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The sound of frantic knocking on the front door made Sarah put back on her lab coat and rush out to the reception desk.
Out in the dark, illuminated by the orange glow of the security flood light, she could see it was Branch Edwards with a boyish, pleading look. Even though she had just closed up, she realized he was late to pick up his cat.
"You are on Indian time aren't you Mr. Edwards", she said while unlocking the door."
"So sorry to bother you, I ran late at work and, you know, gotta have my cat to keep me warm tonight."
"I thought maybe you either forgot or would at least get here by closing. I'm happy to see you. No bother, I'm glad I was still here for you." she said smiling and pulling out paperwork.
"I love your little lady Lavender, She's all better now. Let's keep her away from the bad boys, huh?"
Branch handed her his credit card and leaned forward whispering, "Would it be inappropriate if I asked you to come with me to witness a magical event nearby. Kinda similar to Burning Man, but not. It won't take long. And it's free!"
She found herself slowly returning his card, suddenly deep in thought and using her other hand to run her fingers through her hair in an unconscious preening move.
The event was The Diamond Deserts Tribute performed by the children in his daughter's Kindergarten class.
"Yeah, I have another female cat and she's six years old and a fun-loving human!"
"You have a daughter!?" Sarah asked with a high pitch to her voice and suffering a little cough enough to have to clear her throat.
"My wife died two years ago."
"Oh Mr. Edwards, I'm so sorry."
"That's kind of you. Please, you don't have to call me Mr. Edwards. Branch will do fine."
He started walking ahead and held his hand out for hers. She hesitated, began walking faster to keep up, and held his arm instead. The darkness ahead had a glimmer of a fire lighting up the sky which was already rich in purple and neon pink dusk tones.
Branch led them through the front gate of the school and around into the back where children were bustling with laughter and activity. From what Sarah could gather, they were about to form a large circle and skip around to a song.
Branch looked down into Sarah's face and as he did she looked up at him. The sounds of this happy environment made them both smile at each other.
Just then, the teacher clicked play on the cd boom box.
"I roamed and rambled and followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts,
And all around me, a voice was sounding:
This land was made for you and me."
The song, "This Land is Your Land" began to blast and the children joined hands and skipped by the teacher as they went around. Each child was handed two sparklers that the teacher lit up.
One girl broke from the circle and ran a few steps into the field, and stopped to throw one of her two lighted sparklers into the blackening blueness of the sky. It glowered happily, and yet desperately hanging on to its dissipating glow. The last gleeful sparkledrops painted the child's attentive face with a friendly departing, orange goodbye. The image of the streak from the throw now was taken in by the nearest stubborn low-hanging cottonball- like clouds dotting the evening with their mysterious visitation. The fading contrail, evolving from white to a soft blue, slowly melted into the air. Then it ended as fast as this one act performance started. So fast. Yet, so lovely and very, very long.
The girl ran right into Sarah.
"What's your name little girl?," asked Sarah.
"Remember Wonderful, ma'am", said the child impatiently, twisting around and running off into the darkness with raised arm allowing the last lighted sparkler to trail off into the night to mix with the stars.
Sarah turned to Branch, "Isn't she just the prettiest little thing?"
"Thanks for coming Daddy", she yelled out while rejoining the circle.
"Oh my" said Sarah. "You mean..."
"Yes, she's my kitten."
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Jack Simmons of KVOA-News 4 Tucson, was called into the station manager's office. "Jack, take a look at this," said Doug Ryder, sleeves rolled up sitting behind his desk, but leaning forward and pointing with a chewed up pencil up to a monitor mounted on his office wall. Jack is never called in unless a hailstorm shows up unforecasted and awnings throughout Tuscon get holes torn in them, which happened in the monster 15 minutes rain/hail storm back in july of '07. There on the screen was Steve Evans jumping around frantically, desperately trying to operate a lift that was way too short for the obvious rescue he was attempting.
"Holy shit, is that Steve?!" he exclaimed.
"You bet your ass it is," Ryder barked back. "our affiliate up there sent us this footage they captured as they left the scene."
Jack walked up closer. "Wait, replay that," he pleaded.
"Yeah, I know...awesome isn't it? Isn't he?"
"I can't believe this! Where is he now? Did it all turn out alright?"
"He last called in to say he was checking in on the activists at The View at the Four Corners."
"Okay, I'll do the broacast."
"And I think our boy qualifies for a news story KVOA-News 4 Tuscon would be proud of, don't you?"
"Well, hell if they are unharmed. That is some helluva slam down."
"I got Todd going there right now with a crew. We'll know soon enough."
"Does Sarah know? Has she been in touch?"
""I tried reaching her at home and at the clinic, but I just keep getting her outgoing message. The staff is trying to fish out her cell number from Steve's files."
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"Can you drop me off at that corner?" Steve asked.
"But I wanted to take you to see the best spot for bird watching with a camera," Peggy said with a little hurt feeling in her voice.
"Nah, you know what. I just want to be alone for awhile. Before the world closes in. The work, the wife, the selfish, dishonest life of Steve Evans."
"Alone? Where will you go? It's getting dark to be on foot."
"I'm going to find EB. I think we both need to find the answers."