them for so long they’re practically family. Not to mention the elderly couple took them in after their parents died when Dorothy was an infant.
Even with the peaceful, happy life, Thomas usually found himself daydreaming, especially while doing chores on the farm while his sister was at school. Thoughts of an adventure in a faraway land flitted through Thomas’ mind as he helped his aunt wrangle some newborn chicks so they could count them. They were halfway through when Dorothy came running down the street with her little black dog, Toto, in her arms.
“Auntie Em! Tom!” The twelve-year old girl cried out, opening the gate to run over to her aunt and brother. Thomas noticed she looked distressed.
“Hey, Dottie, is something wrong?” He asked as Em kept counting the chicks.
Dorothy nodded, holding Toto to her chest. “It’s Miss Gulch–she hit Toto over the–”
“Dorothy, I’m sorry, but can this wait?” Aunt Em gently said, sparing a glance to her niece. “The incubator’s gone bad and we’re likely to lose a lot of the chicks.”
“Can I at least tell Tom?” Dorothy asked, brows furrowed in distress.
“Go on ahead, dear.” Em nodded, turning toward Thomas as Henry walked over to help. “You go along with her, Thomas, I’ll have your uncle help with this.”
“Alright, if you’re sure, Aunt Em.” Thomas handed her the two chicks he was holding and Dorothy grabbed hold of his arm to pull him along, making him yelp in surprise. “Yeesh, slow down, Dot–what did Miss Gulch do this time?”
“She hit Toto right over the back of the head with a rake!” Dorothy exclaimed angrily and Toto barked in solidarity. “Just because she says he gets in her garden and chases her nasty old cat every day!”
Thomas frowned. Miss Gulch was a horrid old woman that lived down the street that hated kids, dogs, and pretty much everything that wasn’t her cat. Honestly, Thomas would’ve suspected she was a witch if witches were real.
“He doesn't even do it every day–just once or twice a week. And he can't catch her old cat, anyway.” Dorothy ranted as they kept walking to the barn where the three farm hands that Henry hired were fixing up the old wagon.
“Ow!”
The Gale siblings jumped at the sudden outburst, and they turned to see Hunk–a farm hand that was only a few years older than Thomas–sitting up from under the wagon and nursing his finger. His coworkers, Zeke and Hickory, were lifting up the old wagon bed and Hunk was supposed to secure it into place.
“You got my finger!” Hunk said, glaring up at his fellow farm hands.
“Well, why don’t ya get your finger out of the way?” Zeke responded as he and Hickory lowered the wagon bed into place.
Hunk huffed as he stood up.
“You alright, Hunk?” Thomas called and Dorothy lowered Toto to the ground to let him dash to his doghouse.
“Yeah, yeah, ‘m fine.” Hunk said, waving his hand and wincing in pain.
Dorothy pulled at her brother’s sleeve, gaining his attention again. “Thomas, what am I gonna do about Miss Gulch? She said she’s gonna get the sheriff involved because Toto keeps chasing her dumb cat!”
“Wait–seriously?” Thomas’ brow raised in disbelief. “Can she even do that?”
“I think so–she’s the richest lady in the county, remember?” Dorothy pointed out.
Thomas’ brow furrowed as he took a knee in front of his little sister. “Dot, I doubt the sheriff would take her seriously. And besides, everyone knows that Toto’s a sweetheart.” He assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Dorothy didn’t look so sure, but she nodded anyway.
“And if she does try anything, I’ll just give her a piece of my mind.” Thomas continued, puffing out his chest. “Ain’t nothing gonna make your big brother back down. That’s a promise.”
“Except for Henrietta.” Hickory commented as he carried a bag of feed to the pig sty, making Dorothy giggle.
“Listen–I don’t know what you guys are feeding her, but that thing is not normal.” Thomas sniped, jabbing a finger in the direction of the chicken coop with a glare.
“She’s just a goat, Tommy.” Dorothy said, stifling her giggles.
“She’s a menace is what she is.” Thomas huffed, standing up and dusting off his jeans.
“Dorothy–Thomas!” Both siblings and the farm hands turned when they heard Em calling. She was on the farmhouse porch with another woman–Miss Gulch. “Can you come inside, please? We need to talk.”
Thomas could feel Dorothy grip his hand tight as Toto followed them inside the house.
Miss Gulch’s pitch black dress and hat weren’t helping with the witch allegations as she strutted around the living room like she owned the place. Dorothy clung tightly to Toto as she sat on the couch next to Thomas and Henry.
“That dog's a menace to the community. I'm taking him to the sheriff and making sure he's put down.” Miss Gulch said in a shrill voice.
