Talking to Trees

by Kathryn Sullivan

“What do you mean, ‘it’s found you’?” Jody asked. “That’s just smog!” It was odd that there was such a small patch of it, but there was no reason for Twyl and Rafi to act as if it was something serious. They had made her frightened of it, too, but that was only at first, before sherealized what it was.Twyl stared in horror at the swirling brownish gray mist. “The lifedestroyer. This is what it used before.”Jody looked from the small cloud to Twyl. Did she really think a cloud was going around looking for her?“Run!” Rafi ordered. He sneezed, but continued to flap at the cloud with powerful strokes. Jody blinked. The cloud actually seemed to be held in place by the flapping. And it seemed to be shrinking as well. Twyl tugged at Jody’s arm. “He said run!”Jody pulled away. She was tired of being dragged all over the place. Anyone could see this wasn’t dangerous. It was just a patch of smoke. “Don’t be so worried. Rafi is blowing it away.”