Mirum wakes up but does not stir. She lies in her cocoon smelling her mother's scent, at peace. She can hear Odea and Charlene talking. They are whispering. She smiles at their attempt to keep their voices down.

"So then what did Kay do after that?"

"Miss Fletcher offered to assist in setting up a second boarding house with April."

"That sounds promising."

"Kay didn't feel that way."

"Why?"

"It meant applying for a loan or receiving a personal loan from Miss Fletcher. She was not comfortable owing anyone money at her age. She was sensible and just returned to Elms House with another unusual failure to acquire permanent employment."

Winter 1926
Certified Industrial School for Girls
Elm House, Parson's Green, S.W.
London

Kay finds herself standing in front of Miss. Kate Higgs, again. A small gaggle of girls are forming on the stairs watching and waiting. Kay does her best to not look defeated and knocks.

The door swings open. "Kay? "

Kay holds back her tears and hands the smiling Kate an envelope.

The foyer is still.

"I see." Kate looks to the quiet crowd, "This is none of your business but for the sake of your gossiping habits." She looks down at the embarrassed Kay and pulls up the chin softly, "Nobody died. Nobody failed. Kay has not let Elms House down."

A few groans were heard and the girls go about their business.

Kate opens the door wider, "Come in for tea and let us try to bring our Kay's spirits back to acceptable levels."

Kay nods walks forward as Kate closes the door while shooing away the remaining gossipers.

"Poor Kay"

"I could not imagine a world without support. Kay dejected by her parents." Odea continues to talk about the dispirited lives her Ada and Kay have lived. "Charlene you of all people understand the greatest and horror of solitude."

"Yes." Charlene smiles looking back from the sea to the pile of blankets covering the sleeping body, "I now have Mirum as a friend."

Odea leans over the table and taps Charlene's hand, "You are one of us. We shall roam the world together."

"I have wanted death." Charlene confesses, "The power of solitude includes no accountability to anyone but of your own wishes. However, it comes with great loneliness. I have attempted to end my life to find myself healed. I will have a long life and a long death. My only saving grace is I hope my mind goes before my body."

Odea makes a sound in her throat that caught Mirum and Charlene by surprise.

Odea replies with a cracked voice, "I was holding back a wail of sadness. I promise you this Charlene ... whether your mind or body fails first, we shall be by your side. You will not be alone ever again."

Mirum listens and feels guilty about not taking care of herself properly. Maybe it's her mother's taste on her tongue, Odea's intense sounds, the thought of her friend's death or the obligation to the crown - she matured. She felt older and somehow one good night sleep she wakes out of youthful drunken state into an adult. She scoffed at the sentiment but then realized she was an adult. 'I am an accountable adult.'

Mirum sits up and looks at the two women who have been watching the sea, "Anything to report?"

Without turning around Charlene responds, "I did not know how tedious and challenging this could be."

Odea adds, "We had to report a few submarines. Those Germans are relentless. When I see a Nazi flag I report it and then it pushes my energy to focus until there is fatigue. I don't know how you do this?"

Mirum nods her head in agreement, as she doesn't want to interrupt the flow of words. She is glad they understand what she has been doing.

Charlene points to the new desk in the space, "I took the liberty to bring my work here. I hope you don't mind."

Mirum shakes her head no, "I just hope I don't disturb your privacy."

"I have decided," Charlene looks to her friend for a moment, "When the time is right I shall indulge your curiosities. You are my friend and I trust you. Besides you have unique talents that might be useful in finding a solution."

"Talents?"

"Now is not the time to indulge." Charlene turns back her attention to the sea, "Your sister would like a word."

Odea pulls herself from watching the waves, "How can I implore you to take better care of yourself?"

Mirum face becomes sad and a tear falls.

Odea leaps towards her sister, pulls her close and whispers, "You have been strong by yourself. I am so sorry. You are able to remain strong like this until the end of the war, you must. Charlene is one of us and together you both will see it to the end of the war."

Mirum nods in understanding.

Odea continues to whisper while holding her sister tight, "It is time to pull her inner Silurian for strength. The human side is beautiful and soft - however, it is weak. Your skin, eyes and hair have taken a beating. You must eat, you must ..." Odea emotions get caught in her throat, " ... You must pamper your human side. It is more delicate than I thought. I was scared when I saw you. I saw you dying."

