I was searching for the honey jar in the cupboards. I was flustered about how I needed the honey and I couldn't find it.
It was taking me forever.
I sat on the floor on my shins, leaned into a cupboard, trying to find the jar when James spoke to me in his chubby cheeked smile. "I'll get Thomas."
"No, it's alright. I just need to get this bloody jar and everything will be fine for us." I told him since he was sitting at the table on his own, having berries we had picked that morning.
Bob and I were chuckling as we were finishing up with herding the cattle. Blue was trotting along between us as we were walking back towards the barn on our horses.
"I hope the snow leaves soon. Tired of having to bring extra socks in my pockets" I told him with a chuckle.
My leg had gotten much better quickly. Only took about a month and a bit to heal mostly, now I only have scabs and scars.
I never told Charlotte that it was because of one of the wolves that lived in the woods coming after me. I had stopped it from getting James when he was out with us, but my leg was torn up from the wolf slashing at it.
All that mattered was that no one died.
"Speaking of socks, I need to change mine when we get back. Have a hole in this sock that's driving me insane." Bob told me and I nodded, knowing the feeling.
"Charlotte's inside, so maybe you could pinch a few treats for us." He mentioned it as well.
We were just getting our horses out inside the barn after taking off their saddles and bridles, shutting the door to the barn when the winter wind whipped. "Boy, it's chilly out today." I joked, it's much more than chilly out.
Then there was a blood curdling, frightened scream of terror from inside the house as if someone had dropped dead.
It was Charlotte's scream.
Bob and I looked at each other just before we went out at a sprint to the house.
We flung the door open to find James staring at us with big eyes in the front doorway. He looked scared himself.
"Get in the living room, James. Where's Charlotte?"
He pointed to the kitchen after my demand and we stepped into the kitchen.
Charlotte was squirming and looking disgusted with tears coming down her cheeks as she wriggled around.
"What happened?" I asked her
She trembled and squirmed again. "There's a dead rat and There's another one trying to eat it."
That was disgusting.
"Where?" I asked her, moving towards her.
She quickly came into my arms, not caring that her brothers would see. She buried her face in chest. "In the stupid jam cupboard next to the honey pot."
James spoke from the living room. "She wants the honey!"
I stroked her braided hair. "Go sit with James for a few minutes while I get rid of them. Alright?" I told her.
She nodded into my chest and gave me one more squeeze before kissing my cheek and walking quickly out the kitchen to go be with James.
Bob and I found it absolutely disgusting to find those rats. We checked the other cupboards too and killed the feasting rat. We disposed of them, but Charlotte refused to go into the kitchen for a little while longer.
