“Mom! Guess what!” I wagged. “You’ll never guess who I just chased! He was extra fluffy and—“

“Mom! Guess what!” I wagged. “You’ll never guess who I just chased! He was extra fluffy and—“

The kaleidoscope of trees and moss fell into a pattern that made sense. “I’ve been here before!” I wagged.

The kaleidoscope of trees and moss fell into a pattern that made sense. “I’ve been here before!” I wagged.

I looked back at the bite mark and my body went cold. A something was flapping just beyond the edge of it...

“No, Mom!” I said with a subtle pull on the leash. “It’s a trap! He’s trying to dognap you!”

“The part where you don’t know how it’s going to end is the funnest part of any story,” I agreed. 

The crowd went silent as everyone held their breath. The only noise on the farm was the chicka-chicka-chick of maracas. The squiggle snarled

The crowd went silent as everyone held their breath. The only noise on the farm was the chicka-chicka-chick of maracas. The squiggle snarled

Screams filled the inside of the mailman van as the ghosts of all the dogless families he'd eaten rattled the bars.

Screams filled the inside of the mailman van as the ghosts of all the dogless families he'd eaten rattled the bars.

"Oh my dog! It's the shoopacabra!" I barked. "Let's get him!" I leaned hard into the leash and ordered him to run.

"Oh my dog! It's the shoopacabra!" I barked. "Let's get him!" I leaned hard into the leash and ordered him to run.

I couldn't tell if it was nature or civilization calling her back, just that Mom was accepting the call.

I couldn't tell if it was nature or civilization calling her back, just that Mom was accepting the call.

"Why would there be a parking lot if there were nothing to see? People who drive sedans don't go up a dirt road for nothing."

"Why would there be a parking lot if there were nothing to see? People who drive sedans don't go up a dirt road for nothing."

The monster halted and let out a screech like a carrion bird. Then it backed up for a closer look.

The monster halted and let out a screech like a carrion bird. Then it backed up for a closer look.

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