Arlo repeated Poppa’s words to himself, trying to set Poppa’s advice permanently into his mind. He wanted to remember them, but more than that, he wanted to be able to do it. He wished that he could be less fearful; he wished he could be more like Poppa.
Then, wanting to try Poppa’s trick, Arlo ran through the field, forcing more fireflies to float up, flickering and flashing.
Arlo and Poppa continued and the two painted beautiful arcs and spirals of light against the dark sky. Arlo looked up at big, strong Poppa and smiled.
In the stillness, Poppa turned to his son. “Arlo, I’ve got a new job for you tomorrow. That is, if you still wanna make your mark.”
Arlo smiled with anticipation. He wanted that mark, all right. He wanted it more than anything in the whole world. And he couldn’t wait to see what Poppa had in store.
The next day, when Poppa and Arlo went out to the silo, they found corn scattered all over the ground.
“A dang wilderness critter’s coming over the fence, getting into our silo, and eating our food. And I’ve had it up to my snout,” Poppa said angrily. He knew that if the family didn’t have enough corn for the winter, they would struggle to survive. Poppa turned to Arlo. “That’s why you’re gonna catch that critter.”
Arlo smiled as he imagined his print up on top of the silo. He was ready!
Poppa collected some supplies and showed Arlo how to build a trap. He tied a rock to one end of a long rope, set up a net, and had Arlo place a pile of corn on the ground for bait.
When they were finished, he rolled a pumpkin onto the pile to show Arlo how the trap worked. The pumpkin snapped up the rope, and the net fell to the ground as a jingling sound rang out. Then Poppa picked up a huge mallet. “This is how you’re gonna finish the job.” He brought the mallet down fast, smashing the pumpkin to a pulp. “When that critter’s taken care of, you’ll put your mark on the silo, right next to mine.”
Arlo’s eyes lit up. “I’ll take care of that critter, Poppa. It won’t stand a chance.”
Arlo then stood guard, pacing back and forth in front of the silo, waiting for the critter to fall into the trap. He tried to mentally prepare for his big moment, taking lots of deep breaths and telling himself over and over that he could catch the critter…and finish it off.
A bug flew by his face and he scowled at it. “What are you doing, you bug?” Arlo said, practicing his tough voice and his ninja moves. “Get out of here!”
He continued pacing, preparing, and trying not to let fear into his thoughts. When a rogue leaf crossed his path, he made sure it knew its place. “Move along, leaf!” he shouted. “Move along!”
Just then, Arlo heard the jingling sound of the trap. His heart leaped. He felt a rush of anxiety and a fluttering of fear. He had caught something! He had caught the critter!
Holding the mallet high above his head, Arlo approached, preparing to whack the trapped pest. “Y-y-you’re dead, critter,” he stuttered.
Arlo couldn’t help but pause at the sight. What looked like a critter to Arlo was actually a human boy. The critter was choking from the net around his neck and struggling to breathe. And even though Arlo knew it was his job to catch the critter, he felt sorry for it. It was a living thing, and it just wasn’t in Arlo’s heart to bring the mallet down. Arlo sighed and opened the trap, releasing his caught critter.
“Okay…you’re free,” said Arlo, hoping it would just run off. But the boy stared at him and then started walking toward him!
“Wh-wh-what are you doing?” Arlo asked, trying to back away. “Just—just leave! Flee!”
But the boy continued to investigate, sniffing and sniffing. Arlo was afraid. He felt like he was about to be attacked! Finally, he tripped over a rock and screamed. This startled the critter, and he took off into the high grass.
Hearing Arlo’s cries, Poppa rushed over—just in time to see the wild pest escaping into the wilderness. “ARLO!” Poppa scolded. “Why’d you let it go?”
“It was bitin’, comin’ at me, and screechin’…and I—” Arlo stammered.
“You had a job to do!” Poppa yelled. He looked around and saw the critter’s tracks leading into the wilderness. “You gotta get over your fear, Arlo, or you won’t survive out here,” he said firmly. “Come on. We’re gonna finish your job right now.”
