Diane opened her eyes. Slowly, she lifted her head and opened her muzzle in a wide yawn. Blue eyes scanned around the area to try and remember where she was. The groggy feeling of falling asleep unexpectedly hung over her head. She stood up and stretched, shaking out her white fur. It was dark out. The sky was still overcast, but there was enough light to almost see by. The moon could vaguely be seen behind the clouds. During her sleep, it started raining. Her fur was damp. She shook again to free the water droplets from her fur. It was still raining; better get the kids and go home.

The kids! Diane’s eyes shot open. The memories preceding her unnatural slumber came flooding back to her. Any semblance of grogginess vanished, pushed out by a new sense of dread. She remembered watching her triplets at play. Then, a strange, foggy sensation, followed by sleep.

She ran to the area where she last saw the children playing. “Kids! Come here!” She called out to them. Her gaze swept from one end of the playground to the other. No sign of them anywhere. Were they hiding? “Janet! Claudia! Xavier!” A crack in her voice, unable to be hidden. The drumbeat of her rapid heartrate thudded in her ears. She was terrified and doing a poor job of hiding it. “It’s time to come home! Come out!”

Normally, when her children went out of sight, she was not this scared. This was not a normal circumstance. She was asleep for what had to be hours. During that entire time, she had no one with eyes on them. How could this happen? Nothing like it had ever happened to her before. She was not even tired, but fell asleep so suddenly it was like she had been drugged. Waking up with no sign of them anywhere was one of the worst outcomes she could think of. She called for them again and again, moving from one end of the playground to the other.

No one answered. The only sounds she heard were those of crickets, raindrops, and cars trundling down the road in the distance. All of them were indifferent to her missing pups. They were not hiding in any of the playground equipment. They were not obscured by a nearby bush. They were not hiding in the shelter-house or under a picnic table. They were gone.

No, no, no…. how could this happen? She never fell asleep like this before. Even if she had, it was not like the triplets to run off on their own. Marcus would not have come to get them without telling her. The pups were so energetic that, if they saw her sleeping, they would have done something to get her attention. Probably jump on her back or sing her a song about chess.

The only explanation that fit was they were kidnapped. Someone took her sweet little pups. And, with how suddenly she was knocked out, she had to have been drugged. That made it even worse. How? She had not eaten or drank anything suspicious. No food or drink entered her system for three hours before her unwanted sleep.

So, what happened? The last unusual thing she remembered was watching some unusual flowers bloom around her. That could not have been what knocked her out. Could it? She walked back to the wolf shaped indentation in the grass where she was spent an unknown stretch of time sleeping. A cluster of flowers with brilliant, red and gold petals poked out of the grass nearest to where she lay her head.

She reached down and batted one with her paw. Cautiously, as if it was about to go off and force her into a state of slumber once more. A flower putting her to sleep? What a ridiculous thought. Impossible. Such an idea made no sense at all. Just the same, she refrained from leaning in to smell it again. She also made a note of it. It was such an unusual thing that it could have been a calling card from whoever took her pups. She was going to get the police involved. She had to.

But first, she needed to call Marcus. A small hope remained that the children were just lost. She needed to call her husband. Get him here right now. This was an emergency and every extra set of eyes would increase the chances of finding her children that much more. And, if they really were taken, she knew he need her as much as she needed him.

Ronald was home from college and Marcus could not be happier to see him. The ruddy squirrel sat at the kitchen table in his old chair that he always sat in whenever the family had dinner together. He had to have his own chair. Being much smaller than his lupine parents, his seat needed to be a lot higher off the ground. Having the adopted kids sit at a separate table would not do at all.

As Marcus looked him over, he could not help but notice that Ronald looked older than he remembered. He had only been away for a few months, but that was long enough to let minor changes build upon each other. Older, sure, but part of Marcus would always see him as his little boy. When he found him, he was a young, terrified squirrel fleeing from his burnt-out home. Ronald was only eight back then. He lost his parents two years earlier. A forest fire took out the orphanage where he lived, proving that bad things happened in streaks. The only family he had left was his sister four years his junior. At first, they were afraid he would eat them, as a more feral wolf was wont to do. After helping them out of the mud, he offered to take them to a better place. Although they did not entirely trust him at first, they were hungry and desperate enough to leave them little choice but to go with him. It helped that he was so willing to help them.

