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]

"Some of them also might not care," she murmurs. "That you talk."

[bulrushes]

Astrid looks blank.

[asmyown]

"They might - do bad things to study you because they are curious and they are thinking about what they want to know instead of how you want to be treated."

[bulrushes]

"Oh."

[asmyown]

"Yes. And I want to prevent that, more than anything else in the world."

[bulrushes]

"Anything?"

[asmyown]

"Just about, yes. It's just barely, barely below keeping you alive."

[bulrushes]

"What about all the other things in the world?"

[asmyown]

"You are my priority," informs Lynn. "Because I consider you to be my daughter, and I love you. So you come before all of the other things in the world. Including myself."

[bulrushes]

"But where would I go if something happened to you?"

[asmyown]

"I don't know. Obviously I also would like to keep living, and would try very hard to not die. But if it seemed like it was absolutely unavoidable, like I had a timer that would kill me no matter what I do, I would make sure you go somewhere that you are safe and happy."

[bulrushes]

Astrid nods gravely.

[asmyown]

Lynn decides that her daughter needs a hug. She is going to offer one.

[bulrushes]

Hug.

[asmyown]

Hug!

"Do you have any other questions?"

[bulrushes]

"Is there anybody else who might know what I am?"

[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."