He smelled something burning when he woke up. It smelled like the fireplace but blew into the open window like hot breath.            

Toby went outside. In the corner of the yard his desert tortoise, Mica, looked puzzled by the smoky gray atmosphere. Tiny ashes like dirty snowflakes drifted and settled onto Mica’s shell. Toby spotted a larger flake on the ground. On it were printed words. From a book! Toby’s arm hair bristled.                                

Toby’s parents put Mica into the garage in a plastic tub. They closed windows and kept an eye on the news, closely watching area maps with dancing flames. The sun in the smoldering sky turned from peach to deep orange to blood red.

That night when Toby had just closed his eyes, his Dad shook him awake. “We’re going to Aunt Tammy’s,” his Dad said. “It’s too smoky, and the power’s out.”

“What about Mica?” Toby asked.

“He’s in the car already.”

Climbing into the car, Toby found boxes packed with photo albums and picture frames. His parents said not to worry. As they drove, Toby glanced at the northeast hills where a fierce orange fence leapt and glowed. They weren’t home, but they were safe.

Adrienne Saldivar [San Diego, CA] enjoys writing and illustrating for children.

© 2008 Adrienne Saldivar. Original for CCF  (Saldivar grants CCF  first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology).