Chapter 9:

The log cabin in The Unknown was awfully quiet. The entire family had gone get wood, and lots of it. They were about to start construction; expanding the house in order to accommodate the new member of the family. One person, however, stayed home.

Beatrice sat at her dining room table, tapping her fingers against the dark wood. She looked at the clock on the wall, which read 4:15. Only five minutes had passed by during what seemed like hours.

Nervously, she stood up and began pacing. There was only one thing on her mind, and it was Greg. He had been gone for almost two days.

"I mean, that's not a long time, right?" Beatrice muttered to herself, thinking out loud. "He needs plenty of time to do what he needs to do, see Wirt and everything. What if something happened? What if there is a bad reason he's not back yet. What if he's seen? Ugh!" She slapped her forehead with her palm repeatedly.

Suddenly, she rushed upstairs to get a rubber band, and threw her curly red hair into a bun. She raced back down and put on her shoes and opened the front door, abruptly stopping in the doorway.

"I told myself I wouldn't do this," She sighed, shaking her head. "But I have to check on Greg. I need to make sure everything's okay."

Beatrice stepped outside and ran through her front lawn, towards the creek. But just as she stepped off her property and into the woods, a familiar voice stopped her.

"Now where do you think you're going, missy?" She turned to face her father, carrying stacks of wood. "You aren't going to change us back to bluebirds again, are you?" He cracked up, accidentally dropping his wood pile. Beatrice blushed.

"Aw, crap," he said, bending down to collect the mess he made. "But seriously Beatrice, we have a lot of work to do. We need to build an entire other portion of our house before it gets too cold." He got up, puffing. "You know, we'll be adding two bedrooms, so you will only have to share with Beth. I mean, if you're going to be for eternity might as well make yourself comfortable!" He laughed again, nearly dropping the wood again.

"Heh, yeah," Beatrice said, rubbing her arm awkwardly. "But, dad, I- I need to go see Greg."

"Beatrice-" He started.

"Ugh! I know you strictly prohibit us from going to the outside world, and you're just worried I'm going to get us into trouble again-"

"Trouble is sugar coding it," he interrupted.

"I know! I know! But dad, please just trust me! He needs my hel-"

"I don't want to have this conversation with you. My answer is no, and that's final. Do you hear me?"

"Yes dad," She mumbled.

"That's yes sir to you, young lady. Now go help your family carry wood back. We need as much as we can get."

Beatrice stormed away, tears racing down her cheeks. She was so worried about Greg she thought she just may throw up.

She, very unhappily, followed her fathers commands and walked into the northern part of the woods, opposite the creek but more familiar to Beatrice and her family.

Soon after entering, she found little clearing that the family was using to chop the wood. Or, at least, most of the family. Her very young siblings were running around and giggling. It was only her parents, Billy and Beth who were doing the hard labour.

"Oh, thank goodness, Beatrice, you're here," her mother said, placing down the axe and wiping sweat from her forehead. "Come, help us."

Beatrice worked chopping wood and bringing it to the house for two and a half hours, until it became too dark to see.

They all came back to the house to have supper and wash up for bed. Needless to say, Beatrice was very quiet at the dinner table. In fact, she barely lifted her fork, with her mind on Greg and all.

All of the kids devoured their food in minutes, making it hard for Beatrice to blend in. Her mother took notice.

"Beatrice, dear, you hardly even touched your food. What's wrong?" Everyone put down their utensils, the sound of forks hitting the plates filling the room. All eyes turned to her, and she blushed. Beatrice hated that sort of attention.

"Nothing, nothing," She said, not daring to face her giggling siblings.

"Well, it sure doesn't look like 'nothing'," her mother retaliated.

Beatrice dropped her fork, facing her mother dead in the eye. "You know, it's actually cramps. I'm having such a bad period right now. You know, since everyone wanted me to go into it, I think I might as well."

Sounds of disgust came from her brothers and sisters, most of whom didn't understand the comment but were copying the noises from their older siblings.

Beatrice stood. "If you don't mind, mother, I think I will excuse myself and lie down. The blood seeping out of me is very bothersome." She walked into the kitchen to put away her plate, and walked upstairs, the "ewws" coming from her siblings and sounds of frustration from her parents.

She smirked, but quickly remembered that a snarky remark wouldn't change her situation with Greg.

Beatrice opened her eyes to see a bright sun just begin to rise. She had fallen asleep, because she was still in her clothes and shoes. She sat up and looked around.

All of her siblings, scattered all over bunk beds and mattresses on the floor, were all soundly sleeping. It must've been very early.

She thought of her situation, and immediately her brain went to Greg. She just needed to check on him. This was his second night! Beatrice began pacing again, despite the hour. She finally halted.

You know what, she thought, forget this. I'm going to find Greg. He's probably alone and terrified! She tiptoed downstairs and wrote a quick note. It read: I'm going to find Greg. I'll be fine, don't worry.

She raced out the door and into the woods, this time with no disruptions from family members.

Beatrice arrived at the creek and dived in.