The door banged as I came back in the house.
“Back already, Zoey? Did you get too cold?” Dad called out.
I tossed my boots by the kitchen door. “No, not too cold. Ummm, can I go out into the forest?”
Dad looked out the window and frowned. “I don’t know . . . it’s pretty cold out. And it’s getting late in the afternoon. Maybe in a few days? I think it’s supposed to warm up later in the week.”
Oh no. The eggs weren’t supposed to be cold, and they were already behind ice. I didn’t know how many more hours they could stand the cold. There was no way they could make it a few days.
“Pleeeease? I don’t think it’s supposed to snow anymore today, right? I’ll bundle up. I’ll even wear gloves! I just need to check on something in the forest. It’s not that far. I could be super quick?” I gave him my sweetest and most desperate smile.
Dad looked out the window again and checked his watch and sighed.
“OK. But I want you back in twenty minutes.”
I nodded.
“Twenty minutes and no more,” he repeated, raising an eyebrow at me.
“I promise! I just need to grab a few things. I’ll be super-duper fast. Thank you, Dad!” I said as I hugged him.
I went straight to the kitchen and dug through our cabinet until I found our only thermos. I filled it with hot water and grabbed the salt from the pantry. I got my backpack from the living room, dumped my school stuff on the floor, and packed the thermos and salt into the bag. I just needed one more thing . . .
I knelt down to Sassafras. “Hey buddy, I have a job for you! There are some really sweet and really cold little caterflies in the barn that need our help. Can you be their heater for our trip into the forest? I can carry you in the backpack so you don’t get wet.” I scratched under his chin to sweeten the deal.
Sassafras looked from the door to the backpack and back again. Then he walked over to the backpack and let out a big sigh.
Backpack ride it is! I shoved one of my sweaters into the backpack to make a cushion for Sassafras and then squeezed him in. I left the top part unzipped so he could see and then slowly put on my backpack full of cat, salt, and water. Oof. That was heavy. Good thing I was strong.
“Now all we need are the caterflies!” I whispered over my shoulder and tromped through the snow to the barn.