My Two Writing Teachers colleagues and I are hosting the 14th Annual March Slice of Life Story Challenge, in which teachers from around the world participate in posting a story per day.

“Jackson, Lily, we’re leaving soon!” I called.

Jackson gathered up handfuls of his favorite rocks he’d collected from the riverbed and Lily started putting her socks back on. She’d been drying her feet off on the sunny rocks, after wading in the freezing cold March water.

I watched the two of them as they packed themselves up to go. They were so funny and cute, my two kids. Lost in my thoughts, I packed up my things as well.

I knelt down to untangle Indie’s leash. And as I unwrapped his leash from his legs I suddenly had the feeling someone was watching me.

I looked up and found myself surrounded on all sides by three very old, small dogs of three different colors and varieties. They simply stood there, calmly studying me and my dog, who also had not noticed them until just this moment.

“Where’d you three come from?” I said aloud, somewhat stupified by their sudden appearance. It was truly as if they had materialized out of thin air. Were they… magic dogs?

It took me more than a few moments to snap out of my confusion, and just as I did, the dogs’ owners came walking along the trail to the riverbed.

Cute dogs!

Thanks!

Cute kids!

Thanks!

So the three old dogs went one direction, and Lily, Jackson, and Indie and I went the in other.