SHOOTING STARS ✰ jj maybank

004. MOUSE GENOCIDE

Scarlett had John B drop her off at Tannyhill because she had promised Sarah that they would save mice together. The Pogues were now headed to the Coast Guard while Scarlett was with Sarah. They were going to pick her up afterward.

The blonde twins were running around the backyard of their home with tennis rackets in hand. They were swinging the tennis rackets at the birds who tried to eat the mice.

"No. No, no, no!" Sarah exclaimed as a bird swept down into the bushes and went for the mice.

"Hit it!" Scarlett yelled at her sister, so she listened and swung at the bird, causing it to fly away.

"Sarah! Star!" The girls heard their father call their names out, but they couldn't peel their eyes away from the birds.

"We're busy!" Sarah replied.

"What are you girls doing?" Ward questioned, clearly annoyed. Neither of the girls noticed Lana Grubbs standing next to Ward.

"The burrows filled with water from the surge," Sarah called out.

"The birds are having a field day." Scarlett finished for her sister as she chased down a bird, swinging the tennis racket at it.

"The birds have to eat too, girls." Ward tried to compromise with them.

"No, it's a mouse genocide out here. No!" Scarlett exclaimed as she watched a bird fly away with a mouse in its beak.

"It's the cycle of life is what it is, girls. Now, come on." Ward attempted to gain his daughter's attention.

"I can't be a part of it," Sarah explained to him stubbornly.

"First they came for the mice, daddy." Scarlett pouted, but both girls quickly stopped chasing around the birds when they noticed Lana beside their father.

"Well, I have an actual human being that you girls might help." He told them and they both apologized.

"Oh, my god. Hi. I'm Sarah. I'm so sorry." Sarah shook Lana's hand first.

"I'm Scarlett." She gave Lana a quick smile as she shook her hand, but her expression couldn't help but falter when she saw the panicked look on Lana Grubb's face.

"This is Lana, Scooter's wife," Ward explained to his daughters. "You both were storm-prepping with him, right?"

"Yeah. He helped us latch the cabin on the Druthers." Sarah nodded.

"Last night?"

"Yeah."

"And did he go out after that?" Scarlett furrowed her brows at the question.

"No. Are you crazy? There was a hurricane." She replied with a confused expression.

"Well, did he say where he was going? Get a phone call or mention anything?" Lana Grubbs joined in on the conversation.

"He said that he had to finish some work stuff before the storm, but other than that, no. He didn't tell us anything." Scarlett explained to the lady, feeling sorry for her because she had no idea where her husband was. It must be so scary.

"I'm so sorry. Is he okay?" Sarah questioned, confusion laced within her voice as well.

"He's absolutely okay. He's just hunkered down somewhere." The girls father assured the lady. "We're going to find him."

"I'm so sorry." Both girls apologized for not being able to help Lana find her husband.

Both girls shared a look as their father and Lana walked away. They both just kind of shrugged and went back to saving the mice.