Alphabet Allie's Arc

Chapter 9 of 9

Allie left the garden behind and followed a winding path that sloped gently downward. The air grew cooler with each step. Soon she heard small, worried voices ahead and the strange sound of something jiggling. Allie slowed her pace and listened. Whatever waited around the bend, it sounded like more than one creature needed sorting out. She rounded the curve and stopped. A frozen inlet stretched before her, its surface hard and white. A bright iguana sat shivering on the ice, tail curled tight. Nearby, a jackrabbit bounced in place, his belly wobbling after a fresh jar of jelly. Beyond him, a kangaroo kicked a colorful kite across the ground, frowning each time it crumpled. Allie took a breath. She remembered the hippo and the hat. Small adjustments. She knelt by the iguana first and rubbed his cold scales until he warmed enough to scoot to a sunny rock. She handed the jackrabbit a smooth stone to hold, steadying his jiggle so he could land each hop. Then she walked to the kangaroo, picked up the kite, and lifted it high above her head. "Kites fly," she said gently. "They don't kick." The kangaroo's eyes went wide. A gust caught the kite and it climbed, its pink tail streaming against the blue sky. The kangaroo hopped after it, laughing, finally understanding. Allie watched the kite soar and smiled. Three small fixes, three creatures sorted. She turned back to the path, lighter than before.