Infinite: Power

Chapter Seventeen: See you again

A few weeks went by. Robin hasn't turned back to Brooke again ever since what happened at the lagoon. I don't know what's better, though, since Robin has been more cheerful and closer to me than no one before. She often tries to translate what I mean to say, and somehow she gets it right. I've been trying to teach her my language, but it's hard when nothing in English comes out. I wonder if it'll ever get back to me. I wonder how Old Tommy did to teach it to me when I knew no words. All that patience... I miss it. Him.

I'm sitting next to Robin, outside on the grass, while Mr. Wilkins washes the horses at some distance. He seems really scared of me when I'm around. I've been told he saw me when I arrived here and called Brooke to help me breathe. Robin remembers it as well, even though she wasn't physically here, but she says she's always watching what Brooke does so she can help when the time comes. I think she said once that if I hadn't arrived, Robin wouldn't have gotten strong enough to transform so effortlessly. But then, she was always saying nice things to me. And I sort of liked to have someone supporting me.

"Now, why don't you try to write your name? Maybe you can't speak English, but you can write it." She says. I look at the chalk and small green board she's given me. I like the texture of the chalk and how it 'paints' my fingers.

But I can't write. I don't know how to read.

Robin narrows her eyes.

"What, Bee?" I doodle something with the chalk board in Hangen. "Okay... Okay, no, I can't read that, but can you write it in English?"

I shake my head. She seems to understand.

"Oh. Oh, I see. You... don't know. But don't worry, you can always learn. It's just a matter of time, I promise." Her smile is reassuring. Someone calls her from a distance, from the house. Mr. Craw. "Oh. I'll go check what he wants. Give me the chalk and board if you want. I'll be right back."

Stawen was leaning against the mark of the kitchen's door at the Craw's house. He was rubbing his hands nervously.

"Are you cold?" Belle Craw asked him with concern. "Should I—"

"What? No, no, I'm fine." He couldn't even smile. Fendrick entered the kitchen through the back door and beside him was a tall, white-ish haired and athletic-looking girl. "Well, WOW, this is something."

Fendrick made a quick motion, as though he were about to introduce them to each other, but he probably remembered that Robin was actually Brooke. He walked away without saying much more.

"Stawen." Robin grinned, narrowing her eyes. "Is that surprise I see in your eyes?"

"Robin. We finally meet. Don't flatter yourself just because you're a hottie now."

"Here, honey." Belle grabbed a mug of coffee and sensibly offered it to her before leaving the room, but she turned around to him. "Stawen, Robin may be a 'hottie' but she's still Brooke and I do not approve that kind of language when you address—

"Thanks, mum, but he's just kidding." The girl pushed one of the chairs around the table towards him, and picked one for herself. Belle shook her head and disappeared, mumbling words that echoed in their corridor.

"I love Belle," Stawen said, still looking at the corridor. "But sometimes she's just too kind to understand jokes."

"So, is the old man coming as well?" Robin went straight to the point.

"Yeah, in about twenty. It's gonna be something worth witnessing." He whispered, leaning closer. "How's your dad taking it?"

"Did you see him ten seconds ago? That's been his relationship with me so far."