As Celeste hung on the branch she thought of her warm festively colored blanket she’d slept under at her Grandma’s. . ahh, safe, warm and soft . .

Now, as the night air created that bone breaking chill you can’t quite shake till the noon sun seeps into your every pore, she pondered her next move.

Go back up . . and sleep where tonight?

Climb down under the bridge . . and maybe be trapped?

Suddenly there was movement under the bridge there . . then odd commotion! Several men came out of a door she hadn’t noticed from her vantage point. They were discussing some plan for the city’s zoning and paying no attention to their surroundings. A small hovercraft glided down the creek from the other side of the bridge, pulled up alongside and the men boarded then it turned and headed back.

Celeste let out her breath. Did she dare climb down and investigate more? The door opened again and a tall woman holding a yippy dog came out with a short balding man. He was fussing about the dog while she complained the new zoning ordinances were taking too long.

“Philbert, my little precious needs to have peace and quiet. I so wish you’d push this through faster!!” the woman said stepping onto a hovercraft. “And make sure you shut that door like Harry said to.”

“Humph . ” Philbert muttered under his breath followed by a soft, “Yes, dear” and Philbert climbed aboard. The boat left as the last had and an eerie quiet descended on the area.