Chapter 2

Elphaba

"I don't see why we had to travel through 600 miles of grassland just to erect another Southstairs." That's what I heard the governor say as we were arriving in the Badlands. I rather like Governor Diggs. He addresses me as Miss Thropp, in the same fashion he addresses all the women convicts, even the whores.

Lieutenant Tigulaar is the same way. Even when he had help flog Tenmeadows, he was extremely respectful and kind. Major Morrible, on the other hand, is an officer we all have learned to avoid. Tenmeadows could barely move when he finished the sentence she had put upon him. Granted, he should not have hit Captain Tenitch and called him a, and I quote, "bag of shit," but Major Morrible is just downright cruel.

Back to the conversation that I was eavesdropping on when we first arrived. "I should think it will make the convicts feel more at home," Captain Tenitch replied. "Now, Your Excellency, Delva is eager to get the hangings over with, and frankly, so am I."

Governor Diggs sighed. "The prisoner Kalidah Freeman has been assigned that hideous office. But Wozkin, you know my feelings on hanging. It disturbs the convicts."

"No, it doesn't, sir." All heads turned to Private Nessarose Thropp. In her brand new military uniform, she looked nothing like the little girl who had been frightened of thunderstorms.

"Elphie," my friend Glinda whispered. "If you want to go …"

"No," I replied. "Let's listen."

"Do you have something pertinent to add, Private Thropp?" Captain Tenitch asked with a smirk.

"I-it's just … the convicts laugh at the hangings, sir," Nessa started nervously. "It's their theatre."

"That's my point!" Governor Diggs shouted. "That's the only thing they've been exposed to! I want them to see fine plays, sentiment! Maybe, if they saw a few good pieces of theatre, they wouldn't go back to their old ways."

Captain Tenitch scoffed. "The convicts never left their old ways, Governor, nor do they intend to! Besides, what actor in their right mind would come all the way out here to put on a play for convicts?!"

Judge Cherrystone suddenly spoke up. "Perhaps we could return to the more eminent problem: the punishment of the convicts, not their education!"

"I admit that some hangings are necessary," Governor Diggs said with a sigh. "Nessa, who are the condemned?" He called her Nessa! Only Father and I had ever called her Nessa!

Nessa cleared her throat. "Phantus Barretti, age seventeen, convicted for serial stealing."

"Seventeen?!" Governor Diggs looked shocked.

Captain Tenitch snorted. "It does seem to prove that the criminal tendency is innate."

"It proves nothing. Go on, Nessa."

"There is Manda Backker," Nessa continued. "A rare woman convict who's not a witch or a whore. She was a ringleader of thieves in Qhoyre." I picked up on the distain in her voice. It was well known that Manda Bakker and my sister's convict-husband, Boq, had a history.

"Oh, I've heard of her!" Judge Cherrystone exclaimed. "Highly infamous. I'm surprised she wasn't hanged in Oz."

"Elphie," Glinda whined. "Let's go before we get on that condemned list!"

"Oh, alright!" I admitted. "Let's head to the women's camp." We might as well get set up there, I decided.

But on our way, we ran into Liir Dillamond, the Goat and Animal rights activist, who looked like he was building himself a hut. "Hello, ladies!" he called out to us.

"Hey, Dillamond!" Glinda squeaked, pulling me over to where he was. "My, don't you look as busy as a beaver!"

He shrugged. "I just refuse to live in cohabitation, and the Governor agreed to let me build something for myself." Dillamond's eyes lit up when he registered who I was. "Say! You're Elphaba Thropp! The reading girl! Here, read this. I wrote it on the journey." Without waiting for me to reply, he handed me a sheet of parchment. It read:

At night? The horses' hooves still beat against the ground. Spewed from our country, bound to the dark edge of the land. Alone, frightened, nameless in this stinking hole of hell. Take me, take me inside you, whoever you are. Take me, my comfort, and we'll remember Oz together.

"Wow!" I breathed. "This is … really good!"

Dillamond seemed greatly encouraged by that. "You really think so?"

"Of course! I think you accurately captured what we were all feeling on the way here."

"What does it say?" Glinda asked. "Come on, Elphie, you know I can't read!" So I read it aloud to her, and I could tell that she was enthralled by it. "You know what I think? Dillamond, we were just spying on some of the officers 'cause we're bad girls that way, and they're thinking about putting on a play! So, I think you should write it, and Elphie should be the star!"

"Oh no, Glin," I protested. "I'm not the star of anything!"

"Writing a play sounds intriguing," Dillamond said thoughtfully. "I'll think about it. And Elphaba?"

"Hmm?"

"Once I finish my hut, you're welcome to come over and … read." He grinned nervously.

I smiled back. "Alright, I will." Maybe prison wouldn't be that bad after all!
"Dillamond likes you!" Glinda singsonged once we were out of earshot. "Didn't you see his face?"

"Stop it, Glin! I'm in prison! I'm not going to be entertaining anyone!"

Glinda smirked. "Not even Lieutenant Tigulaar? Come on, I've seen the way you look at him!"

"Like he's said two words to me. He's a married officer. And I'm …"

"If you say green, I'll slap you." We laughed together, and arrived at the women's camp.

A few months later, I got a summons from Lieutenant Fiyero Tigulaar about a play, called The Recruiting Officer. And to tell the truth? I was thrillified.