Mirum cries into her sister's shoulder.

Odea pulls her sister in and ignores her sister's body heat beating down on her scales. Instead, she pulls her closer. "I love our human side."

Mirum's skin is prickled with goosebumps but doesn't care. She tastes her sister, "I love our Silurian side." She tastes again, "I miss our family too. I can't imagine how much you miss your wife."

Odea throat erupts with a deep noise and crackles her words out, "I miss my Ada."

Mirum whimpers and pulls back to look into her sister's eyes, "You know if it was possible Mother would have brought you along."

Odea nods yes.

"It is not safe for us. You must know that?"

Odea nods yes.

"What Charlene and I have seen in the room." Mirum looks to the floorboards and it triggers a powerful memory that infects her nose. She looks up to her sister with bloodshot eyes, "They will dissect us alive."

Charlene turns her head to catch Mirum's eyes for just a moment and returns to viewing the sea.

"You, Charlene, Me and even the little ones … they will find out what makes us marvelous." Mirum almost whispers because of that memory of seeing a young child with scales on her hand. "We burned it down. We burned it all down. The bodies, the blood was boiled to syrup and all the paperwork nothing more than ashes." She pounds her chest, "I made the choice to end their anguish and to protect this family. I don't want to make that decision ever again. Not for strangers. For the sake of our Goddess, I will not make that decision for you. You must remain safe."

Odea is sick to her stomach. It was hard to hear from Ada what might happen if enemies captured me and now it is as if a sword thrusted into her abdomen. Her scales fluctuate to a lighter color and she lunges herself to the small bin by Charlene's desk.

Mirum comes to her sister's side and rubs her back in small circles.

Charlene maintains her focus at the sea. Watching the waves go up and down hoping to unveil nothing. She takes a moment to wipe her tears and forces her eyes to refocus. 'I am not alone. I am in my fear and reasoning. I am no longer alone.'

Mirum empties the bin outside and returns to the warmth of the room.

Odea takes a drink of water and feels better. She takes her place at the window, "I will take over for now. If you want you can take a break at the house."

Charlene looked at one of the empty cots, "I think I will give my eyes a rest." She makes herself comfortable and closes her eyes, "I would like to know is this when Kay came to work for your family?"

Odea shakes her head no, "I am afraid not. Kay had to deal with one more failed employment opportunity before April intervene." Odea takes her eyes off the sea for a moment, "Mirum, please eat."

Mirum nods and head to the small buffet set up of random foods. She fills a plate and takes a seat nearest to Odea and begins to repair her broken body with proper proteins. Her first bite of cheese she smiles, 'food tastes as it should'.

"Kay felt defeated and wanted her independence." Odea continues. "It just didn't seem like the universe or the Goddess wanted her working for anyone else but our family."

"She fits this family like a glove," Mirum interjects before taking another mouthful of food. "Just like you do Charlene and Ada."

"Hear, hear!" Odea responds to the room.

Charlene allows herself to blush.

Kay inspects the girls as they are dressed for school. She looks at the bundled girls and examines the sweaters for any possible rip or tear that would cause an unnecessary chill.

Each girl stands ready and love the special attention she gives each of them.

Kay looks at Alicia's completed homework. "I know you worked hard. No matter the grade Mr. Wilson places on your work, I know you worked hard. Be proud of your assignment. Remember you do this for the process of learning and understanding, not the grade."

Alicia nods in agreement.

Victoria quickly shows off her homework.

"My, as usual, you have done exactly what is needed. How long did this take you?"

"Thirty minutes." Victoria brags with an air about herself.

"My that was quick." Kay turns to Alicia, "How long did it take you to complete your homework?"

Alicia looks to the ground, "It took me almost a whole two hour."

"My goodness." Kay stands up a little taller, "Allow me to quiz you. Raise your hand if you know it?"

The four girls stand ready.

"The history of the United Kingdom as a unified state can be treated as beginning in what year?"

Alicia raises her hand high.

Kay turns to Alicia, "Yes?"

