Wizard of Oz: Dead Walk

(air whooshing)

(item continues rattling)

(item continues rattling)

(pensive music continues)

Dorothy, please.

(chains clinking)

(dramatic music)

I have to help them.

I have to help them. - All right, calm down.

Calm down. It's me, Aunt Em.

Come here.

Aunt Em.

Be careful. Don't hurt her.

Stay back, lady. (Dorothy sobbing)

- Let me go. - Listen.

Let me go, you asshole.

How are you feeling, Dottie?

I hate when you call me that.

Sorry.

Where am I?

You're in the medical center.

Medical center?

You're in the Emerald Rehab Facility.

You don't remember, do you?

Everything's foggy.

Well, at least you remember me.

I'm not allowed to stay too long, but you took a turn.

You're adjusting to medication while they wean you off,

well, you know. (Gentle music)

I'm sorry for putting you through this, Aunt Em.

I will see if I can come back and visit you

in a few days time, yeah?

Mm.

Where did they go?

How are you feeling today, Dorothy?

Better.

Do you know who I am?

I forgot.

Thank you. (Pensive music)

I'm Dr. Judith Mombi.

I'm the facility's resident psychiatrist.

Now, we'll take you to your room.

You can get changed, ready for our session.

Session?

Yes, one to one with me this morning

and then this afternoon with Dr. Diggs.

We'll do a group session.

He runs the whole facility,

all 20 acres.

Come on.

You may not remember our last session.

Unfortunately, with people coming off drugs

and being put on medication,

it does take a period of adjustment.

I do find I have to repeat myself a lot. (Laughs)

It doesn't bother me, though.

Now, from your last session,

you said you were having some strange dreams,

and then this morning you woke up

from what appeared to be an intense nightmare.

Yeah.

It felt so real

despite it being otherworldly.

What do you mean?

I, I have these

vague childhood memories

of imaginary friends

and an imaginary world.

Go on.

I don't remember the place.

Well, what about your friends?

A man made of straw

and a man made of metal.

Ah. (Paper rustling)

In a previous session, you mentioned a tinman

and a scarecrow.

That's them.

So what happened in your dream, Dorothy?

I don't remember. (Panting)

Calm yourself, dear.

Uh, I, (eerie music)

I have to save them.

Their world, it was being destroyed

by an evil force.

What sort of evil?

I, I, I, I, I don't know.

New girl.

What's your name?

Dorothy.

Welcome to hell, Dorothy.

Hey, Dorothy, you got any gear?

Gear? What's that?

He's talking about drugs.

Isn't this a rehab facility?

Exactly, what better place to distribute it

and take it? (Laughs)

I'm, uh, sure you've got something else that I want.

(pensive music)

Let's get this over with, Doc.

Morning, Jonathan.

Johnny.

Good morning, everyone.

Morning.

I suppose I should introduce myself to Dorothy here.

She's been unconscious whenever I've seen her.

Not creepy at all.

I'm Dr. Oscar Diggs with a whole bunch of middle names

that, uh, (laughs) no one is interested to hear.

I'm sure you'll settle in just fine once you acclimatize

to your medication and the schedule here.

What he means is, when your old fix just gets

plunged out of your system, you just get a new one.

Toby, the session is underway.

You will speak when invited to.

Good.

Our last session ended before Alistair could begin.

Tell us a little bit about your progress.

I, uh, I think I've been here about a month now.

I feel tense.

Uh, the IPs are ripping out my insides.

I became addicted to tablets to keep me awake

and then tablets to put me back to sleep in my last year

of college until I didn't like being awake.

I wanted to sleep permanently.

I feel calmer now.

My, my body feels more stable,

although my mind sometimes feels a bit

Foggy.

You're all here because you all fit my program.

What exactly is your program, Doctor?

Well, I guess you're all Guinea pigs in a way. (Laughs)

Mm, yes.

We want to find a permanent solution

to these modern problems,

a way to eradicate your addictions.

I've done two rehab joints before this place, Dr. Dick.

I still love heroin.

My old man thinks I'm getting clean this time, though.

He's very much mistaken.

And your medication does nothing for me.

Doesn't it?

Then perhaps we should skip this evening's dose, Jonathan.

Fine.

Aren't you just replacing one substance with another?

My medication makes the mind

and the body more receptive

To what?

We're here for a counseling session,

not a pharmaceutical lecture.

Does anyone else feel like sharing?

Help me.

Help me.

Help me. Help me.

Oh, help me, please.

I need it. (Pensive music)

Just dose me, Doc.

I need it.

Are you sure?

You said you didn't need it.

Fuck you.

Manners.

You'll learn your place.

Everyone thinks they're special.

You think you're a lion, but you're not.

The lion is dead, Jonathan,

and you're just prey.

(pensive music continues)

(Dorothy whimpering)

Hello?

(floor creaking)

(pensive music resumes)

(Glinda grunting)

(eerie music continues)

Here, dearie.

(pensive music)

Alice?