Week 6 Day 4: Agnes' hideaway

Late last night, Archie Greench and Bridgette Blumington discovered a small build in the forest that none of them had seen before. The voice of a toddler made them think that the missing Agnes Yea-Low was kept in there, and they found it wiser to get some help.

They ran over to the Yea-Low household. It was a few hours past midnight and everyone were asleep, but they had to knock on the wall anyway.

They quickly informed Yvonne and Yespar Yea-Low, and a few minutes later all four returned to the discovered build. It took a while to find back to it. It was located just a little west from the Blumington house, how strange they never saw it before. It was hidden behind shrub trees and huge rocks.

They didn't hear Agnes, so they sneaked around the largest rock and were met by some of the wild dogs!

There were only two of the animals, and this time Yvonne felt absolutely no fear. She had come for her toddler no matter what. She finally felt a small hint of a mother's instinct, she thought.

Finally, there she was, nearly under the table. But she wasn't very interested in being found...

Over at the Redwards, little Cairo had got a new food bowl. Constance had used some suitable rotting, and filled it with pieces of soft bread.

But not everyone is happy for Cairo.

Constance was upset, why did Dorothy bother her with such nonsense? Of course, it was to give Constance a bad confidence, making her set Cairo free or at least inform everyone.

Dorothy wasn't the only one...

A little later Jess Greench was at the door, and Dorothy talked with him for a while. Rita is very focused on who her children are dating, and not. When they bring home a friend, Rita will stay near to make sure the right alliances are built.

Roger and Rita had agreed it was time to talk with Randal, Christopher, Constance and Dorothy - preparing them all for the future. All four were intelligent enough to manage, but moving out with very little money would be tough.

Randal has been thinking of moving out. He is supposed to marry Corinne Yea-Low, and although he refused in the start, both him and Corinne are now pretty much accepting it. They are almost same age, they go along well enough, and they don't have much of a choice from such a limited population.

Are you not overreacting a little, Rita, or is there a reason we don't know yet?

The Redwards are very satisfied with the location of their new home. Rita and Roger normally spend a couple hours daily on the old lounge chairs. It's good everyday therapy!

So, Roger met with Yvonne at the new Consignment store. It's built where the Redward house used to be.

Streets are nearly done even in the central parts of the island where the village center will be built as soon as everyone has moved out. The Blumingtons are moving today, and the Yea-Lows will move tomorrow as the last family.

They ended the meeting and walked outside. A small grocery store has been built where the Greench farmers' house used to be located.

On the west side of the island, poor Constance was out looking for rocks. She found one near the headland that they call Roger's Light - next to Arrival Bay. But Randal would claim 4 rocks tomorrow at noon. And looking for them after dark wasn't easy.

Over at the Yea-Lows, life was back to normal now that the youngest family member was found. Tomorrow their house will be moved to a larger plot of land east of the village center. Then they will probably expand and rearrange a little.

Yvonne worried a little for the Beetle word that Joe Hawk had told about. Yvonne had to find out what Agnes meant when crying for Beetle. Was it a coincidence? Was there a character in one of the books she called Beetle? Yvonne feared it had to do with the black creatures she brought from the tiny island where they lived before they reached Maccaroni.

Then they all went to sleep, and after a few hours Yvonne heard crying from Agnes' room. But she ignored it, she had to ignore. Maybe Agnes would forget the word.

More in 2 days, and the only thing known for sure is that it won't be as massive as this chapter :-)