Phoebe In Wonderland Page #4

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Carlita's dead.

Yes, Tommy is right.

Carlita has passed away.

Mr. Jacob found her

when he was cleanlng thls mornlng.

- He took her away.

- How'd she die?

Gerbils are fragile creatures.

Carlita lived a long

and fulfilling life.

- She lived six weeks.

- Rlght.

Why'd she die?

We don't know.

Mr. Jacob said

she ate something bad.

Yes.

Who's turn was it

to take care of her yesterday?

That has nothlng

to do wlth lt.

Phoebe, you fed her,

didn't you?

I just gave her the normal food.

- You poisoned her.

- No, I didn't.

- You poisoned Carlita.

- No, I didn't!

You dld.

You polsoned her.

It was my turn.

- I fed her.

- It wasn't.

It was Phoebe's.

Stop!

- You killed Carlita.

- Killer.

Stop, Phoebe.

You have to come with me

to Principal Davis' office.

What?

Got in trouble today.

You have to come.

What happened?

Carlita died.

The gerbil?

Everyone thlnks

It's my fault.

Of course it wasn't your fault.

So why do we have to go

to the principal's office?

I spat at Tommy and Sally.

Oh, Phoebe.

I couldn't help it.

What do you mean

you couldn't help it?

It means

she couldn't help it.

Please tell Mr. Davis

I couldn't help it.

What'd she die of?

Did you tell Dr. Miles?

Phoebe's not seeing

Dr. Miles anymore.

As of when?

As of today.

Why?

Because he's a jackass.

What did he tell you?

Nothing, that's the point.

I'm looking for someone else.

Hmm.

They all came at me...

...the other kids.

I got scared.

Well, you know,

you can choose not to spit.

No, I couldn't.

Remember, like I was telling you

about the myth of the girl.

Peter, leave her alone.

I'm not blaming her.

I'm just trying to get

to the bottom of it.

Don't worry, Phoebe,

we will handle your prick-cipal.

Oh.

What'd she die of?

Natural causes.

Olivia.

I can't stop thinking

about not doing it...

...and then I have to.

We can all choose

not to do things...

...that hurt other people

and ourselves.

Like fight?

Ah, sh*t.

Miss Dodger?

Hello.

Um, we're on our way

to a meeting with Mr. Davis...

...and I-I realized we never...

I never introduced

myself properly.

I'm...l'm Hillary Lichten.

Yes.

Did Phoebe tell you

that I'm writing a book on Alice?

No.

It's my dissertation.

I'm turning it into a book.

So there's always been a lot

of Wonderland at our house.

It seemed

such a colncldence...

...my interest and Phoebe's...

...and here you are,

putting on the play.

Do you believe in coincidence?

I don't know.

I guess.

How's Phoebe doing?

I don't.

She's remarkable.

She's okay here?

Marvelous.

She doesn't ever, you know,

do things she shouldn't?

What shouldn't she do?

I don't know,

inappropriate things.

Never.

She's very happy here.

Thank you.

Normally I tend to stay away from,

you know...

...in the classroom...

...because I thlnk that,

you know...

...the teachers can solve things

better than I can...

...and...and well, frankly,

they're better at it than I am...

...and I don't like...

...sticky...

but well, the gerbil died...

...and I guess the children

were a little upset...

...you know, pets are very dear

to chlldren, and...

Well, she spat, Mrs. Lichten.

She spat.

Spat, spat, water rat.

What?

So, you know, I thought,

well, you could come in...

...and we could...

...chat about it.

Tommy spat first.

Phoebe, perhaps you'd let

Mommy and Daddy and I

...talk alone for a little bit.

All rlght?

And well, you know, here...

...you can have a candy too.

Phoebe is imaginative

and sensitive and passionate.

And If she dld...

...get excited

about the gerbil...

I'm sure she was

being provoked.

You heard her.

That other terror spat first.

Of course.

Naturally, I agree, but...

...whether she's imaginative

is hardly the issue.

But it is.

It is.

She doesn't act that way

during play practice.

Ask her teacher.

Does she act this way at home?

No.

Hi.

What happened?

Principal Davis thinks

there should be a consequence.

You understand why?

Yes.

He's taking you

out of the play.

No!

If your behavior improves...

I hate you all!

There you are.

They want to take me

out of the play.

Talk to the king.

But can he help?

Of course he can.

That's a very...

...provoklng thlng to say.

It's very provoking.

I'm sorry.

I thought there was nothing

I couldn't say.

Oh, no.

Words have tempers,

you know...

...particularly verbs.

They're the...

they're the proudest.

Can he help me?

Can you?

Phoebe Llchten,

who are you talklng to?

Shh!

Are you crazy?

Go away.

No, not you.

I need help.

Hey, time for bed.

Okay, Phoebe.

There's nothing

wrong with me.

I know, I know.

I just...just a quick check.

I'm so sorry

about the play.

Okay, five more minutes.

I love you.

Please, please come back.

Come back.

I'm here to talk

about Phoebe Lichten.

Yes.

Very good.

She has to be put back

in the play.

Well, yes, I agree.

I agree.

You didn't even consult me.

I would put her back.

Certainly, I would.

But it's really out of my...

...and other people who thlnk

It's best for her too.

And, you know, she spat.

She...she did spit, you know?

Phoebe's an

astonishing little girl.

You should talk to her parents

and her teachers.

It's really...I have very little

control over this.

Why is that?

You're the principal.

Miss Dodger,

if a child makes trouble...

...the child is punished.

This is the way it works,

you know?

This is the way it is.

And it was decided...

Oh, please.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I...that just came out.

I- I didn't...

I'm sorry.

Who's there?

Is someone there?

Phoebe?

Phoebe,

why are you here?

Look.

I think about

Alice falling.

And I look down,

and I get scared.

Yes.

I don't want to do those things

or say those things.

I just have to...

...except here.

Everywhere else,

I feel ugly.

I want to tell you something...

...which may not

make any sense.

But I should say it just so that one day,

you might remember it...

...and maybe it will

make you feel better.

At a certain point in your life...

...probably when too much of it

has gone by...

...you will open your eyes...

...and see yourself

for who you are...

...especially for everything

that made you so different...

...from all the awful normals.

And you will say

to yourself...

"But I am this person."

And in that statement...

...that correction...

...there will be a kind of love.

I'm so scared.

We all are.

Can we give thanks?

No.

Anyway, I'm on a hunger strike.

The chicken's not cage-free.

So?

So you know what they do

to factory chickens?

They hang them upside-down

and electrocute them...

...but only a llttle.

So they can usually

stlll feel It...

...when they get their throats cut.

But, see, also,

the knife misses a lot.

So they're still alive

for the last part...

...when they get dropped

into boiling water.

Where'd you learn this?

In soclal studles.

Miss Linney was sick.

So I had a substitute teacher

who told us everything.

Oh, well, I'm not sure

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