Chapter Four: Nora

"For gosh's sake, Pete, just talk to me!" Penny very nearly stomped her foot in frustration as she followed behind Pete and Elliott. Elliott was still invisible, just to be safe. They weren't quite in the cneter of the town now, as they walked down the beach Elliott found, but Penny insisted he keep invisible, in case there were fishermen.

"Pete, stop ignoring me!" Penny yelled again. Pete never budged. He never even turned to look at her. Penny felt bitter tears sting her eyes as Pete continued to walk forward with Elliott, never acknowledging her.

Penny followed in defeated silence. She hated when Pete wouldn't speak to her. She hated it when they fought. They were all each other had. When they fought, it was as though Penny's world was falling apart. If anything ever happened between her and Pete...

Well, it wouldn't. He would talk to her eventually. This vow of silence couldn't go on forever.

Penny felt bad for Elliott, though. The poor dragon kept looking over his shoulder at Penny, but then promptly back at Pete. His body language showed he was struggling with the rift between the twins, and he seemed unsure about what to do with Penny.

But Penny knew Pete needed him more. She figured Elliott knew that too. Penny had never been one to need anyone, just Pete, but even emotionally, she was fine on her own. Pete seemed to cling to Elliott, which Penny couldn't really understand. The twins had each other. Why couldn't Pete cling only to her, like she clung only to him? Had she done something to screw things up? She sighed out loud.

If Pete weren't ignoring her, she would have enjoyed the beach. She wanted nothing more than to take off her shoes and wade in the water. The waves were crashing against the shore, making a loud noise, and Penny wished she and Pete could just forget everything and run through the water. Penny sighed, knowing it wouldn't happen right now. Maybe if Pete was finished being mad at her, they could come back here and try to have some fun.

If Pete would quit being mad at her. Penny sighed.

Penny looked up, and realized there was a tear on her cheek. She hastily brushed it away and followed Elliott and her brother through the mouth of a large cave. Penny should have been frightened, as any other child would have been, but she wasn't. She had seen too much in her ten years to be frightened of a cave. But she did feel a chill. There was no sunlight providing warmth anymore. Penny wished she had a sweater.

Pete climbed up on to a rock, and Elliott, finally making himself visible, held back, unsure of what to do. He began playing with his tail.

Penny wandered around the cafe for a long while, pacing, hating the dead silence that hung in the air. She stole an occassional peek up at Pete, who sat cross-legged on a rock, arms folded tightly. Penny grumbled under her breath as she kept staring at her brother. He finally glanced up and saw her looking at him. He quickly turned his head in the opposite direction. Penny had enough.

"Pete, why aren't you talking to me? Why are you mad at me?" She boomed, feeling more and more angry. Pete turned quickly and glared at her. Penny swallowed. Pete was angry. Pete rarely got angry, a virtue Penny wished she could mimic, but when he was angry, it wasn't pleasant.

"We're in a lotta trouble, and it's all your fault!" Pete blurted out, pointing his finger accusingly. Penny raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"What?"

"We wanted the people of Passamaquoddy to like us. Now they all think we're criminals." Pete snapped.

"Are you talking about the pears? It wasn't stealing! And anyway, I didn't take them, because you were upset about it. Now we'll probably starve! Besides, you were the one who wanted those people to like us. I told you we just wanted to pass through. We didn't want to draw attention to ourselves!" Penny retaliated. She felt hurt, but angry too. Pete blamed her for what was going on. It wasn't fair.

"It's nice to meet new people sometimes, y'know! We don't always have to be so alone." Pete yelled.

"Yeah, Pete, we do!" Penny screamed. She didn't exactly know why she said it, but Pete wasn't happy.

"I don't get it, Pen. Why do you have to be so scared of people?" He asked.

"Hey! Nobody said I was scared of anyone!"

"But you act like it!"

"Well, I'm not!"

Elliott cleared his throat, and made his dragon sounds. Penny and Pete listened and sighed. Penny crossed her arms as Pete picked a spot on his overalls.

