Save the Flowers

by Caline Tan

  “I was helping you. Your teacher was moving towards you so I quickly asked you to wake up,” explained Robozonic.

  “Oh, I didn’t know. Thanks for the help,” Mabel yawned and stretched her arms. After using the toilet, she walked out of the cubicle and washed her face.

  “I’m so sleepy,” she said and patted her face gently with her fingers.

  “Don’t fall asleep again. How can a student fall asleep in class? What kind of student are you? Look at Julie, she’s…” Robozonic rattled on.

  “Stop! I won’t fall asleep again. I promise,” said Mabel as she wiped her face dry. “AND PLEASE DON’T TALK AGAIN WHILE IN CLASS!”

  “I promise I won’t speak a word. I will keep my mouth shut until the end of the lesson,” promised Robozonic.

  The rest of the day went on without any more problems. Mabel had to write two pages of xi zi (writing practice in Chinese). She hated xi zi. She just could not get the strokes right. She wrote and erased, and wrote and erased. She struggled for half an hour before getting it done.

  Finally, it was time to go home. Mabel walked with Julie to the school gate.

  “Remember to borrow the iPhone from your mum,” said Julie as she waved goodbye to Mabel.

  “I will. Don’t forget to meet me at 11:30 at the park. You know where I’m referring to, right?” asked Mabel.

  “Yes, the big shady tree. Don’t be late!” Julie waved and walked off.

  Mabel started her walk home. The sun was setting as it was close to seven in the evening. There were several people in the park. Some were jogging and others were walking their dogs. A few children were cycling.

  Instead of following the path towards her HDB block, Mabel went over to the other path where the two rows of flowers were planted, next to the big shady tree. Then she stopped.

  “What are you doing? Why did you stop?” asked Robozonic.

  “I want to give the flowers some water again,” she said. She took out her water bottle and started sprinkling water on the flowers.

  “Hello, flowers, I’m here to give you more water,” Mabel said to the flowers.

  “Thank you, Mabel. You’re very kind,” sang the flowers.

  “I’ll bring more water tomorrow,” she said. “Now it’s time for dinner! I’m soooooo hungry! I wonder what Auntie Julita has cooked for dinner.”

  Mabel then skipped all the way home, with Robozonic bouncing up and down in her uniform pocket.

  Chapter 7

  After dinner, Mabel took Robozonic out and placed it on her study desk. She then took out her homework. She placed her two index fingers on the two sides of her head and stared hard at her homework.

  “What are you doing?” asked Robozonic.

  “Can’t you see? Doing my homework,” said Mabel as she continued to stare.

  “But you’re only staring. You should be writing,” said Robozonic.

  “I know. How I wish I can just stare at the homework and it gets done!” she said. Then she eyed Robozonic. “Can you do it? You’re such an amazing Robozonic. Are you able to make words appear on paper so that I do not need to write?”

  “Don’t be silly. Of course I can’t do that. And you shouldn’t do that. You must do your school work on your own,” said Robozonic.

  “Duh… I thought you were a clever machine. So you’re not,” said Mabel.

  Just then, the door swung open and Marcus came in. He studied in the morning session, so the siblings only saw each other at night. He was very good in his studies and was also the class monitor. However, he could sometimes be quite arrogant, so Mabel did not like to tell him anything. She quickly hid Robozonic under her worksheets. She was definitely not going to tell him about Robozonic. He was sure to say that she was being crazy – again.

  “Who are you talking to?” asked Marcus as he sat on Mabel’s bed. “One of your pencils or erasers again?”

  “I wasn’t talking to anyone. Why aren’t you doing your homework?” said Mabel.

  “I’ve already finished doing my homework. You’re talking to someone. I heard voices,” said Marcus as he started to look around. He peeped under the bed and looked behind the door.

  “I’m just talking to myself. I’m going to do my work so could you please go out? And next time, please knock on the door before you come into my room,” said Mabel.

