Cleo is herself again. Mrs Lee made sure of that. But it didn't help before, did it? Her strong hands weren't enough to save her family. She couldn't protect them. Couldn't pull them out of the wreckage alive. Her mom stroked her face with bloody hands, while dad lay nearby his neck snapped. And her little brother... Cleo's fingers grew tight as they tensed into her fists as the memory of her nearly unrecognizable little brother. What's the point of being a troll if you can't protect?
***
Cleo is herself again. Mrs. Lee made sure of that. But what's it matter? You can't help the dead. She kept cleaning, almost obsessively she washed and cleaned the area around her as best she could without the right gear. There was no blood here, not like there at the wreckage. Blood on her dress, blood on her face from her mother's hand. Mrs Lee and Dr. Lee are both kind people, she can tell. They want to help, even if they worry for her. Mrs. Lee is like her, a boggan, but Cleo wishes sometimes she weren't a boggan. If she had been big and strong like a troll, or knew cars like a nocker, maybe she could have done more. Oh, she missed a spot... rub rub scrub
***
Cleo is herself again, Mrs Lee made sure of that. It hurts, to think of her mother, father, and brother dead. But she can't say it.. no, the words come out all wrong and twisted. That never bothered her before. The truth was just a limit for boring people! But now, now when she wants to say "I loved my mom. I miss her" it comes out like a joke..or all wrong at least. Ha Ha, funny joke. So she SMILES and is brave. Her whole face is a lie. She's fine. She's fine.. it'll be okay. Everybody smile at the little Pooka girl! She's got the blood off her now! Cleo knows she's not fooling Mrs Lee, but it doesn't change how she feels about being a useless little liar who couldn't even warn her parents in time to avoid the crash.