“Here” was trees and a cold breeze and big looming hills and wet, muddy ground. Maggie Rose opened the door, and I jumped out and drank in the odors. The car bumped a few times and then stopped. I felt I was being told something very important, and hoped it had to do with bacon.

“Okay, Lily, you need to be on your very best behavior. “Once he meets Lily, he’ll realize he needs a dog for sure!” My girl was quiet for a moment, then brightened.

“Oh, I’ve mentioned it before,” Dad replied. Martin to come down to Mom’s rescue and get a new dog!” So we have to love them while we have them, don’t we?” “I hate hearing that,” she mumbled.ĭad nodded. She hugged me tightly and put her face in the fur on the back of my neck. But it had to be put to sleep last spring.” “Does he at least have a dog?”ĭad smiled sadly. “He used to be a pilot, so he spent his life in airports and big cities all over the world. “I think that’s the point.” Dad chuckled. Martin live way up here?” Maggie Rose asked. They looked ready to stand there all day. Dogs can always think of something fun to do, even on a rock. I looked, but there were no dogs and no squirrels, just a lot of big animals with curly horns on their heads, standing around on a big rock as if they were stuck. “Bighorn sheep!” Maggie Rose exclaimed, pointing out the window. “The air’s thinner up here, and it can’t hold the heat.” “That’s because we’re so high up,” Dad explained. “It’s funny, it was so warm at home and it’s so cold here.” Maggie Rose leaned forward to speak to Dad. Her skin smelled sweet, with another odor I thought of as “soft.” Her lap was a sweet, soft place. They told my nose that our car ride was taking us to a place called “Up in the Mountains.”ĭad was in the front seat of the car, and I was in the back with my girl, Maggie Rose. The smells coming in through the open window of the car were cool and clean.

Lily to the Rescue by W. Bruce Cameron