"Well, thank Heaven!" said Dorothy, now crying with happiness. "I'll go and try to get help."
She had barely said the word 'help' when a piercing cackle filled the air. It was a sound they all knew so well and dreaded so much.
Swoosh! The Wicked Witch's broomstick flew past the Scarecrow's left ear. Then swoosh again. This time past the Lion's right ear. She headed for the Tin Woodman, screaming as she flew: "Got you now, my beauties! Ha ha haha!"
Dorothy stood spellbound as she watched the witch perform her acrobatics. Suddenly, the witch zoomed upwards, high into the air, as if leaving. But she turned quickly and pointed the broomstick directly at Dorothy and zoomed towards her like a rocket. The broomstick was about three feet from Dorothy's face when she turned it up slightly, barely missing Dorothy's head. As she swooshed by, she cackled loudly, her screaming laughter filling the air. She did this several times, scaring Dorothy half to death. Dorothy had to move from side to side each time the witch attacked her, or she would have been hit.
Chapter Twenty-one:
A Surprising Reversal
At last the witch seemed to tire of her terrorizing. She made one final swoop at Dorothy — screaming in her ear, "Well, my little pretty, what say you now? I'll be back presently with my soldiers to take you all to my castle. No use looking for help. There's no one here in Witch Forest except my friends, the trees, and they're certainly not going to help you."
She made one final sweep towards the Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Woodman, screaming with her maniacal laughter. "Well, how's the bag of straw and the tin can?" she cackled. "Not to forget the King of the jungle! A-a-a-a HA HA HA HEE HEE HEEEEEEEEEEE."
While she was screaming, the Tin Woodman managed to pull one arm free. As she flew over his head, he grabbed the tail end of her broomstick. It stopped — but she didn't. She flew head over heels through the air. Over and over she went, landing upside down, her head stuck in the mud. Dorothy ran over to her. By the time she got there, she was already up to her waist, her legs sticking out and flailing around frantically. She obviously could not breathe.
Dorothy grabbed her legs and heaved, but she couldn't budge her.