Dingos Surrounded the Baby, but Something Older Watched From the Ridge

The Hill Behind the House

The next morning, Clara packed a thermos and her binoculars and climbed the ridge behind the house. The soil was soft from last night’s breeze, but it held footprints. She followed a single trail up, different from the dingos’. This one showed a longer stride with narrower toe pads.

It led to a low outcrop overlooking their backyard. From there, anyone or anything would’ve seen the gully, the house, the car, and her running. She scanned the horizon, but there was no movement or fur scent. Just a woven length of dry grass, braided tightly and looped into a ring, resting in the shade of a nearby stone.

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