by Zac Dunn The hummingbirds and black flies were swarming in the back yard. It had been a typically fierce winter. But the ice had almost receded and the base would swing back to life. The little one who shall here forward be referred to as ROO, had just finished eating salmon with mac n’ cheese. Her mom removed her from her booster and placed her facing the back door. The spring breeze in the kitchen drew ROO to wander in the backyard. The family homes on the base were adjacent to a wide open sprawl. ROO loved to put her small feet in the soft green blanket just a few steps off the cold stone slab step from the porch. She looked up and saw a mighty hawk circling the field behind their yard. She pulled a deep breath of unctuousness thawing decay into her wee lungs. She made haste pushing herself forward toward the perimeter of the yard. She could hear and smell something curious. It smelled like an old shoe and a fish had a baby but made cheese instead. It intrigued her so much as she cautiously edged toward the rose bushes her mom had trimmed the day before. No. 120 A heavy sound moved slowly toward her. It felt so large and yet so calm. It bumped her ever so softly with the moist tip of its nose. She smiled and put her wide open paw squarely on its nose and took a long slow breath in unison with the great creature. This was the moment the MOM stepped out the back door to see ROO 30 paces ahead at the edge of the garden. Her right hand touching the nose of the female moose. The MOM froze in pure stasis for but an instant. She pressed with every ounce she possessed and rushed from the stoop directly charging at ROO and the moose. The creature could only faintly see the blue and white blur charging toward her and the strange wee creature. Being humongous, it felt no fear or hostility, but simply stepped back from the tiny warm hand, turning left then proceeding back to the creek for a drink. The MOM swooped up ROO tight in her arms and burst into tears. She promised to never, ever put her down again. Sadly she would betray these words unwittingly all too soon. It had been a bad run for her and JOHN. They'd met while he was NEXT MARS, LOST
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