Chapter 21
"Sir, we have their wagon and all their personal effects. Do you want me to have everything impounded?" One of the guards said to his commanding officer
"Yes, and make sure all the items are catalogued as well," replied the Lieutenant.
Glinda and Elphaba were taken to the awaiting prisoner transport wagon. The horsedrawn vehicle had high, enclosed, black walls on all sides with a door and step ladder in the back. On each side of the door were docks and rails for riding on the outside of the wagon. The only light that penetrated the interior did so through the small, barred window on the door.
Glinda couldn't help but stare at Elphaba while they waited for the guard to open the door and usher them inside. Her heart broke at the expression on the green woman's face. Not since their first trip to the Emerald City, when Madame Morrible had first proclaimed her as The Wicked Witch did she see that expression. She looked so lost, so crushed and so frightened all at the same time.
One of the guards opened the door to the wagon and ushered Elphaba up the stairs into the vehicle. Two benches ran from end to end on each side of the wagon. Elphaba took a seat on the left side.
Glinda was helped inside next, and she took the space next to Elphaba. The guard was just about to follow the women inside when he was stopped by the Lieutenant.
"It might be a better idea to ride on the back of the wagon, away from the witch. You never know if she can cast some spell on you if you're in there with her," he said.
"Yes sir," the guard replied. He closed and locked the wagon door, then climbed onto the dock and held fast to the rail.
The Lieutenant gave the signal to the driver, and the wagon headed off towards Southstairs.
"Elphie?" Glinda said softly.
Elphaba had been staring absently at nothing in particular. Seemingly lost in thought, and still holding a pained expression. She didn't answer. Just kept staring.
"Elphie speak to me," Glinda said in a pleading tone.
"Why Glinda?" Elphaba whispered. "Why? You had a chance. You could be free right now."
"You know why Elphie. I'm not going to betray you, and I'm not letting you go through this alone."
Elphaba blinked her eyes a few times then turned her head, ever so slightly, towards Glinda before turning back to stare ahead once again. "I was just thinking," Elphaba began. Her voice was filled with a sadness Glinda had never heard before. "My whole life, people have pointed at me, laughed, said nasty things to hurt me, and all because of the color of my skin. I pretended not to care, but it still hurt."
She paused as Glinda continued to listen. "These last six years, I've been incredibly lucky to have found a group of people who are able to see past my tone. People who embrace who I am, and ignore what I look like. Because I stayed hidden from the public, I haven't had to deal with direct insults or threats, but that doesn't mean that I'd forgotten what it felt like when I did.
Elphaba's eyes began to tear up slightly. "In spite of what I've been through, in spite of my father continually treating me like a second class citizen, and in spite of the scorn and ridicule I'd faced on a daily basis, I have to say that that was the single most humiliating moment I've ever had in my life."
Glinda raised her hands and placed them on Elphaba's shoulder.
"To be paraded in front of those people like some freak show, to have to sit there and take it as they screamed and threatened me….." Elphaba said bitterly. "No one should have to endure that sort of treatment."
"I know Elphie. I'm so sorry. This has been so difficult for us both."
"Difficult?" Elphaba snapped. "How was it so difficult for you? They still love you. They still defended you. I was the one who had the insults thrown in her direction, in case you forgot."
Glinda's jaw dropped. "Where did that come from?" she said angrily.
Elphaba shook her head, then looked at Glinda. "I'm sorry. That was so uncalled for. I didn't mean it. I'm just feeling stressed. I'm tired…..so tired. I'm tired of running, I'm tired of having my hands locked behind me….."
Glinda stared at Elphaba for a moment. "Elphie, do you blame me?"
"Blame you for what?"
"For what just happened. For all of this."
"No Glinda, why would I blame you?"
"Well, Phanica was after me. If I hadn't come back into your life, she would have never found out about you. You'd still be safe and happy at the house in The Glikkus, running The Resistance like you always have."
"Glinda," Elphaba spoke with heartfelt sincerity. "You coming back into my life was the best thing that ever happened to me. Don't you doubt for a single moment how grateful I am that you and I are together. I love you with all my heart, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let Phanica take that away from me….from us."
