“The one currently baking in the sun in your car,” Sarika grinned.
“We wouldn’t kill the mouse,” Landon said, after glaring at Sarika. “You can totally build a trap that catches them alive. I used to put little wooden ramps on deep, glass aquariums when I was a kid to catch chipmunks and mice in my parents’ old yard. They hop in and can’t get out. We’d keep them for a day or two, feed them and stuff.”
Leila smiled.
“You’re cute. That’s cute,” Leila said, and then blinked, looking over at Sarika. Sarika’s mouth was a thin line and her eyes were tired.
“Gross,” she said. “The two of you. Just gross.”
“Sorry,” Leila said, laughing. “Okay. Mouse trap.”
“Mouse trap.” Landon nodded.
“And what if that doesn’t work?” Sarika asked. “Like, don’t you think the people researching the area already tried this?”
“Well, that’s what we’ve got.” Leila shrugged. “Bring the dead mouse to the expert, try to catch a live one. I don’t have much else here.”
A bloom of anxiety rushed up through Leila, and panic threatened to take over. What else could they do? What else could they possibly do?
“Hey.” Sarika reached out. “We’ll try. Right? That’s all we can do.”
Leila exhaled.
“Let’s go.”
THREAD: PROVIDING ENDANGERED ANIMAL EVIDENCE (HELP?)
SUBFORUM: PHILADELPHIA
PROVIDING ENDANGERED ANIMAL EVIDENCE (HELP?)
Posted by A Dash of Paprika
AUGUST 27th, 2017 | 5:02PM
Hey all! One of the key things we need to do in the next few days is dig up some evidence that endangered animals exist around the mansion, the gardens, and the grove. WithouttheY and I are looking for a mouse, because that’s the hardest animal to find.
Anyone have any tips? Toothless suggested building a live trap. It’s a Southeastern Pennsylvania, field mouse, if that helps. We have evidence that they live in the park, but a live one will really help us prove our point, it seems.
RE: PROVIDING ENDANGERED ANIMAL EVIDENCE (HELP?)
Posted by Dr. Cordova
AUGUST 27th, 2017 | 6:09PM
Hey, Paprika. I have a Google Alert set up for that mouse, as my life is very exciting, and a friend in University City mentioned seeing evidence of one come through her vet office, but I couldn’t get a comment on it from anyone. I’m sending you a DM.
RE: PROVIDING ENDANGERED ANIMAL EVIDENCE (HELP?)
Posted by A Dash of Paprika
AUGUST 27th, 2017 | 6:17PM
OH MY GOD WHAT REALLY. I’LL MESSAGE YOU NOW! THANK YOU!
RE: PROVIDING ENDANGERED ANIMAL EVIDENCE (HELP?)
Posted by JessicaLa99
AUGUST 27th, 2017 | 7:00PM
Enjoy your shitty building and old-ass trees while you can. Tick tock.
RE: PROVIDING ENDANGERED ANIMAL EVIDENCE (HELP?)
Posted by A Dash of Paprika
AUGUST 27th, 2017 | 7:15PM
You know what, I’m not even going to ban you this time. I’ve sent you a photo of a dumpster on fire. That’s you. You’re a dumpster fire of a person.
ECO-ACTIVISTS MESSAGE BOARD: PERSONAL MESSAGES [USER: WITHOUTTHEY]
FROM
SUBJECT
DATE
DR. CORDOVA
ABOUT THAT MOUSE Hi Paprika, hi WithouttheY,
When you started sounding off about the possible endangered mouse in the region, I picked up on it right away.
My team of conservationists and I at the Academy of Natural Sciences have been monitoring the endangered and at-risk animals in the park for some time now, and anything posing a risk to areas that they call home is of course the subject of immediate concern.
What evidence do you have that the mice are in the park?
8/27
WITHOUTTHEY
RE: ABOUT THAT MOUSE
Hi Dr. Cordova!
We’re so happy to hear from you but, well, the evidence we have is a dead mouse, unfortunately.
8/27
A DASH OF PAPRIKA
RE: ABOUT THAT MOUSE
Our friend’s owl ate it and threw it up, and there was poison on it.
8/27
DR. CORDOVA
RE: ABOUT THAT MOUSE
I’m less weirded out about the owl and the friend who owns one, than I am about the poison. You’re sure?
8/27
WITHOUTTHEY
RE: ABOUT THAT MOUSE
Positive. It almost killed his owl. He’ll pull through. The owl. The friend, too.
8/27
DR. CORDOVA
RE: ABOUT THAT MOUSE
That’s good, on all accounts. The poison though, that’s worrisome, especially in that area. There shouldn’t be any poison anywhere near those grounds.
We want to see whatever is left of that mouse, and if you find anything in the woods over the next day like you’re planning, swing by immediately. I’ll get a team ready to come out to investigate and see if we can halt the construction over the next few days. You can drop off the remains tonight; I’m staying here late, if you’re available.
It’s the Thomas Mansion area, yes? Just confirming.
8/27
WITHOUTTHEY
RE: ABOUT THAT MOUSE
This is amazing news, thank you Dr. Cordova!
And yes, the Thomas Mansion. There’s a garden in the back, and through that, you’ll find the path to the big grove with the old trees.
8/27
A DASH OF PAPRIKA
RE: ABOUT THAT MOUSE
Yes, thank you! Just echoing what WithouttheY said. Happy to have you on our team. We’ll be right over.
8/27
XXIII
“Long day,” Landon said as his truck slowed down in front of Leila’s house, the little blue dot on his smartphone’s GPS stopping as they did. The truck still had the faint smell of decomposing, partially digested mouse, from when Sarika accidentally opened the container after hitting a bump on the drive to the museum.
“Are we really reduced to small talk already?” Leila asked, grinning.
“Ah, geez,” Landon mumbled, running his hand over the back of his head. He turned the key in the ignition, and his truck’s rumbling faded into the warm evening. “I’m just not the best at this, okay?” He smiled awkwardly and shrugged.
He reached over and put his hand on hers. She flinched, closing her hand, and then put it back, grabbing his. She felt a momentary push against what she wanted to do, a tension rising in her chest, and willed it to go away. Then she leaned over the middle of the car and kissed him on the cheek, his stubble scratching against her face.
She sat back, unbuckled her seatbelt, and pulled out her phone.
“Damn.”
“Is it bad?”
“It’s five-missed-calls bad.”
“Oof.” Landon opened his door, hopped out of the truck, and walked around the front. He looked at Leila through the large window, gave her a wink, and then opened the passenger-side door. “Well, after you.”
“What?” Leila asked, looking at him incredulously. “What are you doing?”
“Um, walking you to the door?” He shrugged and held out a hand.
Leila blushed and took it. Her hand felt small in his large, rough grip. She hopped out of the truck, stumbled a little on something in the road, and landed pressed up against Landon with her hands on his chest. She looked up and caught him smiling down at her, his teeth bright white, his eyes playful. Her feet shifted, and the noise of something crunching caused her to look down.
Leaves were scattered everywhere, deep enough to hide her feet, twigs and small branches all around her. She looked down the street and gasped.
“Now that is bad,” Landon said, his tone soft and afraid.
All the trees along the usually green street that Liz and Jon lived on were completely bare. The trees reached towards the sky, their empty branches like skeletons, empty of anything. The streets were full of leaves, all brown or faded yellow, crumbling away.
“Everything is dying,” Leila said.
“Not everything,” Landon said firmly. He turned to her and put his arms on her shoulders. “We’ve got time. We can fix this.”
Leila exhaled and grabbed Landon’s hand, pulling him along, tugging him toward the house.