Free Fighting for Infinity by Karen Amanda Hooper Page A

new day is dawning.
    Wake up, starry eyes,
    the future is calling...
     
    Rina bolted upright and ran to the table. Like a starved monkey, she attacked the tray, plowing her fingers into the container of chocolate and vanilla spread and shoveling it into her mouth. The woman rose from the mattress as she folded the washcloth into a perfect triangle and set it beside Rina. “Remember to breathe, darling.”
    Rina continued licking the spread from her finger s. The woman stood behind Rina, smoothing down her tangled hair. “I heard about our guest, but seeing her for myself, it’s almost unbelievable.”
    Rina nodded while inhaling a bite of bread.
    “How are you doing with it?” the woman asked. Rina shrugged then chugged her milk. The woman nodded as she wiped Rina’s mouth with one corner of the washcloth. The two of them interacting so comfortably reminded me of the bond I once shared with my mother.
    They had the same black hair, pale skin, petite frame. The woman even walked with the same slight hitch in her left side as Rina. She easily could have been her mother. Had Rina lied to me? Was this woman her mom? Or had Dedrick fabricated a story to make Rina think her mom was gone, but in reality she was right here taking care of Rina even while being mind-controlled by Dedrick? I wouldn’t put it past him.
    But then again, I barely knew Rina. Was she lying to me to help Dedrick?
    Rina lapped up the last of the spread with her bread crust while the woman flitted around the room trying to tidy up, but failing given the impossible conditions. She wore the same type of outfit as Rina and Lexie. Loose gray pants with the same type of shirt. Not one speck of color in Dedrick’s godforsaken world.
    Rina finished the last of her milk and wiped her mouth with her forearm. The woman tsked her then used another corner of the washcloth to dab her mouth and wipe her arm.
    “Come.” The woman pulled out the chair. “Reading time.”
    Rina grabbed the timeworn dictionary from the tray and sat down. “Which letter did we leave off at last time?”
    My eyes flew open wide. Rina spoke to her.
    I don’t know why I assumed I was the only one who knew Rina could talk, but hearing her speak to someone else, even, possibly, her own mother, shocked me. Judging from the woman’s snake eyes, she was under Dedrick’s control. What if she told him Rina’s secret?
    “We had just finished with L,” the woman said.
    “Good.” Rina thumbed through the dog-eared pages. “M words are my favorite.”
    “Yes, darling, I’m aware. Start with the first word.”
    “Ma,” Rina read out loud. “A female human parent. See mother.” Rina lifted her eyes from the page. “Maryah, this is Evelyn.”
    Was that an unconscious slip of revealing that Evelyn was her mother? Was Rina playing along with some script Dedrick had given her to fool me?
    Evelyn nodded in my direction. “Charmed.” 
    “Can she hear me?” I asked Rina.
    Rina subtly shook her head. “Macabre.” Rina continued with the next word. “Extremely disturbing or repellent. See Dedrick.”
    Evelyn grinned, but it was empty and sort of sad. “It doesn’t say that.”
    “It should,” Rina said.
    Evelyn stood behind Rina, brushing her hair as Rina read the next word. “Machiavellian. Not guided by or showing a concern for what is right. See unprincipled.” Rina mumbled, “or Dedrick.”
    “Rina,” Evelyn scolded.
    “I can’t help it. Some definitions just suit him.”
    Evelyn delicately separated matted sections of Rina’s hair, making sure she didn’t yank Rina’s head as she tamed each one. “Next word please.”
    “Machinate. To engage in a secret plan to accomplish evil or unlawful ends. See—”
    “Don’t say Dedrick.” Evelyn playfully tugged on Rina’s hair.
    Rina slid back in her seat and pulled her legs in, planting her dirty bare feet on the chair and resting the dictionary against her thighs. “I’m skipping ahead to my favorites. Macrocosm.