Glinda smiled and kissed Elphaba on the shoulder before resting her head upon it. Elphaba leaned her head on top of the blonde's and the two sat in silence for a long while.
"Glinda," Elphaba said finally. "There's something I need to explain to you. Something I need you to understand."
Glinda lifted her head off of Elphaba's shoulder and looked into her eyes. "What is it?"
"In prison, you're going to be a target. I'm sure there are a lot of people in there who will resent you for who you are, or maybe want some revenge because they perceive that you're the reason they ended up in there to begin with."
Glinda nodded slowly.
"I'm scared for you. You'll be in the general population, but because of the type of person they perceive me to be, because they're scared of my supposed magical abilities, I'll be confined in solitary. I won't be there to protect you."
Glinda took a deep breath, understanding the magnitude of what Elphaba was saying.
"Glinda, you have to retract your story. You have to put the blame on me. Get yourself out of prison."
"No!" Glinda said emphatically. "Whatever the consequences of my actions, I'll accept them. Please don't ask me to betray you again."
Elphaba sighed and leaned back against the wall of the wagon. She shook her head, "Then I don't know what to do to help you."
"Don't worry about me Elphie. Worry about yourself. You're the one in danger here, and I'm afraid of what they may do to you."
"I can take whatever they dish out."
Glinda smiled. "That's my Elphie. The woman I love with the fighting spirit."
Elphaba smiled at Glinda. Glinda smiled back, kissed her shoulder again, and put her head down on that same shoulder once more.
"Well handle it Elphie. You'll see."
"I wish I could be sure of that," Elphaba replied as the wagon sped through the back woods and private roads towards the prison.
"This is it," Fiyero said. "This is Glinda's place. We'll need to convince her staff that we're on her side, that we want to help. Hopefully we'll be able to stay here and run our operations from her estate."
"How much of a long shot do you think it is?" Iriiq asked.
Fiyero shook his head. "I really don't know. I'm just hoping they don't freak out and call the Gillikin Guard on us."
Falia looked at the imposing estate. "Wow!" She whispered loudly. "This place is amazing."
Fiyero laughed at her girlish astonishment. "Yeah. Glinda knows how to live in style, that's for sure," he responded. "Come on. Let's go see if we can convince them to let us camp out here."
Fiyero, Iriiq, and Falia advanced on the large walkway, through the gate and into the courtyard. Once they made their way to the front door, Fiyero and Iriiq nervously smoothed out their clothing, then knocked on the door.
An older woman opened the door. "Yes, may I help you?"
"Uh, yes," Fiyero said. "Were here concerning Glinda."
"Oh sir, haven't you heard the terrible news?"
"What news?" Fiyero asked.
"Glinda and the witch have been taken to Southstairs. It happened only a while ago, but news travels fast in these parts."
"Ma'am, we're here because we want to help Glinda. We're going to try and get her out of there, but my men and I need a place to stay while we come up with a plan. Glinda is an old friend of mine, and I was hoping we could stay here for the time being."
"Ohhh, I don't know," The woman replied with a worried tone. "I'm not sure…"
"Ma'am," Iriiq interrupted. "Do you know who this is?" He said pointing to Fiyero.
"I'm sorry, I'm not wearing my glasses. You're all sort of fuzzy."
"This is The Scarecrow. Dorothy's Scarecrow."
"Just a moment," The woman said. She left the door for a moment, then came back cleaning the lens of her glasses. She put them on, then stared at Fiyero in wide-eyed amazement. "Oh, Mr. Scarecrow. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. Of course you and your men can stay here. I'm sure Miss Glinda would be honored to have you as her guests."
"Thank you ma'am," Fiyero said.
"There's a building in the back, the staff quarters. We stay there when we want to spend time on the property rather than travel back home. Most of the staff is off since word of Glinda's arrest became public. You can stay there. I'll have one of the staff members show you around."
"Thank you again ma'am. I'll go get my men, and we'll be back," Fiyero said.
The woman nodded. "Mr. Scarecrow?"
"Yes?"
"It has to be a mistake, what they're saying about our Glinda."
"What are they saying?"
"They're saying that she admitted to helping the witch. It's a mistake isn't it?"
Fiyero sighed. "Once my men and I are all settled in, you and I will have a talk."
