III.
Etta wasn’t overly surprised when a week later, Veronica announced her intent to visit. She was only a little surprised that she asked Raul not to leave this time.
“What can she mean, what do you think?” Etta asked her Companion.
“It’s hard to say when we don’t know the facts,” he said. “I will stay, if Miss Hornet wishes so.”
She wished so, but why? Would it have something to do with the subject that she didn’t want to talk about during her last visit? Etta was very curious about this secret, so big and important that Veronica had to keep a lid on it. And what did her remark about humanity being in serious trouble mean?
“Because it is,” her friend said as they sat down at the table to eat and chat. “The ecosystem’s resurgence is staggering, the seas probably can’t be revived at