Poppa pushed Arlo along, and they walked up to the fence. Then Poppa climbed over. To Arlo, it was as if Poppa were climbing right into the mouth of that terrible beast. The towering trees, the darkness, the rushing river, the wild animals…all just waiting to swallow them up. Plus, it had started to rain.
“Out there?” Arlo asked nervously, his mouth going dry.
Poppa turned to Arlo. “Let’s go. Get over,” he said.
Poppa was tired of Arlo’s excuses. Poppa pushed Arlo over the fence with his tail, and the two went in search of the critter.
As they started toward the mountain pass, Arlo felt a giant lump growing in his throat. Fear seemed to take over his entire body. Even though he was with Poppa, he had never been so scared.
The wind moved noisily through the trees and caused branches to bend and sway. The rain was heavy now. Arlo looked at the sky. Dark storm clouds seemed to be swirling in, and he started to feel even worse. “Poppa, what if we get lost?” he asked, glancing around at the strange surroundings.
But Poppa wasn’t stopping for anything. “As long as you can find the river, you can find your way home,” he said plainly. Arlo nodded.
BOOM!
Thunder rumbled and popped in the distance as Poppa continued to push Arlo along. “What do you see?” he asked.
Arlo was confused and afraid. At first he didn’t see anything. Then he looked down and tried to concentrate. “Uh, uh, t-t-tracks?” Arlo said.
“And they’re washing out,” Poppa said. “We gotta move.” As the rain fell, water began to fill the critter’s tracks in the mud—making them disappear.
“We’re losing that critter!” cried Poppa, picking up speed.
Arlo tried to keep up with him.
CRACK!
Lightning flashed, causing Arlo to whimper. The thunder was louder now, and the storm was absolutely terrifying!
Trying to keep up, Arlo slipped in the mud and tumbled to the ground. “Poppa!” Arlo called. “Wait!”
At first, Poppa didn’t turn around. “Arlo, what did I say about—” But when he saw his son struggling and limping, he softened. “It’s okay, Arlo. It’s okay,” he said kindly. “I just wanted you to get through your fear. To know that you can.”
“But I’m not like you—” Arlo cried in frustration.
“You’re me,” Poppa said, smiling. “And more.”
Crack!
BOOM!
Lightning flashed again, and the thunder grew even louder. The storm seemed to be right on top of them. Arlo leaned against Poppa, desperate for comfort. Poppa helped Arlo up and out of the mud. “I think we went far enough for today. Whaddya say we head home?” he asked.
As they started back, the ground trembled and the river swelled. Arlo could hear the ripping, crunching sound of roots coming out of the ground, and the loud thumping of trees falling against the wilderness floor in the distance.
Suddenly, Poppa’s face showed alarm and he yelled, “Arlo, move!” He pushed Arlo up the hill with all his might, trying to get him away from the river. But Arlo’s feet sank into the wet, thick mud as Poppa yelled, “Run!”
Horrified, Arlo looked upriver and saw something huge and black coming toward them. The wind whipped faster, stinging Arlo’s eyes and knocking down trees so close that the sound of them hitting the ground was deafening. The thunder and lightning intensified. Arlo froze. He was unable to move.
All at once, the river water seemed to rise to the sky and roared toward them like a monster. Using all his might, Poppa pushed Arlo up to safety. Arlo watched helplessly as Poppa tried to get up the hill and slipped—just as the giant wall of water hit. Arlo cried out. The water swall
owed Poppa and swept him away.
Arlo stared at the raging river as it became a colorless blur. The trees, the sky, and the earth beneath his feet seemed to melt away. He felt an indescribable hollowness.
Poppa was gone.
After that day, everything changed. The family worked hard, trying to keep up with the endless tasks that were necessary to maintain the farm. But as winter approached, they were falling behind. Momma was exhausted, and many of the fields were left fallow. The family worried they wouldn’t have enough food to make it through the winter.
Arlo couldn’t help but feel that it was entirely his fault. He had been the one to set the critter free. He had been the reason Poppa went into the wilderness that night. If he had just taken care of that critter, Poppa would still be alive and everything would be okay.
Momma carried a huge load of corn to the silo, but she was struggling. Arlo ran up to help her.
