Chapter Twelve: Brownies

Shock: an acute medical condition associated with a fall in blood pressure, caused by such events as loss of blood, severe burns, allergic reaction, or sudden emotional stress, and marked by cold, pallid skin, irregular breathing, rapid pulse, and dilated pupils.

*

After the first week of school, I was eager for the weekend, likely far more then I should've been.

When I ventured downstairs Saturday morning, I saw Robyn cleaning dishes at the sink. When she saw me, she gave me a wide toothy grin. "Good morning," I yawned, rubbing my eyes.

She made a playful series of gestures at me before continuing with the dishes, as I sat down I watched her continue to scratch at her ears, adjusting her hearing aids and once wincing. "Are you okay?" I asked. I worried I wasn't loud enough for her to hear me, but she turned her head to me and froze. I repeated myself, and she nodded, starting a sentence with her fingers, but stopping when she realised I couldn't understand her. She began rummaging through drawers until she produced some paper and a pen. Robyn was a speedy writer, scribbling down a sentence and handing me the paper.

"'I'm wearing my replacement hearing aids. They are itchy,'" I read.

She responded by adjusting the aids again before continuing to pack away the dishes. Moments later, Ava came into the kitchen holding a green bag. "Good morning, Lawson," she announced placing the bag down, the contents spilled all over the counter; bars of chocolate, milk, cocoa powder and sugars.

"Making something?" I asked picking up some chocolate.

"Tis a surprise from Robyn and me!" she declared putting an arm around Robyn.

I took another look at the ingredients and tilted my head, "Umm… not much of a mystery, it looks like you're making brownies."

She leaned over the counter and flicked me on the nose. "Shush!" After grabbing an apple, I left the room, crunching on it as I went down the hallway.

Despite living in the dorm for a week, I hadn't been to all the rooms yet. There were entire sections of the house I hadn't explored yet. I knew upstairs were the girls' rooms, and one of the rooms downstairs was Bonnie's, but aside from the kitchen and lounge room, I had little clue what the other places could be.

They weren't particularly exciting at first. A large laundry room where I found ferret food, likely for Fritz, and another door leading to the side of the house. But what had caught my attention was the wheel marks on the tiles. From the back door to the doorway were mud tracks. Looking at them, I wondered if they were Bonnie's. I pushed open the door and saw a large patch of dirt surrounded the entrance.

Along with a cool breeze, I was greeted by the twins, one dressed in more sporty attire and a jacket tied around their waist, while the other wore tan shorts and a blue and white striped shirt. They were standing a few meters apart, throwing a basketball back and forth. Amia seemed to find the exercise easier then Amada, who every second throw or so kept dropping it. I leaned against the doorframe and watched, eventually Amada grew annoyed. "Can we do something else?" he asked when the ball jarred his fingers.

"Oh, come on Amada," his sister whined.

"I'm always doing stuff for you. I need to practise my throwing." Amada grumbled as he snatched at the ball. Amia rolled her eyes, "Come on. If you keep at it, I'll play Mario Kart with you or something."

Begrudgingly, Amada agreed and tossed the ball back.

There was a noticible skill difference between the twins; Amia's throws were sharp and precise, while Amada's were weaker lobs. When Amada's throws started going too far right for Amia to catch it, she gave up. "Just go inside, Amada."

Amada quickly disappeared back inside, leaving his twin to bounce the ball against the wall.

I approached her as she started doing trick shots, throwing the ball against a tree to see if it would come back to her; it didn't. It rolled around the yard before coming to a stop at my feet. "Need a partner?" I offered as I picked up the ball; it was rough against my fingertips as I tossed it between my hands.

Amia smiled, "Sure."

When I passed the ball back to her, Amia dropped it. I thought I hurt her hand, "You okay?"

She picked up the ball and nodded, "Yeah, I'm just used to Amada's baby throws." She threw it back; she had a fast pass.

I did a couple of trick shots, spinning it on the tip of my finger, strange throws I've seen some players do, before passing it back. Amia countered with her own, commenting on my skill.

Most of my fitness was in cycling and running, but with that as my basis, I was naturally coordinated with most sports. I remembered playing basketball and soccer with some of the slum kids in India for a few months. They played with vastly different rules than traditional soccer or basketball, but the basic principles still applied.

"Do you play?" I asked.

Amia nodded, "Yep, since I was six. I use to play with Amada, but he doesn't like sports too much." She blew away some loose strands of her hair as she threw it back. "Probably for the best. Everyone always got us confused. For the longest time, our coach thought we were one person, and never understood why we could play one day, and then couldn't the next." She took off the jacket around her waist and placed it on the ground. "Do you play?"

"I played for fun a couple of years ago. I'm more coordinated with my feet." I threw the ball back, "You play anything else?"

"I use to play soccer as well," Amia said proudly, "But Amada played it as well, and Dad wanted him to have a sport related activity all to himself."

"Is he any good?" I tried to picture Amada playing soccer, but all I could imagine was him tripping on the ball or fumbling with it as a goalkeeper.

Amia sighed through her nose, "No. Much to everyone's annoyance."

