Page 88 of Havoc's Fox

~~~

After almost an hour of randomly following the sounds of the morning birds back and forth through the woods, Analise and Harley finally decided to cross the highway and go back toward the creek to see if there were any cranes over there. But they were far on the other side of Brandt’s property and had quite a walk to get back in the vicinity of the roads that led to Kaid’s and Brandt’s property. While walking along the highway to get back to the road that led from the highway through Kaid’s property, Analise saw several cars drive past. They all slowed a little and steered a little more toward the centerline when passing them, which was not only a safe thing to do, but it was considerate as well. Each of the drivers lifted a hand in a wave to Analise and Harley, and they waved back. It was just the way things worked in rural Louisiana. You passed someone on the road, you waved. But none of them were the old car from the previous day.

As they approached the place Kaid’s drive intersected with the highway, Analise began to hear a sound in the distance that seemed a little familiar. Deciding that it reminded her of slight screeching of the straining engine from the car that had behaved unusually the day before, she hurried Harley a little toward Kaid’s drive they could see up ahead. Just before they got there the sound stopped, almost like the car responsible for the noise had just been turned off. Analise hesitated, looking back toward town which was the direction the sound came from, but still no car came around the curve and the sound had stopped all together.

“Let’s see who can get to Kaid’s house first!” Analise said excitedly.

“I’ll win,” Harley said, and took off at a run.

Analise kept pace with her, while keeping a watchful eye out, but never did see anything.

They ran until they reached Kaid’s house, then slowed to a walk when Harley saw the bird houses and wanted to stop to see if anything living in them would come out and talk to her.

“Baby, I don’t think they’re going to come out and talk to you,” Analise said.

“They might. If we’re really quiet.”

“Well, we can try,” Analise said.

They sat quietly in Kaid’s front yard, not too far from the driveway and tried to make themselves invisible.

Kaid walked out on the porch with a coffee cup in hand and observed them for a little while. “I’m pretty sure that whatever you’re doing, is not working,” Kaid called out.

“Shhh!” Harley said, shushing Kaid.

Kaid’s brows rose in surprise, then he started laughing.

“We’re hoping that the birds will come out and talk to us,” Analise called softly. “We’re trying to be invisible so they’re not afraid.”

Kaid chuckled again. “Yeah, not working. Wild birds will not come out and talk to anybody. They’re pretending to be invisible themselves. And I can see you over there, so you’re not very invisible.”

“How do I get them to come out, then?” Harley asked, giving up sitting quietly on the ground and standing up to talk to Kaid.

“These birds come out in the afternoon. Tessa’s been feeding them in the afternoon, so if you want to see them, come back then. Even if she’s not here, they come out. I got some wild bird seed on the back porch. You can feed them and maybe even make friends with them if you want to.”

“Really?! Promise?”

“Yes, ma’am. I promise.”

Harley started doing her little dance and shrieking happily, while Analise laughed.

“I guess that means we’re coming back this afternoon?”

“Yes!” Harley said.

“Okay, then let’s get you back home so I can take care of a few things today and we’ll come back this afternoon.”

“Are you going to come back and get me?”

“I will,” Analise said.

“Okay! Let’s go tell Daddy!” Harley exclaimed.

They headed back down the drive with Harley chattering happily about being able to feed the birds that afternoon. Almost the exact moment they stepped onto the highway to run across, the sound of the whining engine started again. Analise grabbed Harley’s hand and they darted into the woods rather than running down the highway to the drive that would lead onto Brandt’s property.

“Why are we going in the woods?” Harley asked.

“I just thought maybe we’d see how fast we can make it through the woods.”