After my meeting with the Senators I have renewed my game of hide and seek with the blond monster. This strange place is peculiar. There are many smooth cliffs around. And, wherever I am, this new place has multiple suns that do not either set or rise but appear and disappear all at once.

As far as it goes, I like this new hiding place. It is something like I remember. We used to have long treks through the plains and once in a while we would come across these wet leafy oases. There are a number of these oases here. Miles and miles of soft squishy dry places where the monster could discover me easily; then these wet leafy places all articulated inside perfect circles. Yes, I think this is a reasonably good hiding place. It is the smell more than anything that reminds me of my faraway home and I am well hidden inside the leafiness. And I think the smell of the trees might keep the blond monster away.

I am very nearly eye level with the beast. She has a strong giant nose that sniffs and sniffs with curiosity. And big jagged teeth, each the size of my arms. And a mouth. What a mouth. I could fit, I think, inside her mouth completely.

Still, I don’t think she can find me here. Not with her nose, not with her eyes, and not with her mouth. But it is lonely too. There is no other beast in these woods. And I am too fearful of the monster to even entertain myself with my normal jumping and singing. And, of course, my only view is of the former Barney. I do not like all of this hiding. The feeling in my toes has returned and Barney wants to dance.

Bea Murphy