“Put down?! You can’t–!” Dorothy cried out, cradling her dog in her arms before turning toward her aunt. “Please, Aunt Em, Toto didn't mean to–He didn't know he was doing anything wrong! I'm the one that ought to be punished, I let him go in her garden, you can send me to bed without supper–!”
“Dorothy, calm down, we won’t let her take him.” Em gently said.
“If you don't hand over that dog, I'll bring a damage suit that'll take your whole farm.” Miss Gulch said, not backing down. “There's a law protecting folks against dogs that bite, you know.”
“Look, lady, unless the sheriff himself comes down here–with a warrant, might I add–we’re not letting you take Toto!” Thomas snapped, standing up and shielding his sister with his arm.
Miss Gulch gaped, aghast. “Henry, it would do you some good to teach that boy some manners.”
“We taught him well enough. We also taught him to stand up for his sister.” Henry sternly said, joining his nephew’s side.
“Believe me, if my aunt and sister weren’t here, I’d be saying some very impolite things.” Thomas added with a glare.
Miss Gulch huffed, standing up and straightening the wrinkles in her dress. “Fine, if it’s a warrant you want, it’s a warrant you’ll get. I’ll be back tomorrow with the sheriff. That’s a promise.” She said, strutting out of the house.
Thomas let out the breath he was holding as soon as the woman slammed their front door shut. “That was terrifying…”
“You did a good job though.” Henry assured him, patting the boy’s shoulder. “The nerve of her. Just because she owns half the county doesn’t mean she can run the rest of us…”
“Henry, what if she does manage to get the sheriff on her side?” Em questioned, worry and concern in her eyes. “There’d be nothing we could do for Toto if that happens…”
Thomas gritted his teeth as he turned to where his sister was standing, only to see an empty couch.
“Dorothy?” Thomas called as he walked down the hall to where his sister’s room was. He knocked on the door before slowly opening it. “Dot? You okay?”
The open door revealed Dorothy’s bedroom–the window was wide open and there was no Dorothy or Toto in sight. Thomas had a sinking feeling in his gut but he shook it away. She probably just went on a walk to get her mind off things.
Still…with the brewing storm approaching, Thomas figured he should look for her and bring her home. It was cyclone season after all…
Dorothy raced down the street back to the farm as the wind whipped her twin braids around. Toto yapped in her basket as she ran. Thank goodness she met Professor Marvel along the road, or else she’d never known her aunt had fallen ill after she ran away.
“Dorothy!” A voice called over the howling winds. Dorothy shielded her eyes from the kicked up dust and looked ahead to see her older brother running down the road. “Dot! There you are!”
“Tommy!” Dorothy dashed forward, falling into her brother’s open arms for a hug. “I’m sorry I ran away–I didn’t want Miss Gulch to–”
“It’s okay, I’m just glad I found you.” Thomas said, holding his sister tight before pulling back. “We gotta get home–the storm’s getting worse.”
“Is Aunt Em okay?” Dorothy asked as Thomas pulled her along.
“I don’t know–I ran after you as soon as I noticed you were missing.”
Dorothy was touched that her brother came looking for her but she couldn’t help but worry as the wind bit at her skin. The sky grew darker and a familiar, terrifying, funnel of wind descended from the sky.
“Come on–everybody in the storm cellar!” Henry called, opening up the cellar doors as the farm hands briskly finished storm preparations.
“Has anyone seen Tom or Dorothy?!” Zeke shouted over the howling wind as he let the horses loose.
“I saw Tom leaving around twenty minutes ago–” Hunk called, escorting Em to the storm cellar.
“You mean he’s out there in the storm?!” Em cried, panic seizing her. “What about Dorothy?! We have to go look for them–!”
“We can’t–the twister’s getting closer to the farm!” Hickory said, grabbing his hat so it wouldn’t fly away as he followed Henry into the storm cellar. “We’ll just have to hope they’re somewhere safe…”
“Auntie Em! Uncle Henry!” Dorothy called as Thomas led her through the abandoned farm.
Thomas ducked to avoid getting hit in the head by a flying branch that was broken off by the wind. The cyclone was getting closer, he had to get Dorothy to the storm cellar now. The siblings maneuvered through the debris to the cellar doors. Thomas pulled at the door handle but it didn’t budge. That sinking feeling in his gut came back full force.
Thomas had to think fast–where else would be a safe place to wait out a tornado?!
“Get to the house–now!” Thomas urged Dorothy forward to the back door of the house. “We’ll take shelter in the bathroom!”
The house shook and shuddered as the siblings rushed through the rooms. Furniture was knocked over and zipping around the house.
“Look out–!”
Thomas pulled Dorothy to the ground, and he was hit in the back of the head. His vision went white as he collapsed to the floor. He could briefly hear his sister screaming and Toto barking as everything around him began to fade.