Regardless of the weather, Frank continued his rounds in the woods, just as Russ had done. During the harsh winter, he had made sure to leave food for the wildlife. Scout always led the way.
— “Slow down, boy,” Frank would call out. “You’re scaring everything off.”
They passed small islands of dry land where rabbits huddled to escape the rising water. The sight of the woods turned into a mirror-like lake was both beautiful and terrifying. Frank knew how dangerous this was for the animals trapped by the current.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, a thick mist settled over the trees. Suddenly, Scout stopped and pricked up his ears, staring at a thicket ahead.
— “What is it, Scout?” Frank asked, as if the dog could answer.
Scout slowly pushed through the brush and disappeared.
— “Scout, be careful!” Frank whispered. A chill ran down his spine. Scout rarely got this focused. He worried the dog might have cornered a bear or a mountain lion. Frank didn’t have a gun, only a sturdy walking stick and his own grit.
Suddenly, Scout let out a sharp, urgent bark. Frank pushed through the brush and realized there was no predator. Instead, he saw a small patch of dry land surrounded by deep water. And on that patch sat someone.
“Good Lord, it’s a child!”
Staring back at the bearded man and the restless dog was a five-year-old girl named Lily. She looked like a porcelain doll, shivering with cold and fear in a small brown coat and a knit hat. Her boots were soaked, and her face was stained with tears.
“How on earth did you get out here, sweetheart?”
Frank looked at the icy water separating them. He didn’t hesitate. He stepped in, the freezing cold piercing his legs like a thousand needles.
“I’ve got you, don’t be scared! Come here, little one!”
When he reached her and picked her up, Lily clung to his neck, burying her face in his coat. She started to warm up, but she didn’t say a word. Frank didn’t talk much either; he was focused on getting back. He knew his joints would pay for this later, but he had to get her to safety.
Scout jumped around them, trying to sniff the newcomer. Lily shrank back, afraid of the large dog.
“Scout’s a good boy, honey. He won’t hurt you,” Frank reassured her. “He’s my best friend, and he’ll be yours too.”
Frank’s mind was racing. How did a little girl end up in the middle of a flooded forest? Her clothes were expensive—not the kind of thing local kids wore. Where were her parents? The poor thing was traumatized.
“It’s okay, we’ll find your mom and dad…”
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