Adventures in Reading

by Debra Chapoton

  Chapter 2 –Back tracking

  “What in heaven’s name is that?” Callie exclaimed. She’s really into church stuff and heaven comes up a lot. That’s cool.

  “It’s not poop.” Austin was proud of his comment.

  We circled around as if we were going to join hands and do some silly folk dance. But we were all looking down at the gigantic, enormous, super-sized two-toed foot print that had smashed a dozen ant hills.

  For once I didn’t have anything to say.

  Sydney crouched down and stretched her hand across the imprint. I think each toe was as big as her hand.

  “Is this Bigfoot?” Sydney whispered. I wondered why she wasn’t trembling ‘cause I was.

  “No such thing,” Callie was shaking her head, “my mom said so.” Callie’s mom was like one of the smartest grown-ups any of us knew, smarter than our teachers, for sure.

  “No ants,” Austin stated. I thought that was a little off the subject until he added, “Guess the ants haven’t had time to rebuild their little mounds. Guess that means Mr. Two-toes just made this footprint like a minute ago.”

  So then it was like everybody did that bobble-head thing with their necks as we all looked around in every direction. Something big, something not human, something with just two toes was out there in the darkening forest. Probably close by.

  “Let’s get outta here!” I said in a hoarse whisper. I was first to move and I headed off in what I thought then was the opposite direction of Mr. Two-toes, based on the way the toes were pointing.

  My fault again. But how was I supposed to know that this creature, this humongous Sasquatch, had been walking backwards?