It did not always work out well to trust complete strangers, even ones that appeared helpful at first. That was a lesson Ronald learned later. In this case, it worked out. Marcus cared for them; made sure they were warm, fed, and sheltered, and acted as a father to them even before he officially adopted them. He did this partially out of a sense of Christian love, partially out of a desire to start a family of his own, and partially out of guilt. At the time, he thought he was responsible for the forest fire that not only cost the squirrels and many other forest dwellers their homes, but also cost him Diane, the love of his life. How happy he was when he found out that she was alive. How relieved he was when he found out that he was not to blame for the fire.

The intervening years brought spots of trouble, but they weathered it as a family. Now, Ronald was a young adult and off on his own. At least, partially on his own. In a lot of ways, college was adulthood with training wheels. Not many things to worry about aside from studying and peer interaction, though that was a pretty big task for someone spending their first stretch of time away from home. Marcus was proud of him, but he still saw him as a little kid in a lot of ways. A lot of it had to do with a reluctance to let him go, but there were little things. Small things the wolf noticed that made him think he still needed his parents.

Ronald lost weight. He was always active at home, interested in exercise and resistance training to keep himself spry. A squirrel too fat to rapidly climb trees was more a guinea pig than a squirrel, and Ronald was far from afraid of heights. The standard procedure for a college freshman was to gain a few pounds, or ounces in the case of a squirrel. The fur around Ronald’s muzzle was less full than it was when last Marcus saw him in person. His entire profile was a lot slimmer. To Ronald, it probably was so gradual he did not notice, but his father saw it. The food at the college must not have been less than great. Bulk, mass produced foodstuffs that emphasized quantity over quality. Late teenagers with active metabolisms and endless appetites enjoyed such things, but Ronald always was a healthy eater. He might have to check out his residence hall’s cafeteria salad bar next time he was up there. If it emphasized pasta and mayonnaise-based salads over fresh greens and fruit, it would be time to say something.

Adding to the food problem, the desserts had to be subpar. Ronald was on his second slice of homemade blueberry pie. No ice cream with it, just pie, a sure sign he missed home-baked treats with fresh ingredients. Marcus remembered his time in school. Lots of frozen ice cream novelties, prepackaged pastries baked several months ago, and pudding that came in 64-ounce cans. A few treats made with love would do the boy some good.

Ronald’s tail was slightly mussed, as was the rest of his fur. Diligent brushing to keep it tamed was not happening. Marcus could respect that, to a degree. It meant that he was throwing all of his energy into his studies. Biology in all of its flavors took a lot of diligence to grasp, especially when one got to the portions that involved organic chemistry. Unkempt fur might have been a sign that the student, free from their parents, spent their spare time reveling with other students that went to college to major in binge drinking, but Marcus knew better. He saw Ronald’s grades. He was doing too well to waste his time wasting his life. Plus, people who did that have a smell to them. Alcohol, especially when consumed in a bar, had a smell that clung to the fur, and Marcus had an excellent nose. Other drugs smelled even worse. Nothing could hide the smell from a concerned, lupine parent.

They made small talk throughout dinner. Mostly, it centered around his experiences at the Pratley College of the Sciences. How he was doing, how their football team was this year, and how he liked living in another town. The town was also named Pratley, continuing the convention of colleges being named after the town they occupied.

After dessert, Diane took the triplets to the park and, with some prompting, Cecilia went off to practice drawing. This gave Marcus a chance to chat with Ronald on his own. With him home for spring break, he would have plenty of time to spend with the rest of the family. Early in the visit was the best time to talk to him man-to-man. Two hours flew by reminiscing about old times. About where Ronald came from, how he grew up, his challenges and triumphs. For only existing for eighteen years, he had already seen much. The stories were enough to prompt him to have a second piece of pie, which Marcus was happy to provide. Him being there was the main reason Diane baked it.

“Good pie?” Marcus asked. Ronald, his mouth full, simply nodded. A little whipped cream was on his whiskers, but Marcus decided not to draw attention to it. “Make sure you thank your mother when she gets home.”

