Home Plot: Benne Seed

[polly_okeefe]

On one random night in Tabula Rasa, random things began to happen once again. At precisely midnight, Zell Dincht, Polly O'Keefe and Calvin O'Keefe began dreaming much deeper. They no longer responded to the outside world. Their dream took them to a world far away. Eventually others would come to make sure their sleeping bodies were okay, but none

Comments

[polly_okeefe]

I had mixed feelings about how Zell took charge of the situation. It sounded a bit like Zell was prepared to beat Xan up. I knew he wouldn't do it, and a part of me wouldn't have minded if he had done it. Indeed, for the first second there, I was thinking seriously about bundling Xan into my closet and putting a chair in front of it. Zell's approach might have ended up being less violent.

And, to Zell's credit, Xan took a step backwards towards my door. But it was too late, because he bumped into Johnny and Rosy, who scrambled in to see what the scream was. And then it was a tumble of voices. "Polly! Polly! Are you okay? Why did you scream? Why don't you have any clothes on? Who's this man?"

And Charles was right behind them. His jaw dropped open as he took in the whole situation. "Pol--"

I closed my eyes and I shouted. "Anybody who is not my boyfriend, get out of my room, right now!!"

That worked. They stumbled back, then scrambled to leave.

"Charles!" I called.

He turned back.

"Clothes!" I said, nodding in Zell's direction.

He gave Zell a quick glance up and down, then nodded. "Right." Then he ran off.

I slammed the door after them, then leaned against it. "I really wish I'd invested in a lock." I gave Zell an apologetic look. "Sorry."

[spirited_hero]

[polly_okeefe]

I ran my hand through my hair and shook my head. In another time and place, I'd laugh. I might even laugh about this here and now, but if I did, it would probably be tinged with hysteria. Why couldn't I have normal relationships like other people?

Well, better a weird and bewildering relationship with Zell than no relationship at all.

Zell was still moaning on the bed. The poor guy would probably try and dig an escape route if we had access to a shovel. But there was nothing else for it but press on.

I pushed away from the door, went to my dresser, and started pulling on some underwear. "We... have some explaining to do. And the Island's not going to let us off easy." I went to the closet, and found my favourite pair of jeans and a red blouse. I tugged these on. "But my parents will listen," I added.

I looked over at Zell, and gave him an encouraging smile. "Honest. They'll want to hear my side of the story. And, once they do, the worst thing my folks will do is send you to stay at a hotel. And if they do, I'm coming with you."

There was a knock on the door. "Polly?" It was Charles' voice. "I have some clothes for... your boyfriend. Can I come in?"

I looked over at Zell.

[spirited_hero]

[polly_okeefe]

"Come in," I called. And the door opened quietly and Charles stepped inside, shutting it behind him.

I watched him as he placed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt at the foot of my bed. Oh, how I'd missed him. I wanted to rush over and hug him right away, but the awkwardness of the whole scene held me back. It was clear that they hadn't known I was missing.

He smiled at me, and he smiled at Zell. He was everything he needed to be in this situation: calm, and attentive. "Hey," he said to us, but mostly to Zell. "I'm Charles, Polly's brother. And you are?"

[spirited_hero]

[polly_okeefe]

Charles shook Zell's hand with grace and then looked over at me.

"Yeah, uh..." I opened my mouth to explain, then stopped. Just thinking about the words that would follow made me feel like a complete crazy person. Even though this was Charles in front of me, I had difficulty just spilling things out. "Um... it's complicated."

"I can see that," said Charles ruefully. "Especially complicated would be how you managed to smuggle your boyfriend into the house. There's no extra boat at the dock, and I know you weren't out last night. I guess, Zell, that you might be a good swimmer, but that's taking a big risk, swimming out in the ocean at night."

He looked over at me. "I bet the explanation is complicated. But, Polly, I'm listening."

[spirited_hero]

[polly_okeefe]

I winced. I hadn't had a chance to tell anyone about my "time story". I'd just been heading home to do so when the Island had snatched me.

But then, when was this? Nobody had given any indication that I had been missing. And everybody looked about the same age as when I'd left them... or perhaps a little older...

...and Grandpa and Grand had both known about the time travel incident as well. They might have told my parents...

But then an idea struck me. I didn't need to tell Charles about my own time travel trip. I looked at him. "You remember the stories Daddy and Mother told us about visiting other planets? And how Uncle Sandy and Den went back in time?"

The effect on Charles was immediate. He stepped back, and sat down hard at the foot of my bed as he looked at me in awe. "Polly! Oh, wow!"

[spirited_hero]

[polly_okeefe]

"I know she's twenty," said Charles irritably, then stopped. I could see the wheels turning. He'd seen me yesterday, and yet he believed my story about time travel. He turned to me "Wait... You're saying that you've been away..."

I nodded.

He started to say 'for weeks', but then he glanced between Zell and I and then started to change that to 'months'. Then he stopped again. If I'd been away, marooned, how long would I have to wait before I allowed myself to fall in love with someone? The realization made the colour drain from his cheeks. "...Years?"

Seeing his horror pulled at my heart, and my reserve fell away. "Oh, Charles," I said, sobbing, and I rushed forward and hugged him.

[spirited_hero]

[polly_okeefe]

Charles hugged me back, and it felt like coming home. But, too soon, he pulled away. But he was right, we didn't have much time.

"So, let me get this straight," he said. "You've been... out of time, someplace else... for years? But this is bizarre. I... I said goodnight to you last night."

I shrugged, and I struggled to come up with an explanation. The first one, that this was all a dream, wasn't one I wanted to give to Charles, dream or no. "I don't know how to explain it, but... maybe think of it like a parallel world. I've come back to a world where I never disappeared."

It was asking Charles a lot to believe this, and for a second, he looked doubtful. But then he looked at me, and he nodded. "Okay. Then that's what we'll tell Mother and Daddy."

I nodded, and reached out for Zell. It was time to face the family.

But in the hallway outside, I heard a commotion.