Chapter 10.
Rifiuto: Non Miriena
Question: INCINERARY? Hospitals HAVE those? And they can legaly burn bodies right and left?
Answer: I believe hospitals used to have incineraries. I'm not sure if they do now, but back in the early- late 20th century, they were allowed to.
Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 9.
Once Elphaba slipped inside, she tossed her keys on the table near the door, and removed her coat, before going into the kitchen. She hit the play button on the answering machine as she passed, and listened to the messages as she made a cup of tea.
"Hey Elphaba, it's me. I just wanted to let you know that I stopped by to see Dad before I went home, and he's doing better. Um... that's about it... Candle sends her love and so do the kids. Hope to see you this Lurlinemas. Love you, Fabala."
"Love you too, Shell." She whispered, pouring the tea and adding sugar as the message changed.
"Hey Elphaba, just wanted to make sure you got home all right. Fiyero said something about taking you home. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, have a good night."
"You too, Mil." She let the message change, as she sipped her tea.
"Hey Elphaba. I told you I'd let you know when I got home, and I'm okay. Anyway, I'll talk to you soon."
"Good to know, Yero." As she went into the living room, one more message clicked onto the answering machine.
"Fabala..." She stopped, turning slowly, eyes trained on the machine. "Fabala... it's me... it's Nessie..." The cup dropped from her hand, shattering on the floor. "I'm scared, Fabala... It's scary here..." Heart racing, she dropped to the floor, shaking. "Fabala, I don't like it here... Glinda Merta's scaring me..." The message clicked off, and Elphaba, refusing to move, stared at the phone, trying to get her heart to stop racing. Once her heart slowed down, she climbed to her feet, and rushed to the desk, grabbing her laptop. She curled up on the sofa, turned the tv on loud, and began looking up Glinda Merta's history...
The next morning, Elphaba entered the main lobby, to see Fiyero and Milla talking with Nor.
"Morning." All three looked up.
"What happened to you?" Fiyero asked.
"Fabala, are you okay? You look horrible."
"Thanks Milla. And I couldn't sleep. I think I got an hour's sleep at most." She replied, leaning against the desk.
"What were you doing?" Milla asked.
"Nothing like that, Mil. My sister called and left a message on my answering machine last night."
The other two shared a surprised glance. "What?" She nodded.
"Wait a minute, your sister." Another nod. "Your dead sister." Again another nod. "Nessarose."
"Yeah, Nessarose."
"But... she's been dead for sixteen years."
"I know, Yero."
"Well, it sounds to me like you've got yourself a ghost, Dr. Thropp." Nor said. Elphaba sighed.
"But... the wierd thing is... she..." And she pulled out the tape recorder she'd recorded the message on. Then, she hit Play, and let the other three listen to the message.
"Fabala... Fabala... it's me... it's Nessie... I'm scared, Fabala... It's scary here... Fabala, I don't like it here... Glinda Merta's scaring me..."
Milla shivered. "That's creepy."
"Wait a minute, it can't possibly be your sister. Your sister died sixteen years ago from polio-"
"Here at Glinda Merta." Elphaba said, cutting Fiyero off.
"Wait, hold on, how do you know it was Glinda Merta?" Milla asked. Elphaba locked eyes with her.
"Because Nessa was born here. She was born here and she died here. Shell was born here. I was born here. I was practically raised here- I spent more time in these surgical suites and emergency rooms than out. I broke more bones than most of my friends combined." She looked around slowly. "This place used to scare the hell out of me when I was a kid. Whenever I had to stay here, I was afraid to go to sleep for fear I wouldn't wake up. I must have been a nut to want to work here."
"I don't know what to tell you, Fabala. It sounds like Nessa... at least I'm assuming since I've never heard her speak..."
"It's her, Milla. That's her voice."
"What room?" She turned to Nor.
"Huh?"
"What room did she die in, Dr. Thropp?" Elphaba sighed.
"Room Two. The surgical suite. It was... the same room that... that little girl was in before she died..."
"The Upland girl?" Fiyero asked. Elphaba nodded.
"Yeah. That was my sister's room." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "And mine... when I'd stay here for surgery... Room Two was my room also... and Shell's. We all stayed in that room."
"So this hospital has basically been in your family for years." Fiyero said, summing it up. Elphaba nodded.
"My mom was a nurse. She interned here in college... Dad was a patient, that Mom was working with... and the rest is history."
"So... this hospital is kind of like a family affair for you." He said, as Elphaba nodded again, licking her lips.
"Yeah. It's a family affair."
After a moment, Elphaba returned her attention to the tape recorder that held her sister's voice. After a moment, she hit Play again.
"Fabala... Fabala... it's me... it's Nessie... I'm scared, Fabala... It's scary here... Fabala, I don't like it here... Glinda Merta's scaring me..."