Ronald swallowed. “Yeah, I will.” He took another bite. He talked between chews. “It’s really good.”

Marcus chuckled. “So it seems. Good as it is, don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Ronald’s ears folded back. He swallowed. “Heh, sorry. I haven’t had pie this good in a while. I think they make the pie crust at Grover Hall with sawdust and thicken the pudding with pinecones.”

“If it’s anything like what cafeterias served when I was in school, I wouldn’t be surprised.” How long ago was Marcus in school? It seemed like just yesterday, but now he had a college aged child himself. Quick, say something to not feel old. “We used to say they bought the salmon Friendly Fred’s rejected. Smelled like it too.”

Ronald made a face and stuck out his tongue. “Ugh….dad! I’m eating! Stomach hurt for a week last time I ate there.” Memories of Friendly Fred’s Fish Frenzy stuck in the mind of anyone who ever ate there. The big, yellow and blue signs were all over the place, all the same. It was popular despite only being food in a vague, abstract sense. Quick, cheap, greasy, and loaded with enough salt and additives to make it tasty and easy to eat. Marcus was not sure why they were so popular, but it was probably a sing that society was in decline.

“That’s probably how long it took you to digest it.”

“Only go there when I have to. All I can have off their menu is the coleslaw and kelp nuggets. Even that tastes like fish cooked in a dirty dishwasher.”

“Why would you have to?” Marcus asked. He agreed with his second sentiment. All of Friendly Fred’s food tasted vaguely dirty.

“My roommate loves the place. We go there with some of his friends sometimes. Usually on Sunday evening when the cafeteria’s closed.” Ronald’s tail flicked. “When it’s his turn to pick, that’s where we always go.”

“Taste is a very personal thing.” Marcus chuckled. “But, that might make me question his sense of taste.”

“He says he likes it ironically. I’m not sure that means what he thinks it does, but that’s what he says.”

“It’s nice of you to go there anyway. Sometimes you have to do things with your friends you might not want to do. As long as it isn’t sinful, it’s fine. Doesn’t mean it’s pleasant.”

“Yeah.” Ronald replied simply. He was not looking at Marcus. Something else was going on, but he was going to have to push to get him to say it.

He let the silence hang in the air for a half minute, just to see if Ronald was going to say anything else. When he did not, Marcus continued. “Are you getting along well with the kids at school?”

“We’re not kids anymore.” Ronald replied in a mildly sour tone.

“When you get my age, everyone in school is a kid. Didn’t mean anything by it.” Marcus tried to smooth over his son’s ego. He forgot that teenagers hated being called kids. It usually took until they were in their mid-twenties before they started realizing that they were getting older and still being thought of as young was a compliment. “Your mother and I are proud of you, being on your own in a new city and all. You settled in very well. But, you didn’t answer my question.”

Ronald’s ears lowered. He had the look of a teenager that tried to evade a question, but failed and no amount of redirection would get him out of it. “Yes. I am. With no problems at all.”

“You just said you don’t like going where they go sometimes. You hinted that your roommate said weird things. There’s more to this.”

“It’s nothing, dad. Just stuff. I’m doing just fine and don’t need you worrying about me getting ‘worldly’ habits or falling away from the faith or anything. So please stop asking.”

Marcus did not mention either of those things, but he really was worried about it. Every church was replete with stories of members sending their kids off to school and them coming back indoctrinated slaves to the spirit of the age. They went off on their own and listened to what the world said, what the world wanted them to be. The religion of the world was selfish materialism, one that rejected any concept of truth. It taught that one makes their own truth, provided it lined up with the current popular trends in culture. A rigid hierarchy of identity groups, with those who rejected the Bible the hardest at the top. This was evident in the university system more than anywhere else. The unofficial position of academia was so universal and ingrained in the culture that it might as well be codified as their official position. The professors were always eager to push their godless view on their students. Those raised by Christian parents carried a particularly large target on their backs. There was no room for dissent in the classroom. You either agreed with your professor, were silent, or you ran the risk of receiving a failing grade. Other students were rarely helpful in resisting the culture. They were out on their own for the first time as well, and most were very excited to experience all the pleasures the world had to offer. Being away from their families, sometimes separated by hundreds of miles, they had free reign to let loose and explore everything the world told them they should explore.