  “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. But I know you’re hiding something from me. I’ll find out sooner or later,” said Marcus. He took one last look around the room and went out.

  “Why didn’t you tell Marcus about me?” asked Robozonic.

  “You are supposed to be a secret between Julie and me. Also, he may tell Mum and Dad and they may not allow me to keep you. So don’t let him know that you are here,” said Mabel.

  “If you say so,” said Robozonic.

  Mabel started doing her homework. By the time she finished, it was almost ten. She yawned and crawled into her bed. She placed Robozonic on her blanket.

  “Tell me more about the year 2111,” she said. “Is everything the same? Are you also from Singapore?”

  “Yes, I’m from Singapore. I’m created and made in Singapore, by a Singaporean,” said Robozonic. “In 2111, the buildings are much taller and there are fewer trees and gardens. All cars are driven using solar energy.”

  “That’s cool! How I wish I could take a look into the future! Have you recalled how to go back to 2111?” asked Mabel.

  “I’ve racked my brains – I mean the cells in my Robozonic super body – but I still don’t know how to go back. I suppose there is a part of me that is not working properly.”

  “What important stuff were you doing?”

  “I told you it’s top secret.”

  “It may be top secret in 2111 but I’m sure in 2011, it’s not.”

  “You may be right. You’re getting cleverer,” said Robozonic, pausing to think. “Okay, I will tell you. In 2111, I was helping a professor with his research. He was trying to find a way to make trees grow faster.”

  “Why do you need to grow trees faster?” asked Mabel.

  “Well, in 2111, there are very few trees left. Most of the trees have been chopped down by humans to produce paper, make furniture and build houses. If we don’t grow trees faster, they would become extinct,” explained Robozonic.

  “What is extinct?”

  “It means that there will no longer be trees on earth.”

  “Oh no, that’ll be so terrible! I can’t imagine not having a single tree on earth. You’re doing such a wonderful thing. Who’s this professor? He must be very clever.”

  “Indeed he is. He’s known as Professor Roger Han. I was invented to help him with the research,” said Robozonic. “Now that I’m gone, I’m afraid he can’t continue with his research. Sigh.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m sure we can find a way to help you go back,” assured Mabel.

  “I’ve tried to contact him but I can’t reach him. Could you keep me with you while I try to find out how I can return to 2111?”

  “Of course, Robozonic. I’ll definitely keep you safe. What are friends for?” said Mabel. She felt sad for Robozonic and was willing to do all she could to help her friend return to 2111.

  “Since you’re so kind to me, let me show you a trick,” said Robozonic.

  Mabel sat up on her bed instantly. “What are you going to show me?”

  “Please switch off the lights first,” said Robozonic.

  She did as she was told. The room instantly became darker, with only the glow from the street lights coming in through the window. Suddenly, Robozonic started to glow. At first, it was a faint orange light, then it became brighter and soon the whole room was brightly lit.

  “This is amazing! You can actually glow. I mean not just glow, you’re lighting up the whole room!” said Mabel, as she looked around her room, which was bathed in a warm shade of orange. After a while, the light dimmed and soon the room was dark again.

  “Alright, I’ve shown you
my trick. Good night!” said Robozonic.

  “You’d be so useful if there’s a blackout,” Mabel yawned. “I hope you can show me a new trick each day. That’ll be superb! Good night.”

  She placed Robozonic on her bedside table and went to bed.

  That night she had a dream. She dreamed that Robozonic turned into a magic carpet and took her up into the sky. She was so excited that she could not sit still on the carpet. When she saw the clouds, she leaned over to touch them. Before she knew it, she had fallen off the magic carpet.

  Chapter 8

  “Ouch!” Mabel fell onto the floor with a thud and woke up. She glanced at the bedside table. Robozonic was sitting right there looking nothing like a magic carpet.

  “Good morning!” said Robozonic.

  Mabel jumped. “Can you not sneak up on me?”

  “I didn’t sneak up on you. I’ve been in the room the whole time,” said Robozonic.

