Bee And Foxglove

Bee Says "Screw It"

Sammy was just trotting in from the meadow, as if he knew that Foxglove needed him. He stopped beside a stone wall. Foxglove scrambled onto it and slipped from there onto Sammy's back. She stroked his neck and leaned in. "Let's go fast, boy," she said.

Bee watched them gallop away from the window. "Now we just wait for you to get better, I guess," she said. Vincent was still breathing heavily, as if he was fighting to get enough air. It looked horrible.

"I'm sorry you're doing so crap right now," said Bee.

Vincent kept struggling for breath. It was hard to watch.

"I'm going to get bored like this, I guess," shrugged Bee. "I'm going to get something to do while we hang out, okay?"

She came back a minute later with a bucket of wagernuts in their shell, as well as three large empty bowls.

Wagernuts were so called because of a simple game of chance: each player cracked a nut, and the one who happened to get the most kernels out of theirs won the round.

"This nut's for you. Let's see..." Bee focused for a moment. "Open sesame." The nut split neatly along the natural seam.

This actually wasn't the best way, because then it was more work to fiddle the kernels out. Bee used a knife to do this. "Three kernels. Not bad. Now, my turn. Umm... The power is within me. ...Now, crack." This time Bee's wagernut broke open with a spark of magical light and a satisfying snap. There were only two kernels inside, however.

"You win this round, Vincent," said Bee. "But just you wait. We have a biiig ol' bucket of nuts to get through."

Bee tossed each handful of nut kernels into a separate bowl, which served as a simple point tallying system – not to mention also performing their usual function of preventing the nuts from spilling on the ground.

After ten minutes, Bee felt a bit dizzy and needed to go through the Long Power Incantation a few times to feel stronger. It didn't restore her completely, however; to some extent, she now just felt dizzy and jittery. Sighing, she got up to do some stretches.

Suddenly, Vincent started hyperventilating.

Vincent's breath came ragged. He moaned incoherently. His limbs shook.

Bee tried to hold his arms down gently, preventing them from hitting the wall or bedpost.

Tears were coming to Vincent's eyes. It looked like he was in terrible pain. It was really hard for Bee to watch.

Bee felt acutely helpless for a minute or so.

Then she said, "Screw it. I've gotta try something."

Bee cracked her knuckles. "The power is within me, inside me, and beyond me, forever free. Now..." Bee held out her hands before her. "Heal."

Not much seemed to happen.

"Come on, Vincent," muttered Bee. She rubbed her hands together, and said the Long Power Incantation.

"The power is within us, inside us, and beyond us, forever free.

"The power is in the Earth and the Sky.

"The power is in the eye of our smiling beloved.

"The power is in the wind that you touch, but cannot hold."

Bee frowned in concentration. She could feel her limbs getting warm, tingles of energy building at her fingertips.

"The power is in the Sun that sees all," she continued.