"Elphie?" I called into the silence. The darkness terrified me. "Elphie?" I asked again. She had placed me in this hiding spot. My gown took up most of the space and was probably getting dirty from the old floor, but I didn't care. A gown is just a fancy dress. The spellbook she had given me was clutched in my hands, the only thing keeping them from shaking.
Finally the curtain began to be drawn back. Elphaba's monkey, I think she named it Chistery, peered out to me. His eyes were full of sadness, and he finished pulling away the curtain. The room was now lit by a single torch. I scanned it searching for my best friend. Instead I found her hat lying in the center of the floor. I got to my feet, my body sore from sitting in such tight quarters. I walked over and took the velvety hat into my hands. There was a flash of memories.
A dress of pink tulle and dancing
A dark attic and a flying broomstick
The Wizard and a heartbreaking betrayal
Jeweled shoes and a standoff
A final farewell...
"Oh Elphie." I cried. Clutching the soft hat to my chest, I began to sob. I couldn't save them. Elphaba and Fiyero are gone. My thoughts were scattered.
"M-Miss Glinda?" A hesitant voice asked. I looked to my right. Chistery. He spoke. Looking down, he held out a familiar-looking green bottle. Wiping away the remaining tears I knelt down. He passed it over shyly.
"Thank you." I stood and let the hat fall from my finger tips. It would be safe here. I would come back for it later, but now I had something to find out.
"Oh, Glinda! I thought you'd be out festivating." Madame Morrible exclaimed as I entered The Wizard's private chambers. The Wizard was slouched in a chair looking despondiary. He barely looked up at my entrance. Madame Morrible was looking as hideodius as usual. I held up the green bottle.
"This was Elphaba's."
"What?" The Wizard looked up at Morrible's question. His eyes widened.
"What's that you say?" He asked getting to his feet.
"It was a keepsake. I t was her mother's. I've only seen a little green bottle like this one other time. And it was right here, in this room. You offered me a drink from it." I explained relating back to the night of the engagement party. The Wizard took the bottle gently out of of my hand.
"This belonged to her mother?" He asked. I nodded slowly. What is he getting at? He pulled out an identical bottle. "A very long time ago, I met a woman and offered her a drink from a bottle like this. She never told me after I had gone that she was pregnant. Oh Oz, I had my own daughter killed." He sunk to his knees.
"So she was yours all along."
"That's it. That's why she had such power: She was a child of both worlds." Madame Morrible said incredulously. I took a deep breath and looked down at The Wizard.
"I want you to leave Oz. I'll make the pronouncement myself: that the strains of Wizardship have been too much, and you're taking an indefinite—leave of absence. Did you hear what I said?" I yelled making him jump. I immediately felt bad. He stood, keeping his head down.
"Yes, Your Goodness." he said. I put my hand on his shoulder.
" You'd better go get your balloon ready." He nodded and left the room as a newly heartbroken man. I turned to Madame Morrible. "GUARDS!" Her face whitened even more than usual.
"Glinda dear, I know we've had our minuscule differenceations in the past—"
"Madame, have you ever considered how you'd fare in captivity?" I asked as the emerald clad guards entered the room from all exits. Madame continued to look confused.
"What? I don't—"
"Captivity. Pri-son. Personally I don't think you'd hold up very well. You see, my personal opinion is that you do not have what it takes. I hope you prove me wrong. I doubt you will! Take her away!" Two guards grabbed hold of my past professor and dragged her screaming from the room. The rest of them followed behind, the door slamming shut behind them. I let out a sob. Outside the windows, fireworks began to explode. I made my way over and opened up the glass doors onto the balcony. Below me I could hear the people of Oz celebrating the death of the wicked witch, my friend, and my sister. I felt a tug on my dress. Chistery had followed me from the castle. He produced the spellbook and my wand.
"T-the people n-need you, Miss Glinda." I sighed.
"You're right." I waved my wand, and my bubble materialized beside me. I climbed in and as it ascended, I gave a final wave to Chistery. Soon, I was flying over the celebratory streets of the Emerald City, making my way to the Oz Square where most of the activity seemed to be coming from. Putting on a brave face, I began my descent.
"Look! It's Glinda!" Someone cried. Everyone looked up at me with such happiness that I couldn't help but smile."
"It's good to see me, isn't it?" I asked falling into my regular public figure fakeness. There was a chorus of yeses and cheers. "No need to respond—that was rhetorical. Fellow Ozians, let us be glad. Let us be grateful. Let us rejoycify that goodness could subdue the wicked workings of you-know-who. Isn't it nice to know that good will conquer evil. The truth we all believe'll by and by. Outlive a lie for you an-"
"Glinda, exactly how dead is she?" A boy asked interrupting me.
"Because there has been so much rumor and speculation—innuendo, outuendo—let me set the record straight: According to the Time Dragon Clock, The Melting occurred at the thirteenth hour, the direct result of a bucket of water thrown by a female child. Yes, the Wicked Witch of the West is dead." I said as I reached the square and exited the bubble.
"Glinda, why does Wickedness happen?" A young girl asked.
"That's a good question. One that many people find confusifying: Are people born Wicked? Or do they have Wickedness thrust upon them? After all, she had a childhood. She had a father… who just happened to be the Governor of Munchkinland and a mother like so many do." I told the people the story of Elphaba's tragic childhood. "So you see it couldn't have been easy." I said sadly. Uh no, I wasn't going to hold up from much longer. I climbed into my bubble and started to rise. "Well, this has been fun. But as you can imagine, I have much to attend to, what with the Wizard's unexpected departure. And so, if there are no further questions—"
"Glinda! Is it true—you were her friend?!" I froze, completely thrown. What? The people began to whisper and stare at me. I stopped my bubble. "Uhm… Well, I… I… Yes." I announced. There was a collective gasp, and shocked chatter broke out. Now I had to explain. I waved my bubble back down. "Well, it depends on what you mean by "friend". I did know her. That is, our paths did cross. At school but you must understand it was along time ago and we were both very young…" I dove into our story of everything up until the castle. I couldn't bring myself to talk about that. The crowd was silent as I finished and entered into the bubble. I rose up a few feet, but knew I couldn't just leave. Fellow Ozians. Friends… We have been through a frightening time. And there will be other times, and other things that frighten us. But if you'll let me, I'd like to try to help. I'd like to be—Glinda the Good." I gave a final wave then returned back to the castle. I ran through the hallways making my way to the room from earlier. I scanned it looking for the left hat, but it was gone. Chistery appeared at my side. "Where did the hat go?" I asked. He shrugged and flew up into the rafters. I knelt down and opened up the spell book. Inside the cover was a picture of Elphaba and I from the party that seemed so long ago. "Who can say if I've been changed for the better?" I asked the picture. A soft voice reached my ears.
"But because I knew you."
"I have been changed for good." We said in unison. I looked up with teary eyes and saw a flash of green outside the window. I ran over, hauling my dress up much higher than a lady should and threw the window open. I was just able to catch a speck of green flying away wearing a familiar pointed hat. "She's alive."