Chapter 8
“Elphie?”
“Hmm?”
“Can you sleep?”
There was a short moment of terrifying silence.
“Not really.”
Glinda heaved an internal sigh of relief at that. Though she didn't want Elphie to stay awake, she took comfort in knowing the other girl couldn't sleep either.
It wasn't an uncommon thing. Back at Shiz, the two often found themselves unable to sleep — especially Elphaba — and had soon devised a system so that they could get some sleep.
The system was that whenever one of them couldn't sleep — which was often — the other would take to staying with the girl until they slept. That soon turned into cuddling and eventually sleeping together.
Glinda often found herself faking a lack of sleep after Elphaba's sleep cycle improved to get the girl back in her bed.
Tonight, however, was the first time the two hadn't been able to fall asleep in each other's presence. They had been on the run for an entire day now. Elphaba had pretty much foregone sleep entirely the previous night. If Glinda hadn't forced her she doubted the verdant girl would have gotten the little she did.
Last night, the events of the day had caught up to Glinda and she had all but fainted into Elphie's arms after kissing her.
Tonight, she found sleep or any form of rest evasive as she thought about the precarious situation they were in. They were on the run. No. They were actively being hunted. Elphaba was proclaimed ‘The Wicked Witch of the West’. Glinda still didn’t know how she’d be portrayed and she was terrified.
She missed her home, the dorm room at Shiz, the luxuries she’d taken for granted before. She missed her momsie and popsicle. She missed a proper bed to sleep on, her wardrobe, and she missed Fiyero. She even missed Pfannee and Shenshen and their dramatics.
“Go to sleep, Glinda.” Elphaba whispered.
“I can’t.”
Glinda felt the girl shifting then an arm snaked around her waist, pressing her closer to the green body behind her.
“Then… do you want to talk about it?”
“About what Elphie?”
“You know. Everything.” Elphaba sounded strangely nervous in a way Glinda hadn’t heard her sound before.
“You start.” It was strange to hear the words in Glinda’s voice. She was usually the person who initiated and carried conversations, she was the life of conversations after all. But now she just wanted to hear Elphaba speak.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Well, it’s not like I can turn back now, can I?” Glinda didn’t even realise the bitterness that crept into her tone until she catches a glimpse of Elphie’s face falling. She hurries to correct herself. “I don’t regret coming with you Elphie. I just…” She didn’t know how to finish the sentence.
Elphaba sighed. “I understand. I’m scared too.” Those green eyes peer at her, more vulnerable than they’ve ever been and Glinda feels a dam inside her break.
“I love you Elphie.”
Elphaba’s eyes widened. “Y-You…”
“I love you.” Glinda repeated and she’s never been more sure of anything else.
“G-Glinda I- Why?”
“Oz Elphie,” Glinda chuckled. “What did you think it meant when I kissed you last night.”
Elphaba stuttered over her words trying to come up with an answer.
“Elphaba Thropp, you are the most amazing person I know. You can do anything.”
Elphaba’s eyes developed a suspicious sheen to them. Glinda continued. “You are smart and talented and beautiful-”
“You think I’m beautiful?”
Glinda didn’t know whether she wanted to laugh or cry or strangle someone. “You are the most beautiful girl I know. After me, of course.”
A watery laugh escaped green lips. “I agree.”
Glinda smiled brightly. “That you’re beautiful?”
The silver moonlight gave Glinda a view of Elphaba’s cheeks darkening. Glinda wanted to eternalise that blush, to trace Elphaba’s lines with her lips.
Glinda reached out a hand to caress her face, tucking the microbraids that had fallen over the girl’s face behind her ear. “Kiss me.”
Elphaba complied, moving closer to capture Glinda’s lips in hers. Those lips were as soft as Glinda remembered them to be.
“I still can’t believe you’re here. With me.”
Glinda dragged the girl in for another kiss. “Do you believe it now.”
“As long as you’re mine, my sweet, I think I might be able to deal with anything.”
Glinda quite liked the sound of that.
“As long as you’re mine, Elphie.”
Glinda didn't have Elphie anymore. She didn't have the green girl to comfort her when she was plagued with a nightmare and she didn't have her to help her sleep.
So Glinda lay awake, listening to the faint braying she wasn't sure she was imagining or not as she waited for the next day to come, as she waited for those heavy footsteps and the rough hands of those men.
