Volunteer (Selected Book 3)

by Robin Roseau

  "You didn't have to do it that way," I said. "I was just curious."

  "I know, Skye." She patted my shoulder. "I was feeling playful. Frankly, I'm a little nervous. I'm sorry if I frightened you."

  "And you were demonstrating a willingness to be forceful."

  "Maybe I just want to be sure you understand something."

  "Oh?"

  "Resistance is futile."

  I laughed and let her pull me to my feet.

  We left through the second door, the one she had used to collect the visor. In the corridor, I saw there were shelves ahead of us, each with a visor. We collected the first and stepped into Audra's room. She was seated, watching us. She started to stand, but Bluebell waved her back.

  "Oh, I remember those glasses," Audra said.

  "I have yours here," Bluebell said. "Will you let me put it on you?"

  "Sure."

  Bluebell crossed the room, leaned down, and slipped the visor into place. A moment later, Audra smiled. "Cool."

  "Your sister was a problem child," Bluebell said. "I was forced to Drastic Measures."

  "Ohhh," Audra said. "Skye got into trouble!"

  "I was just curious," I muttered.

  "Yes, but now you're going to do what you're told so I don't have to manage all three of you," Bluebell said. "Aren't you?"

  "Yes, Bluebell," I said. "I'm sorry."

  "Forgiven. Shall we?"

  She took an arm of each of us, led us down the hall, collected one more visor, and soon Mom was wearing her own pair.

  "We just have to wait a minute for two more attendants," Bluebell said. "Skye, are you going to behave?"

  "I only asked questions!" I said. "I thought you said questions were okay."

  "And I only asked a question," she replied.

  "Yes, I'll behave."

  "Good."

  It wasn't long, no one saying anything, when two more women entered the room. They both looked like nurses, but they were surprised to see Bluebell.

  "Administrator Beamer," one said. "We were told to report here."

  "Miss Evans," Bluebell said. "This is Skye Andrews. You will help to escort her." At that, the first woman stepped to my side and took my arm. "Miss West, this is Carmen Andrews. Please see to her needs." And so Mom had an escort. And then Bluebell took Audra's arm and led us from the room.

  It wasn't a long walk. We didn't see anyone else, but Bluebell had said we wouldn't. We arrived at a room, and inside there were three of the chairs waiting. There might have been more, but I couldn't see them.

  "That's like the chair they put me in before," Audra said.

  "Perhaps it is," Bluebell said. "Skye, you are first."

  My attendant led me to one of the chairs. I went docilely and climbed into the chair. I was barely settled when the chair closed around me, leaving only my neck and head exposed. Mom was next, and then Bluebell helped Audra.

  "All right," Bluebell said. "The exams take from a half hour to an hour, depending on what we find. I expect to take longer than shorter this time. It can be very boring in the chairs, so you have a choice of a variety of entertainment."

  "Like games or music?"

  "Oh, we do much better than games or music," said Bluebell. "Skye, I have something special picked for you. Will you trust me?"

  "Yes, Bluebell."

  "Very good. Carmen, I couldn't judge your tastes."

  "Last time, I was a bird," she said.

  "We can do that," Bluebell said. "We can also do a whale, or many of the animals of the jungle. Or you can go diving in the ocean or a walk through the streets of Paris."

  "Paris?" Mom asked. "I've never been to Paris. I think I'd like that."

  "Very good," said Bluebell. Then she turned to Audra.

  "Do I have to do anything like that? It's going to be a long day. I wouldn't suppose I could take a nap?"

  "Well, you could," said Bluebell. But then she knelt down and whispered into Audra's ear. Audra began to grin and nod enthusiastically.

  "Well then, very good," said Bluebell. "The chairs are going to cover you, and then each of your programs will begin. I hope you enjoy them."

  I thought I was covered first, and I lay in the dark, the chair pressing against me. Then it invaded my mouth, and I had no choice but to let it. It pressed around me, and it was dark, and then I felt strange, heavy along my sides.