"1707"

"That is correct." She smiles at the girls, "This should be an easy one for any Silurian clan member. In 1707 which Kingdoms … "

Alicia quickly puts up her hand. Followed by Lytha and Gaea.

Victoria gets upset, "She did not finish the question."

They put their arms down.

"In 1707 which Kingdoms were unified?"

Alicia, Lytha and Gaea fling up their arms instantly.

Victoria is now angry.

Kay leans down, "The Kingdom of Great Britain, officially called simply Great Britain, came into being following the Treaty of Union in 1706, ratified by the Acts of Union 1707, which united the kingdoms of England and Scotland to form a single kingdom encompassing the whole island of Great Britain and its outlying islands."

"I read about that," Victoria confesses. "I just didn't stick to my brain."

"When we drive fast in the truck do you notice the rabbits, ducks or deer as easily as we when we go out for a ramble?"

Victoria shakes her head no.

"Getting things completed fast doesn't give it time to, as you say, stick to your brain. Take your time to understand and take in what you are reading. That is the way to learn."

Victoria shakes her yes head in understanding.

Kay lifts Victoria's chin, "You have a wonderful heart, an active mind and you are wonderfully competitive. Your greatest challenger is yourself. My your classmates and family better watch out when you finally figure out how to focus on you. Everyone will be shaking in their boots."

Victoria smiles.

Kay kisses Victoria's forehead and whispers, "They will be shaking in their boots."

Lytha shows Kay her homework.

Kay takes it out of her hands, "I see." Going over each page and smiles at Lytha with each flip of the page. "You have done yourself proud."

Lytha smiles.

Kay hands back her homework with a pat on her shoulders, "Remember to keep your wits about yourself. Do not let Aileene get the best of you."

"Why does she hate me so much?"

"When you were little did you always hug your sisters or cousins?"

Lytha thinks for a bit, "No we wrestle, learn defense and combat."

"When you wrestled was it always planned?"

Alicia chimes in and points to her sister, "No! Sometimes I am just minding my own business and she would attack me."

Kay regains control, "I have been privy to those activities. All of you enjoy the youthful activities of a good scare or pounce."

All four girls giggle.

Kay laughed with the girls, "When we are very young we don't know how to show how much we care. We get confused with our feelings and instead, we react the opposite than we want."

Gaea laughs, "Are you saying Aileene looooooves Lytha?"

Lytha face becomes anger as her thoughts of only Miss Dithers.

"Oh no, I am not saying that at all." Kay scowls at Gaea. She returns her attention to Lytha, "Make her a friend." Kay looks around the kitchen and grabs two cookies from the jar and wraps them up quickly and adds to Lytha's lunch box. "Offer her these cookies. Talk to her about how you struggle with fractions and see what happens."

"She is good with fractions." Lytha frowns.

"The best way to make a friend is to show how much you could use their skills."

Lytha nods yes.

"No Gaea, let us see your completed work."

Gaea opens and shows Kay her homework.

Kay looks over the homework, "My dear Gaea your responses are very short. There is no description or analysis."

"I know the information," Gaea shrugs her shoulders.

"You arithmetic is complete. This history assignment was to write out the historical events. These are simply dates and events." Kay flips the pages back and forth, "It doesn't seem complete."

"Mr. Wilson did not give us a character or word minimum or limit." Gaea pointed to Lytha, "She wrote three times as much. I just want to understand not write every single detail."

Kay hands back Gaea's work, "I do believe there is something in between bowling it fast and underarm." She points to the Gaea's work, "This is bowling underarm."

Gaea became embarrassed.

Kay instantly pulls Gaea into a hug and whispers into her ear, "I am sorry. My intention was not to embarrass you." She pulls back and looks into Gaea's eyes, "You are capable of doing more than this. I know you would be doing other things, but learning is important and returning assignments with your best effort. You are too important to me to let you bowl underhanded. You have a wicked fast spin and I defy anyone to do better."

Gaea shakes her head yes, "Will you help me on my next assignment."

Kay taps Gaea's nose, "I will assist in making sure you always bring your best."

April goes outside and pulls up the truck.

She honks twice.

Kay kisses the girl one at a time as they turn on their devices and morph into socially acceptable humans.

Kay grabs her coat, briefcase and leads the girls out to start their day, away from Low Brorrowbridge.