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S c a r l e t
May 18th

It was no surprise that I was finding myself sleeping in until noon these last few days. It's been almost a week, and I still have yet to get a full nights rest. I'm exhausted to say the least, so exhausted I don't even want to get out of bed anymore.

Harriet isn't getting any better and I don't know what to think. The only symptoms she's been showing are ones that I shouldn't be concerned about. Just the regular fever, vomit, headaches. I don't know what to do but give her soup, tea, and medicine. However, I was hoping she'd be better by now, or at least start to show signs of her getting better, but she's not.

"Scarlet."

My eyes unwilling snapped open and I felt slight irritation from them. "Hmm." I hummed a reply, closing my eyes for a split second before opening them again to see Alex standing at the side of my bed.

"Sammie says you need to get up now."

Who the hell cares about what Samantha says?

I glance over at the clock, not making any kind of effort whatsoever to get up from my comfortable position I was in. Which was laying on my stomach with my arms and legs sprawled out.

2:30pm

"No." I said flatly, before closing my eyes again.

They felt so heavy, all I wanted was to sleep.

"But Sammie says she needs your help with Harriet." Alex explained.

I looked at the kid, holding back a glare.

"Tell Samantha to handle it without me." I tugged my blanket over my head, hating the fact that the curtains barely covered the sun from making an appearance.

"But Sammie says it's urgent." Alex was not giving up.

I couldn't hold back the annoyed groan, and I threw the covers off of me before storming out of the bed and out of the room. I stomped down the stairs before turning and walking into the kitchen where Samantha was sitting with Harriet at the kitchen table.

The kitchen door was open, and I could faintly hear the sounds of giggles.

The kids must be outside in the garden playing.

Seeing that Harriet seemed perfectly fine I felt my annoyance grow.

Samantha looked up from the table and smiled cheekily at me. "Morning sunshine." She greeted sarcastically.

I felt my eye twitch. Before I could even began to yell at Samantha for waking me up when I've gotten no good sleep from the past few nights. Harriet stood up and smiled at me.

The very first appearance that I noticed was different about her, was her skin. She was getting her regular color back. She no longer looked the yellow pale she seemed to have taken these last few days. On top of that, she just physically looked stronger.

"Harriet!" I exclaimed. "How are you feeling??" I immediately asked, walking up to her and feeling her forehead.

I furrowed my eyebrows, no fever.

"Better." She responded, a smile taking over her features.

It was contagious and I couldn't help but smile as well.

Finally I can get a full night of rest.

"Why don't you and Samantha go and get the kids. I'll fix us up some breakfast." Harriet offered.

I raised my brows. "Harriet, maybe we should take it easy for a few days, I don't want you-"

"Nonsense, I'll be fine. Don't you go and try to baby me again." She said sternly, turning her back towards me and walking to the kitchen.

"Now what would you like? A sandwich or pancakes?"

~*~

After trying to convince Harriet to take it easy, and to stop cleaning the house so much. I had finally given up and done my daily routine of brushing my teeth, and taking a shower.

When I came back downstairs I was surprised to see the house was spotless. Harriet works really fast.

I walked down the hallway that led to the gym, hearing sounds coming from it. I shivered when I felt my cold slightly damp hair that I had braided into two Dutch braids, touch my bare arms. I was wearing a short sleeve, and my hair was long enough to touch my upper mid back.

I need to trim it.

Opening up the gym doors, I found everyone inside playing freeze tag. Harriet was chasing Adriel, purposely going slow so he could think he had a chance to get away.

I leaned against the door smiling. Harriet was always great with the kids, it really helped that she was around to take the attention away from Sam and I. I hated to admit it, but it felt nice to have an adult around again.

Ever since Harriet has been with us, I've strangely felt more safer. More secure. Not to mention, Samantha and I have learned so much from her, to gardening better, making food from scratch, and how to correctly milk a cow. She even taught us some home remedies for asthma and other stuff. We've learned so much, and I was so thankful for her.

I don't know what I would do without her.

~*~

"Alright everybody to bed, lets go it's time." I said, looking at all the kids that were sitting on the floor of the living room watching a movie.

Everyone groaned.

"But I don't wanna go to bed!" Alex whined, standing up and groaning when I nudge him towards the stairs.

"Yeah yeah, you guys have all day tomorrow to be awake." I said, watching them all walk out of the living room and go up the stairs.

"That's what you always say!" Alize complained, walking to the staircase.

"Because it's true." I smiled.

"Whatever, Last one up is a rotten egg!" Alize screamed, and just like that all of the kids took off running up the stairs.

"Watch your step!" I yelled after them.

I shook my head, those kids just want to get hurt.

I felt a small hand on my thigh and I looked down to see Adriel raising his arms, asking to be picked up. I smiled lightly raising him up and kissing his cheek.

"Time for you to go to sleep as well buddy."

I looked over to the last two remaining people in the living room. "Are you going to bed soon?" I asked Samantha.

Sam nodded standing up with a bowl of popcorn. "I'll be up in a couple of minutes. I'm just going to wash the dishes first and clean up a bit." She said, looking down at the very messy living room that had pillows and popcorn cornels all over the floor.

I nodded. "Have fun with that." I laughed.

Adriel laid his head on my shoulder and I gently laid my hand on his back. "Let me put Adriel to sleep." I turned to go up the stairs, carefully watching my step as I went up so I wouldn't fall with my nephew. "Don't forget to lock up!" I shouted to her looking back over my shoulder.

