Song of the Mockingbird: My Journey with Josefina

The last thing I hear is the trilling notes of my flute, and then everything goes black. When the blackness lifts, the sun is hovering above the horizon. Daisy raises her head and laps my hand as if to say, Welcome back. In the house, I see Henry holding the paper he’s pulled from his backpack, and Mom and Dad bending over it. It’s the same moment as when I left, but yet it feels different. It’s almost as if I’ve brought some of Josefina’s love for this place back with me so I can see it through her eyes.

I climb down from the rock and Daisy slips down with me. I look at the distant hills with my hands on my hips. The three rounded spires pointing to the sky. Maybe Dad will hike to them with me tomorrow. I have a feeling this desert has a lot more adventures to share and I’m ready to find out what they are.