Chapter 3 - The Strange Plant

The trio make their way to the hideout, a sanctuary within the school's forgotten corners. The chalkboard, adorned with equations and diagrams from a bygone era, serves as a silent witness to the academic fervor that once thrived within these walls. Desks and chairs are arranged in a haphazard manner, pressed against the walls to create an open central space. The dim light filtering through the cobweb-laden windows casts a delicate veil over the surroundings.

Having ascertained the hideout is secure and that nobody followed them, Tanya reveals the strange orange plant she collected in Robbie's tupperware box.
"Here it is... never seen anything like it...


"I might have imagined it, but... I heard a voice when I picked it up. As clear as I'm now talking to you... It said... something about a political group called the Green Vigil..."

"What kind of voice?" Robbie asks nervously. Remembering what Skog had said, she asks, "Like a vision?"

It sounded real, a bit like the voice of a retired Professor I know... It made me turn to look for whoever said that, but there was no-one... I guess, yes, like a vision, but a sound vision only... It was strange. "

She points at the plant. " Have you ever seen anything like this? Do you think it is dangerous to touch... Or even to be near it? "

Robbie hesitates. "Skog said it gave him a vision," she says. "But he seems fine, so I don't think it's dangerous. Maybe we should..." She leans her face in close to the plant and if that doesn't do anything, she carefully pokes it with one finger. "Hello?"

Robbie blinks in surprise at the bird. "Freddie?" she asks, excitement more than clear in her voice. "I thought you were... Where were you all this time?" She's too caught up by this surprise to make the obvious connection.

She turns startled from plant to pigeon. "This is like a Disney movie... gone wrong..." she says under her breath.

"Quick, Tanya!" Robbie exclaims. "Take the plant outside. I think it's too warm in here."

Surprised by the instant deterioration of the strange plant, Tanya grabs the tupperware that contains it and gets outdoors.

"Is here better? Is it meant to wither this fast?"

Once the plant is placed outside, a slight revival is noticeable, though its once-vibrant orange color has faded, leaving it with a muted appearance.

Emilia grabs Robbie's arm as Freddie appears, looking confused.

'...it..made a vision to tell us what it needed? That .. seems dangerous...' Even as she talks she's not looking at the plant instead of watching Robbie. She knew she had been devastated at the bird's death and suddenly for him to reappear then disappear again...

Robbie follows Tanya outside, though she does throw a grateful and shy smile at Emilia for the hand on her arm. Seeing poor little Freddie again had stung a bit. But in a way, it had also been nice. She really misses him. Maybe the plant could even show him to them again. "This is what Skog talked about. He said something about visions from beyond the grave. And Freddie, he's... he didn't come home from the vet." She swallows nervously, then asks, "Do you think it managed to let us speak to the real Freddie?"

"But... if these are visions, they are shared ones! We all saw and heard Freddie... Not just Robbie, right? Maybe the plant communicates using the... memories of whoever is closest ?"

She tries again, leaning near the plant to whisper, "Do you need water... or something else, to get better?"

Following a prolonged pause, no further manifestations occur. Whatever prompted Freddie's brief reappearance seems to have dissipated. Nonetheless, the plant remains intact, providing a potential subject for study with the appropriate equipment and expertise.

"Maybe it only speaks when it's in danger," Robbie suggests. "Or we need to touch it. That's what I did last time." She pokes it one more time.