“You need to rest, Momma,” he said.
“If we don’t get this harvest in before the first snow, we won’t have enough food for winter,” Momma said desperately. “I know it’s hard without Poppa. But I need you to do more, Arlo.”
He picked up the load of corn and put it on his back. He smiled at her. “ Don’t worry, Momma. I won’t let us starve.”
“You’re a good son,” Momma said.
Arlo wavered, carrying the weight of the corn on his back. He could feel his legs wobble, but he was determined to make it.
When the silo finally came into view, he gazed at Poppa’s mark and felt a familiar sadness wash over him. But he knew he couldn’t stop to feel sad. He had to keep working.
Arlo walked carefully to the silo and slowly removed a rock to place the corn inside. He set the corn down and began to husk it, peeling each ear and tossing it into the silo. Then he heard something rustling inside and went to investigate. He saw a figure chomping the corn and spitting out the empty cobs.
When Arlo peeked inside, he couldn’t believe his eyes: it was that pest from the trap! Arlo caught him red-handed.
“You!” With fire and rage in his heart, Arlo shouted, “My Poppa would still be alive if it weren’t for you! It’s all your fault.” He lunged toward the critter and tried to bite him.
But the boy was too fast. He jumped on Arlo’s neck and slid down toward his back—where the boy grabbed a stalk of corn and took off. Arlo chased him as he ran toward the river.
When Arlo caught up, he chomped down hard on the other end of the stalk, lifting the boy high in the air. The boy jumped down and scurried out of sight. But Arlo wasn’t giving up. He continued in pursuit of the thief, with the stalk of corn remaining in his mouth.
Out of nowhere, the boy jumped from a tree, growling, “Grrrrrrrrrrr!” He lurched toward the corn, bit down, and began to gnaw on the cob. He growled again—ferociously with a wild, hungry look in his eyes. Arlo swatted and spun around, trying to get the boy off, but he wouldn’t let go. As Arlo twisted and twirled, he became dizzy and fell backward, plunging into the river!
The critter went flying, and Arlo lost track of him when he went under. Arlo gasped for air as the raging water overtook him. “Help!” Arlo screamed. He called for Momma, but the sound was muffled as his mouth filled with water.
The strength of the current carried him away so quickly that no one could hear his cries. In an instant, he was farther from home than he had ever been.
Arlo struggled to stay afloat, gasping for air as the rapids pulled him under. His body bashed against sharp rocks at the bottom of the river, scraping into his skin. Suddenly, a giant boulder came into view and Arlo whimpered, struggling to avoid it. But the river was much stronger than he was.
BAM.
His head slammed right into the massive rock. His vision became blurry, and he could barely make out Clawtooth Mountain as it disappeared into the distance.
Then everything went black.
Eventually, dazed and achy, Arlo opened his eyes and looked around. His legs were still in the water, and his body was beached on a small sandbar. He was miles down the river and very far from home.
Some big logs were jammed together next to him, making sharp peaks that looked like angry teeth. His body throbbed with pain, each scrape and scratch burning as he breathed. He felt the bump on his head and shuddered.
As Arlo took in his surroundings, fear began to ripple through his body. “Momma!” Arlo cried. “Momma!” His voice echoed, ringing against the towering cliff walls that rose all around him. When he quieted, the only other sound he could hear was the wind moving through the pine trees and the gurgles of the river washing over the rocks. He was completely alone.
Arlo gathered the strength to climb out and slowly rose to his feet. But the ground crumbled beneath him. He slipped and his jaw smacked against a boulder. Arlo lay still, trying to catch his breath. He needed to figure out what to do next.
Arooowwwwh. A loud howl sounded down in the canyon. He looked up toward the top of the cliff wall and saw…the boy from the trap! A burning anger boiled up inside of him. “You!” he yelled. “I should have killed you the first time!”
Furious, and fueled by his anger, Arlo propelled his body up the cliff to try to get to the boy.
The boy just sat on the edge of the cliff. Cocking his head this way and that, he watched curiously as Arlo clumsily made his way up the cliff wall. Arlo was working hard and struggling for breath, but he still managed a few choice words: “This is all your fault!”
