Summer Island - A Prince in Peril

9 - The Attic

When the children woke,there were only gray skies and a chilly drizzle to greet them. Tia was surprised the children were not more disappointed. In truth they probably would have been, if not for the incident at the market. The night before, Zoë had not come to dinner, saying she wasn't feeling well. She was desperately hoping her black eye would fade before she ran out of ways to hide her face from Tia. But Tia herself seemed preoccupied and didn't bat an eye when Zoë emerged the following morning, wearing a black velvet Sunday hat complete with veil.

The children spent the morning in a variety of activities. Daniel worked in the barn, mucking out stalls, and Dinora had offered to help him. Surrounded by the scent of rain and horses, the two were quite happy in each other's company. Daniel was probably one of the few people on the planet who could listen endlessly as Dinora rambled on about horses. And of course, Dinora loved having such an attentive listener. Occasionally she even had a question for Daniel. Mostly, the physical labor had a cathartic effect upon both of them. Lifting, hauling and sweating are wonderful remedies for pent up frustration and anger. When they joined the others in the large dining room for lunch, both Daniel and Dinora were rosy-cheeked and famished.

Seymour was in the greenhouse. He had built a hydroponic garden the previous summer and decided to put it back together and see if he could achieve any more success in cross-pollinating dahlias and chrysanthemums. To be in the warm, humid air, with only the sound of rain falling heavily on the glass roof, had healing results for him.

He had been going over the events of the previous day in his mind. Why are people cruel? He figured it probably stemmed from someone hurting them. Maybe it was the fear of being hurt-lashing out before you are attacked. He felt guilty that he had not done a better job of defending his friends, especially Zoë. As he fit pieces together and hooked up hoses, he kept imagining different scenarios. His favorite was one where he would punch Jacob Sewall over and over until his face was bloody and swollen.

The shiver of satisfaction he felt in his body scared him. He thought of himself as a peaceful person. Perhaps it came from being so big. When you are always looming over other kids your age, people can get intimidated. Many kids would assume he was the bully because of his size, but often it would be the smallest kid in the class out to prove he wasn't afraid.

Seymour had never truly felt fear-at least not of being physically hurt. Being separated from Zoë, after they had practically been raised as brother and sister, had been the most painful thing he had experienced. Why am I bringing up bad memories? He took a deep breath and tried harder not to focus on what he could have done-or should have done.

By the end of the morning, his garden was set up and running. He had also come to terms with the fact that he wouldn't have done anything differently even if he could have lived it over. He was sorry Zoë had been hurt but knew if he had struck back, things would be worse. For one thing, he wasn't absolutely sure he would have been able to stop. Setting aside these thoughts and his tools, he joined Dinora and Daniel who were leaving the barn.

Mario had also returned to a project from the previous year. Six years earlier, when he had first been invited to The Island, he hadn't wanted to come. His father had been teaching him the ways and laws of chemistry and they were just getting to the part where he was going to let him start conducting experiments. Mr. Enriquez had finally convinced Mario to go by sending him with a wide array of chemicals and scientific equipment. Mario had set up his lab in a corner of the basement where the sun wouldn't affect his work. He spent the rest of June and nearly all of July in the dark recesses of the cellar, testing and re-testing his theories.

Since then, his lab had always been a place he could go to clear his mind. Chemistry calmed him. There was a reason for everything-if you could find it. This was something he could control. The only variables were ones which he introduced when he chose. It was nothing like life and definitely nothing like human beings. They were unpredictable and noisy and emotional. It flustered him. He marveled at Seymour's ability to grasp a situation and not get swept up with it. Mario just wanted to run and hide in his lab. He had been here all morning and felt like he could easily spend the day here.