Robbie remained in the room, his eyes never leaving the computer. He was waiting for the resident of the villa to appear in order to get a good look at her face. After a long while, however, she was nowhere to be seen. In addition, the villa’s windows had all been shut.
The only sights the mechanical dove was privy to were the villa’s stone walls.
Robbie felt his stomach growl. He picked up the hot cross bunny on the table and ate it, washing it down with milk. Then he continued watching the screen intently.
Before he knew it, it was noon, and Mrs. Rawlston was rapping on the door, calling, “Mr. Robinson, time for lunch.”
Robbie’s eyes were sore, and he was starving. However, he wasn’t about to squander this opportunity. He yelled through the door, “Mrs. Rawlston, can you bring the food up here? I’ll eat in the room.”
Mrs. Rawlston exchanged looks with Henry, who was standing behind her.
Henry nodded. With his permission, Mrs. Rawlston replied agreeably, “Alright, I’ll get it ready then.”
Robbie glared at the screen. They can’t possibly stay in there forever!
Mrs. Rawlston soon reappeared with lunch. Upon entering the room, she saw Robbie planted in front of the computer. “Mr. Robinson, you’ll hurt your eyes if you keep staring at the computer screen. Come and have lunch first,” she chided.
“OK. Thank you, Mrs. Rawlston,” Robbie swiveled in his seat to face her. “Can you bring it over here for me, please?”
Mrs. Rawlston had been about to set the food down onto the table. She believed that the study table was not an appropriate place for meals but obeyed nonetheless.
“Thank you, Mrs. Rawlston.” Robbie reached for his food and began eating with gusto.
“Take smaller bites. Don’t rush through your food,” Mrs. Rawlston said tenderly. “Try the juice too. It’s freshly squeezed.”
“OK,” Robbie nodded absently. “I’ll call for you when I’m done with the food. Don’t worry about me.”
“All right,” Mrs. Rawlston said and exited the room.
Robbie continued his vigil at the computer. All was still quiet at the villa. In spite of that, Robbie was unfazed. He was firm in his conviction that whoever was within would have to emerge sometime.
The rest of the day came and went without much fanfare. When at last night fell, Robbie sprawled onto the table in weariness and slept.
The sound of a car revving startled Robbie awake. He rubbed his eyes and squinted at the screen.
The rain had subsided, and the door of the villa opened. Eight female bodyguards lined up before the door bearing black umbrellas. In their tidy rows, they formed a shelter from the rain.
A woman wearing a black suit marched out of the villa.
Robbie’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly leaned forward and nearly bore through the computer screen with his gaze. The figure he had seen that morning had looked just Mommy’s. His desire to get another glimpse of her had superseded both exhaustion and hunger.
The entire day Robbie had spent waiting had been an absolute torment.
Now that his objective had finally appeared right before his eyes, Robbie refused to blink for fear of missing something.
However, the umbrellas shielded the top half of her face from Robbie’s eager eye. There was nothing he could tell from the single sliver that was exposed.
Robbie grew frantic. He hastily adjusted the angle of the mechanical dove, trying to get it to fly lower in the hopes of catching sight of the woman’s face.
It wasn’t the most subtle thing to do, but Robbie could care less. He’d think about the consequences afterward.
The mechanical dove loftily descended, landing on a tree just by the entrance of the door. Bit by bit, it revealed the woman in an almost dramatic fashion. If only I could just see her face…
Robbie held his breath. He stared so intently at the screen that his face was mere inches from it. His little hand curled up into a fist as he muttered furiously to himself, “Quick, quick!”
The frame kept dipping lower and lower, closer and closer. Robbie saw her mouth, the tip of her nose…
Suddenly, Robbie heard an eagle scream overhead. It swooped down, directing its piercing gaze straight towards the camera. It wore a look of murderous rage.
Robbie recoiled instinctively in terror.
At the same time, the screen fizzled out into a blank white.
Robbie’s eyes widened and he gaped at the screen, aghast.
That eagle attacked my second mechanical dove!
