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know where Scott or Sarah had lived in my short time here. I pursed my lips, feeling suddenly frustrated. Tapping my fingers against my hips as I thought, I fi- nally remembered that I had at least known where the infirmary was. The intoxicating hospitality of Miss Dee could help out in this type of situation. I always pictured her to have a detailed chart of every student in her need to create order. My pace picked up then, the path now dropping down through the grass toward the lower buildings. Ducking into the walkway that was shielded by the overhanging roofs of the buildings on either side, I noticed how the sound seemed to change, my footsteps now echoing off the wood siding that surrounded me. It was a strange sensation to hear the echo of my own footsteps. Ever since last fall, when I had moved out here to the large expanse of silence, I had forgotten what it was like to hear myself walk. I had been so used to the reverberation of the city that the sudden expanse of silence had shocked me. In Seattle, it seemed as though I was so caged, so bottled between the looming buildings and hard concrete where no sound could ever be absorbed by the soft earth, constantly rumbling in your head like a painful reminder of your infinitesimal existence in this life. It was true what Sam had said about the humans destroying what beauty there was left in this world and I now found myself coveting the tree huggers and animal activists of this race. Saving the beau- ty in this world was something I had taken for granted in my selfish need to find myself. Now it was evident that things needed to change, and the mysteries of the world returned so they can breed life amongst the gloom. Scott and Sarah were not vile humans, but the last of their kind that still understood what it meant to value life, and the true privileges they have been given. They were aware of themselves and their world, aware of the footprints they left and the power they had to change it. Sam was right to hate the other humans, the selfish murderers, and greedy corporate presidents, all here to exploit what the earth freely gave to all human kind. I exhaled as I shook my head, realizing such thoughts were overshadowing my reasons for being here. It was time to focus on the task at hand, to be the Elle everyone here remembered, invisible and strange. My feet crunched against the gravel until at last I reached the familiar red door with the small white cross painted in the middle. I knocked once, listening as the singing voice of my past reverberated through the heavy steel. Come in! I pushed down on the handle as I took a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever outcome was ahead. As the outside light flooded the dim space, Miss Dee turned in her chair. Her body was plumper than it had been the year before and I giggled to myself, remembering the doughnuts Scott and Sarah had always stolen from her. You would think that with her doughnuts always running off, she would have lost the weight, but this was clearly not the case. Oh Miss! she cried. I saw the recognition of my face flood her beady eyes, her cheeks flushing like a thanksgiving turkey. Hi! I sang back to her, the strange feeling of true happiness irking my memory. It had never oc- curred to me until now that it had always been a battle to smile in my time here, both mentally and physically. Every day in this past life of darkness had been such a battle, such a fight to live. Oh my, it s like seeing a ghost dear! What brings you back? Has another session with Professor Edgar gone bad? A vindictive chuckle rumbled in her chest as she thought to herself, Here to set- tle a score now are we? I cringed at her reference to Edgar. Oh& I paused to gather my thoughts, Well I m just back for a visit, came to see Scott you know& Nothing quite that dramatic. She chuckled, Oh you fox! I always knew you and Scott had a thing for each other. But I should warn you, I believe he s seeing someone, and actually I think he s engaged. She pursed her lips in a half smile, mocking me with her loving thoughts. Sarah I believe her name was. Her brows were fixed in a painful manner, her half moon glasses teetering on the end of her nose as she chewed on her nails, still perplexed. I quickly rolled my eyes as she looked away. Scott was engaged? I grunted, well that was fast. But I suppose someone like him has to lock it down before the girl realizes how useless he really is, not to mention how inherently clumsy. Oh yeah I knew that, that s why I came, to congratulate them on their engagement of course! I was laying the cheeriness on like cold peanut butter, playing the part of a caring friend. She pressed her chin into the heavy roll of fat on her neck, her face now engulfed in its mass. Oh aren t you the thoughtful one. She coated her remark with a swift wink. I stifled back the vomit that was welling in my throat. Being this upbeat was exhausting, not to mention a full time freak show. I was just curious, if you knew where they had perhaps moved to? She smiled as she turned back to her desk, pulling a huge pink ledger out of the drawer and slapping it down with a heavy crack, her feeble desk shaking under the thunderous weight. I flinched, unable to stop myself. The cover of the ledger was adorned with purple hearts and swirls and I stifled a laugh, finding my notions about the detailed list confirmed. She flipped it open and trailed one plump finger down the page, mumbling Scott s name under her breath as though she may forget. Oh! she jumped and I lurched back, my body readying itself for attack out of pure instinct, Here it is! Yes, yes, cabin twelve. I snorted, Cabin twelve? Miss Dee turned and gave me a grave nod, I suppose they swooped it right out from under you! A sweet smile ached its way across my cheeks as I turned to leave, my mind now unable to handle another moment in her intoxicating presence, Well thanks Miss Dee, I ll be sure to visit again! And with that I made a mental note to avoid the entire vicinity. Oh that would be lovely miss. She pressed her brows together and brought her finger to her chin in thought, Let me just say, you look different, more grown up or something. I chuckled under my breath, Well it has been a whole year, and you know how we young adults grow, like weeds, I hissed for dramatic effect, playing on the fact of my magical talents. She nodded, her face still twisted in thought, Hmm. Well did you ever find out about your arm? It still perplexes me, I have never had someone heal quite that fast. She was trying to make the con- versation linger but it only irritated me further. 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