Page 19 (1/2)

The fence to the reindeer paddock has collapsed in several places, clearly pushed over, and while so on a hay pile it’s not nearly all of then of thethe treeline

“Damn it,” he curses

“I’ll help,” I tell hiotten far Can they?”

“Let’s hope not I’ll fix the fence, then we’ll go look”

Half an hour later, the fence is back up and ht back They andering across the land and through the edge of the woods, and didn’t complain too much e led theood behavior

“How many more?” I ask

“Two”

“Do you think they got out on the road?”

“There’s a wire fence around enerally don’t try to jurandparents’ place is another ate open they could be out on the road You can go back inside if you’re cold, I’ve got to go look for them”

I wrapo”

“You sure? This isn’t your problem”

“It’s our problem,” I tell him, and he nods

“You’re so special, you know that?”

“I know,” I say with a grin

We walk together out onto the dirt road, and as Dodge suspected the gate is standing wide enough for a couple of reindeer to walk side by side through it My heart leaps intoout onto the actual road It’s not busy this ti it way too fast If a deer is in the road, there’s a good chance it’s going to get hit

“Shit,” Dodge mutters, but I lift my arm and point

“Wait, over there,” I tell hier

Standing over by e shadows, and as we head that way it beco deer

But they’re not alone