"Look, Mom. My piddle puddle is smoking!" I said proudly. "And have you noticed these strange droppings?"

The car-house picked up speed as it rolled toward the blinding whiteness. As we zoomed in, the grid lines on the ground began to show.

The car-house picked up speed as it rolled toward the blinding whiteness. As we zoomed in, the grid lines on the ground began to show.

Even the raindrops were prickly, as if it were raining wasps. Beside the trail, the bristle bushes bloomed with food wrappers and underpants

"Imagine that! A truck stop! Who does she think she’s talking to?" Mom pulled the seat leash across her chest like a diva cape.

"Imagine that! A truck stop! Who does she think she’s talking to?" Mom pulled the seat leash across her chest like a diva cape.

"Sheesh, there's absolutely nothing here," Mom narrated. "There have got to be trails around here somewhere."

"Sheesh, there's absolutely nothing here," Mom narrated. "There have got to be trails around here somewhere."

Mom splashed out of the bushes and opened the door. I took a flying leap inside and shook the wet from my fur into the blanket. Mom humphed

I took a flying leap inside and shook the wet from my fur into the blanket. Mom humphed onto the bed beside me and peeled off her wet socks.

Mystery drew me forward until the rocks spread in a wide circle. I followed the rocks' instructions and stopped in the center of the henge.

Mystery drew me forward until the rocks spread in a wide circle. I followed the rocks' instructions and stopped in the center of the henge.

The trail turned shiny as a mirror and the river turned to stucco as we ran. I squinted to keep the rain out of my eyes as the world outside

This looks more... residential. Like the sort of place where people live when they aren't allowed within a thousand feet of a school or play

The trail turned shiny as a mirror and the river turned to stucco as we ran. I squinted to keep the rain out of my eyes as the world outside

This looks more... residential Like the sort of place where people live when they aren't allowed within a thousand feet of a school or playg

The leash may have been gone, but the bond we'd built over so many thousands of miles could never be unhitched. When Mom let me off the lea

The leash may have been gone, but the bond we'd built over so many thousands of miles could never be unhitched. When Mom let me off the lea

The little cove wasn’t a bad place to be shipwrecked. The cliffs shielded the beach from view so passing ship would never see you burying yo

The little cove wasn’t a bad place to be shipwrecked. The cliffs shielded the beach from view so passing ship would never see you burying yo