1 – Fern
The Near Future
“Scooter’s on the line, Cedar’s on deck, and Fern is in the hole” the middle aged, slightly frumpy, woman standing in front of the electronic white board announced amongst the clamor of the ongoing dog agility trial. The names and running order automatically updated on the board as she called them out. Landen, a tall and skinny boy of almost 13 with a shock of nut-brown hair and matching earth colored eyes, stood with his black and white Border Collie, Fern, just off to the side of the entrance to the agility ring. It was hot; Landen always wondered why they held this trial outside, it was the middle of August after all.
Temperatures were known to get up into the 120’s in the Treasure Valley this time of year and today was definitely going to be a scorcher. Unfortunately most of Earth was now getting exceedingly hot during the summer months, and the droughts Landen thought to himself. He shook his head and reminded himself to focus on the task at hand and not worry about things he couldn’t control. He took a sip of cold water and poured some in a collapsible bowl for Fern as they waited, her tail began to wag softly back and forth as she drank.
He yearned for the cool and comfort of an air conditioned room. Fern didn’t seem to mind even though she was wearing the equivalent of a full winter parka. She lived for agility. Landen enjoyed the competition, being able to be around other people, and especially the winning. But his dog would like nothing more than to run, jump, and weave all day long. If it wasn’t for Landen explaining to her that she needed to take breaks, Fern would run agility courses until she collapsed.
Her tongue lolled out of the side of her mouth as she looked up at him panting. Looking down at his own Star Wars shirt, shorts, and sneakers combo he decided he needed to stop complaining so much. At least the rings were covered. The sun beat down upon the metal roof above him and sweat beaded on his forehead. He was glad this was their last run of the day.
“Go,” blared through the PA system in its usual nasally electronic voice, signifying the start of the next dog to run. The woman called out, the board updated, and Landen looked up. His eyes lazily followed the action on the agility course as the dog and handler sprinted as fast they could, jumping over the obstacles and darting through tunnels. Landen’s eyes were unfocused as he watched the run. In actuality he was having a silent conversation with his dog.
I think we should blow this run, this would be our second perfect day of the weekend and we have to at least mess up sometimes.
But Jumpers is my favorite, Fern responded nuzzling his hand and looking up at him. Landen let out a sigh as the crowd applauded the dog and handler that just finished the course. The announcer called out again, “Cedar is on the line, Fern is on deck, and Moss is in the hole.”
Well can you at least act like you’re going to take a wrong jump or something so it looks like we might mess up?
I will think about it. Fern responded as her tail began to wag again.
Landen frowned slightly and looked down at her.
You are such a brat sometimes. Check that, all the time.
I know. The familiar Border Collie smile with an extra dash of eye squint accompanied her reply as she gazed lovingly back up at him. Landen looked up and caught his mother’s eye from the stands that were surrounding the course; she smiled and waved at him enthusiastically as his father fumbled with his phone trying to get it ready to record before his run started.
“Fern is on the line, Moss is on deck, Ember is in the hole,” the ring announcer shouted.
Here we go, try not to show off too much, Landen thought to her.
I will act like I am going to take a wrong jump after the 16th obstacle, be ready to call me off and back to the course.
Landen smiled at Fern as the familiar “Go,” blared through the PA system.
The run went smoothly and the crowd let out an audible “OOOOHHHHH,” when Fern almost took the wrong jump. As planned Landen called her off and she effortlessly dashed through the weave poles and into a tunnel to finish the run. Even though agility trials were mostly hustle and bustle everyone seemed to pay attention when Landen and Fern ran. They had made the United States agility world team the last two years and it was looking like they would have a spot secured for the finals in Hamburg, Germany this year as well. The crowd applauded when they finished the course. Landen’s mom jumped up and down cheering as loud as she could.
“Did you get all of it on video?” Victoria Schill breathlessly asked her husband.
“Yup, they have the fastest time so far in their class too, so hopefully it will be another first place.” They both crowded around his phone holding their breath as they re-watched the video of Landen’s run as the people around them continued to talk about it.
“It’s like they can almost read each other’s minds, they are on the same wave length those two,” they overheard someone saying nearby in the crowd. The Schills shared an uneasy glance and shifted awkwardly in their seats as the video finished. If only they knew they both thought, if only they knew.