Homecoming

Chapter Twelve: Spaghetti?

When I woke up the next morning Arthur wasn't asleep next to me. I looked around a bit confused. I put my feet over the edge which accidentally landed on a sleeping Bear as he's stretched out across the floor. I scratched his belly with my foot before stepping over him to get up.

I slowly began to wake up more as I slipped on my jeans and boots. I began taking my hair out of the braid it was in when I stepped out of the tent and practically into Abigail. "Good Mornin' Etta, is Jack hidin' in there?"

"No, he's isn't, I'm sorry Miss Roberts."

She waved me off trying to not look worried, "I'm sure it's nothin' he probably just got distracted.

She started to wander away still calling for him, "I'll check down by the river for you." I called to her and headed down by all the wood that had been washed to shore. "Jack!" I yelled out. A small head popped out from behind a log.

"I'm right here, Auntie Etta." He waved me over and grinned.

"Jack, your mother is worried sick about." I said as I lean over to see what he's doing. "What mess are you makin'?" I asked with a smile.

"I found a lizard." He pointed to the underside of the log, "I'm tryin' to catch it to show Momma."

"I'm not entirely sure how she'd feel about a lizard..." I didn't seem to happy to see one either but curiosity got the best of me and I grabbed a stick to help. "Maybe we can show Henry."

"You think he likes bug?" Jack asks.

"He used to chase me with them when we were your age." I grinned at him, "It was before I became the tough one."

"Whoa... I thought he only liked Stars."

"Well... he does like them stars but I think all boys like bugs," Jack looked at me surprised before looking again.

As the two of us looked I begin to hear Bear growl somewhere behind me. I looked around and saw him growling into a bush, "Bear. Come here, are you growling at a rabbit again?"

That's when I heard the sounds of two guns clicking. I grabbed Jack's hand about to make a run for it when two men step out with guns aimed. "You two, call off the mutt and come with us." The first man demands. I picked up Jack who clung onto me. "Now." The man demands.

I looked back but saw the guys were just out of reach to yell for help. "Bear, down." I ordered. Bear looked at me with a confused look but backed away anyway.

"Make him go." The man orders.

I swallowed hard before nodding slowly. "Bear, go to Arthur." Bear gets excited knowing that when I say that it usually means Arthur is home and a new play buddy had arrived. He turns and growls at the men one more time before running towards camp.

"Alright, now you two come with us."

"Can the boy stay? He won't say anythin'," I felt like I'm practically begging but the men don't seem swayed.

"Both. Let's go."

I looked back at camp one last time. I knew I had a pistol hidden by Jack when I picked him up. I decided the safest bet would probably be going now and getting help later. "Jack, we are going to go with these men okay?"

"Why do they have guns?" He asked as me begin to follow them.

"They use them to make sure... African Lions... don't attack us on our journey."

Jack giggled, "Silly Aunt Etta there aren't any Lions here."

I smiled and play along, "Ah. How do you know? You haven't seen one, right?" Jack shook his head no, "Well I know for a fact that Arthur saw one a few months ago." Jack's jaw dropped, "It tried to eat him too."