Chapter 3 - Taking flight into uncertainty

–The Next School Day–
The following day at school, the rumors of the worm incident have spread, and they haven't done Robbie any favors. Throughout the day, she overhears snide remarks and teasing related to worms and dirt.

Tanya, for the most part, remains unaffected by these comments until an encounter with Oskar in the hallway. Oskar is a well-intentioned classmate but often struggles with understanding social norms. In a rather loud and enthusiastic voice, he asks Tanya about the types of worms she had the previous day and whether he should start his own worm farm at home, displaying his fascination with all things related to bugs. Izzy takes notice of this and seizes the opportunity to give Tanya the nickname "worm farm."

Surprisingly, the incident ended up bolstering Emilia's social standing. It was framed in a way that cast her as a victim, targeted by Robbie and Tanya, and as a target of Mr. Andersson's reprimand. At school, Izzy approached Emilia with apparent sympathy, saying, "I can't help but feel awful about how Mr. Andersson singled you out like that. It's just not fair, and I just wish there was something I could have done to stop it." It remained uncertain whether Izzy was being genuine or had ulterior motives.

–After School–
A commotion erupts in the schoolyard as a crowd of kids gathers around a lifeless, fluffy white dog. It's a grim sight, with the unfortunate animal bearing clear signs of having met a violent end, its body covered in peck marks made by birds. Each of you manages to catch a glimpse of the pitiful creature before Mr. Andersson intervenes, ushering the onlookers away to handle the unpleasant task of dealing with the aftermath. Frustration is evident in his muttered words, questioning why he always seems to be the one tasked with such unpleasant responsibilities.

— Moving Locations, The hideout —Within the school lies an abandoned wing consisting of a couple of rooms, perpetually locked and forgotten due to budget constraints preventing the much-needed renovations. Although the door to this area is locked, the frame around it is so warped that it can't fully latch, making it merely stuck. A forceful push is all it takes to swing the door open.

The corridor leading to this neglected area is dimly lit, with long-forgotten fluorescent lights overhead. Their hideout is a classroom in this area, its chalkboard covered in dusty equations and diagrams. Desks and chairs are pushed haphazardly against the walls, while cobwebs drape over the windows.

Freddie indeed appears to be a friendly bird. In a remarkably short time, he has grown fond of Robbie. Now, whenever he sees her, he enthusiastically declares, "I'm Freddie." He seems rather proud of his own name. Most of his conversations revolve around food. Occasionally, he utters the word "Home," although Robbie can't quite discern whether it's meant as a statement or a question.

At this point, all three kids would be aware that they need an ornithologist or a good library is to understand more about the behavior of the birds.
Tanya's mother initially appeared unhelpful and unaware of any animal experiments. However, Tanya overheard her mother in a conversation with her father that suggested otherwise. He, too, expressed enthusiasm for directing the conversation toward STEM topics. Tanya heard her father briefly mention to her mother, "Didn't you once mention that animal experiments were Gunnar's area of research? If you happen to meet him again, you should inquire if he has any book recommendations for Tanya." Her mother responded in a manner that suggested she was uncomfortable with his particular type of animal research.