  Then I could see. I was standing outside, and it wasn't any planet I'd ever seen.

  Out of the corners of my eyes, there were tentacles. I looked, and Bluebell stood beside me. But it wasn't her tentacles I could see. They were mine.

  "Relax, Skye," said the Catseye. "You won't be able to speak, and this is like a movie. You will not be able to control your motions, but you will feel what it is like. It is the best we can do without being more invasive."

  I had no control over it, but my head moved of its own accord, and I found myself looking at my own body. I was a Catseye, tentacles and everything.

  Bluebell came closer, wrapping tentacles around me, and I could feel them, as if they were real. "Calmer," she said. "Your heart is racing, and you are panting. I didn't think I would scare you. I am sorry."

  I wasn't scared. And so I tried to relax.

  "Better," she said. "A little more, if you can." After another minute, she said, "Good. Good. Now, can you feel yourself breathing?"

  I concentrated, and it didn't feel like I was breathing through my nose and mouth. It felt like I was breathing through my tentacles. Through my tentacles!

  "Good," she said again. "Now you are going to wrap some of your tentacles around me." And I could feel them reaching around her, holding her the same way Posey frequently held me, and I was nearly overcome with the sensations. I could feel so much.

  And then I inhaled deeply, and I could taste her. She tasted... nice, and the taste came from so many places at once.

  "I thought about letting Violet guide you," Bluebell said. "But I think Violet would have let this get out of hand, and when you emerged from the chair, perhaps it would have been obvious what sort of adventure I had given you."

  I tried to snort laughter at that. She was probably right.

  "I thought of letting you be Violet as she held you, but I thought that would be far too confusing. So I decided to do this. We are going to walk, and I will show you a little of our world."

  And she did. We took a walk through a forest, and she showed me things, but I don't really remember the details. It was all quite overwhelming. Just the sensations from the tentacles, and the tastes coming to me were overwhelming. It was quite magical at the same time.

  We entered a city, and she showed me their houses, not all that different from ours, and she introduced me to a pet she had as a child.

  And then she turned me to her. "Our time here draws to a close. I wish to finish with a hug. Skye, this is going to be very intense. This is what it feels like when we hug. We are used to this, and so it is not the onslaught of sensations you are feeling." Then we moved together, tentacles wrapping around and around. We each kissed, and tentacle tips entered.

  And it was so intense and amazing and, yes, overwhelming, I couldn't begin to describe it.

  Then the light faded, and the sensations faded. I felt the chair partially withdraw. Then I could see again, but well before I could, I was sobbing.

  "Shh," Bluebell said quietly. "Shh. Skye." She caressed my face. "Shh."

  "Thank you," I managed to whisper. "Thank you."

  "You're welcome," she said. "You're scaring your mother. Do you think you can turn to her and tell her you're all right?"

  I nodded then turned my head towards mom. "I'm just overwhelmed," I said. "I'm fine."

  Mom looked upset, but she nodded.

  "I'm going to give you another minute," Bluebell said. The chair partially freed my arms, although it largely kept me pinned. She handed me tissues, and I cleaned up as best I could.

  Then another woman moved into my field of view. "Skye Andrews, I
am Dr. Keats."

  "Hello, Doctor."

  "You are perfectly healthy," she said. "It is quite depressing, really. I have nothing to tell you. Except, well, you are perfectly healthy."

  "Thank you, Doctor."

  I looked over, and Audra's chair was still closed. "What about my sister?"

  "We're pulling her out last," Bluebell said. "She is also perfectly healthy. But you have to wait to hear the rest."

  I nodded, and then Bluebell moved to the last chair. It opened, revealing Audra's face. She stared blankly for a moment, then she settled her gaze on Bluebell. "You didn't say I'd be a baby!"

  I could see Bluebell's face, and she smiled. "Did you like it?"

  "Oh. Em. Gee." She turned to me. "I was an elephant! I was a baby elephant! We were in a small herd of elephants. I had three big sisters and three moms! They watched over me and kept me safe. I fell down a few times, but it didn't even hurt, and one or two of them would rush over and help me up."