Samantha raised two thumbs up before entering the kitchen and out of my sight. I turned back and started to head up the stairs.

~*~

"Scarlet."

"Scarlet." I groaned, pushing the hand that was shaking me away.

"Scarlet!" The hushed voice yelled.

My eyes snapped open, and it took a minuet for them to adjust before I could make out a dark shape hovering above me. I jumped back, and the figure stood up correctly.

"Relax, it's just me, Sammie." Samantha reassured.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in before squinting and being able to make out a couple of her features, like her messy hair.

I blinked, what time is it?

"Why are you-"

"Shh!" She hushed, stopping me mid sentence. "The kids are still asleep." She informed me.

I looked around the room, I'm not sure why I did because it was still incredibly dark, but I could make out their little frames laying on their beds.

"What time is it?" I whispered, lowering my voice this time.

I sat up, and yawned, covering my mouth as I did.

"Thirty after three...in the morning." It took me a second to understand that she meant three thirty. My brain doesn't work as fast at the break of dawn.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why are you waking me up at this time??" I questioned, looking up at her.

"I think someone is in the house." She whispered back.

Again it took me a minute to register her words before my eyes widened and I jumped out of the bed. I quickly opened the drawer in my nightstand, grabbing a flashlight and handgun I always keep in there for emergencies.

"Why didn't you start with that?!" I shrieked in a hushed voice. I was more than alert at this point, and I quickly rushed to the door of the room.

"Wake the kids up and get them down to the safe room, I'll get Harriet." I quickly demanded, I didn't give Samantha a chance to respond because I was already out of the room and walking to the stairs. I peaked over the balcony listening and straining my ears for any source of sound.

I heard shuffling coming from downstairs, I couldn't tell whether it was coming from the kitchen or the living room, but I headed down anyways, keeping the gun up and carefully lighting my way around the top floor.

When I got to the stairs, I turned the light off momentarily before quietly walking down them. When I reached the bottom, I looked in the living room first, turning my flashlight on to be able to see.

I found nothing out of the ordinary in the living room, and I quickly went to the kitchen. As I got closer I heard the moving of dishes in the sink. With one swift movement I clicked the flashlight on and pointed my handgun at the intruder.

Like a deer caught in the headlights, Harriet froze.

I let out a deep sigh and lowered the gun. Relief washed over me before I rushed to turn the kitchen light on.

"Harriet what the hell?!" I turned to face her, putting the gun on the kitchen table.

Harriet looked at me, before turning around and going over to the kitchen door.

"Harriet what are you doing?" I asked annoyed.

"Did you lock all the doors and windows?" she asked, ignoring my question.

"Samantha said she did." I answered her, furrowing my eyebrows.

Harriet pushed past me and walked towards the front door.

"Harriet, what are you doing?" I asked again, following behind her.

"There is a woman in the house." Harriet looked out the peephole before unlocking and locking the front door. "Are you sure she locked every door and window?"

"Yes I'm sure." I confirmed, crossing my arms over my chest. "Why do you think there is someone in the house?" Something seemed off about this situation. Harriet was acting weird...paranoid almost.

"Because there is! I saw him!" She exclaimed.

This confused me. "But didn't you just say it was a woman?" Harriet turned to face me, her face showing her own puzzlement.

"I-I." Harriet sighed. "We don't got time for this why aren't you getting the kids?!" She accused, rushing past me and to the living room where she unlocked and locked the window. Just like she did with the front door.

"Sammie is with the kids Harriet..." I told her calmly. "So can you please tell me what the heck is going on?" I was getting frustrated. I thought I was finally going to be able to get a full nights rest but, man was I wrong.

Harriet came up to me and grabbed me roughly by the shoulders. "The little girl was in my room, she laughed at me Scarlet! She's in here somewhere, she is!" Her eyes were wide and they held a crazy expression.

"Harriet...are you feeling okay?" My heart was thumping in my chest fast, and I felt myself start to get a little scared.

I've never seen her like this.

And just like that her whole demeanor changed. She blinked, and slowly released her hold on me. Before taking a step back and rubbing her eyes with her hands.

"Im sorry child. I don't know what came over me." She apologized, the crazed look no longer in her eyes.

I felt an unsettling feeling at the pit of my stomach, but I ignored it. I only watched her carefully.

"It's okay." I dismissed.

"I'm really feeling out of it. I'm going to go back to sleep, hopefully I'll feel better in the morning." She said, walking past me without another word.

Samantha and the kids were coming down the stairs when Harriet walked into her room. They all stopped when they saw me.

"Is the intruder taken care of?" Samantha asked. "What happened you look like you saw a ghost." She added.

I cleared my throat, gaining my composure from that scary experience.

"Everything is fine, kids get back into bed, I'm sorry for the false alarm." They all nodded sleepily before heading back up the stairs. Alize was carrying Adriel, who was already back to sleep.

"Scarlet-"

I looked back at Sam. She eyed me weirdly, furrowing her bushy eyebrows, and she looked at me for an answer.

"There's no intruder, It was Harriet."

Sam finished coming down the stairs. "Harriet? What was she doing up at this time? And why do you look so on edge?" She asked.

I looked down the hallway where Harriet's room is located before turning back to Sammie.

"There's something wrong with Harriet." I told her in a hushed voice, keeping it down so Harriet wouldn't hear me.

Samantha cocked her head. "What? Of course there is, she's sick. That's not news-"

"-No. NO." I stopped her from continuing and shook my head. I met Samantha's eyes, keeping my expression serious. "There is something really wrong with her."

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