groovygamers.com

For those little bits of chatter...

Sunday night, Colin gets a call on his cell phone.

"Colin? It's Alicia." Her voice sounds stiff, as if she's trying to sound casual and failing.

She doesn't waste time getting to the point, though. "Have you found anything new regarding the Gena situation?"

Alicia unfortunately doesn't know that Colin is an old-school paper boy, and a morning person. He was sound asleep.

"Hi, Allie." he mumbles, rubbing his eyes.

"I'm quite sure the substance was in a bottle of perfume she got from a 'secret admirer'. She's taking it to school on Monday so we can give it to <yawn> Mr Heep for analyzing. Why? Is there something wrong?"

Alicia seems oblivious to Colin's situation or concerns.

"Perfume?" There's silence on the line as she thinks about it.

Her voice sharpens with interest. "And you're getting it tomorrow? Could you let me know when you have it? I'd like to take a sniff and see if anyone else in the school is wearing it."

"Sure, I guess."

Then he thinks about it again.

"Well, smelling it on Gena did nothing to me. Smelling it directly from the bottle... might not be such a good idea..."

"Why? If anything, chances are that whatever's in it's supposed to be more effective when it's actually on someone's skin," Alicia says dismissively.

"If Gena's not the only potential victim, it's important we track down anyone else in danger of being a hate-target."

Her voice is grim. "The longer we wait, the bigger the chance that someone else will get hurt."

Colin's fear was another, but Alicia does have a point.

"You're right. I'll send you a message as soon as I've got it, ok?"

"Cool. See ya tomorrow."

Click.

(OOC:  just because)

Late Sunday night, Sammy texts Elrod to look out his bedroom window.  When she sees his face, she sends another text.

Look up and to the east.  Over the big oak tree.

She's out there in her new flying outfit, silhouetted against the sky.  She waves when he sees her.

Good night.  Then she's off, to burn away some pent up energy before going to bed.

Not a text message or a phone call, but don't know where else to put it.

On Sunday morning, Sammy digs around in the basement and attic looking for an empty picture frame that will fit around Colin's drawing of her grandparents.  She puts it in the frame, wraps it in bubble wrap, then puts it all into a cardboard box, which is then taped shut with packing tape.  That evening, before she disappears for that long solo flight (when she stops to say hi to Elrod) she leaves the box in the middle of the kitchen table with a note in an envelope marked for her Mom.

Mom -- Colin gave this to me to give to you.  Its a drawing of your mother and your father.  I've been holding onto it, trying to figure out what to do with it.  I'm not sure I should even give it to you, but I don't know what else to do.  Besides, you really should be the one to decide if you want to see it or not.  So I framed it and cushioned it and put it away in this box.  What happens to it now is totally up to you.

I'll be back later.

Love, S.