Future Ghosts • TWD

73. Don't Be Like Daddy.

Rosie was sitting on the porch, reading the book she took from Sam's room; A Dinosaur Named Sue: The Find of the Century, by Fay Robinson. It was very interesting. She hoped that someday, they'd come across a museum, and she'd be able to see an entire dinosaur skeleton fossil in person. She'd never been to any museums before. Her class went to one in second grade, but her dad never signed the permission slip, so Rosie had to stay back at school and memorize her times tables instead.

Upon hearing footsteps padding on the sidewalk, coming closer, Rosie looked up from her book. Unfortunately, it was Sam coming up to the porch. "Hi," Sam said, stopping a few feet away from the porch step that Rosie was sitting on. "Is Ian here?" he asked.

"He's prob'ly decoratin' his and Carl's room," Rosie answered, looking back down at her book. Rick had finally come to trust this place and these people enough to split up the houses, which meant that they were given bedrooms. Carl and Ian were sharing one of the bigger bedrooms upstairs, and Rosie was stuck in one of the smaller bedrooms all by herself. It'd be a miracle if she was able to fall asleep in there. She could barely sleep when she was surrounded by her family, but now she was going to be all alone in that room, making it ten times more difficult.

"Do you know when he'll be done?" Sam asked. Rosie shrugged, not looking up from her book. After a moment, Sam sat down on the porch step next to Rosie, and she wanted to punch him. "Your dad came over looking for you yesterday. He seemed really mad. Did you get in trouble? What'd you do?" Sam asked, poking a twig between the board of wood.

"Ain't your business," Rosie spat. Sam sighed and tossed the stick away. He leaned closer, looking over Rosie's shoulder at the book she was reading. Rosie scooted herself further away from him.

"Hey, I have that book, too," Sam said. Rosie fought the urge to roll her eyes, because, no, he didn't have that book anymore. "It was boring, though."

"No, it's not," Rosie disagreed, giving him the most judgmental look she could muster up.

"Yeah, it is. It's not a cool story, it's basically about digging up rocks," Sam argued.

"It's about how they found one of the best T. rex fossils ever discovered. How is that boring?" Rosie retorted, putting the book down and scrunching her face up.

"It's boring," Sam insisted. Rosie fought the urge to argue with him some more, and took a deep breath. "Where's Ian's room? Can I go get him?" Sam asked, changing the subject.

"No," Rosie decided, just to make him mad. She stood up, taking the book with her. "I'll go get him."

"Fine," Sam huffed out.

With that, Rosie rolled her eyes and swung open the front door, slamming it shut behind her. She made her way through the house, even though she didn't really like being in it, and ventured up the stairs. It felt so weird living in a huge house like this one. It was like a hotel, with how many bedrooms there were. Her bedroom was at the tail end of the upstairs hallway, and Ian's and Carl's was one room over.

"Ian!" Rosie called out as she reached the top of the staircase.

"What?!" Ian shouted back.

"Sam's lookin' for you!"

"I can't hear you!"

"Sam's lookin' for-!"

"Just come here!" it was Carl's voice this time, yelling. Rosie let out a frustrated groan and dragged herself down the hallway, to Ian and Carl's room. When she reached their bedroom, she could see that door was wide open, so it annoyed her even more that they couldn't hear her yelling. "What'd you say?" Carl asked when she stopped in the doorway.