Animals
Jake woke in the middle of the night with his heart pounding. Something had startled him out of a dream. What was it?
He strained his eyes to see in the dark. A beam of moonlight shone through the skylight, allowing him to to see the outline of the other bunk bed. His younger sister Sierra's breathing was the only sound in the bunkhouse. Had he heard his parents moving around in the main cabin? He didn't think so.
Then he heard the noise again. Howling.
Jeffrey looked at the blank page. It glared back. His ideas came slowly, and he found himself sketching a round-bellied, long-armed sloth. "Focus on the words," Jeffrey muttered to himself. "Just forget about the words," whispered a voice. Jeffrey looked around, his eyes wide. "Who said that?"
One of the private-school boys grabs hold of his buddy's arm. "Let's get outta here," he says. "See the fangs on that monster? And the way his ears are sticking up?"
I don't like him calling Smokey a monster. If Smokey's baring his fangs, it's because he's on the alert.
I head for the cash. I feel like Smokey needs me. Like I understand him in a way no one else does.
