The Last Eminent Thropp
I look around me, the room slowly getting sharper. My legs lay useless against my wheelchair. I don't remember anything that happened last night, except for hearing the news that my father had died. Then, my world had turned into a standstill, make-shift version of reality.
My sister, Elphaba, walks into the room.
"I thought that father told you a while ago that you weren't allowed back into this house!" I tell her, in a dignified and proper tone that well suited the Eminent Thropp.
"I'm sorry, Nessarose. I didn't mean to scare you. Where's father?" She asks me.
"Father's dead."
"What?" She asks me, concern creeping into her voice like a slithering snake.
"He's dead. I'm the governor now." Noting Elphaba's expression, I add, "Well, what did you expect? After he learned what you had done, how you had disgraced the whole family, he died. Died of shame, the coroner said."
Elphaba glances around the room. "Good, I'm glad. It's better that way."
I stare at my sister. "That's a wicked thing to say, Elphaba! I'm sorry, but it is true. Do us both a favor and kindly shut up!" I tell her, then automatically feel guilty.
"Is there something you need?" My sister asks me, ice forming to her normally casual tone.
"Yes. In fact, there is one service I require from you, and you're the only one who can do it." I tell her.
"Anything for you, my sweet Nessarose." She says, sarcasm dripping into her voice.
"I wish to walk."
"Nessarose, I can't. It's not like coddling up a pair of shoes. Wait."
She opens up her bag and slides a book out of there, a gigantic black book.
"Eleka Conversus haec argentum calceamenta in Quae enable soror ambulare. Eleka Conversus haec argentum calceamenta in Quae enable soror ambulare." She chants, and I feel my shoes burning like hot coals on my feet,
"What have you done to my shoes? They feel like they're on fire!" I exclaim, then attempt to stand up. I can. It feels glorious, to finally be able to stand after these twenty years. Something strange happens. I wind up on my face, straight onto Elphaba's lap.
"No, don't help me." I say.
I get back on my feet. There is a slight pain in my feet, but I am crying. Not because of the pain, but because of the feeling.
"Boq, Boq! Come quickly!" I yell.
"No, no. No one can now I'm here." She runs to her broom, while I get back in the chair that I now despised. Boq walks into the room.
"Yes, Madame?" He asks, then his face turns as stone hard as a rock. "You! I'm going to go call the guards! You're trespassing, witch!" He yells at my sister.
"Boq, it's just me. I'm not going to harm you." She replies, her voice growing softer on each word as she clutches the broom to her chest. I feel as if I am stuck in a fight that I never had a chance to get out of.
"You're lying! That's all you do, you and your sister both lie to everyone."
"What do you mean, Boq?" My sister and I ask.
"Nessarose has stripped the Munckins of all of our rights. We're not even allowed to leave our own neighborhood. And she has become the Wicked Witch of the West!" He finishes, pointing a finger at Elphaba.
"Boq, I'm immensely sorry. But do you know why I kept you here after all of these years?" I ask him. He shakes his head. "All of that was to keep you here, with me. But none of that matters anymore. Look at this, and how it changes everything." I stand up shakily.
"You could after all of this time, and yetm I've been your servant all of this time?" He asks me.
"No, Boq! No!" I yell, but it's already too late. He has a knife and is pointing it at my chest, right above my heart. Elphaba jumps in.
"Nessa. Read from this." She tells me.
I read from it. Slowly, Boq begins to fall onto the wooden floor. But he is not dying. He is turning into tin. I turn to my sister, hoping to see some advice in her face.
"Nessarose, I have done everything I could for you, but it has never been enough. To you, nothing ever will be. I love you." She says, then picks up her broom and flies off into the night. Those were her last words to me.
Boq wakes up. "What happened?"
I decide to lie to him. "It was Elphaba, Boq! It was Elphaba!" I yell, hoping that he hadn't heard anything.
"You're lying. I'm going to leave to the ball which is being staged for Glinda's engagement." His last words to me.
He walks out the door.
"Oz, I just want it to end." I think. Then, my world goes blurred and I fall into a flash of light.