  Three big sisters and three moms, and Bluebell looked at me pointedly. I bet if I asked her the names of the three big sisters and three moms, I knew the answers.

  And I nearly started crying again at that thought.

  Then Audra turned back to Bluebell. "Well? Can I go skiing? Please, can I go skiing?"

  Dr. Keats stepped up, smiled at Audra, and said, "You, like your sister, are perfectly healthy. You need to be a little careful, because you didn't develop an understanding of your body the same way your sister did. But if you promise to be careful, and don't try to keep up with your sister, yes, you may go skiing."

  "I can go skiing!" She screamed. "Mom! Mom!" She turned back to the doctor. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

  Europe

  During the flight to New York, Audra could barely stay in her chair, she was so excited. Finally Violet, who was flying, told her, "If you don't settle down, I'm going to tell the chair to swallow you up!"

  "If you give me a visor and let me be a baby elephant again, I don't care!" Audra said. "But I'm going to figure out which of my sisters was you, and I'm going to butt you right in the butt!"

  That generated snorts, then Violet said, "That's fine, but just remember who is the baby elephant and who is the big, seven-ton sister elephant."

  Audra laughed, and then sobered. "Am I really bugging you, Violet? Are you really going to make the chair swallow me?"

  "No, Audra. But I'm going to tighten your seat just a little bit, because I don't want you getting hurt if we get some bounces." And then I watched the chair swallow Audra just a little more, which also served to settle her down a little.

  Mom was subdued. I didn't understand. I wondered if something was wrong, but then Violet reached over and teased me with a tentacle, and I grew distracted.

  We landed, and there was a car waiting. It took us to the United Nations building. Azalea and Posey met us, and we all donned coats.

  I'd been here yesterday, but we hadn't walked around outside. So this was new for me. Azalea led the way, and we walked for several minutes. Then we came to a stop. She pointed. "That is the East River," she said. "It is not actually a river."

  "It looks like a river," said Audra.

  "It's actually a strait. We're at sea level here. If we travel that way, we'll reach New York Bay. If we go the other way, we reach Long Island Sound. And from either of them, we can exit to the Atlantic Ocean."

  "Where is the Statue of Liberty?"

  "That way," Azalea said, pointing towards the south. "Although we can't see it from here."

  Audra grew quiet.

  "When Amaryllis and the rest of the advanced delegation arrived, they came from high orbit, eventually approaching from the south, following the coast." Azalea pointed. "As they drew lower, they moved over the ocean." She pointed east.

  "Why?"

  "To avoid scaring too many people," Azalea said. "We knew we were already going to be startling."

  "Were you afraid our fighters would shoot you down?"

  "No. We were invited. But you can bet we watched those jets very carefully. They kept a very respectful distance, but I bet they were more afraid than we were."

  "But you came in peace. That's what Amaryllis said."

  "We did, but how could they be sure?" She gestured. "The shuttle stayed out to sea, south of Long Island."

  "Where's that?"

  "Right there," Azalea said. "That's an island over a one hundred and fifty kilometers long."

  "Oh. Wow. Okay."

  "So the shuttle stayed there, but then it came up the bay, over the East River, and landed right here in this spot. And you can see the plaque." She pointed. We all moved over and read the plaque.

  Audra was beaming, but I felt emotional about it, too, and I thought perhaps the Catseye were as well.

  Then Azalea got us moving. "This is the route they took." She talked, explaining how nervous everyone was, the humans and BPs alike. "Trust takes time to build," she pointed out.

  And then we passed through some doors, and we stood on the main floor of the United Nations General Assembly.

  Of course, they weren't in session, but it was still momentous for us. Then Azalea moved us forward, passing along the aisle with chairs on either side, bringing us all the way onto the main stage. She led us into place and spoke very quietly.

  "It was in this place that Amaryllis addressed the entire world."

  "Do they normally let people here?" Audra asked.

  "No. I have a little influence."

