Getting Her to Speak [Part 2]

"Alexandra, we are concerned. You've been here for a while and are nearly finished with your education here. How are you going to use what you know to help others? These things are not widely accepted and take some explaining."

Trif turned the corner, notebook in hand as he was looking for one of the plants. Alexandra approached him.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

She pointed to the plant on the list that he was searching for then pointed to a corner plot behind him.

"I've looked there already."

Alexandra shook her head and pointed to the plot again.

"I told you it isn't there."

She shrugged then left the garden.

Professor Cherry watched as Trif looked at his notebook then at the plot. After a moment, Trif went to that plot and looked again. He seemed to study the plants for some time before he moved one and found the plant he was looking for. Trif looked at the place where Alexandra had disappeared then quickly scribbled something before running off to find her.

"Huh," Professor Cherry said.

"Alexandra!" Trif burst into her room then stopped. She was leaned over her desk, her head resting on her arms. "Alexandra?"

She looked at him over her arm.

"Are you okay?"

She shook her head.

"Is it because of the final exam?"

She turned away from him and picked up her pencil. "They are limiting the scope of who can be a healer," she wrote.

Trif moved to her side and read what she had written. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Several crumpled tissues sat on her notebook and were now moved to the wastebasket. "Anyone can be a healer."

"So you say, but everyone else here can speak."

Alexandra shook her head and returned to her term paper.

Trif sighed then left the room.

The following day, Trif decided to experiment to see what it was Alexandra seemed to be able to see by not speaking. He had to keep a notebook with him to answer some of the questions posed to him to explain to the professors why he was being silent. It was only noon and he still had another six hours to go. As far as he could tell, he wasn't picking up on anything more than he would if he spoke.

Sitting in the library after lunch, he heard whispers and glanced up as several classmates looked away. They were talking about him. Setting his work aside, he watched people. He watched their interactions, or lack of them. There was one individual on the other side of the room that would try to get someone's attention as they walked by, but the attempt was ignored. Trif put his notebooks away and approached him.

"Do you need help?" he asked.

He didn't respond or even look up at him.

Trif touched one of his hands and the young man lifted their eyes. A note was shoved into his hand and he opened it. "Can you show me what Plantain looks like?"

With a nod, Trif motioned for him to follow and took him out into the garden to see Plantain. After the other student saw it, he gave Trif a questioning look and the uses were explained in writing. When the explanation was finished, the young man pointed to the page and then himself. Trif gave him the page then he left.

The rest of the time seemed to be more of the same. The other students were talking about him. He even noticed that some of the other professors were looking at him differently. Even after he could talk again, the glances and the whispers remained, but the professors were sure Alexandra had challenged him to do it.

"I wanted to try and figure out what she seemed to notice by not speaking, but all I've really observed are odd looks and others talking about me."

"Those will stop since you are talking again," Professor Apple said. "Perhaps that is what she needs to realize."

"I think there was more to what she picks up on than what I have experienced."

"What makes you say that?"

"Something she wrote yesterday."

"Which was?"

"Something about who a healer can be."

"What does that have to do with not speaking?"

"I don't know."

Trif looked down the table to where she sat. She was watching something. He leaned back to see what she was looking at. At another table, sat the young man he has helped along with several others. It seemed as if everyone were enjoying a conversation except him. Why? Why didn't he join their conversation?

In a corner was a small table and Alexandra took her food to that table. Then she approached the young man and invited him to join her. He did. Trif watched as he smiled, though he could not see Alexandra's face. After a moment his smile faded and he wondered what they were talking about. Picking up his plate, he joined them.

"What going on?"

Alexandra pulled out a small notepad and wrote on it before pushing it towards him to read. The student's name was Robert and though he had been permitted to attend the school, he still felt out of place. The professors tried to talk to him, but he could neither speak, nor hear. Lately, he had been ignored by the other students more and more.

"Alexandra, why didn't you help him earlier?" Trif asked her.

'I didn't know,' she wrote.

"But you should have picked up on it. You've noticed so much."

Alexandra signed for Robert what Trif was saying.

Robert signed back. "You spent a lot of time in the garden. I wondered why you didn't interact with the others, but felt you too might brush me off too."

"I apologize, Robert," she signed. "I'm sorry I didn't pick up on your need sooner. Though I am glad that Trif was able to see it."

"I am, too. Now I can finish the term paper. Thanks, Trif."

Alexandra wrote what Robert had signed when he gave her a confused look.

"You're welcome," Trif wrote. Then he spoke again to Alexandra. "Alexandra, the professors were wondering if you would speak for the next 24 hours."

She shook her head.

"And why not, Alexandra?" Professor Apple asked. "It's a reasonable request."

Again she shook her head then signed something for Robert before leaving the dining hall.

"Robert, what did she sign?" Professor Apple asked.

Robert didn't look up, but put her notepad away. Trif touched his arm and he looked up.

"What did she write?" he asked.

Robert just shook his head and finished his food.

"Trif, what all have you talked about?" Professor Cherry asked.

"How classes are going and meeting each other yesterday."

"Did Alexandra say anything at all?"

"No."

"She was able to communicate with this young man, wasn't she?"

"Yes."

"Then why does she refuse to communicate with the rest of us?"

"I don't know."

Robert tugged on Trif's sleeve then pointed to where Alexandra had been sitting. His expression was one of questioning and concern. When Trif nodded, he left.

"Where is he going?"

"To check on Alexandra, I'm assuming," Trif said.

"Is there something going on that we haven't been told?"

"If there is, she hasn't said anything to me. Will you excuse me?"