The boy remained calm, sitting and watching. This made Arlo even angrier. He snapped. “Get over here!”
Then the boy did something entirely unpredictable: he tried to climb on Arlo’s face!
“Get away!” Arlo screamed. He repeated it over and over, harshly jerking his neck and tossing the boy off. The boy turned and used his hind legs to kick dirt at Arlo’s face. The dinosaur spit and coughed, trying to get the dust and dirt out of his mouth.
When Arlo finally managed to hoist himself up onto the cliff’s edge, the boy had disappeared. “That’s right! You better run!” Arlo called after him threateningly.
Arlo took a deep breath and slumped. He looked around at his surroundings again. The wilderness seemed to be the whole world. He couldn’t see an end to it. He spotted a high ridge off in the distance. If he could get up to the ridge, maybe he could see where home was. With no choice, no one to ask, and no other ideas, he started off toward it.
Arlo climbed up to the top of the ridge and looked out. “Where am I?” he asked himself, looking in every direction. The lump in his throat returned. “Where’s home?” he whispered, breathing heavily. He was trying not to panic. But he couldn’t see Clawtooth Mountain anywhere. Stretched before him were miles and miles of trees, shrubs, boulders, and hills. The vastness of it all made him feel like a tiny speck. Nothing looked familiar. Even the river looked different. And it appeared to go on forever.
The river!
“As long as you can find the river, you can find your way home,” Arlo said to himself, remembering Poppa’s words. He slowly trekked down toward the river.
There was no simple, clear path to walk. Arlo had to traipse around fallen trees with sharp, jagged branches. He walked cautiously, listening to the strange sounds of the wilderness. It took all his courage to focus on slowly putting one foot in front of the other.
After walking for a bit, Arlo noticed smashed berries scattered around and gasped in excitement. He looked up, and there, on a nearby hillside, he noticed a tree covered with berries.
Arlo was starving. He’;d never been so hungry, or so happy to see a berry tree. He saw an angled boulder and balanced himself on top, leaning out to try and get one of the juicy berries. The boulder tilted, but he managed to catch himself, straddling the tree. Craning his neck out as far as he could, he reached, leaned, and stretched every part of his body. He even stuck his tongue out toward the branch, but he was unable to get to it. He took a deep breath and blew, causing the branch to swing toward him and…S
weet joy! He managed to bite a juicy berry right before…BAM. He lost his balance and fell, landing on his leg!
Frustrated, he tried to pick himself up but couldn’t. His foot was buried under a pile of rocks wedged up against the boulder! He tried and tried, but he just couldn’t break free. He was completely stuck.
Eventually, darkness fell over the wilderness. And like most things, it became even scarier without the light of day. Arlo didn’t want to give up. He’d worked hard to pull himself free, leaving tracks in the ground as proof. But he was starting to lose hope. The nighttime sounded much louder than the daytime, with many different animals and insects screeching and chirping. Frightened, tired, hungry, and unable to move, Arlo had no choice but to cover his head and try to block it all out. He curled up and closed his eyes.
PSHHHHHH! The sound of shooting geysers woke Arlo. Groggy, he looked around, trying to remember where he was and what had happened.
When he finally did remember, he looked down at his foot. All of the rocks had been cleared away. He was no longer stuck! Arlo looked around and was stunned when he saw human tracks in the mud. He wondered if the boy had pushed the rocks away while he was asleep. Could that critter have done something to actually help Arlo? Even if he had, it wouldn’t matter. Arlo was still angry; he forced the thought out of his mind and pressed on, walking along the river.
Drip.
Drop.
Drip.
Drop.
Cold raindrops began to fall from the sky. At first, Arlo felt as if he could hear each drop falling against the leaves, with their soft pitter-patter. But the rain quickly picked up, and in no time the pitter-patter turned into a constant stream, soaking everything and softening the ground. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and little creatures scurried about as they ran for shelter. The rain came down even harder and Arlo shivered, cold and wet.
BOOM!
A loud clap of thunder startled him. The storm was getting worse. Arlo collected some sticks and tried to build a shelter.
The Good Dinosaur Page 2