These nights made her miss her Elphie more than anything. They made her miss soft kisses, whispers in the night, green arms that wrapped around her and kept her safe, and the warmth that radiated off her body.
Nights felt so unbearably cold and days felt so unbearably empty without Elphie. The six years Glinda had spent with the girl felt like an entire lifetime yet it felt far too short. If, when, they reunited and if Elphie would still have her, Glinda would spend the rest of her life making sure they never got separated again.
For now, she had a show to put on.
Glinda watched the people leave forlornly. No new information had trickled into her atmosphere and Glinda found herself desperate to hear something. As the days passed, she found herself more lost than ever. She found herself grasping for straws and unsure of who she was.
Logically, she knew she was ‘Glinda Upland’. But as the time ticked by, she found the distance between Marionette and Glinda to be a gap she could not bridge. However, the thing that scared her most was the fact that she found the glaring similarities and that Marionette wasn't so different from Glinda. That thought wasn't something she wanted to deal with so she kept it locked in the recesses of her mind.
She supposed she just had to wait another day. Maybe, just maybe something exciting would happen.
***
Nothing happened. The same story repeated itself, both onstage and once the show was over.
Glinda's hope had dwindled so much she was unsure if she could hold out much longer.
***
One unassuming day, a thing that Glinda had never expected in her wildest dreams happened.
The day had started as her days usually did. However, as she was preparing for the show and the guests filled in, a glint of metal caught her eye.
The metal was… moving?
Glinda's eyes swung to catch a proper glimpse.
There, through the crowd was a man. Not a regular man. A man made of tin.
A man Glinda knew. A man who had confessed his love for Glinda multiple times. A man Glinda had watched transform into tin.
Boq Woodsman walked into the circus with full confidence. Next to him was a brunette girl with pigtails and strange attire who was slightly shorter than him. Judging by her features, she looked to be a child.
The two were smiling as though they were sharing a joke.
Glinda could only watch in wide eyed shock as she watched them take a seat in one of the middle rows. They don't spare her a single glance.
The music started in a slow roll and Glinda felt her heart sink as the strings glowed golden. As much as she wanted to continue taking in the scene and as many questions plagued her mind, she didn't have a choice but to turn away.
She plastered a smile on her face and got in position, the movements coming mechanically. Her hand moved in a greeting and the cheers came almost immediately.
The cheers soon turned to gasps.
Glinda felt the tattered material of her dress shift in a very unnatural way. Downwards.
She looked down at the black dog who was insistently pulling at the hem of her dress. The small creature growled and whined as it’s maw tugged as hard as it could.
Any more force and the dress would rip.
Just as she was about to admonish the animal, there was a cry from somewhere in the audience. “Toto!”
The dog didn't stop, but Glinda looked up to see the girl who was with Boq moments ago running to the stage, a distressed look on her face.
“Toto no!” She scolded as she scooped the dogs into her arms. Glinda was surprised she'd faced no resistance getting onto the stage. Perhaps it was the shock.
“I'm so sorry, miss.” The girl apologised facing Glinda who didn't quite know how to respond. “I wasn't keeping an eye on him and he just ran. You see, I was so busy with my friend over there that I completely let him out of my sight.”
She had a strange accent, a twang Glinda didn't recognise from any part of Oz.
“I-It's alright.” Glinda muttered. She looked at the girl unsurely and suddenly saw an opportunity.
Glinda could hear the heavy set footsteps nearing so she had to make it quick.
Lowering her voice, she whispered, “Would you mind helping me out of a situation?”
“Situation?”
Glinda flinched at how loud her voice was and subtly gestured for her to lower it.
“That's right.” Then, raising her voice so that the entire audience could hear. “I'll give you an autograph after the show if you'll meet me.”
“You will?”
“Yes. You can bring your friend along too. I quite like your… dog.”
“Why miss, that's awful kind of you.”
Glinda watched as the girl retreated and, for the first time in a while, hope bloomed in her.
***
Glinda had managed to convince three very angry men to let her meet the girl — she had to ask for her name when they next met — and her friends. Though she ended up stuck with Bas instead of Daniel like she'd hoped, but she could get around that little hiccup.
