Dive In

Chapter 4

Ella was out in the backyard, picking raspberries when Landon returned. A girl who Ella assumed was his little sister bounced along behind him, humming a foreign tune. Derek was towards the back of the property playing with Topher, but as soon as he heard Landon call out a greeting he came running up the path. Landon's sister looked like a smaller, more feminine version of him. Her sheer blond hair hung long and straight all the way down to her waist. Her eyes were the same startling blue and her skin was even paler then Landon's. She was tall and skinny, easily towering over Ella. She frowned, even little girls were taller then her. Maybe she'd just had her growth spurt or something.

"Hey Ella," said Landon in a sing song voice, "Derek. This is my little sister, Brittany."

"Hi! Nice to meet you!" her voice sounding like a bubbling brook.

"So whatcha up to?" asked Landon, giving his sister a shove towards Derek and Topher.

"Picking raspberries. I was going to make a desert," said Ella, digging deep into the bush to find the juiciest, ripest berries.

"For me? You shouldn't have," he joked. 

"Where's your aunt?" asked Landon, picking a berry and popping it into his mouth.

"Still in town. She called to say something came up at the station and she'll be staying there late, possible overnight," said Ella, swatting Landon's hand away from her bucket. She almost had enough raspberries now.

"Station...?" asked Landon cluelessly.

"Oh, she's a park ranger of sorts. She specializes in tracking and arresting poachers," said Ella, going back up the path to the cabin.

"Cool. Your not worried about inviting some strange boy over to your house when no ones home?" he asked, holding the cabin door open.

"Nope. I can take care of myself," Ella grinned, pulling up her sundress to reveal the hunting knife still firmly fastened to her leg. After getting back from her adventure with Landon she decided to keep the knife on her at all times. The majority of her summer clothes were flowing dresses and skirts, so she thought it would be easy to conceal. As long as her aunt didn't notice one of her knifes was missing, Ella wouldn't mind having the extra protection. She may not know how to use the knife, but having it was better then nothing.

"You... You've had that all day, haven't you?" he frowned.

"Yeah. Can't blame a girl though, can you?" said Ella as she ran water over the berries.

"Well... No. While we're being honest about weapons concealed on our person, I have a few of my own," said Landon, digging into the pockets of his cargo shorts. Ella held her breath for a moment, then laughed with relief when Landon pulled out some foam Nerf gun bullets.

"See, totally deadly," he joked, sticking the suction cup end to her forehead.

"Yes, way more dangerous then my knife," Ella rolled her eyes. She finished washing the berries and stored them in the fridge for later.

"So what's for desert?" asked Landon, removing the Nerf bullet.

"Well I was going to make a raspberry cheesecake, but since Maria isn't back with the groceries we'll have to settle for raspberries and crystallized ice cream from the back of the freezer. I hope you don't mind," she said.

"Beggars can't be choosers. It's better then canned peaches from the nineties," he shuddered.

"Really? You guys are camping, shouldn't you be having good stuff like s'mores and marshmallows?" laughed Ella, taking out the leftover chilli from the fridge.