Souls of Sand by Grant Georgeson
Colossal tentacles shoot out of the wind-ravaged earth in search of the Munchkins. Levi and Harlan take off running again as the tentacles chase after them. The humungous figure lurches out of the sand and ascends into the boiling air. Its horned body blocks out the burning sun. The ink geysers roar like a deafening hail storm.
Souls of Sand by Grant Georgeson Third Place Winner Division B, Grades 8-12 in Oz: The Writing Contest sponsored by The International Wizard of Oz Club The Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children s Literature The Fresno Bee Illustrated by Anton Simanov De Fehr Published May 16, 2010, by The Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children s Literature California State University, Fresno
Souls of Sand The two Munchkins apprehensively stand on the edge of the Shifting Sands. Their eyes reflect the bright desert sun shining down upon them. The Shifting Sands is one of the four great Oz deserts, a vast arid wasteland, where the innumerable sand storms blot out the fearful sun. This is it, Harlan, this is what we have prepared for, Levi says, tightening the heavy pack on his back. No manner of preparing can take the fear out of me, Harlan asserts, wiping his already sweaty forehead. So, who s going to take the first step? Levi chuckles. At least it s not the Deadly Desert; I don t think we ll be turned into sand. I hope we won t be turned into sand, Harlan nervously utters as he stares at the sand, inches away from his feet. There s only one way to find out, Levi announces as he sticks his foot out over the sand. His foot makes tiny crunching sounds as it digs into the hot sand. Looks like it s safe to me. Harlan cautiously walks into the sand, following Levi. Harlan, remember to conserve your water, there s not going to be any between here and the world beyond, Levi advises. Harlan kicks up sand as he walks. I don t know how I let you talk me into this insane adventure of yours. How do you even know we re going to make it out of this alive? How do you know we can reach the world beyond Oz? Simple, I have no idea, Levi teases. 1
I hope we re almost through this oven, I think my shoes are melting and I m almost out of water, Harlan gasps. Harlan, we re only a hundred feet into the desert, don t start complaining now. We have a long way ahead of us. The wind starts pummeling specks of sand into the Munchkins faces. Squinting and rubbing his eyes, Harlan tries to rid himself of the annoyance. He opens his eyelids and looks ahead into the hulking tidal wave of sand barreling its way toward him. The two Munchkins barely have enough time to blink before the massive sand wave engulfs them. The wave violently tosses them around. Harlan tries to breathe, but his mouth fills with sand. Levi flails around desperately in the dry mass. The wave drives their helpless bodies deep into the desert as Harlan and Levi lose consciousness. Waking up, the Munchkins find themselves in a jagged rock formation. You know, gentlemen; one does not like to be disturbed during one s slumber, a dignified voice declares. The two Munchkins look puzzlingly at each other. Levi, did you say that? No, I don t think so, states a confused Levi. I dare say, please look at me while I speak to you, the voice states in a lofty manner. Cautiously turning their heads, Levi and Harlan s eyes fall on a creature that is unknown to them. The creature s long, slender, and green body wriggles between the sharp boulders as it floats through the air toward the Munchkins. Its skinny snout bares a snaggletooth smile. Its narrow eyes examine the frightened and shaking Levi and Harlan. That s better. You know, it is quite rude to not look at someone when they are speaking to you. I dare say, do I cause you fear? I am profoundly sorry if I do. I doubt your caliber would have ever seen a desert eel before. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lord Brisbane. May I ask your names? Brisbane inquires. Levi s lips quiver nervously as he speaks, My name is Levi, and my brother s name is Harlan. Splendid. One more question, why are you here? Lord Brisbane utters. Harlan comes up, hiding behind Levi, looking up into the repugnant facial features of the floating eel. 2