The woman nodded as Fiyero tipped his straw hat. The trio headed back to the other men.
"Nice move, playing the 'do you know who this is' card," Falia said to Iriiq.
"Hey, you have to do what you have to do," Iriiq responded.
Falia smiled and looked at Fiyero. "Fiyero? Are you alright? You look distracted."
Fiyero sighed again. "Now that everyone knows that Elphaba is alive, we're going to need to find a way to change the public perspective of her. It's not going to be easy. In fact, it may not even be possible."
"Well, we'll have to try. We'll do whatever it takes and we won't quit," Falia said.
Fiyero smiled at her. "Thank you. Thank you for being such a loyal friend to her. We all love you for that."
"Arrrrgh! This traffic is unbelievable!" Tanon said in frustration.
"For once, I share your frustration. We need to get to the prison as soon as possible before anything happens to Glinda," Kerrick said.
"Do you really think she's in danger there?"
"I don't just think it. I know it."
Tanon blew out a breath of air and stared ahead at the long line of carriages trying to make their way from the main square. Kerrick knew that the guard had access to private roads which would get them to Southstairs much sooner than they could get there. Hopefully, they would be able to gain access to Glinda before she was put in the general population. That's what worried Kerrick the most.
The prisoner transport wagon pulled up in front of the main entrance to the prison. As Southstairs was an underground prison, there was no striking structure indicating what it was. Instead, a very understated building where prisoners were processed before being taken to a holding cell where they waited for their individual cell assignments.
Elphaba and Glinda were taken from the wagon and escorted into the building by a small contingent of guards. Once the pertinent paperwork was filled out, they were taken underground to the holding cell.
Down a dark, dank stairwell they descended until they came to a room occupied by three guards at a card table. They all looked up when Elphaba and Glinda were brought in.
"Well boys, looks like the rumors are true. The Wicked Witch is still alive."
"Yeah, but we may have something to say about that before it's all said and done."
The men laughed as Glinda glared at them. Elphaba ignored the comments as one of the guards unlocked the gate leading into the holding cell.
"It's a little crowded in there." The guard said. "We had some flooding in one of the wings of the prison. All the men and women in that wing are in separate holding cells until we get the mess cleaned up or get them another assigned cell."
"Men and women?" Glinda asked.
"Yes Miss Glinda. We don't segregate the cell occupants by gender, except in situations like this."
Glinda furrowed her brows as the guard opened the gate.
"Miss Glinda, if you'll come over here, I'll take those shackles off of your wrists," he said.
Glinda walked over and held her arms out to allow the man to unlock her cuffs. Once they were off, she rubbed her wrists a little around the tender area where the cuffs had been chafing her skin.
"What about her?" Glinda asked, pointing to Elphaba.
"Oh no Miss. Her shackles stay until she gets into her permanent cell. That's per the top brass."
"Wait a minute, that's not fair…" Glinda protested
"Glinda, don't worry about it," Elphaba said.
The guard held the door to the holding cell open and motioned with his head for the women to go inside.
Glinda entered first causing the women in the cell to stop what they were doing and stare at her. Glinda was used to being stared at, but this was different. The stares weren't stares of adoration and affection, they were malevolent. Elphaba entered next, and the reaction was even more palpable. She ignored them once again.
"Come on Glinda. Let's go over there," Elphaba said, motioning her head in the direction of some unoccupied benches.
Three of the women began to make their way over to Glinda and Elphaba, whispering to each other and smiling iniquitously as they approached.
"Well, if it isn't Glinda the Good, and the Wicked Witch," One of the women said.
Neither Elphaba nor Glinda said anything.
"What's the matter Glinda. Too high and mighty to speak to us?"
"Please, just leave us alone," Glinda said. "We don't want any trouble."
"They don't want any trouble," the same woman said to her two friends. The three women giggled. "Well you've already got trouble. You're in my seat, and I want it back."
Elphaba looked at the woman then got up from her seat. She walked directly over to the brazen female and stopped right in front of her. Elphaba had the height advantage which always worked in her favor when she wanted to be intimidating.
"I think you'd better just turn around and go away. Leave her alone," she said.