She half-heartedly passed the basketball back to me. "Why the annoyance?" I asked.

Amia shrugged as she allowed her arms to droop by her sides. "Dad wants Amada to be a bit more boyish, and Amada wants to please Dad. When Amada showed promise in soccer, Dad pulled me out."

I frowned, "That sucks."

"No kidding." She caught the ball a final time, the conversation dampening her mood. "I don't want to play anymore." She placed the basketball on the ground and pocketed her hands, abruptly ending both the conversation and interaction as she walked back inside.

*

I found a gaming room.

It was an intense array of Fluro green and black, with the stinging scent of plastic, chalk and mint. It was a huge rectangular room, the walls decorated with display cases of trophies and statuettes of sporting achievements or the like. Before the door was a wooden, green pool table, along one wall were racks stocked with cue sticks. Three steps went into a video game room, on the wall was an enormous flat screen TV above a large wooden chest and CD racks, while before the TV were two sizeable brown leather lounges and matching side tables.

I whistled as I approached, running my hand along the smooth wood of the pool table as I approached the lounges. The TV was alive with the bright catastrophe that was Mario Kart, and sitting before the TV was Amada bashing the buttons of his controller. He acknowledged me with a grunt, his eyes glued to the flat screen.

I leant on the back of the lounge to watch, only now noticing the old-style jukebox in the corner of the room, next to an ancient looking pinball machine. I nearly swore, "Holy… crap," I caught myself as I approached the pinball machine. All its lights and showy bits were powered down since no one was using it, but when I touched a button I was blinded by gold, and red flashes as the pirate theme of the pinball machine roared to life. I jumped away from it in fright as it bellowed, 'Walk de plank for touchin' me gold!'

"If you want to play you need a token," Amada informed, his focus still on the game, "Tokens are over by the popcorn dispenser."

I searched the room for it, "There's a popcorn dispenser?"

"Yeah. Over there." He took one of his hands off the controller to point in the corner. In the opposite corner was a popcorn machine next to a shelf of yellow tokens. I picked one up and ran my thumb over the shield crest.

"This is quite the man-cave," I said replacing the chip.

"Estelle uses it more than me," Amada said, "It's more of a woman-cave."

"This is the most cliché game cave I've ever seen," I said plonking myself next to Amada. I looked at the side tables and frowned when I saw it had a door. I grabbed the handle and opened it, noticing some cans of soda. "Seriously?"

Amada shrugged, "Where else would you keep a mini-fridge? Come on!" He growled when someone hit him with a blue shell, turning his 1st status to 4th.

"Most people don't have mini-fridges," I mumbled as I closed the door.

I watched until the end of the race, Amada seemed content with playing another run without talking to me. I tried to strike up a conversation, "Amia said you play soccer."

He scoffed, "Played," he corrected, "I was never any good at scoring goals. Sports aren't my thing."

Like Amada, I became focused on the TV screen's distracting colours. "Can I play? I haven't touched Mario Kart in ages."

Amada paused the game, grabbed a controller off the coffee table and passed it to me. "Be my guest." His voice cracked halfway through his statement, prompting him to clear his throat as he un-paused the game while I got ready. I hadn't held a video game controller in ages, "Why don't you play out in the living room?" I had been wandering around the house most of the morning; the gaming room was the furthest away from everyone with only one window and one door. It was very claustrophobic.

"Few reasons," he informed, "Mia gets distracted easily, and I like having the sound on, but it upsets Robyn and messes with Alexis' sonar sound thingy." He paused the race and slumped against the lounge, "Estelle said I could use this room to play if I wanted. It was a library."

I looked around the room, able to imagine this small room being a cosy library. I almost wished it was still a library.

"Is Estelle much of a gamer?" I asked turning on the controller. I saw a variety of games in the CD holders, for multiple consoles. I didn't know where they were.

"She plays from time to time, but I usually end up playing with Amia or by myself," he explained. The thrill of victory sounded on the TV as he sighed. "You can pick the world."

*

Amada was incredibly awkward to talk to if I got him to say anything at all. He would try to keep a conversation, but he would ask the strangest questions or get tongue tied with what to say. Whenever I tried to lead a discussion, it was met with one-word responses like; 'Yeah', 'Not really,' 'Okay,' and my least favourite of all, 'Whatever.' What do I say to 'Whatever'?

Aside from the laundry room and the claustrophobic gaming room, everywhere else was either locked or some storage room. I made my way back to the kitchen, following the scent of brownies.

When I entered the kitchen Ava and Robyn were in the kitchen, Robyn sitting in front of the oven while Ava was putting away dishes. In the lounge room, Mia was on the couch dipping her fingers into a bowl that once held brownie mix. She was listening to someone talk on the radio, but they weren't speaking English.

"What're you listening to?" I asked.

Mia didn't respond. I didn't know what I was expecting.

"She likes listening to other languages. No clue why" Ava called, "Is she done with the bowl?"

In response, Mia held the bowl up for me to take, her other hand grabbed the radio and replaced it in her lap. I took the pot and returned it to Ava. "How goes the secret brownie making?" I asked.

