wildflower

[bulrushes]

On the doorstep of a little house in Forks, Washington, a basket is placed.

The doorbell rings.

There are footsteps, and then there are not.

Comments

[asmyown]

"I think some of the students have noticed the hair color changes, but - I'll explain that one away as you wanting to dye it. Other than that - if anyone knows, it's probably whoever was responsible for the basket."

[bulrushes]

"We could ask people, though. Not nurses I guess."

[asmyown]

Lynn nods. "Yeah. I'd stick with people we trust, though. They might think it's a silly question, though - before I met you, I thought humans were the only things to look like humans."

[bulrushes]

"Okay. Who would be good to ask, then?"

[asmyown]

"I don't know, I'm afraid. If I had an inkling, I would have already asked them."

[bulrushes]

"Okay. How do I tell if somebody is a nurse so I know not to ask them?"

[asmyown]

"I think some nurses would be okay, depending on the person - it's not the station as a nurse that worries me, it's the ability to notice strange not-an-animal but looking-human things. They are more likely to notice, and so could react badly upon noticing. So - pay attention to how people act and if they're the type of people to not care about what other people want."

[bulrushes]

"How do you tell that?"

[asmyown]

"Usually it takes time - I notice that how they treat people that are below them matters quite a lot. How they treat children, or waiters, or the hired help. There are other factors, but that's a bit harder to easily summarize."

[bulrushes]

"Are children and waiters below other people?"

[asmyown]

"No," snorts Lynn. "Not in any way that matters. But sometimes people forget, because it's easier to do whatever you like with a waiter or a child. So you get a better idea of how a person really is, when they have the chance to be mean to someone with nothing stopping them, and they don't take it."

[bulrushes]

"Oh."

[asmyown]

"I will do my best to make sure no one is mean to you."

[bulrushes]

"You're nice."

[asmyown]

Lynn laughs. "Thank you, you're nice, too."

[bulrushes]

"Yay!"

[asmyown]

"I will get you something nice for your birthday. To match." Pause. "... Which reminds me. You need one of those."

[bulrushes]

"A birthday?"

[asmyown]

"A birthday is the day when you were born, and it's common to celebrate it and bestow presents as a way of saying 'I am happy you were born.' Christmas is similar, but it's for everyone rather than one specific person."

[bulrushes]

"But we don't even know if I was born."

[asmyown]

"Yes. But I don't want you to miss out on presents, I'm still happy you exist. I just don't know what day that happened to start or the method that it started."

[bulrushes]

"It could be the day I basketed."

[asmyown]

"It could!" agrees Lynn. "Or it could be whatever day you want it to be, if there is a time of year that you particularly like."

[bulrushes]

"I don't know," says Astrid. "If we wait for me to see all the parts of the year it will just be the day I basketed again."

[asmyown]

"Hmmm. Then, do you want me to explain all of the seasons to you and see if there is one you like, or just go with the day you basketed?"