"Or what?" the woman laughed. "Is the witch going to cast a spell on me? Are you going to beat on me? I think you might find it a tad difficult with your hands cuffed behind your back, right ladies?" The women began to laugh.
Elphaba smiled and nodded. She turned her back to the woman and quick as a flash she swung her leg around, connecting her heel directly with the woman's jaw and cheekbone. The surprised woman was sent sprawling backwards onto the floor, unconscious. The other two women backed away, their eyes wide with fear.
"Who's next?" Elphaba asked loudly as the crowd watched what had just happened. "If anyone so much as lays a hand on Glinda, you'll have me to answer to me. Do I make myself clear?"
The crowd of women looked at one another, then turned their stares away from Glinda and Elphaba. Elphaba's point had been made. She walked back to Glinda and sat down.
"Elphie, you were amazing," Glinda beamed.
"Do my eyes deceive me, or is it my two favorite students come to share my misery with me?" Came a familiar, arrogant voice.
Elphaba and Glinda looked up as Madame Morrible approached.
"Miss Elphaba dear! We all thought you were dead. It's amazing how you were able to pull off such a ruse. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. You always were very gifted in the art of trickery."
"Go away Morrible," Elphaba said.
"I see you and I get the same treatment where the cuffs are concerned," Morrible said. Her hands were bound behind her back as well. "It's us magically gifted ones they're afraid of."
"Can't you just leave us alone?" Glinda said.
"Ahhh, Glinda dear. How nice of you to join us here. I have to admit, I'm quite surprised to see how friendly you two have become, considering what you did to her sister."
Elphaba sprang from her seat. "That's it. You need to leave right now."
"Oh Elphaba dear, am I to understand that you could be so close to the woman responsible for your sister's death?"
"That's a lie!" Elphaba spat. "You killed her. Glinda had nothing to do with it."
Morrible began to laugh. "So, you didn't tell her about your part in it did you?" She said, directing her question at Glinda.
"Glinda felt horrible about what happened to Nessa. And yes, I already know that the guard was sent to take me into custody after Nessa died, but I've gotten over that. That's the only thing she had a hand in, right Glinda?"
Elphaba was greeted with silence. She looked back and saw tears beginning to form in Glinda's eyes. "Glinda?" Elphaba said furrowing her brows as a pained expression began to cross her face. "Glinda, tell me it isn't true. Tell me that you're not responsible for Nessa's death."
"Elphie, all I told them was to spread a rumor."
"A rumor? What rumor?" Elphaba couldn't believe what she was hearing or seeing in Glinda's eyes.
Glinda stood up slowly. "Elphie, you and Fiyero had just run off and left me there, alone. I felt hurt and betrayed. Madame Morrible and The Wizard were trying to figure out how to find you. I told them that if they started a rumor that your sister was in trouble, you'd fly to her side."
"No!" Elphaba said, backing away from Glinda and shaking her head.
"Elphie I'm sorry. I never meant for anything to happen to her."
"Oh but it did, didn't it my dear?" Morrible said. "Obviously Elphaba was too intelligent to fall for a rumor. Glinda's suggestion gave me the idea to conjure up the cyclone which dropped that house on your sister. Had it not been for Glinda here, your sister would still be alive."
"Go away Morrible," Elphaba said in a soft tone.
"Very well my dear. It was so nice to chat with you two again. Oh and Glinda, I guess you don't always get what you want, do you?" Madame Morrible began to laugh as she walked away.
Glinda approached Elphaba cautiously. "Elphie?"
"Leave me alone Glinda. I have to think," Elphaba said, turning her back to Glinda and leaning against the cell wall.
"Elphie please. You have to believe me, I never meant for anything to happen to Nessa."
Elphaba didn't answer. She closed her eyes and kept Glinda at her back.
Tears rolled down Glinda's cheeks. "Elphie," she said softly.
The door to the cell opened, and a guard entered the cell. "Miss Glinda Upland?" he called.
Glinda slowly walked over to him, walking past Elphaba as she did so. She looked at Elphaba as she passed her, but Elphaba didn't acknowledge her.
"Miss Upland, I'm here to take you to your cell," The guard said.
