Long time no see, huh? Sorry for this super long wait, and sorry for this lack of length...awk. I'd been busy with school and I had a MAJOR case of brain freeze. I'm sorry for not updating and leaving this story hanging! I'll try to update soon enough!

Anyway, enjoy!

Before we go home, I check my snares. Two rabbits and a squirrel. Well, at least it's a pretty good catch. We bring them to town in my backpack. I know, I know—it's not exactly sanitary. But it's so that we don't get caught by the gamekeepers that actually listen to the law like the old man named Thorn and his wench Alma Coinne. Thorn Coinne has been the mayor of Leduc for thirty years, and in that time, he has never smiled or been in a good mood. Almost constantly, Thorn makes these ridiculous laws—no hunting, no socializing with the gamekeepers, or even something as ridiculous as speaking your thoughts against the President, Kristophe Undersee. Thorn would do absolutely anything for Undersee. For the longest time, Thorn has been trying to get his daughter, Madge with Undersee's son. I find it funny because I know Madge, and she isn't interested in Undersee's son at all. I wonder what it's like being the mayor's daughter—all those foolish rules that you would have to follow and meeting all those weird people from all over Canada and the States. I think that I'd hate it.

As Richard and I walk into town, I can't help but notice that it is usually…quiet. As in, you could hear a pin drop from the other side of town kind of quiet. I turn to Richard and he's mirroring my own confused expression.

"Where is everybody?" he whispers.

I shake my head, "I have no idea. It's never this quiet. There's nobody's here."

We walk through what's usually the loudest part of town—past the old rundown mills and the goat man's stables.

There's nothing but silence.

"This is weird," I say. I look in the windows of an ex-gamekeeper's house, but Clifton isn't there. "Clifton isn't in his house today. Hasn't he been bed-ridden for months?"

Richard nods and takes my hand, leading us away from Clifton's house. "Let's go see if Nana's home. If she isn't, we'll find someone else. The whole town couldn't have disappeared in five hours."

I agreed and we walk across town to my small house. Inside, my TV is on with President Undersee's face in a close up. He seems to be in the middle of a speech. I can see the worry lines on his forehead—the sweat beading on his fat face. He's trying to keep calm and composed, but the way his eyes are bugging out, I can tell that he's freaking out on the inside. I look around—no sign of Nana. I'm starting to feel sick…if Nana isn't here than something bad must've happened. Richard rubs my back and sits me on the couch, but it doesn't calm me. He as upset as I am.

"…Have been reports of rogue hunters near Rollyview Road. All citizens are ordered to evacuate Leduc until told otherwise. This is not a drill."

Richard looks at me, "Rollyview is just off the corner. We just passed it and we didn't see anything. "

"What if the rogues are already passed…and they're in Leduc now?"

Richard bites his lip. "Nana would've waited for us, then. She wouldn't leave you here by yourself. She loves you too much. Maybe she's upstairs or something…"

Nana should've left a sign. That was in her nature—putting people before herself. Nana is a kind and wise woman. She was around before the word began to change—before the snow stopped falling and the States weren't falling apart. That's why so many people in Leduc respected her. If the rebels were coming- or are in Leduc, then everything should have been destroyed. However, all the buildings and houses were still standing and not destroyed. I still had an ugly colored room and a sweltering house. Nothing was misplaced except for the people here. My whole life would be turned upside down if there were actual rebels here.

"Natalia," Richard says. I look away from the television. "You're panicking. Calm down." He rubs my back and I lean into him, tears burning and making their way down my face.

"She wouldn't just leave, Richard. My nana isn't like that." I feel Richard rubbing my back. I'm being ridiculous, I know. What kind of person starts crying over stupid things like this? I could fight these rebels. I know how to handle a bow, as does Richard. Richard and I are some of the strongest people in Leduc. We could live in the woods if we had to! I know that one day I will look back at this moment and laugh at how pathetic I'm being. It's just that, at this moment, I can't help but feel helpless. Why was everybody gone? Where were they? Why did my Nana leave me?

I hear Richard sigh. "Your Nana is a smart woman. She trusts us with all her heart. Nana is like my second mother, Natalia."

"She basically is my mother," I mutter, and Richard laughs.

"Yes, I guess she is. But what I'm trying to say is that maybe trusted us enough and thought that we'd stay in the woods."

I sit up, "But the woods obviously are not safe! Not with these rogues coming here to Leduc! Nana should know that we can't live out in the woods. We're still learning. And…and…ugh, things like this shouldn't happen in Leduc. That's why we have the United States."

Richard laughs and shakes his head. "Everything will turn out alright, Nat."

It was then that we hear a loud bang from upstairs. A cruel looking man dressed in filthy overalls comes down, laughing manically. His hair is filthy, but I think that he may be a brunette. His face has a white, jagged scar running down his face. He hasn't seen us yet—he's looking up the stairs, smiling with black teeth. Richard's eyes widen and he takes my hand and leads us away before the man can see us. I hear the man call, "Ay Corny! We did a good job today! Even the prezi's scared 'bout us!" His voice is rough—like it hasn't been used for a long time. We stop behind my kitchen counter, panting. Richard's eyes are wide with fear, but he doesn't say anything. He opens up one of the kitchen drawers slowly and pulls out two knives. "Use these for when they come," he whispers and hands me one. He doesn't bother closing the drawer. The house is silent again; maybe the rogues left.

Then I hear another voice, "You bet. That woman sure put up a fight, ay buddy? But we got 'er."

"Hell yeah! She'll come in handy later, that ol' coot. After all these years, I don't know how she can still function!"

Their voices are going toward the door. "Well, one thing is for sure: We've got all of Leduc terrified of us, and now we have the wisest woman in Leduc."