"I didn't really mean it, Penny. It's just that...nothin's working out the way I thought it would. Everything's messed up now. And...I'm scared." Pete admitted. Penny turned and looked at her brother. He had tears in his eyes. Penny hated when he cried. It broke her heart. Forgetting her anger, she went to him, climbed up onto the rock and put her arm around him.

"It'll be okay Pete. We'll...we'll figure something out." Penny tried.

"Like what?" Pete asked. Penny shrugged.

"I don't know, but we can do this."

"But we're just kids, Pen. What if we can't take care of ourselves?"

"But we have been, Pete. The Gogans didn't take care of us. Besides, we have Elliott."

Pete managed a smile.

"Yeah, we have Elliott." He agreed. Penny and Pete laughed when Elliott's belly rumbled with laughter. Penny breathed a sigh of relief. At least that was out of the way. Nothing ever worked out when they fought. Penny sighed.

"Well, I guess we should probably find something to eat." She said suddenly.

"Okay, let's go." Pete replied.

"No wait, Pete, I think you and Elliott should stay here. Everybody knows we're twins, and they're looking for us now. If only one of us goes, it should be safe. Besides, I don't think there will be any trouble. We're far enough away from the town now, but still, just stay here. It'll be easier for just one of us to run away, instead of both of us. I'll be back in a little while. Just stay here. Elliott, keep him safe." Penny said. Elliott muttered something, and Penny sighed.

"I don't need anyone to keep me safe, Elliott, but thanks." She turned back to Pete. "Just stay here, okay? I'll be back soon, and then we'll eat." Pete hesitantly nodded, obviously worried about his sister as she ducked out of the cave, and down the beach. Pete sighed, and listened as Elliott spoke. Pete smiled.

"I know she's stubborn, Elliott, she's always been like that. She always tries to act like a grownup." He replied. Elliott spoke some more.

"I wish she would too. We're just so different sometimes. It's just, you know, I worry about Penny sometimes." Pete said, rubbing his nose. Elliott agreed wholeheartedly.

The two sat in silence for some while, hearing the sound of waves against the beach, and that was when they heard an unfamiliar voice echo against the walls of the cave.

"Hello in there." A woman's voice called. Pete's stomach dropped, and he immediately turned to Elliott.

"Get back! Hide!" He hissed. Elliott stumbled backwards awkwardly and hid behind one of the walls in the cave, trying to keep quiet. Pete nodded his approval, and waited for the stranger to enter the cave.

Sure enough, a woman entered the cave's mouth and her eyes locked on Pete, who was sitting alone on a rock. He tightened his fists nervously. What if this woman was someone from the orphanage coming to get them? They couldn't go back to the Gogans...

"What are you doing in here?" The woman asked. Pete hesitantly shrugged his shoulders. The woman took another step forward.

"This isn't exactly the best place to be hanging around. The tide comes in pretty rough sometimes. This cave can get high waters coming in." The woman pointed out. Pete was quiet, feeling more and more curious about this woman.

"What's your name?" The woman asked.

"Pete." Pete replied.

"I'm Nora." Nora replied. "Are you here all by yourself?"

"Nope." Pete replied. Nora took a quick look around.

"Who's here?" She wanted to know.

"My sister was here a minute ago, but she left for a bit."

"Where are your parents?" Nora asked.

Pete shrugged.

"Where are you staying?" Nora asked.

Pete shrugged again.

Nora sighed.

"Well Pete, I've gotta get back up to the lighthouse, it's getting dark and I'll have to get the light on pretty soon." She paused. "There's chowder on the stove, and there will be lots there. If you'd like, you can come up." Pete's stomach grumbled just thinking about real food. He almost answered her, and then he thought of Penny.

"I can't, I have to wait for Pen...my sister." Pete replied. Nora smiled.

"Well, of course she can come too. Where did she go?" She asked. Pete smiled back.

"To find food, she said she'd-"

"Pete, guess what! I found a banana tree, and-" Penny stopped dead in her tracks at the mouth of the cave when she saw the stranger. Nora turned around and saw Penny standing there, rooted in fear.

