Among The Wolves

Who-Dun-It?

That picture made my day, it made my week, and it made my cheeks sore from smiling so much. By now I had all the details of it memorized and yet was never sick of looking at it. The first and last thing I did in a single day was look at it. Even though it was handled everyday I still kept it in like-new condition. The note I found scrawled on the back of it barely fazed me. This was the best gift ever, despite the giver.
I had no idea who Mr. Homeless-look-alike was or how it came to be that he had known the effect this picture would have on me. I tried harder to think to see if I remembered him from somewhere but nothing came up. He was a new character in my life. I also wondered how he had acquired the picture in the first place. Nobody just goes to Vakusi and back, nor do Wos'Theians communicate with Vakusians. That is treachery in the highest degree!

I figured that perhaps Mr. Homeless-look-alike was not the person I should be entirely worried about. He mentioned someone: Joinervetti. I knew nothing about this person who had brought a pen to the back of the picture.

We are watching her for you.
Stay strong.
-Joinervetti

If that wasn't creepy and relieving at the same time I do not know what it was. In fact, the more I read it the more uneasy I got. I did not want unknown people around Toulinska, that would put her in serious danger.

At the moment I was back near the containers with a grappler, grabbing trash and stuffing it into bags. The wind had become a new enemy, always blowing garbage out of the bins and about the woods. It seemed that when I was not putting new trash in it I was putting old trash back into it. I still think this place needs a better ecosystem.

"136, 137, 138!" I beat the high score and this bag can still hold more!

I added a cup to my collection. "139."

A hand gripped my left bicep, I lost count as I was forced to drop the wretched trash bag. "Follow me."
I twisted my arm to get away but whoever it was, sure was strong. Craning my neck to see, I could perceive that it was that same Mr. Homeless-look-alike I met two and a half weeks ago.. "Nie! Please let me go!" Hey! I managed to remember to say nie! Haha! I gave myself a mental pat on the back. It was so hard to remember not to call people in these parts, 'sir' and ‘ma'am’.

After my mini self-party I pulled away from the man.

He gripped me tighter. "Come with me, I have to show you something."

I swallowed hard, this man was still a complete stranger to me. I searched for ways to get away as he pulled me away from my task. "I have a tracker on me! They'll see everything!"

"Don't worry Vae, We are not going far." This man had a grovely voice, and it gave me goosebumps. Electrical cheese curds! This man might be trying to kill me, or worse… rape. AHHHHA!

I looked back at the trash bag, it was now ten feet away. I never wanted to get back to my job so badly. I'll never complain again! I promise!

I dropped to my rear and began yanking hard. "Let me go!"

The man let me go and held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, it's ok. I am not going to hurt you."

Holding the grappler in front of me like a sword, I cautiously stood up. “What do you want?”