Naturally, Marcus was going to keep pushing. “I didn’t mention your faith at all. And you haven’t said much about anyone else at school.” Ronald winced. “I don’t think you’ve ever given any of them names. What are they like?”

“They’re…..” Ronald put his fork down next to the half-eaten slice of pie. He said nothing else until the silence grew uncomfortable. Then, Marcus had to talk.

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“I think I understand. You feel different. You don’t think you fit in, but you want to. But, they do things that make you uncomfortable. Is that right?”

“No!” Ronald, channeling every 18 year old who was ever confronted by his parents with exactly what he was feeling, answered quickly. “…..maybe a little.”

“That’s normal. Pratley’s a very different town than Paradise Valley. The college gets people from all over the country, so this is a good opportunity to see how a lot of other people think.” Marcus liked to think he did a pretty good job of socializing Ronald. The young squirrel did not need much prompting. He was outgoing enough to talk to many people. That he was acting like this when asked about others seemed strange. “Something tells me there’s more to it than that.”

Ronald sighed. He pushed his plate away. The shifting in his seat indicated he was considering leaving the table. He straightened up, opened his mouth to speak, but then settled back down. No getting out of this. “My roommate isn’t like the other guys at church. He’s an otter named Chrysanthemum. I don’t get him most of the time.”

“What do you mean?” Marcus got comfortable and focused. There was a lot of stuff he needed to pay attention to.

“He’s all over the place. Sometimes he’s really friendly and sometimes it seems like he’s mad at me. Like, the other day in the morning he got mad at me for eating cereal too loud.”

“Were you?” Marcus asked. Squirrels were not always aware when they were chewing loudly. It was not exactly something they could help, with the large front teeth.

“I didn’t think so.” Ronald scratched the back of his head. “I mean….I told him I was sorry….after I told him to stop leaving blue dye residue in the sink. He dyes his tail blue.”

“Did you tell him nicely?”

“….mostly, I did, yeah.” Ronald withered a bit under the critical look Marcus gave him. “I mean, I could have been nicer, but he gets me so mad sometimes. I feel like he picks at me on purpose. It was Sunday and before church, so I had to go anyway. I…..might have stormed out of the room.”

Marcus smiled. “Think I understand why you did that, but you could have handled it better.”

“Yeah…” Ronald nodded. “Felt pretty bad about it later. A few hours after church, I finally went back and was ready to apologize. Correct him with love and stuff like we’re supposed to do as believers. When I got in, though, he said he was sorry first. He was actually nice to me the rest of the night. Even decided to go to my favorite restaurant when we met up with his friends, even though it was his turn to pick.”

“He sounds hard to be around.” Marcus knew the type. From what he heard, the otter’s default was hostile, but he tried to be nice when it suited him. He might just be trying hard to be a better person, but he might also want something. “Has he ever said why he’s like that?”

“No.” Ronald tilted his head. “Well, kind of. He wants to be my friend, and, uh….”

“And what?”

Ronald’s tail flicked back and forth. Tiny thumps softly echoed off the table, timed to him drumming his fingers across it. “Well, he’s always saying I’m too ‘indoctrinated’. He wants me to loosen up and have fun.”

There was the problem. The world had a way of sneaking into someone’s life in very subtle ways. In this case, it was in an overt way. The world practically barged into Ronald’s life banging pots and pans together and screaming about how great and fun it was. The wolf had to chuckle. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you. I just didn’t expect it to be this obvious.” Marcus leaned back in his chair. “Be honest. Do you think he’s right? I won’t get mad if you say ‘yes’.”

Ronald quickly shook his head. “No, no! Not at all. He’s not right. The guy gets mad at everything and constantly complains about everyone he meets and every professor he has. If that’s what he’s selling, I don’t want it. It sucks to be miserable all the time. He gets real bad when he’s hung over and it’s weird to see him stagger into the room in the middle of the night and pass out wherever he lands.”

“I thought Pratley was a dry campus.” Marcus raised an eyebrow. Then he remembered what college was like. College combined with animal nature in a variety of interesting ways. If someone wanted something badly enough, regardless of whether it was allowed, they could get it. “Nevermind. Forgot what college was like.”

