What is her personality? What does she like doing? She has no idea. Surviving and staying under the radar are all she’s known for the past several years.
She decided to let Mikey sleep in for as long as he needs to. The kid has never experienced consecutive days of sound sleep. When she left their room she could hear Hawaii and Zee playing around. Their door was open, but it would’ve been weird to peak in.
She wanted to get a head start on the chores she has for the day. Zee makes a list every week and outlines what everyone is going to be doing each day. There’s a lot to do to keep this place in order, but most days everyone finishes their chores well before dark. The addition of her and Mikey has already helped even out the work load.
Rosaline appreciates that Zee only gives Mikey the easy tasks. He’s too young for most of what needs to be done, but he’s able to clean around the house and help others with the simple parts of their tasks. He’s always paired up with someone after he finishes his minimal daily cleaning.
In three days she’s listed to go hunting with Hawaii and Sweetie. That’s the only chore for each of them on that day. She guesses it’s a day long endeavor. She’s uncomfortable leaving Mikey for a whole day, but if they’re going to stay here she needs to be able to trust these people.
That day he’s helping Rad. She’s curious how this will go. Rad has mostly kept his distance from her and Mikey. To her, this day will be a big test on whether or not she and Mikey will continue to stay here.
Every day she has chores in different areas. Zee said it’s to help Rosaline familiarize herself with her new home. She likes that. Today she’s been assigned to clean the buckets they use for the well, and clean and sharpen the hunting weapons. Yesterday she had to collect all the ashes from the fire pit and store them. She did not enjoy that.
She can’t believe this place has a well. It doesn’t yield a lot of water, so they have to ration what they use daily. Only two people can take a bath each day. Zee and Hawaii bathe together so they count as one. A bath every three days is more than she could’ve hoped for.
Hawaii said it was a miracle that they happened upon this place, and even more of a miracle that no one was living here. The farm is mostly self sustaining. They’re able to use the stove, the well provides water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing, and there are plenty of candles and lanterns to keep everything lit at night.
She didn’t see or hear anyone else awake when she left the house to head for the barn. There are only four well buckets, and the cleaning process is mostly waiting around. She needs to fill them with boiling water, let them sit for a while, wipe them out, then do it again. She’ll wait until everyone is up to do this since it needs to be done in the kitchen.
They don’t have a lot of hunting weapons. Four machetes, five hunting knives, two axes, three hatchets, two spears, and one bow. There are just five arrows for the bow. Hawaii is the only one who uses it and he takes care of it. One less for her to worry about.
All the hunting weapons and sharpening stones are together in a big crate. She pulls the crate out of the barn and plops down on one of the many sitting logs placed outside the barn doors. She’ll start with the knives.
The hours pass as she sharpens the weapons. This has taken much longer than she anticipated, and she’s pretty adept at sharpening. She’s kept her own knife in good condition. The machetes took the longest to finish, but the axes were the most finicky.
Not too long ago someone opened the kitchen window. Every now and then she can hear people in there, but she can’t make out what they’re saying. About an hour ago Mikey came looking for her. He stuck around for a little bit and watched until he got bored. He ran off back to the house to do his cleaning, then pair up with Zee for the day.
Rosaline and Zee discussed how to best approach getting Mikey accustomed to this new life. They decided that pairing up with a different person each day would help him connect, and would ease Rosaline knowing that everyone has formed a bond with him. Zee has been adamant that the whole family will help Rosaline take care of him. This has been what she’s liked most since their arrival. She doesn’t know how Zee is still so bubbly and positive all the time, but Rosaline is thankful that she is.
“I've been lookin’ for you!” she hears from behind her.
Rosaline turns to see Sweetie approaching with a plate of food in her hand. Strawberries and bush beans. She hasn’t had bush beans before.
“Mikey said you were out here. We usually sharpen on the porch, in the shade.”
Sweetie extends the plate to Rosaline. “Hungry?” she asks.
Rosaline sheepishly nods and takes the plate from her.
“Mira.” Sweetie says, with her hand out, “I’ll take over so you can eat.”
Sweetie grips the hatchet, locking eyes with Rosaline, and grinning.
“Thanks, but you don’t have to.”
“It's cool, I don't mind.”
“No, really, I can finish-”
“Oh yeah? You just want me to go then?” the coy Latina replies, pointing back to the house.
“No, no! Uh...”
Rosaline’s words trail. Her face flushes as she breaks eye contact. Sweetie giggles and lightly tugs on the hatchet. Rosaline relents and relinquishes control. She takes the plate of food from Sweetie.
“I’m messin’ with you. That’s kinda my thing, I’m funny.”
Rosaline nods again, her propensity
