Madelyn is looking down at her legs and is clearly at a loss. 

“Well, uh, this is your dream,” Suzy tries to help. “Maybe in your dream you want legs this time?”

Madelyn shakes her head, horrified. 

Three people appear behind her on the porch, a man and two women. Master Mind turns his full attention to them. Joy, in the hammock, puts her hand on the laser pistol in her belt. 

The new people begin to speak with Madelyn. But their French is very fast and my French is basic. The man is saying something like ‘let’s go’. 

Madelyn and the three talk amongst themselves. I notice now that the strangers are dressed in running clothes. The sky is darker, looking like it’s winter, but it’s not going to rain. A running track appears on top of the ocean, touching our island. 

The four are speaking, and Madelyn is shaking her head.

“What are they saying?” Suzy whispers to me. 

“They’re speaking too fast,” I answer. 

Joy smiles. “They want her to run with her. She wants her legs back.” She leans forward and reaches with her fingers to touch Madelyn’s legs. They glow that familiar light-blue that quickly vanishes. We all know what it means: She has just made Madelyn’s new legs permanent.

Madelyn opens her mouth in shock and shouts at Joy in French. 

Joy’s eyes widen in surprise. 

“She said, ‘What did you do?’” I say.

“You want your legs back!” Joy says. “You finally have your legs back! I gave you what you want!” 

“What have you done, Zhoy!” Madelyn screams at her in English this time. 

Master Mind steps between Madelyn and Joy, facing Madelyn. “You must calm down now, Madelyn Toussant,” he says. 

Madelyn slaps Master Mind without thinking and he is swatted away and lands in the ocean a few meters to the side. 

“You have no right to do that, Zhoy!” Madelyn yells at Joy. “I do not want my legs! You cannot give me my legs!” 

“How can you not want your legs?” Joy asks plainly, not intimidated in the least. 

“It is MY BODY!” Madelyn shouts. “MY BODY!” 

Oh, boy, I think. 

(To be continued…) 

—Told by Grampa Walt