Chapter 5
Rose
Today has been a day. One of our foxes gave birth. We had to help a little bit but for the most part she was able to do it on her own. She just needed a little medicine to calm her. She was very nervous. Being in a new place that she didn't know. She didn't feel safe here yet, we were hoping that she had more time to get comfortable and finish making her burrow. It's almost the end of the day. I really need to go talk to my boss. I head to the office. That's where she's at, at this time of the day. Her doors open so I just walk in. She's at her desk with papers everywhere.
"Hey, do you have a second? I wanted to talk to you for a minute." I say as I step in.
"Yes, just give me a second to finish this and then we can talk." She doesn't even look up. I walk in, sit and what. It doesn't take too long for her to finish.
"So what did you need to talk about?" She finally looks up at me. She's nice, just very busy.
"I need to talk to you about getting off early every Friday. so I can go grocery shopping."
"Ok, that's fine, not this week but next we can change your schedule for you to be able to get off early. But I have to ask why because I have known you for years and you have worked here for 4 and have never asked for a schedule change." I don't really want to tell her but I know I have to with the cops coming to my house last night. By this week the whole town will have heard about it. So I sigh and tell her everything Matt and the person who was outside my house and I had to call the cops.
"Ok ,yes we need to change your schedule up. You follow the same schedule every day. It's easy to follow. You need to change it up where you shop too and I will let you off on a Wednesday or Thursday every now and then so you can shop then. So they can't learn your routine" she looks so serious like she's ready to go to war. I laugh.
"This isn't funny, you're a woman living on your own away from town " she glares at me.
"I know it's not funny, I just thought that I should have called you instead. You would have made it there faster than the cops and would have caught him. Then he would have wished the cops got him." I laugh again.
"If I catch someone over here watching you. I'm going to have some choice words for them and maybe a felony." she finally smiles a little.
"If they know what's good for them they won't follow me here." I say and stand up. "Well, that's all I wanted to talk to you about. I'm going to let you finish your work and get ready to hand off to the night shift."
"Ok but be careful please and if anything happens don't forget you can call anyone of us day or night. We have your back. Your family to use." I smile at her and wave at her that I understand and walk out. The night shift will be here in 30 minutes and I have to make sure everything is ready for them and I have all the paperwork done about everything that happened today. I head back to my desk to finish everything.
It's finally time to get home. It took longer than I thought it would to do hand over. The sun is already starting to go down. I jump on my four wheeler. And punch to get home. I usually don't dive this fast but I don't like going through the woods in the dark. About half way down the trail where it meets the trail that goes to downtown. There are tire tracks. But the only other person using this rod is Lance. He passed away a couple of weeks ago. I must be his nephew. I know that was Lance's last living relative. He must be staying there right now. I'm sure he's going to sell it soon. When he turned 18 he left town for college and swore he would never come back. It broke Lance's heart. His health started to decline after he left. And now a year later he followed his late brother and sister in law to the heavens. I do feel bad for Derek too. He lost both parents at 16 and had to move in with his uncle. It's heart breaking. I hope he makes a good life for himself and doesn't take the pain with him forever and can find happiness. I get to the part of the trail that goes to Lance's house and the tracks turn that way. That's fine that he uses this trail. If it was someone else I might have a word with them going through my land without even asking me if they could. Its rude . now if they come ask me first i would tell them no problem. I really wouldn't mind.
I have one family who likes to ride horses on my land .The tiny 12 year old came banging on my door pleading with me to let her ride. Her parents were behind her looking like they had given up. They come once a month. I'm sure if her parents would let her he would come every week. She brings me cooks every time she comes over. They park in my yard and take their horses through the trellis. I have rode with them a few times. She is so full of energy it makes me tired and hyped all at the same time. I see my house now but something feels off about it. I slow down. I look at everything trying to place what's wrong. I know there's something just what? As I get close I see footprints. There in the back of my house. I became hyper aware someone was here and it's not from last night i didnt see them when I left this morning. I'm trying to see if I see anyone. What if they're still here? My cameras can't reach this far. I need to get in my house but what if they're in my house. I make a split decision and turn around. I head for Lance's house as fast as I can and pray he's home. I don't want to be out here and call the cops. I feel like this ride is taking forever but he's only a 5 minute ride from my house. It feels like hours. My heart feels like it's going to come out of my chest. I see the house I come in fast then slam on the bracks. I jumped off and hit my knee hard on the ground. I don't let it stop me. I take off in a full run to the front door. I banged on it as hard as I could.
"Derek is Rose please open the door i need help" i yell on the top of my lungs. The door swings open. I'm stunned. It's not Derek standing in front of me. He's got white hair and white eyes. I know that face from somewhere but i cant remember where.
"What's wrong?" he asked, looking me up and down with worry in his eyes.
"I live a little ways from here. When I got home there was someone there. So I came here. I thought Derek moved in." as soon as i say that he grabs my hand and pulls me inside.
"Are you ok, are you hurt anywhere??" he asks, lifting my arms and looking them over, then he spots my knee and his eyes go murderous. Did they do this to you?"
"No no I did when I jumped off the four wheeler. I was trying to get help as fast as possible."
"Ok stay here lock the door behind me. You live down the trail going the other way from town right i,m going to take the four wheeler" i node then hes gone. He didn't even ask if I knew the person, if they had weapons? He just ran out. What if they hurt him? I pull out my phone so fast and call 911 again.
"Hi whats your emergency"
"This is Rose again. There were footprints outside my house as soon as I saw them. I went to Lance's house. There was a different man living here now. He went to my house to check it out. send someone over there to make sure he's ok" i know i'm not giving them the right information but i'm so worried something's going to happen to him because of me. I can't just sit back and do nothing.