This just in: CG needs a life!
Chapter 2: The city of Stone
The moon actually set whilst Mac was still drifting in the crate, and the sun finally peeked itself in from the horizon, casting strong rays of sunlight across the ocean. Mac, curled up in a ball and still finally sleeping after so many nights of not being able so, shifted as the light hit his face. He whined, waving his hand in a way to deter the sun from awaking him, but it was too late. Groaning he woke up, and he suddenly realised he wasn't by himself in the box anymore. Or maybe he had always had company, and just didn't realise it. The company in question, was a chicken. A yellow chicken, clucking as loudly as it could and making an odd face.
"Uh... right..." he said as he stared at the chicken.
Hearing his voice, the chicken's eyes snapped open. "Ah, you're awake!" she declared.
Mac could only stare a few moments longer, "Wait. What, wait. H... hello?" maybe this was one of those imaginary chickens that children on farms thought up?
"Good morning sun shine!" the chicken replied brightly, "Sorry for waking you deary. I was trying to lay my egg. Haven't laid on in years." she sighed sadly. "What good is a chicken that can't lay eggs? I'll tell you. Dinner!"
The young boy got to his feet, and rubbed his eyes. "I guess so..." Mac started, "So what's your name?"
"Bill." the chicken known as Bill said.
"Bill?"
"Yup. Good strong name, Bill." the chicken looked as proud as a hen could.
"But you're not a boy." Mac pointed out the obvious.
"So?" she asked, "When I was hatched the little boy of the farmer named me Bill. But when I grew up and realised I wasn't a rooster, I still kept the name Bill. It's a good name." she repeated.
"I guess... look. How about, I call you Billina? That way you're still Bill but... a bit more feminine." Mac tried to ignore how bizarre this conversation was sounding. A chicken should be just clucking, not talking about the masculinity of a name.
"..fine, if it'll make you feel better deary." the hen now known as Billina replied. "How big is this pond anyway?" she finally asked.
"Oh, no. It's not a pond, it's-" Mac turned to search the horizon but stopped. The ocean was gone, where it had snuck away to and when was anyone's guess. Mac had been so occupied with a talking chicken he hardly noticed it had slinked to nothingness. In its place was sand, miles of sand stretching as far as he could see on one side of the crate, on the other was the beginning of some green grass, trees, and a field. He blinked, before slowly looking around him. "...wait a minute..."
Now it all made sense. How a river had grown from nothing to an ocean, then shink into a desert. And why a chicken could suddenly talk. "I think... we're in Oz." he finally said after long enough thought.
"Oz?" Billina asked, fluttering up to perch on the crate. "What's Oz?"
"It's this whole other world," Mac said, looking towards the greenery ahead of them. "Where animals talk, just like you can. There are witches, flying monkeys, and all types of things! That explains why you can talk now rather then before!" he was besides himself, all this time he had wanted to find out if this had been a dream or not. And seemingly, it wasn't. He had returned to Oz after all! But just then he saw Billina was about to jump clear of the box onto the sand, but grabbed her. "Wait!"
"SQWARK!" Billina released a cry of surprise, "What's wrong?" she asked, ruffled and surprised.
"If this really is Oz, then this is the Deadly Desert." Mac said wearily. "The Tin Bird told me about it last time; any living thing that touches it turns to sand."
"I'm not thinking much of this Oz place, Mac." the hen replied, in a sour voice. But holding tight to her, Mac managed to hop from one rock to the other, until he finally landed on the grass. Pleased with himself, he set the hen down and began walking. "This'll be great Billina, you can meet the Scarecrow, Tin Bird and Cow-I mean, Lion!"
"Scarecrow? Tin.. Bird? A big cat?" the poor hen seemed confused to the nines as they walked.
"Yep." Mac nodded, "See, before I came here the first time there was a Wizard in charge. He wasn't really a Wizard though, just a big Rabbit who fooled everyone. When he left - see he was meant to take me home with him but left without me - the Scarecrow became the new ruler of Oz because of the brand new brains that the Rabbit had given him. So now, he's in charge. Then there's the Tin Bird, she was made without a heart so once she got one she went to rule in the West, where the Wicked Witch had been. She had been the one who wanted the shoes the Good Witch of the North gave me, but we had to kill her to prove we were worthy of the Rabbit's good graces. Lastly the Lion was once really Cowardly, but thanks to the Rabbit and all our help he became King of the Beasts." Mac stopped, looking down at the hen. "It's a lot to take in huh?"
"If I were to lay an egg right now it'll be scrambled like my brains." Billina replied.