Glinda wiped her tears and nodded. She looked back at Elphaba one more time, but the green woman never looked up at her. The guard motioned for her, and she followed him out of the cell.
He walked her down two levels and through several corridors, accompanied by two other guards. "My name is Rodderin. I'm the chief guard in your cell block. If you have any questions, comments or requests, they'll go through me," he said.
Glinda just nodded as he lead her past several other cells. Some of the inmates made lewd comments as she walked by while others ignored her as just another prisoner.
"Here we are. Wait right here," Rodderin said. He opened her cell as the other guards walked inside to inspect it, and set up her bedding.
"Glinda?" A man from the cell next to her said. "Glinda is that you?"
Glinda turned to look. "Dr. Frinly, what are you doing here?"
"It's a long story, but the bottom line is, they somehow found out that I was the benefactor for The Resistance. The safe house in The Glikkus belonged to me."
"You've been funding the group?"
"That's correct. I don't know how they found out. Someone had to dig really deep to get to me. Only Fiyero knew that I was the benefactor."
"Elphaba didn't know?"
"No. We felt that, for safety reason, it was in her best interest to remain ignorant of the fact. Elphaba agreed."
"Dr. Frinly, I'm so sorry you ended up here."
"And I'm sorry you're in here as well."
"Miss Glinda, your cell is ready."
Glinda nodded. "At least I'm next to someone I know. Somehow, that gives me a small measure of comfort in here."
Dr. Frinly smiled. "Well, at least we'll have someone to talk to."
Glinda smiled back as Rodderin lead her into her cell. She walked inside and closed her eyes as she heard the door clank shut and the keys twist in the lock. Spying her bed, she walked over to it and sat down. She glanced around at the interior of the cell. Three walls of concrete blocks with a small, rectangular barred window near the upper center of each side wall. Tears began to form again as she thought about Elphaba. 'I have to make her understand,' she thought.
Long moments later, she head footsteps in the corridor again. Rodderin and the two guards walked into view. The sight of their prisoner made Glinda jump to her feet. "Elphie? Elphie, please talk to me."
Elphaba walked straight past her cell without looking in her direction. That fact deflated Glinda. She stood with her face pressed against the bars, hands holding tight to the metal barricading her inside. "Elphie, please say something."
Elphaba didn't say a word. She calmly went inside her cell when directed to by Rodderin. The guards took Elphaba into the cell, but instead of a bed, there was a large patch of straw against the wall. On the wall were two metal cuffs attached to the wall by an 12 inch length of chain. The cuffs were far enough apart that Elphaba wouldn't be able to put her hands together. They also didn't allow much movement.
Elphaba's restraints were removed as she was placed with her back against the wall. One cuff was attached to each wrist. In a standing position, Elphaba's hands were approximately waist high. She slumped to the ground which pulled her hands up just above her head.
Rodderin and the guards exited the cell and locked the door, leaving Elphaba to her thoughts. 'Glinda was responsible for Nessa's death? How can that be? Why didn't she tell me? Elphaba dissected Morrible's claims methodically in her head. 'She never intended for Nessa to be hurt, but still, it was her idea to start a rumor that Nessa was in danger,' Elphaba thought on. 'She wanted to hurt me. Sweet Oz, she wanted to hurt me…..No! That's not it. Elphaba you idiot. You'd just run off with her fiancée. She was the one who was hurt.' Elphaba began to bring her thoughts full circle. 'She already admitted she was in love with me at the time. It had to hurt her terribly when I left with Fiyero. Would I have reacted any differently? That's why she gave Dorothy those damned shoes. She was angry with me. And I deserved it. Glinda didn't kill Nessa. That was Morrible. I love her. I love her more than anything. I can't let Morrible drive a wedge between us. I have to tell her. I have to tell her how much I love her.'
Elphaba was just about to call to Glinda when Rodderin and the guards approached her cell again. Rodderin unlocked the door and walked in with the guards. Elphaba eyed the men as they approached.
"Miss Elphaba, you're wanted for interrogation," Rodderin said.
Elphaba was removed from the cell with her hands restrained behind her back again.
"Elphie, please," Glinda called. "Where are you taking her?"
No one answered, but Elphaba did look at her this time. That look gave Glinda a jolt inside. Maybe there was some hope after all. Glinda held to that hope as the guards took Elphaba away.
