Prologue
The wind whipped fiercely tugging at the green girl's coat. The black cloud of dark magic was coming closer but she didn't budge. One green hand gripped the strap of her satchel and the other flexed at her side as she waited. The clouds were moving too slowly and she was beginning to lose her nerve. She closed her eyes hoping and praying that it would be over sooner rather than later. Opening her eyes she watched the dark clouds swallow a distant castle causing her to swallow bitter fear. It was coming to slow so she moved closer to it.
"Wait!" A feminine voice screamed near her ear.
The girl turned to look in that direction. Floating near her head was a shimmering bubble with the image of a blond sorceress in it. "I have to, Glinda. You heard what he said, if I want them back I have to go with them. Besides, a clean slate, no more mistakes, why shouldn't I want that?" The girl looked back at the storm. "Anyway there's nothing left for me in Oz. Everyone thinks I'm dead."
"Goodbye, my old friend."
There were no more words just then the bubble popped and the smoky clouds consumed the green girl. She smiled her teeth almost too sharp to be human but it was a smile of pure freedom. A new world, free of all her wrongs, her good deeds gone wrong, the Wicked Witch of the West was no more. Everyone in Oz but Glinda believed that the girl had killed her; no one was there to mourn her or to miss her. This was her chance to be free. The price was simple, no more than anyone would be willing to pay. There was no pain as the smoke surrounded her, just the pleasant feeling of an early spring wind, cool and wet on her skin.
At last Elphaba Thropp was free.
