Glory keeps questioning "Buffy" I

There was no doubt about it, thought Buffy. I'm in Hell. Not literally, of course, but the closest thing to it in real life.

How else could she honestly describe what it felt like to be continually asked the same question over and over again, only to be punished by Glory whenever she gave the same answer? Sometimes Glory would kick her in the ribs. Sometimes she would kick her in the belly. Sometimes she would kick her someplace Buffy did not like to think about.

Every so often, Buffy would look at the woman called Dru in the hope that she might get some assistance but it seemed obvious from the way Dru's face lit up every time that Glory kicked Buffy that there was no chance of aid from that quarter. Indeed, Dru's expression seemed even more alarming when Buffy realized that it did not seem to be inspired by the reprehensible yet still understandable attitude "better you than me." Instead, it appeared to be inspired by an even more ominous attitude -- one that can be interpreted as "Good for Glory! If I were in her place, I'd be doing the same thing to you, if not worse." Buffy had no idea why Dru hated her so much, but in an odd way, she almost preferred Glory. But then Glory would kick her again, and Buffy would realize that any distinction between Dru and Glory was at best academic.

At long last, Glory paused and let go of Dru's hand. "You may go, vampire," said Glory.

"Do I have to?" asked Dru. "Because I really would like to stay and watch."

"I said you could go," said Glory. "Now please leave my sight while you and your boyfriend can still walk under your own power. Because I could very easily change that, you know."

Dru and Spike quickly walked away from Glory, leaving Buffy alone with the angry redhead. No one else in the club seemed to notice what was going on. Indeed, it seemed quite obvious that when it came to dealing with Glory, Buffy could expect no help from any of the club's bouncers or customers. She was on her own, like it or not, and there seemed to be not one thing she could do about it.

Then Glory spoke. "You're obviously quite frightened of me yet you keep giving me the same answer. Why is that? A spell, perhaps?"

Buffy did not answer. Instead she just sat there on the cold strip club floor, watching Glory peer into her eyes.

"Ah!" said Glory after a long while. "Now I see. You are the victim of a spell. It's not quite up to my standards but it is pretty good for amateur work. I'm not sure I'd do you a favor by breaking it but I'm tempted to do so, anyway. But first..."

Glory kicked her again, not even bothering to ask a question this time.

"What was that for?" asked Buffy in spite of herself.

"Because I could," said Glory. "And because you can't stop me. Not that you're likely to remember any of this by the time I'm through with you. Though I would love to be a fly on the wall when Benjy returns and starts bandaging all your wounds. You're not the first victim of mine that he's tried to heal and you won't be the last. Indeed, as long as I'm around, Benjy will always have plenty of chances to practice his medical skills."

"Who's Benjy?" asked Buffy.

Glory smiled. "Heh. You've forgotten him already. That means my spell is working."

Glory got set to kick Buffy yet again, only to feel something hit her on the head. It wasn't hard enough to hurt her but it was... annoying.

Glory turned her head and saw a nervous teen-aged girl roughly Buffy's age standing behind her. In the girl's hands was a purse which she had obviously just used to hit Glory and if that wasn't enough, the girl felt the need to follow up this gesture with a brief statement. "I don't know who you are but you really need to leave my friend Buffy alone."

Glory just smiled. "Oh, I'll leave Buffy alone for a bit, but you, unfortunately, are another story."