Rodderin stayed behind, hovering by Glinda's cell until the guards were out of site. "Miss Glinda?" he said.
Glinda looked up at him.
"For what it's worth, I'm on your side. Yours and Elphaba's. I'm sympathetic to The Resistance."
"Really? Do you mean that?"
"I do. It pains me to see either one of you in here."
"Rodderin, do you think there's anything you can do to get us out of here?"
"No Miss Glinda. I'm afraid my hands are tied. You two are being heavily scrutinized. If I do anything out of line, it will cost me my badge. I can't afford to take that chance."
Glinda sighed. "I understand."
"Oh, and one more thing Miss Glinda. By order of The Lion himself, you are to be kept out of the general population. It'll be safer for you that way."
"Lion did that? That was so kind of him."
"He cares about you too. Now excuse me, I have to go."
"Oh wait, Rodderin just a moment," Glinda called after him.
"What is it?"
"I need a favor from you. Please, just keep an eye on Elphaba. I'm worried about her."
Rodderin put his head down and walked back to Glinda. "I don't know how to tell you this," he began. "but they've just taken her into interrogation. In my experience here at Southstairs, the type of interrogation they do are none too pleasant. It may even get physical."
"Can't you stop it?" Glinda said, becoming alarmed.
"No, I'm afraid I can't. The degree of interrogation depends on how much she tells them and whether or not it's what they want to hear."
"Sweet Oz Rodderin, what if they hurt her?"
"Let's just hope that doesn't happen," he said. "Excuse me, I have to go."
"So, Elphaba Thropp. I'm pleased to have you as my guest. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Vindio."
"Well, I'd shake your hand, but as you can see, I'm a little incapacitated right now," Elphaba remarked.
"Funny. It's good you have a sense of humor. You're going to need it if you don't tell me what I need to know."
"And what would that be?" Elphaba asked, not really caring what the answer was.
"I need to know about Glinda's involvement with you. It will help us determine which steps to take with her."
"What do you mean 'which steps to take with her'?" Elphaba asked becoming alarmed.
"It's very simple. Either she helped you of her own free will or you have enchanted her, forcing her to do your bidding. If you enchanted her we'll have her institutionalized until we've reprogrammed her. Unless, of course, you agree to free her from your spell. Once she shows the proper disdain and contempt for you, we'll know she's returned to normal, and she'll be allowed to go free. You, on the other hand, will be put to death. Casting a spell on a person of her stature is a very serious offense."
"And if she helped me of her own free will?" Elphaba asked.
"Then we'll take the same approach as I mentioned before, only our tactics will need to be more severe. We can't very well have someone like Glinda endorsing someone such as yourself. The object would be to make her forget about you entirely."
"And how do you think you're going to accomplish that?"
"Quite frankly, there's a new procedure we've been working on. It's nearly perfected. It's a mind erasing procedure. We make people forget their past, then we reprogram them to become who and what we want them to be. In Glinda's case, we'll just turn her back into herself. The only difference is, she'll have no memory of you."
"You can't do that to her. What if something goes wrong? What if you completely damage her mind?"
"That's a chance we're willing to take. The way I see it, it's preferable to having her running around with the likes of you. Of all the absurd notions. Glinda the Good taking up for the Wicked Witch of the West."
Elphaba couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Now then, Miss Thropp, why don't you tell me. Did you manage to enchant her, or did she help you of her own free will?"
Elphaba didn't answer. What choice was there? No matter what she said, Glinda would instantly be subject to the experimental mind reprogramming procedure. There was no way Elphaba was going to give them either option to pursue.
Elphaba's heart sank as she realized that the only thing she could do to save Glinda was to have her love turn against her. The groundwork was already in place thanks to Madame Morrible. Now, instead of telling Glinda that she loved her and that she forgave her, she would have to play it out, pretending that she wanted nothing to do with her. It was Glinda's only hope.
"I'll ask you again," Vindio said. Did you enchant her, or did she help you of her own free will?"
Once again, Elphaba didn't answer. Vindio nodded at one of the guards. The guard walked up to Elphaba, and without warning punched her in the stomach. Elphaba doubled over and fell to her knees, coughing and trying to catch her breath.