Ava smirked, "You make it sound like I'm making pot brownies."

"That would be quite the surprise." Robyn started blowing raspberries as she stood up and grabbed a floral-patterned oven mitt to pull out a tray. She placed it on the countertop and poked the brownies with a butter knife. Eventually, she started clapping.

"All done?"

Robyn happily nodded as she started evening slicing through the brownies. I smiled at how happy she seemed as Ava got some plates. I heard Estelle before I saw her; "I smell brownies!"

Robyn had started serving one, passing the plate to me to try. I thanked her and went to taste it, but Estelle came over my shoulder and snatched it from me. "Dibs!" In one swoop she had taken my brownie and taken a huge bite, immediately after she yelled in surprise, "Hot! Hot! Hot!"

"Serves you right, Princess Pastry." Ava opened the freezer and scavenged around for something.

Estelle grabbed the plate I was given and disappeared out of the room with it, still bellowing out how hot it was.

Robyn had a wide smirk as she replaced my brownie and served the others up. "Ice-cream?" Ava offered as she closed the freezer, she was holding a giant pint of vanilla ice-cream.

"Yeah sure."

It was weird watching Ava try to scoop ice-cream from a nearly frozen container. She struggled and groaned and bent a spoon because she refused to run it under cold water. "Do you want me to do it?" I offered.

"Lawrence, please. I got this," she countered as she stabbed the container with the spoon. She managed to scoop some out and place it on my brownie. I watched as it melted slightly upon impact.

"Mia are you having any?" Ava called.

I took a glance at Jade Eyes, but she ignored Ava's question to continue listening to the radio. Ava signed to Robyn, "Just wrap the rest up for later." Robyn nodded as she plated one for herself and Ava and searched for a container to put them in.

I grabbed a spoon and got a mouthful of brownie and ice-cream. It was a hot-cold sweet delight, a lingering chocolate flavour with the sweetened cream aftertaste.

Ava groaned in delight as she ate a spoonful. "I haven't had a dessert like this in ages," Ava confessed between mouthfuls.

It was a vibrant flavour and moist.

Robyn started signing while she ate hers, prompting both to laugh.

There was another flavour amongst the richer taste of the chocolate that I couldn't quite place.

"I was hoping to cheer up the household a little bit with a treat," she said, "But I don't even know where half the household is."

It was a nutty aftertaste.

"Estelle!" I called turning in my chair and going to run for the door, but Estelle was clutching the doorway, eyes wide as she gasped to breathe.

"Landon…" she rasped. Her cheeks were turning red as her lips started to swell, her eyes started watering as she pressed a hand against her forehead. I grabbed her arms and guided her to the lounge to sit. Her face continued to swell and turn red as she took panicked breaths.

"What happened?" Ava asked coming to my side immediately.

"Estelle's allergic to peanuts," I informed.

"What?" Ava sounded surprised.

There was a crash sound. Mia had dropped the radio on the ground, the room falling into silence aside from Estelle's struggled breathing. Her eyes were wide, almost fearful of Estelle.

"Crap, where's Riley?" The way Ava asked this sounded more like an out loud thought.

"Days off on weekends. Estelle," I said slowly, turning my attention back to her, "Where's your EpiPen?"

Estelle started slouching, her mouth opening but barely able to form sound. "Bath…room…"

Before I could, Ava started running out of the room. Despite this, I went to stand up and follow, but Estelle latched onto my hand. "Landon…" she managed. Her arm was stiff as she held my hand, silently telling me to stay. The wait for Ava to return with the EpiPen was agonising. The longer we waited, the worse Estelle became. Her face gradually became disfigured and red, her lips swelling while a rash started to form all down her neck and across her face. She started scratching at her jawline, trying to ease the itch I imagine she had. I grabbed Estelle's hand to keep her from scratching, trying my best to calm her and reassure her she would be fine. I felt her rapid heartbeat through her hands. Her skin became clammy in my hands.

"Help is coming," I calmed, "Ava on her way. Just keep breathing, okay? Deep breaths." Despite my words, Estelle started lolling, her desperation to breathe suddenly became docile as her eyelids grew heavy over her dilating pupils. I went to grab the phone to call for help when the jangling of Ava's bell erupted from the hallway. In her hand, she held what seemed like an overside orange pen. She took off the lid, revealing a pointed needle, and pushed aside Estelle's shorts to stab her in the thigh. The effects of the medicine were almost instantaneous as Estelle widened her eyes and managed a deep breath.

Between hacks and frantic gulps of air, the princess started crying as she reached forward and held me. She trembled in my arms as she continued her raspy breathing. Estelle rested her head against my shoulder.

Robyn kneeled before the lounger holding a large cup of water. Overall, she looked remarkably calm while the rest of us were understandably panicking. When Estelle could, she held the water up to Estelle, who hastily drank it. Ava seemed more shell-shocked than anything, standing by the arm of the lounge with wide eyes and trembling hands. When I looked over to Mia, she clutched a pillow to her chest; her lips sucked into a thin line.