Sophie's Little Monsters

Up near the Rocky Mountains, there was a small town, that not too many people hear of.   The town a population of one thousand people.  Everyone knew each other.  Not too many people like living in that town, the ice from the peak of the mountain sometimes avalanche down the mountain and onto the town below.  It's been fifty years, the town's people, knew sooner or later, that ice was coming down.  The town's folks knew this, yet they still chose to live there.

Mark and his family are one of them.  He was born there and that's the only part of the world he ever saw.  His wife was also born in that town.  They know each other since pre-school.  Now they had the three generations, for then it was Sophie, their daughter, who was only seven years old.  She was a hand full.  Black long hair with light freckles on her nose. 

Mark patients live two miles away and so did Julie's patient.  Mark was the Ranger he had to make sure that the roads were clear of roadkill and accidents that happen along the road. He had one Deputy named Eric

Lately, Mark has been coming across more roadkill than usual.  He would maybe pick up maybe a raccoon or a wild rabbit  But today they had to clean up seven different kinds of animals.  Animals that should even be coming out the woods to the road.  Something wasn't right.   While they helped each other clean up the mess, Eric saw something that surprised him.  "Mark, look over there," he said as he pointed to a mother duck with her eight chicks.  "What is she doing around here, let help them across the road before they get squash," said Mark as they began to chase the duck and her chicks.  When they finally got them across, they noticed another duck and her chicks, and then four more adult duck, all about to cross the road.  

"What in the world's going on?" Do you see this, Eric put the blinkers on the road, let's make sure no cars came this way." said Mark  "Boss, where do you think they're going?" asked Eric as he took the light out the trunk.  "I really don't have a glue, but somethings wrong, the river is the opposite way, where are they going?" said Mark  "There I've put the lights down, let's go burn this road kill and go home." said Eric  "Your right, let's go," Mark said as they jump in the jeep. 

The two men when to the location where they got rid of the roadkill.  They use to bury them but, the other larger animal will dig them out, so now they burn them.  They finished their job then the men headed home.  Erie really didn't think about anything, his day was over and that was that.  But Mark was a different story.  He notices the changes in the environment.   When something in nature is not normal and feels out of balance, he had to check it out.  Then if it's nothing of importance, he let it go.  

He finally made it home.  His wife and daughter greeted him at the door.  "Daddy, about time, go wash your hands for we can eat," said Sophie, as she sat down at the dinner table.  Julie gave her husband a kiss as she also sits down.  Mark washed his hands, hospital-style and proceeded to sit down.

They said their grace then began to eat.  "So, how was your day today?" Julie asked while eating. "Pretty much normal. Remind me later I need you to look something up for me." he said as he ate "What? Tell me now." she said  "Don't worry, eat, it can wait till later." he replied as he began to eat without looking at her.  Julie knew then, he didn't want Sophie to hear what he was about to say.  So she continued to eat.  When they were done, they all began to clean the table together.  Sophie asked to be excused and went to watch cartoons. 

"So, she was gone.  What's up?" she asked Mark as they were both putting the dishes in the dishwasher.  "Julie, lately there's been seven or eight roadkill a day.  I'm used to getting two a week, not seven a day.  Then it's not just rabbit and raccoons anymore. We picked up a beaver.  Now, what is a beaver doing crossing the road?" explained Mark with a worry expression.  "He was looking for a new river, to take over," said Julie with a smile