“I used to think you were exaggerating about that stuff. Just worried dad stuff.” Ronald wore a sheepish smile. “It’s just like you and the old guys at church said.”

Marcus nodded. “Just try and stay away from that stuff. I know you’re at the age where it’s looking tempting, but there are few things that will ruin your life faster.”

Ronald sighed. “I will, dad. You don’t have to tell me that every time I’m here. I can see it for myself.”

“I can’t help it. It’s what fathers do.” Marcus tried not to chuckle. Ronald did not understand a father worrying about these things. It was good that he did not, still being a young squirrel. Concern about a family of his own could wait until after college. While he was looking forward to grandchildren someday, he was in no hurry to get there.

Focus back on the now. Ronald said some concerning things. “Maybe this is an opportunity to share the gospel?” Marcus started. “Sounds like Chrysanthemum could use it. Have you tried inviting him to church?”

“He wasn’t interested.” Ronald rubbed the back of his head. “I asked his friends, but one of them told me to stop acting like a ‘fundie retard’. If I bring it up again, they just make fun of me. I hate it when they do that. Makes me so mad.”

Marcus shook his head. He should have expected as much. More and more, the world was hostile toward the gospel. Even the kids were taught to hate it. A child did not get this hostile to it without pressure from the broken people running the schools and popular culture. “I’m sorry you have to run into that. It seems like that’s the rule instead of the exception these days. Those kinds of people are hard to be around.”

“I feel bad for them. They’re lost and miserable and don’t even know it.”

“It sounds like you’re miserable when you’re with them.” Ronald nodded, but Marcus kept talking. “Why do things with them if you are?”

Ronald broke eye contact and looked away, the hallmark look of an embarrassed teen. “Well…it’s easy. Our, uh, schedules match up pretty well, so they’re people to hang out with. And it’s fun playing video games with them. They have a lot of the ones I missed growing up.” Ronald’s ear flicked. “Uh, not that there’s anything bad about that.”

Marcus decided to ignore the comment about video games. Some of the themes in popular games are not appropriate for Christians regardless of age. But, this was not the right time. “There have to be other students that go to church. The campus fellowship center is thriving, so you can find people to hang out with that won’t make fun of you for being Christian.”

“I’ve tried a little bit, but most of the guys who go there are in different programs. Our schedules don’t line up.”

“All of them?”

“Uh, the ones I’ve asked.” Ronald shrugged. “I mean…I could ask some more people, I guess…..”

“That’s a good idea. It’s important to have friends who build you up, not ones who tear you down.”

Ronald nodded. “That’s why I keep doing stuff with those guys. This might be a good opportunity. I mean, they hate the gospel now, but maybe if I keep presenting it to them, they’ll get it.”

“Didn’t you just say you were miserable around them?” Marcus found his son’s actions somewhat admirable, but only to a point. Looking at him now, it seemed more like they were wearing him down than he was wearing them down.

“I can deal with it.” Ronald smiled, but it looked forced. It was the same smile he had during his middle school pictures.

Marcus shook his head. “Your heart’s in the right place. That you tried is admirable, but they aren’t ready for it. They don’t want the message, so it’s time to move on.”

“What? You mean I should just give up? That doesn’t sound very Christian.” Ronald crossed his arms.

“Not give up, just move on. You remember Matthew 10:14, right?”

“Um…” Ronald’s ears lowered. “You might have to remind me.”

“And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.” It was a passage Marcus memorized and one he worked on with Ronald. “Basically, you gave them the message. Gave it to them many times, from what I understand. But, they didn’t receive it, so it’s time for you to find other ears that might hear it.”

“But, they’re unsaved!” Ronald leaned up on the table, planting his paws firmly on it. “I mean, they don’t even know what’s waiting for them in eternity unless they turn to Christ! They’re not bad guys. I want them to be saved so they can spend eternity in God’s kingdom! It’s like they don’t even care.” He slumped back in his chair. “I can’t just give up on them.”

