Stand

Stand

I glance back at my human, wagging my tail, trying to encourage her, as she struggles to catch up, “Hey! Slow down!” She calls up to me as I bound ahead,catching sight of the camp site.

By time we finish setting up, the sun has set and the moon shines in the dark folds of the sky. My human starts a fire, and I lie my head down against the rolling heatwaves glad for the warmth eating away at the cold January air up in the backwoods of Vermont. Soon though, I smell the foul scent of ale and my ears pick up a rustling in the bushes. A huge, gruff looking man emerges. He starts yelling for us to hand over our expensive tents and backpacks, and I bare my teeth. Then, my nose detects the metallic scent of a bear trap off trail.

I bark at him and chase him into the trap and he lumbers towards me. He soon steps in the trap and gets snared in the heavy metal springs. Then my human and I hurry back to our car, she gives me a big hug while she silently cries, and then we drive home.