"You must be Pete's sister." She said quietly. Penny swallowed and looked at Pete, who didn't seem the least bit frightened or concerned. She knew right away. She wasn't sure if it was their twin instinct, or from the simple look on his face, but she knew he liked her, even trusted her.

"Pete." Penny said quietly, trying to read the expression on her brother's face, hoping for some kind of explanation. Pete swallowed.

"This is Nora." He said quietly. Penny just stared at him, wide-eyed, while Nora turned to her.

"What's your name?" She asked gently. Penny shifted her attention and stared at the woman, but never said a word.

"Her name's Penny." Pete offered. Penny turned back and glared at her brother. What was wrong with him? Nora smiled at Penny.

"That's a nice name. I was just telling Pete I have chowder on the stove. It'll be nice and hot, and you two are more than welcome to have some. If you'd like to come up." She said. Penny shook her head.

"No, we wouldn't." She said, and walked past Nora toward the back of the cave, where Elliott was still hiding. She expected Pete would be right behind her, but when Penny turned around, she saw that Pete was still sitting on the rock, looking from Nora to Penny. Penny stared at him.

"What are you doing, Pete?" She hissed, as she approached him, ignoring Nora's presence. Pete looked confused, almost torn, as he turned away from Nora, facing Penny.

"She's nice, Penny, and besides, I'm hungry. It'd be nice to have something warm to eat, something real." Pete said in a low whisper, hoping Nora wouldn't hear their conversation. Nora took the hint that the kids were having a private conversation, and took a step back. Penny shook her head.

"Bananas are real food, Pete." Penny said bitterly. "Besides, do you even know this woman? You're acting like you trust her. She's a stranger! How do you the people in the town didn't send her?"

"Penny, maybe she can help us. We've got to be able to trust somebody." Pete said.

"No, Pete, we can't trust nobody." Penny replied, and turned to head back to the back of the cave. Still, Pete wouldn't follow.

"Are you coming?" Nora asked both Pete and Penny. Penny turned back to stare at Pete and Nora She couldn't believe this was happening. Pete actually looked like he was considering it. Penny shook her head.

"But Pen..." Pete tried.

"Fine Pete, go!" Penny said angrily, turning away, crossing her arms angrily. Pete breathed out.

"Penny, why can't we both go?" He asked.

"Pete, I'm not going! You shouldn't either, but it's not like you listen to me anyway! So fine! Do what you want! You know where to find me!" Penny screamed.

"Penny, you can't stay here, Nora says the tide comes in here pretty high. She says it's dangerous!" Pete replied fearfully.

"I'm. Not. Going. Anywhere!" Penny said between her teeth. She sat down on a rock, and never turned around. She heard Pete scramble down off his own rock, and head toward the cave mouth.

"Penny, if you change your mind, we'll be up in the lighthouse." Nora's quiet voice echoed against the cave walls. Penny only shook her head, never turning around. She could sense Pete staring at her back, but he left anyway. Penny waited a while before she peeked over her shoulder and saw the cave was empty. Pete left, he actually went with that complete stranger. She sighed to herself, feeling angry with herself, and angry with Pete. How could he? How could he trust a complete stranger? Penny felt sick.

"Elliott." She called, and Elliott obediently flew out of the shadows, a smile on his face, mumbling something. Penny rolled her eyes.

"No she is not nice! Anyway, I don't trust her! I want you to follow Pete, but make sure you're invisible. Just make sure he's safe for a while, okay?" She said. Elliott muttered something.

"Of course I'll be okay! It's him I'm worried about. Just make sure he's safe, and make sure he gets back here safe." Penny snapped. Elliott hesitated, but finally flew out of the cave. Penny sighed, as she pulled a banana off the bunch she had found, and started eating it, alone in the cave. It wasn't the same without Pete.

As she waited for Elliott, Penny had nothing else to do, but sit in the cave, all by herself, and cry.