A Shadow in the Desert

Chapter One

The desert lay silent as it stretched out in the early morning haze. Shadowed by the hills and mountains, the high country stood wild and rugged in defiance of the humans who, for hundreds of years had tried to force conformity from its soul. The shadows slowly elongated while the sun climbed higher bringing the temperature with it. A slight film of dust rose from the cracked ground, pushed into the air by the first breath of the new day. A squirrel ran across the parched soil and was hidden by a misshapen dark stain being eagerly sucked up by the thirsty earth. Stillness filled the seamless sky, disturbed only when a hawk took flight, flapping his broad wings and pushing himself higher as he looked for a breeze to give him lift. Finding it, he made a tight circle and took in the carnage that lay below. Face down in a pool of blood, lay the body of a man. He was stretched out in a frozen pose, his hands bent as if trying to claw his way forward. A few feet behind him also face down and turned in the other direction, lay the lifeless body of a young boy. He appeared to be cut down while running back towards the tent that sprung up like a colorful flower, foreign to its surroundings. Several yards in front of the man, partially hidden by the sagebrush, lay the body of another small boy. He had been moving towards the man when he too, met the same fate as the others.

Suddenly, the squirrel dashed out from the blood-soaked area on the ground just as the hawk dove. He grabbed it up in his sharp talons as a high pitched squeak pierced the still air.

Silence once again stretched out and the day progressed as it had from its beginning, pliable only to natures touch. The desert moved forward, its harsh existence the only reality.

*

Laurel stood at the kitchen window scanning the desert landscape that spilled out for miles, stopping only when it met with the abrupt eruption of the Sierras. From her vantage, she was too close to see the peaks of the giant mountain range. What filled her view instead were grayish rock walls and deep purple folds with large patches of dark green pines running up the sides. This morning Laurel wasn't focusing on the mountains, she was looking between the blue-green sage and the bright yellow rabbitbrush near her house in search of any movement.

Wearing a pair of baggy boxers and a camouflage-patterned Red Cross tee, she shifted from one foot to the other, as the cold ceramic tiles sent a chill up her bare legs. Shifting back to the other foot, she felt an involuntary shudder run through her slight frame. Giving a sigh, she was about to turn away when she caught a glimpse of what she had been looking for.

"There you are! Come and get it, breakfast is served."

The tan and black dog limped slowly towards the house. He held his head low and moved slowly, with what looked to Laurel to be a great purpose.

*

Two days earlier, she had seen him out in back laying in the shade of what she guessed was once an old shed. His thigh was matted with blood and the poor thing looked lost and hungry. When she went out to see him, he jumped up with a yelp and took off. She set a pan of water near where he had been and went to the general store to get some canned dog food.

When she got back, she put the food in a dish and set it near the water bowl which she noticed was almost empty. She felt the ground where the grass had been pressed down by the dog's weight and noted it was warm. He's probably too sore and weak to make it down to the river to drink. She gave him fresh water, filling it all the way to the top and went in to get ready for her twelve-hour shift at Sage Mont Hospital where she worked the night shift as an RN.

*

This morning he was back and Laurel could see he was in bad shape. He's staying close to the shed. I have to get him to the vet or he isn't going to make it.

She watched as he sniffed at the food, then lay down without touching it. Until now, Laurel hadn't been able to get closer than five feet before he moved off. Knowing she had to try again, she threw on a pair of Levi's and low top hikers then grabbed the horse lead she had found when she moved in and exited through the front door. She rounded the corner, noticing that the dog didn't lift his head as he usually did. She spoke in a soft, soothing voice reassuring him that she meant no harm.

"I'm the one feeding you. I'm your friend," she coaxed. "Come on fella, let me help you. I know how scared you are."

Surprised when he didn't move, Laurel bent down and put the back of her hand up to his snout so he could smell her. She noticed his nose was dry and warm as she gently ran her hand over the top of his head and continued to talk softly. She slipped the lead around his neck, carefully pulling him to his feet. Slowly walking him to the Subaru, Laurel realized he wasn't going to be able to jump up onto the back seat, instead; he laid down by the car door panting heavily

"Now what?" she mused out loud.

She could see that he was too weak to run off, so leaving him where he rested, she went to look for something in the detached garage that might help her boost him into the car.

Particles of dust floated on the shafts of light breaking through the slates in the walls. The musty air made her sneeze several times as she made her way to the back, where she found some planks of wood about two feet wide resting against the wall.

She carried a piece of wood to her car and set it against the back seat, creating a ramp for the dog to walk up.

Now she was able to look over his wound for the first time. She could see an oozing marble sized hole in his upper thigh..

"Oh, no, someone shot you!"

Quickly shutting the door, Laurel got in, turned the key and took off in a hurry, speeding down the dirt driveway as the car sent clouds of dust into the air.