At least his heart was in the right place. Time to present his son with an uncomfortable truth. It was one any evangelical hated to acknowledge, but that was the nature of the world. “It’s not up to us who will and will not accept the message. All we can do is present it, but you can’t force people to accept Christ. It isn’t your fault if they reject it. They make that decision.”

“I don’t want to give up on them. Don’t they know what happens if you die in your sins? Unrepentant?”

“To most, bad things are what happen to other people.” Marcus explained. “They have the word. It’s pretty hard to escape it completely, and the law of God is written into the heart of every man. When they reject God, it’s not because there isn’t enough evidence. It sounds like they reject Him because they don’t want to believe in Him.”

“I still don’t understand that. If you’re falling from an airplane, you can’t just will yourself to fly and expect to be okay.”

“And they don’t think that will happen to them. They just want to do whatever they want all the time.” Marcus chuckled. “That might even be why they’re in college. Get the college experience, then go on to make enough money to do whatever they want all the time on a larger scale.” Marcus leaned in. “Do they try to encourage you to do whatever you feel like? Or what feels good?”

Ronald winced. Even if he would have said no, that action indicated he could think of an example right off the top of his head. Memories had a way of hitting you like a club sometimes. “Yes….” Thankfully, the squirrel did not lie.

Marcus nodded. “That’s not uncommon. A lot of people would rather ignore God so they can sin, or create their own god that’s okay with their sin. Because of the nature of our flesh, sin feels good. There’s no way around it. There are people out there that, even though they know the truth in their hearts, they still reject it because they want to live life on their terms.”

“….are you saying I should give up? Start ignoring them? What?”

“You don’t have to ignore them or be mean to them or anything.” Marcus smiled. “You should keep being polite whenever possible. But, you don’t have to spend time with them. If they want to come to church with you, fine, but if they want to bring you along to dinner or to play video games or whatever you should decline.”

“We have to live with the world, though. I can’t just ignore it. I can be a good example to them. We have fun, most of the time. It’d be weird to just cut them off.”

“They don’t seem like they’re interested. People like that aren’t.” Marcus shifted in his seat and leaned forward on the table. He hated sharing uncomfortable truths at the best of times. They were, well, uncomfortable. Ronald was growing up, so it was time to lay it down. The wolf almost regretted not doing this earlier, if only for the fact that he would not have to do it now.

“They are the kind of people who deliberately want to pull you away from God. From what you’ve told me, that sounds like their goal. Through shaming, ridicule, and calling you names, they want to turn you away from God’s word to theirs.”

Ronald’s ear flicked as he thought that over for a few seconds. Finally, he asked “But, why would they want to do that? They’re the ones always going on and on about diversity.”

“Ronald, there are people in this world who hate us for what we believe. It’s been that way ever since the early days of Christianity, since Jesus died for our sins. John 15:18-19, ‘If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.’ I can’t explain why they do it very well. They have their own reasons, but it all comes down to spiritual sickness.”

“I just want to help them so bad.” Ronald shook his head. “I mean, if they’re sick, they need a doctor. What use do the healthy have for a physician and all that, right?” The squirrel was paraphrasing, but Marcus got the gist of what he was saying.

He was not wrong, not entirely. Marcus, however, had been around a lot longer than he had. Part of being spiritually mature is realizing when to walk away. “They don’t even accept that they’re sick. They reject the very idea of it. So, they reject the gospel. What’s worse is they want you to reject it too. They’ll accuse you of trying to force your ideals on them while trying to force theirs on you.”

“That’s…kind of what we do though, right? I mean, isn’t that part of spreading the gospel?” Ronald asked.

Marcus shook his head. “It may seem that way, but we spread the message out of love. We want to build them up. God’s word is edifying. History is replete with examples of people who changed for the better once saved. What they’re trying to do is break you down. Their attitudes and ridicule show that. You can’t say you like them tearing at you all the time.”

“It doesn’t bother me, I know they’re friendly underneath it all.” Ronald said and Marcus almost believed him. “And they won’t succeed.”

“It still affects you. Even if it doesn’t hurt, it can make you question your ability to evangelize. They’re just not interested in it. They don’t want you to be you. They don’t even like who you are. They are trying to remake you in their image. Some blue tailed, worldly kid who drinks heavily, hates his parents, and says things like ‘Oh, did God really say that? And which God are you talking about?’ That is who they are.”

