Shivers: A Ghastly Shade of Green

Chapter 9

Timmy started to cry.

"Tanna! I want Tanna! Mommy, Mommy," he whined.

I knew Timmy understood that I was afraid, so I tried to calm myself down. Then I reassured him softly.

"It's all right, Timmy," I said. "We'll find Tannin. He's just out chasing frogs or something. Mommy's not here right now, but she'll be back later. Come on, let's go find Tannin."

Holding hands, we walked down the dirt driveway calling our beagle's name.

No reply.

We even checked out along the paved road for several hundred yards.

Still no Tannin.

Back at the cabin, we both yelled and yelled.

""Taaaanin!" I shouted.

"Taaaanaa!" Timmy hollered.

There was only one place left to look, though I dreaded the thought of going there. But I knew I had no choice.

I would have to venture into the jungle, into the thick tropical forest of trees and shrubs and vines at the edge of the Everglades. Tannin must have wandered into the woods and become lost.

If I didn't go find him, he might never come home.

I took Timmy back inside the cabin, after he stopped briefly at the outhouse. At least he didn't have an accident. That's always so gross!

I gave him two more coloring books. I hoped they would keep him busy long enough for me to find Tannin.

"You stay right there, Timmy!" I ordered. "Do you understand? No matter what happens, you wait right in this cabin for me or Mom to come back."

Then I walked toward the jungle. My legs shook, I was so scared.

There was no path through this forest of tall, leafy trees and long, thick vines and round, prickly bushes. It was just a huge mass of green that spread out for miles and miles.

The heat was worse than ever now. The humidity seemed so high, the air seemed so damp, that it was hard to draw a full breath.

Turkey buzzards filled the sky, circling under the fierce sun.

I knew that I might stumble over all kinds of terrible creatures in the tropical forest: snakes and panthers and lizards.

I tried one last time to call for Tannin, desperately hoping he would come running out of the trees wagging his tail.

"Taaaaaaaaanin!" I screamed.

Still nothing. No barking. No wagging tail.

So I entered the jungle, step by careful step, determined to rescue our beloved beagle.

I had no idea where I was going. I wasn't sure I could find the way back. What if I got lost, too? What if I walked so deep into the jungle that I never found my way out?

The jungle forest was dark, and getting darker the deeper into it I walked. Only a few rays of sunshine poked through the heavy growth of green.

I had to push the broad leaves of palmetto and elephant ear plants out of my path, just to inch forward. Mosquitoes and flies and gnats buzzed around my head. Sweat poured off my brow.

"Taaaanin!" I kept calling. "Taaaaaaaanin!"

I brushed past a brown vine hanging from a tall banyan tree – and saw something that sent a chill up my back.

Tannin's collar!

It hung at the bottom of the vine, as if someone had tied the collar to the tree.

The vine was wound tightly around the small, red leather collar – so tightly that I had to rip it loose.

Now I was terrified!

I began to run blindly through the dense jungle, deeper and deeper and deeper into the darkness.

I had to find Tannin! Something had happened to him.

I had to find Tannin right now!

I ran so long and so hard through the heat that I was panting just like our dog, struggling for air.

Finally, I had to stop and rest, putting my hands on my knees> My lungs puffed madly for breath.

I raised my head at least and wiped my brow and was about to begin running again, when I saw it.

The saddest sight of my life.

"Tannin!" I screamed.

He didn't move.

His eyes were closed. I could tell he wasn't breathing.

He just lay on his side, still as a jungle log.

Something – or someone – had killed Tannin!