The creaking and clanking of metal soon entered her ears and Glinda found herself thanking Lurline that she wasn't made of metal. Her soft wooden noises as she moved were annoying enough to begin with though as time went on, she did get used to the noise. She didn't think the same case would be with metal.
“Hello,” Came a familiar voice from the tin mouth. It was both confusifying and unnerving. “I am the Tin Man. I must say, it's the first time I've seen a sentient marionette.”
“And it's the first time I've seen a man made of tin.” She fired back.
Ok, maybe she was still a little bitter towards him. But she couldn't let that affect her plan.
Instead, she addressed the girl. “What is your name?” She asked sweetly.
“Dorothy, miss.” The girl answered.
“And what brings you to…” Glinda trailed off as her eyes were drawn to Dorothy's feet.
No.
It couldn't be.
The heels on her feet glittered a pretty silver, the diamonds reflecting the sunlight and hitting her eyes harshly.
Those shoes did not belong to this girl.
‘She gave the shoes to that girl.’
‘Girl?’
‘Some farmgirl.’
Could this be the girl who had been involved in Nessa's death?
“Miss, are you okay?”
Glinda shook off her stupor as best she could and forced her eyes upwards. “Yes. Yes, I'm alright.” She forced her smile to stretch back to its full glory. “What brings you here? You don't look like you're from Oz.”
“I'm not, miss.” Dorothy shook her head. “You see, a twister took me away from home and I landed in this strange land.”
This was the same girl. She looked so young and Glinda could hardly believe she was a murderer.
“That sounds awful.” She sympathised.
“Oh, it was. I’m going to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard.”
This startled Glinda even more than any other thing she’d seen or heard. “The Wizard?”
“Yes. You see, Tin Man wants a heart and I want to go home. Only the Wonderful Wizard of Oz could give us what we want!”
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Wonderful.
Glinda felt sick. This child was going on a quest that was going to end in disaster. It was always going to end in disaster. In the distance, Glinda spied the yellow road winding through the rolling hills.
Everyone who walked that road was walking a broken road. Not that the road itself was broken, it was the destination that was.
She remembered being that hopeful. She remembered the absolute giddiness on the train to the Emerald City and that one short day which had turned out to be the longest day of her life. Her and Elphie. Two dreams that had been crushed that day.
The same was going to happen to Dorothy. She was going to walk the road, reach the Wizard and the Wizard would disappoint her. She would never go home, Boq would never get a heart. She knew that. But she couldn’t bring herself to squash the girl’s hope. Besides, she imagined she’d look like a mad puppet, spewing ‘nonsense’ against the Wizard. No one would listen.
She had to stick to her plan.
“Oh, I would love to meet the Wizard!”
“You would?”
“Yes.” She shook her head animatedly.
“But why, miss? You’re perfect.”
“Not perfect.” She corrected, picking up her strings. “You see, these are my weakness.”
“Your strings?”
“My lack of free will.” She glanced at Bas who was standing far enough away not to hear them and tapping his foot impatiently. He snuck a suspicious glance at the trio and Glinda quickly turned back to Dorothy and Boq. “It’s the situation I mentioned earlier. I don't want to be here.”
“You don't?” Boq exclaimed. “Why are you here then?”
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Bas stand straighter and hurried to explain.
“I’m here against my will. These strings control me.”
“Why, that’s awful!” Dorothy looked horrified. “Have they kidnapped you?”
Glinda nodded. “And I would love to get free.”
“We’ll help you, miss.” Dorothy said seriously before it gave way to confusification. “How do we help you?”
“See that man over there.” Glinda nodded at Bas — hopefully subtly. “You just have to get rid of him.”
It wasn’t quite so simple as that. Glinda knew that. But for now, all she wanted to do was get as far away from this place and those men as possible.
“Don’t worry,” Boq assured. “I’ll take care of him.”
She looked at the man gratefully. She wondered if the munchkin had even a flicker of recognition when he saw her, if he looked at the blonde locks of yarn and they reminded him of her. Perhaps, perhaps not. Most of all, she wondered if parts of her remained or if they’d been snatched away from her completely.
She had blonde locks, but those were made of yarn. Her eyes were brown, but they were painted. Her features still existed, but they were carved of wood or painted.
She still existed, but she wasn’t human anymore.