  “I know. But it’s still a shock to suddenly hear your voice,” Mabel sat up and stretched. “Can you, like, give me a warning before you speak so I know it’s you?”

  “What kind of warning? Hello? Anyone out there? Yoo hoo?”

  “Stop, stop, stop. I think you can just say my name.”

  “Mabel?”

  “Yes, just say my name before you speak to me so I know you’re going to talk.”

  “That’s easy. Mabel, Mabel, Mabel!”

  “Will you please stop that? You’re really quite a talkative Robozonic!”

  “Sorry, can’t help it. I love to talk.”

  “Alright, I better get changed. We need to catch the two naughty boys today!”

  Mabel dressed quickly and was all ready by 11.

  “You’re early today,” said her mother when she saw Mabel at the kitchen. She was preparing Mabel’s lunch. Mabel’s mother worked as a baker in a bakery and had to report for work at about 12. She had long wavy hair that had been dyed a shade of brown. She had tried to get Mabel to keep her hair long, but Mabel simply refused. Whenever it got too hot, Mabel’s hair would stick to her head and make her itch all over. Long hair would only make it worse.

  “Yes, I am. I’m meeting Julie today. We’ve something important to do,” answered Mabel as she started eating her lunch.

  “What important thing are you going to do?” asked her mother, smiling.

  “I need to record a video. So Mum, may I borrow your iPhone, please?” asked Mabel.

  “Mabel, I’m afraid that’s not possible. I need it for work. If you take my phone, others can’t contact me,” said her mother.

  “But I need to use it to record something,” whined Mabel.

  “You can always take the video camera,” said her mother firmly.

  Mabel knew it was no use arguing. After her lunch, she went to the cabinet to take out the video camera. She put it in her uniform pocket together with Robozonic.

  “What do you want the iPhone for?” asked Robozonic when Mabel returned to her room.

  “Don’t you know? It’s the coolest gadget now. I want Mum and Dad to buy one for me but they said I’m too young to have one. But they gave one to Marcus. It’s so unfair!” complained Mabel.

  “Hey, you’ve got me. I’m the latest invention from the future. I’m ten times better than the iPhone. I can take videos too!” said Robozonic proudly.

  “That’s great. But today I still need to use the video camera because we can’t be showing you to the teacher,” said Mabel.

  She then opened the top drawer of her wardrobe. She put her hands into the drawer and started pulling things out. Failing to find what she was looking for, she opened another drawer, and another.

  “What are you doing? Shouldn’t you be going now? It’s almost time,” said Robozonic.

  “Wait, I need to find something. Aha!” Mabel exclaimed as she pulled out a green scarf from the drawer at the bottom. She went to the mirror and put the scarf around her head, covering most of her face except her eyes.

  “We’re going on a stakeout, so I better disguise myself,” she said.

  She took a pair of sunglasses from another drawer and put them on. The sunglasses were an old pair that belonged to her mother. When her mother had wanted to throw them away, Mabel had asked her to let her keep them. She took out Robozonic from her pocket. “How do I look now?”

  “Uh… you look like you’re going on a stakeout,” said Robozonic.

  “Great!” said Mabel. She placed another scarf – a red one – into her school bag and rushed out of the door before her mother could spot her.

  She was quite a funny sight, with her blue and white school uniform, her school bag slung on her shoulders, a green scarf around her head and a pair of sunglasses covering her eyes.

  “I’m all ready, but I think we’ll be late if we walk there. So, Robozonic, could you do the ‘transporting thing’ again?” asked Mabel, standing outside her front door. She stayed on the fifteenth floor and no one was at the corridor at that time.

  “It’s not called ‘the transporting thing’. It’s called Instant Spatial Movement,” explained Robozonic.

  “Let’s ISM now,” said Mabel as she held Robozonic close to her chest. Soon, the two metal rods shot out from Robozonic and the next instant, everything around Mabel was spinning. All she could see was the white light. She felt the same weightless feeling again. Suddenly, everything stopped spinning and she was standing next to Julie.