We are here because we want to leave Oz, answers Levi. And why do you want to leave Oz? We want to leave because we want to be the first ones to reach the world beyond, Levi stands up straight upon saying the words first ones. The eel rocks his head back and fourth between the two Munchkins. Marvelous. Do you know that you are not the first to try to leave Oz through this majestic expanse of the Shifting Sands? Many have tried, but as long as I have been alive, I have never seen anyone make it through this magnificent vastness. For you see, my little Munchkins, even as you speak to me you are dying. Harlan s eyes pop out of his head in a hasty glance at Levi. What do you mean, Lord Brisbane? Levi asks. Well, you must understand, tiny Munchkin, that in the great Shifting Sands, outsiders cannot breathe this beautiful air for very long. If an outsider stays too long in this breathtaking desert, the sand builds up in their fragile lungs and eventually overwhelms them. I am willing to take you two back, or do you want to go deeper into the desert? Talking it over, the Munchkins decide to journey farther into the Shifting Sands. Well, my tiny Munchkins, hop on my back and hold on. They jump on Lord Brisbane s back and the desert eel shoots off into the wasteland. Clutching onto the waterless scales of the eel, Levi and Harlan watch the arid sand begin to change colors. The yellow and red sand starts to turn to darker shades of black. Munchkins, I m going to let you off here. I cannot cross farther into this part of the desert, the eel says, as he lowers the Munchkins to the dark ground. I am dreadfully sorry that I am unable to take you beyond, for you must understand, all you see past this point belongs to Lord Leviathan. I cannot cross on account of a mandate that was made centuries ago. Lord Leviathan is not as civil as I am, so try to make it out of this part fast. On the other side is the world beyond; that is the land which you seek. Please hurry, I can see that the sand is already starting to have an effect on you. Be careful, my little Munchkins. Lord Brisbane smiles at them with his crooked teeth as he flies gracefully back into the red and yellow sand. Levi feels his throat growing dryer as he breathes in the black sand. They start treading on the dark earth. Harlan reaches down and picks up a clump of black sand. 3
Levi, do you remember our sandbox? Harlan asks. Yes, how could I forget it? We used to spend hours just playing in it. Do you remember the games we used to play in the sandbox? Do you remember the stories we used to make up with our little toy people? Levi pauses before answering, Yes, and how Mom used to call us in before we could finish every story, Levi coughs out. Levi starts to wheeze with every breath he takes in. He feels his lungs start to cry for clean air. Harlan, let s hurry! I can feel the sand is starting to work its way on me. The Munchkins start sprinting across the sun-seared earth. Their feet kick up the forsaken plain s dust. Harlan s foot catches a rock and he trips, hitting the stained sand. The earth under him buckles and is soft like a sponge. Levi stops abruptly to see what has happened to Harlan. A puzzled Harlan digs his hands into the dirt. Suddenly, the ground around the Munchkins starts to tremble and lift up. Black clouds of ink start surging out of the dust like geysers, giving off a putrid stench. Levi looks down to see that he has landed on an immense eyeball that is glaring directly at his small body. Colossal tentacles shoot out of the wind-ravaged earth in search of the Munchkins. Levi and Harlan take off running again as the tentacles chase after them. The humungous figure lurches out of the sand and ascends into the boiling air. Its horned body blocks out the burning sun. The ink geysers roar like a deafening hail storm. Screaming for air, Levi s lungs warp under the sand s inevitable decay. He falls, hitting the ground hard, as Harlan starts running back to Levi. Trying to help Levi up, Harlan gasps, Don t stop now look, we are so close! Lifting his tired eyes, Levi sees where the ink-stained sand ends and where the world beyond begins. He sees grass, trees, and a world where the sun doesn t scorch the earth. Levi tries to stand, but he drops to the ground. Harlan s face turns white with fear as a black tentacle plunges down upon them. The Munchkins close their eyes, waiting for the end. Time stands still. The earsplitting ink geysers fade away, as do the massive tentacles. The desert melts away like snow in the summer. A voice pierces through the eerie silence. Harlan! Levi! It s time to come inside! The two Munchkin children pick up their toys and leave the sandbox. 4