Nothing But Blue (25 page)

“Uh, no. No thanks.”

I tossed the tail on the ground. It lay there, barely noticeable, a dirty spot in the tall grass.

“You're just going to leave it there?” Melita said, bending down and moving the grass away to expose the tail. “Maybe we could use it for something.”

“Take it then,” I challenged her. To my surprise she reached out to pick it up. Was she actually going to touch it? Maybe she wasn't as chicken as I thought. But before her fingers could grasp the fluff, she drew her hand away.

“I can't. You do it.”

I picked up the tail, wiped it in the grass, and put it in my jeans pocket. I smiled at her. She smiled back.

“Let's go,” I said and latched the fence behind us.

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About the Author

 

 

L
ISA
J
AHN
-C
LOUGH
has written and illustrated a number of books for young children, including
Alicia Has a Bad Day, My Friend and I, Missing Molly, Simon and Molly Plus Hester,
and
On the Hill,
as well as her debut young adult novel
Country Girl, City Girl.
She is the chair of the illustration program at Maine College of Art and also teaches at the Vermont College Writing for Children and Young Adults program. She lives in Portland, Maine.