  Chapter 9

  “Oh my gosh, where did you come from?” asked Julie, her face turning pale.

  “I asked Robozonic to transport me here. He said this magic trick is called Instant Spatial Movement. I call it ISM,” said Mabel.

  “And what are you wearing?” Julie looked at Mabel in her getup.

  “Well, it’s a stakeout, right?” asked Mabel. “I’ve got a scarf for you, too. But I only have one pair of sunglasses. Anyway, you have your glasses so you don’t need the sunglasses.”

  “Do I really have to put this on?” asked Julie, holding the red scarf.

  “Yes, Julie. Just put it on,” urged Mabel. Julie reluctantly tied the scarf around her head.

  “I’ve scouted the place and decided that the best place for us to hide will be behind that big shady tree,” said Julie. “Do you have your camera with you?”

  “Sure, it’s right here in my left pocket!” Mabel patted her pocket. She took out the video camera.

  The two girls walked around the bushes to reach the other side of the big shady tree. Then they squatted and hid themselves behind the bushes. Mabel set the camera to “standby” mode. They waited eagerly for the boys to turn up.

  Mabel’s heart beat loudly as she squatted behind the bushes. She kept popping her head above the bushes to take a peep. Julie had to pull her down several times.

  Five minutes passed. The two girls were drenched in their perspiration. Mabel’s sunglasses kept sliding down her nose as they were too huge for her.

  “Robozonic, what time will the two boys pass by here? I’m getting all hot and sweaty,” Mabel complained.

  “I don’t know what time they’ll come. Usually, they’re rather early. It should be around this time,” said Robozonic.

  “I’m just going to wait for five more minutes. If they’re still not here, we’re leaving. Otherwise we’ll be toasted!” said Mabel.

  “Please, just wait a while more,” pleaded Robozonic.

  Another five minutes passed.

  “I’m not going to…” Mabel stood up.

  “Shhh… someone’s here!” whispered Julie, pulling Mabel down.

  They could hear the laughter of two boys.

  “You cannot catch me! You cannot catch me!” a boy shouted.

  Mabel peered over the bushes. She saw two boys, slightly older than her, running up the path towards their hiding place. The boy running ahead of the other was shouting. When they were near the big shady tree, they stopped.

  “Hey, let’s drink some water, Peter,” said the first boy.

&
nbsp; “Tomorrow I’ll be the first to reach the tree!” Peter said as he panted up the path. Peter was a chubby boy whose tummy was bursting from his uniform. His face was flushed from all the running.

  The two boys stood under the shady tree and drank some water. Mabel and Julie squatted even lower, afraid that the boys would see them.

  “Now, let’s see who can hit twenty flowers first, John!” said Peter.

  Mabel quickly raised her camera. As she started recording, she saw the two boys using their water bottles to hit the flowers one by one.

  “One, two, three…” the boys counted as they used their water bottles to hit hard at the flowers. The petals of the flowers started falling off.

  “Twenty! I win! Ha ha!” said John.

  “Tomorrow we’ll do thirty and I’ll definitely win!” exclaimed Peter, still panting away. Their voices became softer as they moved further away. When they were finally gone, Mabel and Julie stepped out from behind the bushes.

  “You got that?” asked Julie.

  “Yes, yes, I think I did. Let me check,” answered Mabel. She pressed the “Play” button and watched the video. “Yes, I definitely got it. Come on, let’s go!”

  Before they left, Mabel took out her water bottle and began watering the flowers. Julie saw what she did and followed.

  “Both of you are such good girls,” praised Robozonic.

  “Now let’s go to school and tell Mr Foo!” said Mabel.

  Chapter 10

  Mabel and Julie stood outside Mr Foo’s office. Mr Foo was the school’s discipline master. All the students were afraid of him. He would walk around the school with a cane in his hand, pulling students by the collar to stop them to check whether they were wearing the school uniform properly.

  Julie was terrified of Mr Foo and stood behind Mabel when they reached his office.