Her eyes trailed Boq as he stalked up to Bas, managing to glare the taller man in the eyes despite being a head shorter than him. Bas looked startled to say the least. He immediately stood straighter and taller as his eyes widened, the cigarette in his hand falling from his limp fingers.
A sentient puppet and a Tin Man were probably not on his list of things he’d see. It was so comical to watch his reaction to Boq that she almost forgot about her previous thoughts.
Bas had been the more contained and charming one when they’d first met, but now, all of that seemed to have disappeared.
She had to turn away from the scene quickly though, because this was the chance she’d been waiting for.
Ten days.
It felt like an eternity.
She grabbed Dorothy’s arm and whispered. “Let’s get out of here while he’s distracted.”
“But what about Tin Man?”
“Bo-Tin Man will join us later.”
She at least hoped that was what he would do. So far, the execution of her plan had been far less messy than how she’d first imagined it.
Dorothy nodded. Slowly, they crept away from the scene.
Of course, Glinda’s luck was short lived.
“Hey!” At the sound of Daniel’s voice, she took off in a sprint, dragging Dorothy along with her. “Stop her!”
Glinda ran as fast as her wooden legs could carry her. If she could outrun a command, she would be safe. Dorothy, thankfully, kept pace beside her after setting Toto on the ground to gallop after them. It was quite impressive how fast his little legs carried him.
Glinda, not for the first time, thanked Lurline for her ability to not get tired. It meant she could keep running. Running until she was far, far away from those men and that place. Running until she had some semblance of freedom.
Or in this case, running until Dorothy doubled over panting.
As Glinda slowed to a stop after realising her companion was no longer following her, she realised that they were in a familiar place. Glinda recognised the trees that stood around haphazardly and the gentle swaying grass.
They were in Gilikin. Not on the border, like the circus had been for days, but in Gilikin.
It was definitely not the Upper Uplands. But there was still the faint feeling of home that she felt in these parts.
Glinda also realised that there was no longer any commotion following them.
Had they managed to escape entirely?
Glinda didn’t remember the last time she felt this happy. No, that was a lie. It was that short while she’d spent with Elphie in Kiamo Ko. Before everything had come crashing down around them.
Dorothy’s panicked voice cut through Glinda’s thoughts. “Where’s Tin Man?” The little girl looked around vehemently as the Toto came to settle near Glinda’s feet. The little black terrier let out a low whine at her feet. Hesitantly, she knelt down to pick him up.
She supposed it was all thanks to this dog that she was able to escape in the first place.
The dog curled up into her chest, his big brown eyes shuttering closed. She didn't imagine she'd be very comfortable, but Toto did not seem to mind.
“He likes you.” Glinda hadn't even realised Dorothy had approached her. The girl smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Glinda was overcome by the sudden urge to comfort the girl. She was obviously far from home and her only friend was missing.
“He'll find us.” Glinda reassured.
Dorothy nidded, forcing a smile. “He will.”
“I suppose,” Glinda said awkwardly. “I should get going.”
“How about you come with us?” The girl suggested. “Maybe the Wizard can give you free will.”
Glinda's first instinct was to refuse the offer. But she forced herself to consider it.
If she left now, she'd just be wandering with no true idea how to get to Elphie. She had a distinct feeling that if she stuck with Dorothy, she would find Elphaba much easier. Especially if she was wearing those shoes.
Besides, the girl had helped her out. Maybe Glinda could be of some assistance to her. And maybe, just maybe, this would lead to something good.
“That's kind of you. I would love to.” She smiled and was surprised to find it was genuine.
Dorothy beamed. “We're pleased to have you, miss.”
“You can call me Marionette.”
“Great to have you on the team, Marionette.”
Glinda's head swing to the right as the sound of clanking filled her ears.
“Tin Man!” Dorothy happily flung her arms around the munchkin.
“I'm perfectly alright, Dorothy.” A sheepish not crept into Boq's voice.
Glinda gave an appreciative nod. “Thank you.”
“There's just one problem,” Dorothy said forlornly. “We've lost the yellow brick road.”
Glinda put Toto down — much to the dog's dismay and held out a wooden hand to Dorothy. “Let's find it then, shall we.”
As the trio faced a random direction, the setting sun casting an orange glow over the world, Glinda had only one thought.
She would be fine as long as she never saw a puppet show again.