Fawn's Arc

Chapter 4 of 6

Fawn woke the next morning with his muscles still sore from yesterday's work. Spot was already up, moving around her stall. He watched her step over to the fresh hay he'd brought, the pile he'd tucked the letter under. His heart picked up speed. Any moment now she'd find it. But Spot didn't reach for the hay. She turned and walked past it, heading out toward the pasture. Fawn stood there, confused. Maybe she'd find it later. He wandered outside and spotted something near the big boulder in the corner of the field — a bright pack of gum sitting on the flat stone surface, and beside it, his letter. The pressed flowers were still visible through the folded paper. Mrs. Hansen sat nearby on a wooden stool, holding that fancy letter opener she used for her mail, turning the envelope over in her hands like she was deciding whether to open it. Fawn's stomach dropped. She must have found it this morning while tidying Spot's stall. He moved closer, slow and careful. Mrs. Hansen looked up and smiled at him, then set the letter down unopened. "This yours?" she asked. Fawn nodded, his throat tight. She picked up the letter opener, slid it under the flap, then stopped. "Actually, I think someone else should read this first." She stood and walked back toward the barn, leaving the letter on the boulder. Fawn stared at the envelope. It was still sealed, still whole. Mrs. Hansen hadn't read it. She'd figured out it wasn't meant for her. He picked it up carefully and carried it back to Spot's stall, this time placing it right on top of her water trough where she couldn't miss it. The letter had survived being found by the wrong person. Now he just had to trust that Spot would find it herself. He'd done what he could — the rest wasn't in his control anymore, and somehow that felt okay.