text © 2019 by Kimberly Long Cockroft, art © 2019 by Daniel Powers
“Whoop!” Micah howls happily as he runs along the
trail. Ferns tickle our knees. Under the spreading branches
of a cedar tree, Micah jumps up and down. “Hey, Lena!”
he calls. “I think I saw a fairy! In there!” He points to a
clump of wet ferns.
I part the lacy leaves. A trail of slime shines on the
ground. “Nothing here except a gooey banana slug,” I say.
There are no fairies under the bridge we cross, only
gleaming mossy stones. There are no fairies in the red
columbine flowers either, only a tree frog with red sticky
toes. Then in the spruce trees, we glimpse something moving.
A deer! Mom raises her finger to her lips, but Micah shouts.
The deer springs away.
I sigh. Micah is too loud.