A/N: I feel really bad for the lateness. I had this chapter done for weeks, just.. Forgot to upload it. Sorry! But I'm going on vacation in a few days (8 hour drive, yay), so I'll write in the car. Promise.
Chapter 2
Chelsea woke up the next morning, tired and bewildered. What a strange dream... My beauty sleep was interrupted. What a great way to start the day. But, the day's started, so I should make the best of it!
She rolled out of bed and walked over to the bathroom. Ugh, I look like hell.. Nothing a shower won't fix!!
After taking a shower, getting dressed, and brushing her teeth, Chelsea was ready to go. She walked over to the door, and was met with a cluster of muddy human footprints. Huh? There was someone in my house last night. I should tell someone..
Chelsea hurtled out the door, and nearly tripped over her dog, Nathaniel. Not Nate, Nathaniel. "Omigosh, I'm sorry baby!! I didn't see you!!" Nathaniel whimpered at her, then barked and ran over to the chicken coop. "Oh, yeah.. I should probably feed my chickens before I go. You're right, Nathaniel. But I should hurry."
She ran over to the small shed, threw some seed in, and slammed the door before any of the chickens could attack her. She was almost to late, and she heard an angry squawk and the flutter of feathers. "Whew, that was close. I'm telling ya, those chickens are out to get me.." Nathaniel rolled his eyes, and trotted away. "Right.. I'm talking to a dog. Well, off to Elliott's!!"
Chelsea sprinted down the path, slowed, and strolled calmly through Elliott's front door. They were expecting her, and had a blueberry muffin sitting out on the table, waiting just for her. "Hello, Chelsea dear. I figured you'd be hungry, so I baked some muffins," said Felicia cheerily.
"Good morning, Felicia. Thanks!! You remembered that they're my favorite," Chelsea said, and stuffed half the muffin in her mouth. Just then, Elliott and Natalie walked in, arguing about something or other.
"You did, too!!"
"No I didn't!!"
"Yuh-huh!!"
"Nuh-uh!!"
"Yu-"
"Children, please!!" cried Felicia. "Can't you two be civil? We have company."
"Sorry, mother," the two 'children' chorused. "Wow," said Natalie. "You look like a chipmunk."
Chelsea quickly swallowed the muffin half, and sheepishly smiled.
Elliott glared at his sister, and told Chelsea, "Don't worry, you didn't look like a chipmunk, just... Hungry." He smiled at his own little joke, then turned towards his sister. When he didn't think Chelsea was looking, he stole quick glances at her.
Chelsea, quite used to Elliott and Natalie's bickering, and his cheesy jokes, told the trio, "Someone was in my house last night. I thought it was just dream, but this morning I found footprints by my door."
"Well," Felicia said, "We don't really have a police force here on the island. You should just be sure to lock your door tonight. Are you sure nothing was taken?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure," Chelsea replied. "Well, thanks for your help. I should go water the crops before it gets too hot. Good-bye."
"Good-bye, Chelsea. Stop by later if you have the time," Felicia said, then started washing the dishes. "Isn't she sweet?" she asked siblings.
"Yeah," Elliot replied absent-mindedly, watching the door swing shut.
Chelsea wandered back to her farm, and glared angrily at the mass of weeds that had accumulated overnight. "You're like the plague, you know what? I just weeded you little nightmares yesterday. Then, POOF! Twice as many. It's impossible." She walked sullenly over to the field, and half-heartedly pulled at a small patch of the weeds. She cleared a good-sized patch, then gave up, and went to water her crops. "N'yaright, that's enough for now, I suppose. Hmm.. What to do now.."
Just then, Chelsea heard rustling leaves in the trees. There was no breeze, but she shrugged it off as an animal of some sort. However, the rustling drew closer when she turned away. "Uh.. Right." She turned on her heel and walked hurriedly into to her house, slamming the door. "I'll just read for a while. That'll be nice."
She buried herself in her armchair, and read a large, dusty book quietly. There was the soft pattering of feet at her door for a few minutes, but it didn't seem to be trying to get in. She tried not to look up, and just blocked it out, for the most part.
When the pattering went away, Chelsea walked over to the window next to the door, and peered outside. Nothing was broken or missing, as far as she could tell. Good.
Chelsea carefully opened her door, and found a few stray flowers tied together with some ridiculously long grass on the doorstep. She stooped down to retrieve them, and brought them up to her face. "Well, they're pretty, and they smell nice. But it's still weird." She turned to go back inside her house, and closed the door quietly.
Not far away, just behind the tree line, a tall figure with cat-like eyes crouched in the mud. When he saw the girl pick up the flowers he left on her doorstep, he smiled.
But not in a creepy way.