"Now we can do this one of two ways," Vindio said crouching to his knees so that his head was next to Elphaba's. "Either you cooperate, and we leave you alone, or the physical punishment continues. It's your choice, but to be honest with you, you might as well just come clean. Eventually, we will break you."
Elphaba was still breathing hard. "You'll get nothing from me."
Vindio nodded his head at the guard again. This time the guard took out his night stick and slammed it down on the back of Elphaba's head and neck. Elphaba fell to the ground with her knees curled up. She grimaced at the pain caused by both blows.
"Why make this more difficult than it has to be?" Vindio said as he stood up. "Really now Elphaba, all we need is a simple answer from you. Why don't you just be more cooperative?"
"Go jump off a cliff," Elphaba said bitterly as she slowly got up on her knees.
Vindio motioned to the guard one more time. He walked over to Elphaba a pulled her up off the ground by her collar. Next, he slammed her against the wall causing her to lose her breath before delivering a backhand across her face.
"Is that all you got big guy? Come on, I thought you were tough," Elphaba sneered despite the pain.
Vindio sighed. He looked at the other guard. "Go get me some coffee. I think we're going to be here for a while."
Glinda paced about impatiently in her cell. It had been a long while since Elphaba had been taken away, and Rodderin's words about the interrogations only served to frighten her. Glinda walked over to the wall next to Dr. Frinly's cell. "Dr. Frinly," she said in a loud whisper. "Dr. Frinly?" This time louder.
"Yes Glinda, what is it my dear."
"Have you ever been subject to interrogation here?"
"No, I can't say I have. Then again, I was only placed in here yesterday. I imagine that at some point they're going to want some information on The Resistance. Something they think I can provide them. Why do you ask?"
"I think that's where they took Elphaba."
"Oh my! That's not good at all."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I've heard that the interrogations here can be pretty brutal. It's not supposed to be common knowledge because it's not a process that's condoned by the higher ranking officials."
"Then how did you find out?"
"One of the guards who was relishing in my capture just couldn't keep his mouth shut. He took a perverse pleasure in telling me what I was in for once I got here."
Glinda sighed and leaned back against the wall. At that instant, Glinda heard footsteps down the corridor. Glinda ran to the front of her cell, grabbing the bars and pressing her face against the metallic barrier. "Elphie? Elphie, are you alright?"
Glinda watched as Elphaba, slightly hunched over, but walking under her own power was escorted back to her cell. She didn't bother responding to the pleading blonde as she walked by her.
"Elphie please, answer me."
The guards opened the door to Elphaba's cell, took her back inside and shackled her to the wall. Elphaba stayed standing while the guards were present. Once the door to her cell was shut, however, and the guards were out of view, she quickly slumped down to the floor. Her body ached from the physical punishment she endured during the interrogation, but she did endure it.
Glinda pulled her bed away from the back wall and placed it along the wall next to Elphaba's cell, just under the barred window. She climbed up on the bed's metal end rails and was barely able to see over the wall into Elphaba's cell. Seeing Elphaba slumped down, her head resting against her raised arm upset Glinda greatly. 'Sweet Oz! Is that how they're confining her?'
"Elphie? Elphie, please talk to me. I have to know if you're alright."
"Leave me alone Glinda. We have nothing to discuss. I don't want you talking to me anymore."
Glinda was stunned. "Elphie, you don't mean that. You can't mean that." Tears began to form in Glinda's eyes as the hurt from Elphaba's statement settled into the pit of her stomach.
"I do mean it. I don't want anything to do with you anymore. The sooner you get that through your head, the better for both of us." Elphaba hated herself for speaking to Glinda like this, but she knew she had to. For Glinda's sake.
"Elphie!" Glinda cried softly.
"No! Don't you say my name again. Not ever again."
Glinda's lips began to quiver. She lowered herself from the window, sat down on the bed and began to cry. Elphaba could hear the muted cries coming from the cell next door. Silent tears fell from her eyes as she listened to Glinda's resonating pain. Pain that she had caused. 'Forgive me Glinda. I'm so sorry. It's the only way to save you. Sweet Oz, I'm sorry!'