A Shadow in the Desert

Chapter Seven

Laurel jerked awake. Looking over to where Satdo lay in the corner, she could see that he too was fully alert. He held his head high as if searching the air for an unfamiliar sound or smell - then she caught it too. It was so far away and muffled that it took a great deal of concentration to be sure she was hearing anything.

Sirens, multiple sirens screaming out on the distant highway. She had never heard sirens reach her house from the main route before. She attributed hearing them now to the sheer number of emergency vehicles that must have been streaming by.

"It's okay, just some high pitched noise."

Satdo looked over at her with his brown button eyes and began to relax. He didn't fully understand the shrill sound, but it unnerved him just the same. Laurel had spent her time off tending dutifully to her new boarder. He was growing stronger each day and his appetite was improving as well. She encouraged him to walk around the small house so he could acquaint himself with his new home. She was intrigued with the effort he put into it by sniffing everything his nose came in contact with.

"I wish I knew what your nose is telling you," Laurel quipped. "I had no idea this place was so interesting."

Satdo was unrelenting in his search for what he sensed was there. The acrid smell immersed itself into the floorboards and rugs, but the person who brought it in, was nowhere to be found.

"Let's take a walk. It's such a beautiful afternoon, it'll be good for both of us to fill our lungs with fresh autumn air," She slipped the horse lead around his neck. "I really have to get you a proper collar and leash," she said apologetically.

As she slowly led him down the porch steps, Satdo jerked forward causing him to yelp.

"Hey, take it easy," she soothed as she bent over to run her hand down his back. "Where's the fire?"

"Actually, it's on the other side of Eden."

"Oh!" she gasped as she stood up to find Tom, Dr. Patterson's assistant, standing by the corner of the house.

"You startled me."

Satdo growled and gave a loud deep bark, warning him to take a step back.

"It's okay Satdo, you remember Tom don't you?"

Satdo raised his head higher, lifting his nose into the air and sniffing.

"Satdo? I thought his name was Clancy," Tom said, sounding confused.

Laurel tried to smile, although she was still shaken by his sudden appearance.

"A new life deserves a new name. What brings you off the beaten path to my house?"

"Oh, I just wanted to check on Clancy, I mean Satdo. I pass by here on my way to work."

Laurel nodded, then she too began to sniff the air. "Is that smoke I smell?"

"Yeah, there's a forest fire about fifteen miles on the other side of Eden."

"So that's why there were so many sirens earlier. Satdo and I heard them from here."

"It's the third fire in two months. We had such a dry winter last year and that usually leads to more fires, but this many is unusual. Unfortunately, it's burning close to the outlying ranches and even to the town itself. It doesn't look like they're going to get it under control before the winds come up. This could be a bad one."

Laurel shook her head. "How do these fires start? There hasn't been any lightening."

"No, probably a spark from an ATV or motorcycle. The dry winter and unusually hot summer have created the perfect storm so to speak. It's too bad, a lot of beautiful land is getting burned."

Satdo began to growl again. He tucked his tail down and gave another deep bark.

"Well, I better get him back inside to rest. Thanks for stopping by. Tell Dr. Patterson he's doing great and that we'll see him next week."

"Will do. Bye."

Laurel moved faster than she normally would given Satdo's injury, but she had been spooked by Tom's sudden appearance and the news of the fire. Satdo, too seemed to be on edge.

*

By the time Laurel started to cook dinner, smoke had rushed in and settled over her house and the surrounding area like a deep, imposing fog. It pressed against the windows and obliterated the landscape, swallowing it up in its gray folds. Periodically she and Satdo could hear the sirens break through the eerie silence that had settled in with the bitter smoke.

"It's going to be a long night for those fire fighters," she told him.

Satdo made some grumbling sounds and stretched out by the doorway to keep watch for the danger that he knew came with the fire.