Ronald made a face like he ate a spoonful of roofing tar. A spoonful of ice-cold roofing tar. “I don’t like that mental image, dad. Thanks a lot.”

Marcus chuckled. “It’s true. A pagan considers it a badge of honor to break Christians down. That’s especially true of Christian kids. They want to make you worship their gods and are not shy about it. Just be glad that they can’t do it by force anymore. It wasn’t always that way. It’s best just to give them the message and, if they are not receptive, move on. One sows, another reaps, God provides the increase.”

Ronald was silent again. One could almost hear the gears of consideration turning in his head. “Guess I should find some guys at church, huh.”

“That would be best.” Marcus’ phone, sitting on the kitchen counter, vibrated and played Beethoven’s ‘Fur Elise’. That was Diane’s ring. Marcus’ heart skipped a beat and his limbs went cold. If everything was all right, she would be home. If she was calling, everything was not all right.

“Just a minute.” The conversation was not over yet, but it could wait. Marcus’ gut felt like a freezing cold, lead weight sat in his stomach. He tried to tell himself that everything was probably fine. Reassuring excuses for why she was calling went through his head. She might be calling to tell him they lost track of time and would be home late, so don’t worry. Might be asking if she could get the triplets some ice cream on the way home and if he wanted some too. She might be calling him to tell him the triplets did something adorable and she was just dying to tell him about it.

The feeling of wrongness did not abate as he swiped his finger across the screen. “Diane, is everything all right?” He had a greeting in his head. What came out of his mouth was different. A question came out without him putting any conscious thought into it. Born of a sense that something was wrong, it flowed easily.

“They’re gone! They’re all gone! Someone took them!” Diane’s tone made Marcus feel like a weight crushed his chest. Uncharacteristically hysterical, it was the voice of a mother panicked over the loss of something very dear to her.

The world stopped for just a moment. Everything around Marcus could have vanished for all of the focus that he had on the dire news. “Who’s gone? What do you mean?” Marcus’ voice shook at the question. He already knew what she was talking about. Asking the question was unnecessary. But, knowledge that one did not want rarely registered when given for the first time. The emotional parts of the wolf’s brain refused to acknowledge it.

“Someone took the triplets! I…I didn’t mean to lose them. It was…I don’t even know what happened! I…I can’t find them anywhere!” Diane had been crying. Marcus knew that quavering quality in her voice. She spoke between sobs.

“Where are you?”

“Mercer Park. Marcus, please, you….”

“We’ll find them.” Marcus hated interrupting his wife, but this was not a conversation to have over the phone. The shock to his system from hearing the news burned away. He was still scared, terrified in fact. Fear was not something that could paralyze someone like Marcus. Instead, it gave him a sense of purpose. Time to move. “Stay there. I’ll arrive as soon as I can.” Marcus paused, then added. “It’s going to be okay. I love you.” Before hanging up.

Ronald stared wide eyed at his father. Tail twitching, the wolf could tell he was nervous. “Dad, what was that about?”

“Get your sister, then head to the garage. We’re going.”

“Wait, dad…!”

“Now! I’ll explain on the way!” Marcus barked. Ronald, startled, scurried off. No time to feel bad. When children were in danger, politeness was sometimes an unaffordable luxury. They could sort that out later. Right now, he needed everyone.

For two hours, the family searched. In the rain and the night time chill, they scoured the playground and the entire area around it. The rain washed away any scent of Claudia, Janet, and Xavier. The darkness hid the tracks of whoever took them. They could not track them, the only thing they gained from it was a sense of frustration. With the children truly being counted as missing, they knew they had to get the police involved. They prayed together, the remnant of their happy family, then called the police.

While waiting for them to arrive, they prayed again. When you’ve exhausted all worldly methods, the only thing left to do was turn to God. Turning to the most powerful being in the universe sometimes felt like an afterthought, but it was all they had in that moment. In the backs of all of their minds, floating like a specter, remained one uneasy thought. They had been through so much as a family already. Why was this allowed to happen now? In the moment, they had no good answer. All they had was faith that things would be okay.