“Wait here.” She held up her hand in the stay sign. She kept her hand up as she disappeared beneath it. Finally, Mom pulled the hand out of sight so she could use it to hang onto the next rock.

“Drop the potato chips and no one gets hurt!” I barked, refusing the empty paw.

“Don’t you dare take off!” Mom hissed, hooking her frozen claws around my collar and trapping me for monster meat.

When we dismounted, Mom hid behind the beak of her hat so that no one else in the car kennel could pick her out in a line-up.

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

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