A Rose by Any Other Name

Chapter 21 (Rose)

I'm climbing the car stack like Donnie asked me to.

These are a lot taller than I thought.

I grapple onto the top and pull myself up.

I need to workout more. Seriously.

I look out and take in the view. This junkyard isn't very big but there are a lot of squashed car stacks. I see a mantis mutant in the center of the junkyard. 

I contact Donnie on the new wrist pad he gave me.

"Donnie. The mantis is in the center of the Junk yard so avoid that area." I speak into my wrist pad.

"Thanks Rose. We will avoid there. Let us know if he moves. Over." Donnie replies.

It looks like he's sitting with someone next to him. Almost like another mutant?

I pull out my bow and put the spoke up to my face. It zooms in and I can see the mutant clearly. It looks to be a cobra mutant. He's sitting and chatting with Repo like he's an old friend. Does Donnie know him? 

I go to speak into my wrist pad when a bird lands in front of me.

It coos and tilts its head. 

"Go. Shoo." I wave my hands at it and it flaps its wings. It walks closer to me and starts pecking my stuff.

"HEY!" I try waving my hand at it again and the bird swoops around my head.

It starts trying to grab my stuff and I finally chase it off. 

I hate birds apparently.

I sigh. What was I doing again?

I look back over at Repo and his mystery friend. I shouldn't try my arrows or stuff on them unless something happens because that would blow my cover.

I rummage through my pouch and double check my stuff is in there. I grabbed a pencil and pad of paper from Donnie's room in case I got bored. 

I take the paper and pencil out and start sketching Repo and his friend. I occasionally look through the scope of my bow to see them better as I sketch.

I end up sketching them sitting on the bus. The cobra mutant is wearing a leather jacket and a rock-band shirt under it. With deep navy blue jeans that have skulls on the knees. He looks kinda hard core. Their skin looks scale like with red hiding among his yellow skin.

Repo is wearing a white tank top with a torn purple vest and a belt. For some reason Repo is a purple mantis? I expected green.

I think it's just me but they keep glancing up here. It might be better if I move. 

I start putting my bow and arrows that fell out back into the bag and get ready to move. I grab the pad and pencil last and take another look at Repo and his buddy.

But. The cobra is gone.

Uh oh.

I start to panic a bit and fumble the pad of paper. I catch it at the last second and take in a deep breath. 

This is fine. Everything is fine. 

"I beg to differ." I hear a voice behind me.

I must've been whispering out loud without realizing.

Oops. Sorry Donnie.