"Are you sure about this?" Zee asks, her eyes wide with concern.
"We don't have much of a choice, I'll take my backpack."
"Nena they have a gun, your hammer can't shoot bullets."
"No, it can't, but I know these woods, and they don't. If you hear anything, gun shots, or struggle, run to the barn and get guns and get Rad with you. Someone get Mikey and Outlaw inside and make sure they stay there, otherwise just keep acting like nothing is wrong."
"Okay, I don't really see any other options here." Hawaii interjects.
"Me either. Sweetie, look for some food now."
Sweetie giggles and picks up the basket.
"For real chacho! This basket feels pretty light!"
She puts her hand in feeling the fruit within it.
"You ate the last strawberries!"
Hawaii chuckles, holding his hands up.
"Hey, too slow."
Rosaline leans into Sweetie, kisses her cheek, then takes the basket from her. She rises to her feet.
"I'll get more babe."
"Thank you nena." Sweetie replies, an extra layer of meaning behind the words.
Rosaline turns away from them, nonchalantly striding toward the house. Once inside she drops the basket on the floor, rushes to her room, retrieves her backpack, then sprints back down the stairs, and out of the back door. Mikey, Outlaw, and Rad are sitting against the back of house, drinking some water.
"Where are you going?"
Rosaline regards them, speaking low and sternly.
"Listen to me carefully, I don't have much time. Go inside and stay there. Get your knives, and lock yourselves in a room."
"What's going on?"
"Don't freak out, but someone is in the woods watching us, from the front of the house. I'm going to find out who it is."
"I'm coming with you." Rad says as he gets to his feet.
"No! I'll move quicker by myself, and I'm more silent than you. Please, just take Mikey and Outlaw inside and keep them safe. I really need you to do that."
Rad begins to question her again, but the look on her face halts him. He sighs and nods.
"Thank you." she says.
She races to the gardens, keeping low to the ground, passing between them swiftly. She reaches the edge of the woods and passes into the trees without hesitation. She knows she can sprint for more than half of her destination and still be out of range for the person to hear her. “Why would only one person be here? There has to be others.” she thinks.
She's not sure if this was the correct decision, but if she can sneak up on the intruder she might be able to draw the others out, and avoid any of The Family getting harmed. She keeps close to the outskirts of the woods, making sure she can see the house at all times.
Once she's in line with the side of the house she slows her pace. She keeps low to the ground, and timidly moves deeper into the woods, until the house is no longer visible.
It takes Rosaline thirty minutes in all from when she first left the picnic to be in sight of the intruder. A backpack lay on the ground just outside of the green hiding spot. She can't see the person, but she can see the heel of a boot, and the butt of the rifle, sticking out from the thick shrubs.
Rosaline, hammer in hand, slowly approaches the patch of greenery. She squints, trying to discern the outline of a person. She should be able to see a change in colors from the person's clothes, but she doesn't. The brush is thick, but not thick enough to hide an entire body.
"You're clever."
She freezes, her face turning pale. The voice came from behind her.
"It's alright, you can turn around, but do it slowly."
Rosaline gingerly pivots on her heel. She completes her turn, but doesn't see anyone. She scans over the woods for a moment, her brow furrowing in perplexion. Suddenly, movement comes from her left side. A figure steps out from another dense patch of forest. It's a woman, pointing a handgun. She's taller than Rosaline, completely covered in green clothing, her face is painted green, and her hair is short, nearly shaved, and green as well.
"How did you know I was here?"
"I saw light reflecting from your scope."
"Impressive, not many people can notice that. In fact, you're the first."
"What do you want?" Rosaline says through gritted teeth.
"Believe it or not, I don't want to hurt you. I'm here to help."
"Oh yeah? How are you gonna help us?"
"I should talk to all of you about that. There are seven of you, right? Three on the blankets, three others now in the house, and you?"
Rosaline gulps, a sliver of fear rising within her.
"You don't have to say anything, I wouldn't expect you to, but I do know there are seven of you. I've been watching you for two days."
Rosaline's eyes slam shut, her jaw clenches, she grimaces.
"Don't feel bad, no one ever knows I'm around until I show myself. You're the first person to ever detect me, and you almost found me. Feel good about that."
"What the fuck do you want?!" Rosaline snarls.
The woman holds her hands up, turning the gun away from Rosaline.
"Like I said, it's better if I tell all of you, together."
Rosaline furiously shakes her head.
"No, tell me now, or I scream, then they get our guns, and you die."
"You don't want to do that, and how do you know I'm alone?"
"You're alone. If you had others they would've shown themselves by now, or rushed the house. I've been gone a while, my people are starting to worry. That wont be good for either of us. You're smart, you know that."
"You are clever, I was right about that."
"Tell me
