SandScript 2020

machines than animals in and around it.
Two or three small outbuildings in a rough
circle around the house. The road led into
the circle and up to a couple of hitching
posts, backed by manzanita and jojoba
bushes, in front of the big house. I parked
beside two big 4WD pickups and one SUV.
Two faded, abandoned cars slumped off
to the side. A transmission and an axle
with rotting tires were lying on the ground
nearby, partially covered by the tall bunch
grass and short prickly pear that was
growing around them.
Two dogs stood up and began
barking at me from the porch of the adobe
house. One, a medium-sized short haired
black-and-tan mix with long legs and a long
nose, stopped barking in a few seconds and
looked over his shoulder at the front door.
Smart dog, I thought. Alert the human but
hold off on charging to kill the stranger
until Dad comes out to assess the situation.
The other one was all black, smaller and
fluffier with a shorter nose, some kind of
Pomeranian-meets-Jack Russell Terrorist, as
we say in the vet world. This one ran down
towards me, still barking and growling
ferociously.
The human came out directly, a
partially bald white guy, fat stomach,
wearing suspenders that held up baggy
gray trousers. “Shut up, Jack!” he yelled at
FICTION
25