SnowStormNinja24

            The bank people leave a stack of papers for our review. We don't understand a word.              "Read it out loud," Father says.            We read it out loud. We still don't understand it, but we hear, from beneath the house, a creaking, and then, as we read the last words, the wail of something starved and lonely. We drop the papers. The wailing stops.            Father decides the youngest one must go down to see what it is. She pales when she hears this, her bright red hair frizzing around her face. "I- I don't-" she stammers. Father points at the back door, and she leaves, her body stiff and her steps weighted.      

            The bank people leave a stack of papers for our review. We don't understand a word.              "Read it out loud," Father says.            We read it out loud. We still don't understand it, but we hear, from beneath the house, a creaking, and then, as we read the last words, the wail of something starved and lonely. We drop the papers. The wailing stops.            Father decides the youngest one must go down to see what it is. She pales when she hears this, her bright red hair frizzing around her face. "I- I don't-" she stammers. Father points at the back door, and she leaves, her body stiff and her steps weighted.      

Mini sentries stand guard tiny tails twitch-twitching noses sniff-sniffing ears pricked for danger eyes bright like stars scan the sky watch for the dangerous birds that fly above A shadow wings spread wide swoops across the plains beady eyes search for prey sharp talons gleaming in the sunlight A single call echoed by many prairie dogs vanish like ghosts in the night hidden in their burrows safe beneath the ground The hawk circles once twice lets out a sharp Creeeeeee! and flies away Far below a prairie dog brown head dusted with soil pops out looks around Chirp! Chirp! it's safe to come out.