Full Moon by W.J. May Page B

eyeliner from
underneath my brown eyes, then headed outside.
    It was so beautiful there. Our yard was
surrounded by towering trees that stretched high into the sky. The
birds chirped, the sun shone on my face, and a cool breeze ruffled
my hair. I loved my back yard woods. Inhaling the clean air, I
smiled. I’m
really going to enjoy my fresh start here…and so is Max, I thought as the dog explored
the back yard, fascinated and intrigued by all the new smells and
sounds.
    Suddenly, Max’s ears shot back, as if he had
noticed an animal in the woods. Peering closer, I glimpsed a
whitetail deer sipping from a puddle. My heart melted at the sight
of the adorable animal. Max’s bark scared it almost to death, and
the poor animal darted off into the vegetation. He wasn’t used to
all that natural wildlife, but I knew he was going to love it there
as much as I was, if not more. He barked fiercely, then suddenly
bolted through the trees, deeper into the woods, and I guessed he
was chasing the deer. I decided then and there that I’d have to
keep him on a leash.
    “Max!” I yelled. “Come back!”
    He didn’t listen.
    I glanced back at the house, wondering if I
should get my parents for help. The woods and its inhabitants
scared me, but I debated on what I should do. Finally, I decided to
just go a little ways into the woods, but I did—if only for a brief
second—wonder what the chances were that I’d run into a bear.
    I stepped through the vegetation and took a
tentative step. Glancing around, I didn’t see Max, so I called for
him a few times, only to get no response. When I heard a bark in
the distance, I took off through the woods that surrounded our
property. I pushed aside some green vegetation and glanced ahead
and could finally see my beloved and ornery pet. “Max!” I shouted.
“Come back!”
    He gave me the dog version of the
I-see-you-but-I-don’t-care look, then started sniffing the
ground.
    As I walked toward where he was, I seriously
considered obedience classes. A thorn grazed my skin, and I bit my
lip to stave off the pain. I swore I’d never let that cantankerous
canine off the leash again.
    I stumbled left and tripped over a pile of
termite-ridden, moss-covered, rotting logs, then burst through more
towering ferns. Max disappeared into the thick vegetation once
again. I couldn’t see him anywhere, but I could still hear him
barking. Panting, I spun in a slow circle. I was afraid if I went
in any deeper, I’d get lost, but I couldn’t just desert my best
friend.
    The snap of
a twig behind me, followed by the unmistakable crunch of dried leaves, halted me mid step, and I
strained to listen. Was that...Max?
    The snap of
another twig drifted through the forest.
    I peered around the trees and high grass.
“Max?” I yelled. “C’mere, boy.”
    Silence.
    I swept an uneasy glance around the trees,
my senses on full alert, and I whistled. “Here, Max! C’mon, boy.
Let’s go home.”
    The singing of crickets and chirping of
birds was my only reply.
    I jumped, startled, as a sudden flash of tan
glinted to my left. I flinched. For a split second, I saw
amber-colored eyes in the foliage. Panic struck me; I was sure it
was some kind of wild animal. I worried that Max might have been
attacked, and I knew one bite to the throat might prove fatal. I
grabbed a long, sturdy stick. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but I’d
be able to poke those yellow eyes out if their owner came after
me.
    A menacing growl broke the silence. My heart
thudded against my ribcage, and a shiver swept over my skin.
Running after Max had been a dumb idea. My dad had warned me about
black bears, coyotes, mountain lions, and bobcats. He hadn’t said
anything about tigers, but it was still quite the oh-my
situation.
    Whatever the creature was that I’d seen, it
had already seen me, so I knew there was no use hiding. I had to
call for Max again, as I couldn’t possibly leave until I knew he
was okay. “Max!” I yelled, pointing the