Barbara Kay Hebert

‍ Joshua pressed his nose against the chilly cabin window. His hazel eyes moved swiftly back and forth surveying the great outdoors. The golden sun slowly disappeared behind a distant mountain.

‍    Shaking his head, Joshua walked over to the kitchen table. There lay a camouflage backpack with the price still attached. The excitement over their first father and son vacation can make one forget. He rummaged through the bag pulling out a box of matches and lit the nearby lantern.

‍    “Well, Punkin, it’s just you and me now,” Joshua said, reaching down to pet his faithful friend. She was an orange petite Pomeranian given to him last Christmas. Punkin licked his fingers and danced around in circles wanting attention.

‍    Trying hard to hold back tears, Joshua sensed something was wrong. Realizing he was all alone made it worse. He must clear his head and think fast.

‍    His dad had gone out for some firewood, and said, “Josh, I’ll be back soon to start the wood stove. Stay put. Okay? We’re going to have a great time. You’ll see!” Recalling that, made a tear escape and roll down his cheek. He hastily wiped it away.

‍    Looking down at his watch once again, he couldn’t help thinking it had been the longest two hours he ever waited. Even waiting to open Christmas presents was easier than this! An hour and a half ago, he worried about eating and getting warm. Now, all he cared about was his dad. Picking up his cell phone from the nearby table that was only for emergencies, he tried calling his dad but the call wouldn’t go through. They were too far out into the woods with no reception available.

‍    Joshua knew the only thing to do was to go search for his dad. After putting on his brown hooded jacket, he grabbed the backpack making sure all the items were there: a rope, first-aid kit, flashlight, compass and blanket. He took out the flashlight, pocketed the compass, zipped up the backpack and headed for the door. The only thing lacking was courage, but he didn’t have time to think about that.

‍    As Joshua opened the door, the night air hit his face like a splash of icy water. “Come on, Punkin,”  he called. She raced over to him with her tail rapidly wagging. Before locking the door, he patted his pocket and heard the jingle of keys. He slowly closed the door knowing he was leaving safety behind.

‍    Joshua switched on the flashlight and carefully made his way down the flight of stairs. After reaching into his pocket for the compass, he checked the needle and then returned it. The full moon and twinkling stars helped light up the darkness.

‍    Off to the right, Joshua noticed a cleared path. He knew his dad would have taken it, for he always said, “One should never wander off a path into the unknown.” He gradually made his way toward the path with Punkin tagging close to his heels. 

‍    As they entered the thick woods, the moonlight didn’t appear as bright anymore. The flashlight shown a narrow beam making him feel like a horse with blinders on. Punkin gave one of her low barks, stood on her hind legs and pawed at his knees. “It’s okay, Punkin, I’m scared too,” he whispered, scooping her up in his arms.

‍    Searching his way through the night, felt like an eternity. Joshua knew he must not give up even though he felt like bolting back to the cabin. He forged on, carefully taking each step. Suddenly, a loud, “Whoo, whoo,” and a flutter of wings broke his concentration. He jumped back squeezing Punkin closer to him.

‍   “Oh, Punkin, it’s only an owl,” he said relieved. “We must go on,” he added, trying to encourage himself. He continued following the narrow beam of light.

‍   “Dad? Dad? It’s Josh!” He shouted, desperately hoping for a reply.

‍    Unexpectedly, two glowing eyes ahead pierced the darkness. Startled once again and almost dropping Punkin, Joshua froze. Punkin began to bark ferociously sensing danger. He got a glimpse of a cougar bounding off into the darkness sending shivers down his spine.

‍    “Help! I’m down here!” shouted from nowhere. Joshua immediately recognized his dad’s voice.

‍    “Dad, where are you? Are you okay?” Joshua yelled back.

‍    “Yes, I’m okay, son. Watch your step! There’s a large pit nearby,” shouted Dad.

‍    Joshua found the pit and took the rope out of the backpack. He tied one end to a tree and tossed the other end down. “Grab the rope, Dad,” he urged, aiming the flashlight.

‍    As his dad climbed out, Punkin barked and wagged her tail wildly. Joshua grinned ear to ear. They immediately hugged one another.

‍    “Dad, what happened?” questioned Joshua.

‍    “Well, son, I fell into this pit, because I didn’t take the flashlight with me. I thought I’d be back before dark. See there, I make mistakes too,” explained Dad.

‍    “Oh, Dad,” replied Joshua, squeezing him tightly.