9781422288177

1

A WAKE

T he soft scent of spring rose up from the gently swishing grasses. Stretched low so his belly nearly brushed the ground, Rupert loped through the open field. His heart pounded out the rhythm of his steps, sending blood roaring through his body, pulsing in every vein, enlivening each muscle as it rippled with energy and power. He gripped the dirt with his paws and threw it behind him, feeling his muscles working in mighty bursts, sending the plain rolling out beneath him as he ran. The grasses stung his face with their sharp edges and whistled in his ears, urging him forward, whispering for him to run faster, faster through the limitless expanse of open field. The warm sun sliced through the window and melted across Kayla’s bed. Rupert’s sleek body slowed. He looked around the bright meadow and sniffed the yellow air. His tongue lolled in a happy pant and he turned to look at Kayla, beckoning her to follow. She wanted to run as well, but the picture faded as the morning sun filled Kayla’s sleepy eyes. Coaxed awake by the gently spreading heat, Kayla lay motionless beneath her colorful patchwork quilt and prayed for another hour of sleep. This was the best part of the day, because for a few moments Kayla could lie in perfect comfort, satu- rated by the sun’s early rays, suspended somewhere between asleep and awake. The last of Kayla’s dream spun away as the sound of squeaking faucets and gurgling water rushed into her ears. She listened to the water churning against the porcelain basin, and a wave of sadness

11