  A little influence, my ass.

  But we stood there, and Azalea encouraged us to each take a place at the lectern, looking out into the awe-inspiring room.

  "Your president has stood here, and many of the presidents before him," Azalea said.

  "Emma Watson gave a speech here," Audra said.

  "I believe she did," said Azalea. "Leaders from around the world have stood here, some asking for aid, others begging for peace. This place may be the most important place on the entire planet."

  She let that sink in, and then I saw Bluebell move beside mom, putting an arm around her. Violet put one around me, and then Posey had an arm around Audra. I laid my head on Violet's shoulder. Then I turned into her and whispered into her ear, "Thank you for coming to help us."

  * * * *

  After the show, Audra could barely stay awake to get to the car, and she fell asleep. She wouldn't wake up when we reached the airport, so Posey smiled and asked, "Are there any humans watching?"

  Bluebell and Azalea checked, and then Violet slipped into the driver's seat and moved the car closer to the ramp of the jumper. The ramp lowered. Bluebell and Azalea set up positions at the door, and then Posey slipped her arms free of her blouse and carefully collected Audra in arms and tentacles.

  Posey had to carry Audra again at home, and once inside, she asked, "With us, or alone?"

  "If she wakes up, she'll be frightened," Mom said. "With me or with you."

  "With us, then," Posey said, and she carried Audra to bed. Then Mom and I changed my sleeping little sister into pajamas and tucked her into bed.

  "She might wake," said Mom. "Get ready for bed. I'll stay with her."

  Ten minutes later, Mom was gone, and the three "big sisters" cuddled into bed.

  "She had a big day," Posey said softly. She brushed some of Audra's hair from her face, looking down at her.

  "She hasn't slept that soundly in years," I said. "Wow. But she'll be roaring to go by morning."

  * * * *

  How right I was. How did I find out? With tentacles wrapped around me, and little sister fingers digging into my ribs.

  I began screeching. "No! No mean tickles! Audra!"

  "Then wake up for a proper tickling," Violet said into my ear.

  "I'm awake! Make her stop! I'm awake!"

  "Let her breathe, little sister," Violet said, and immediately the fingers withdrew. But then they made me sit up. They let me catch my breath, and then the tickling began again, but it was nice ti
ckling.

  Of course, it wasn't long before Violet and Posey switched places, and then Violet grabbed Audra, and both humans found themselves madly laughing. Well, the Catseye laughed, too.

  Finally they relented, and after I caught my breath, I complained, "That's a terrible way to wake up!"

  "We tried gentler ways," Posey said. "You muttered and went back to sleep."

  "I didn't."

  "Yes, you did," said Audra, grinning at me. "I wanted to get a bucket of ice, but Posey suggested tickling you was more fun. I think she's right."

  "I noticed I wasn't the only tickle victim, Squirt."

  Audra grinned and said nothing.

  * * * *

  We drove to Mount Holyoke. The Testing Center had larger cars, big enough for all of us. I thought it was really sweet that everyone went. We made small talk most of the way, although Bluebell made a point of asking Audra what classes she most liked in school.

  "All of them. Well, except phy ed. I'm really bad at phy ed."

  "Phy ed?"

  "Physical education," mother clarified.

  "All the other kids got a huge head start," Audra said. Then she grinned. "But at least I can play, even if I'm not very good, so that's okay."

  The campus was quiet, but with Bluebell's help, we gave them a tour of the campus. I was a little surprised when we approached my dorm, and Bluebell opened the door.

  "We can get in?"

  "Skye," she said in a reproaching tone. "I am Catseye. I have influence. Furthermore, I am a professor of this center of learning, so I have additional influence."

  So I showed them my room. Most of my things were there. Audra asked which bed was mine, then bounced on it for a minute or two, grinning at me. But then she prowled the room for a bit. She turned to me. "If I go to college, I'll live somewhere like this."

  "If?" Bluebell asked. "You mean when, don't you?"

  "Skye got a scholarship. Who knows if I will?"