Chapter 1

As a young lad growing up in rural Missouri I often wondered what it would be like to fly. I know that without artificial means such as an airplane that was beyond what I could ever hope for. But, what if I could be carried by another living creature? This is where my story begins; That day dawned cloudy dark and cold to exposed skin. Considering that it was early June it was odd to say the least. I a lad of 10 years had gone outside to be away from under my loving mothers attentions. Behind our home was a forest that was a mix of various trees; pine, oak, wild cherry, cedar and others. I learned early to track myself through this wonderful place and return home without any mishap. The danger I was told were snakes; copperhead, and rattlers being the most common. I carried a stick not to kill them but to keep us both away from one another. As I walked the clouds began to dissipate breaking into seeming shapes, so my next little adventure seems unavoidable.

I had just rounded a large oak tree and was looking up into its high branches the limbs reaching from the floor of the forest to 60 or 70 feet in the air. I am a boy that likes to be alone and the reasons for this are plain. I am overweight and live where few people have settled. I had crossed a small stream a few steps back and turned my attention in time to see a slithering form of a snake almost under my shoe. A copperhead! It could have been fatal to have stepped on the snake. My heart was pounding but my training by my father quickly asserted itself. I brought out my stick and cajoled the critter away from me and toward the water where it had undoubtfully had slithered. The forked end of my staff allowed us both to go safely on our ways. I was a little embarrassed with the lack of attention to my surroundings. That kind of lapse can have dire consequences.

I decided after a thorough inspection of the area that I was hungry and tired so the clearing I next found was an ideal place to take a break and partake of my backpacked lunch.

The area was 60 feet in diameter with the softest grass covering the sward. The trees lining it took up almost all of the nearly perfect circle; with the exception of a rock out cropping that towered over the southern end. The trees were similar to those that I had hiked through; cedar, pine, spruce, fir and a mix of oak. The rock had what appeared to be a ledge up about 20 to 30 feet from the sward. There was water coming from one side of the ledge and that made a fantastic small waterfall that cascaded down forming a small pool that was cool and crystal clear. In the pool, fish swam fat and lazy. Turtles lined the shore nearest the rocks taking advantage of the sun dappled rocks. A good lunch awaited me when my exploring was done.