Postcards from Prima #1: Lost Vegas & Found Hound

By J. Quick

Lost, hurt, and afraid, Prima starts out trying to find her people, her home, but ends up on an epic adventure. Joining her on her unexpected journey are Emma and Jim, who are on a treasure hunt of their own. The father-daughter team find a series of letters that send them on a life-changing road trip in search of pieces to a puzzle. Together the threesome will find more than they all bargained for including aliens, castles, and graveyards. Will Prima, an uncommon canine, find the way home to her people? Will Jim and Emma, a grieving father and daughter, solve the puzzle left behind by someone special? Travel across the state of Nevada with Jim, Emma, and Prima to find out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. Quick
• Release date: Dec 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311014948

J. Quick

Just a little bit about me... I was very fortunate and married my best friend almost twenty years ago. We have two amazing teenage sons and live deep in the woods among the mountain lions and bears. Our fearless English Mastiff, a.k.a. Couch Baby, protects our home just about as well as his nickname implies, but we adore him anyway. For over twenty years I have been a secondary art teacher. In the beginning, I was a middle school teacher, and for many years, I have been a high school teacher. More years ago than I can count, I received a bachelor's degree in fine arts with a concentration in education. Just about ten years ago, I received a master's degree in education with a specialization in curriculum, instruction and assessment.

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Postcards from Prima #1 NV

Lost Vegas & Found Hound

J. Quick

~~~~~~~~~~~

Published by Jennifer Quick

Copyright 2015 Jennifer Quick

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work.

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For my junior editors, Kenzie and Leah, whose advice and suggestions were definitely appreciated,

For my senior editor, Mom, whose encouragement and recommendations are always valued,

For my boys including the ginormous furry one, whose patience and input are certainly cherished, and

For Prima, whose life inspired this book.

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Chapter One

I am running. I am running from the angry hands and the angry voice. The world is a darkening blur of houses and fences. Horns are blaring behind me, but still, I keep running. My lungs are burning and my feet are beginning to ache but still, I keep running. The bare branches of bushes smack my face, but still, I keep running. The angry shouts of strangers are finally fading behind me as I reach an open space. My pounding heart now fills my ears, as I slow down peering into the near darkness trying to decide which way would be the safest, which way will get me home. Urgently, looking right and left, I scan the huge expanse of grass lined with bushes and trees. Nothing smells or looks familiar. Nothing sounds familiar. Nothing feels familiar.

There is a cold breeze blowing on my left side that sends shivers up and down my back. No people immediately surround me, no immediate threat, but I decide to put as much distance between me and the voices of the angry strangers and begin to run again. The cool, short grass feels good beneath my aching feet. Shadows are lengthening across the flat ground, and straight ahead I see moving mounds of darkness blocking my way. I slow down and cautiously approach the rustling mounds. Good, just bushes no taller than me with a few leaves still hanging on. Under one of the bushes I find a water bottle beside a few white balls and empty gum wrappers. Good, no lid. With extreme guilt, I grasp the bottle and tip it back hoping to find even one drop of water to soothe my stinging throat. Ice cold water runs down my throat and finds my stomach. There isn’t much, but enough to give me the boost I need to continue trying to find something familiar, anything that will help me find my home, my people.

Through the bushes I see only dirt, bare ground and not much else. I sit under the bushes and catch my breath. It is now very dark, and although I can see better in the dark than most, I am not used to being out at night, especially alone. A high-pitched screech comes from up above and a foul smell floating on the breeze makes me uneasy, but I cannot give up, not yet, not ever. Resolving to see what is on the other side of the expanse of dirt; I stand up, shake off the leaves stuck to my side, swallow hard, and take one step forward.

Ouch! Something is cutting into my foot. Wincing in pain, I lift my right foot and spot something glinting in the rising moonlight. A couple pieces of glass are stuck in my foot, and I can see small, dark wet pools slowly expanding around the wounds. Carefully, I pull out the small shards of glass, whimpering with each one.

Despite the new soreness, I begin running again. Not as fast as before but no less urgently. Soon I hear human voices and barking dogs. Pausing to listen, but not recognizing any of them, and still shaken from my last unspeakable encounter and from being trapped, I turn away from them and run. Unexpectedly, I find myself standing in the middle of a road. No cars. Ears pricked for any sound of a car coming, I run down the road. Passing parked cars and remnants of meals along the side of the road, I slow down at the corner and sit down out of habit, and to rest my foot.

A wide, paved road crosses in front of me. The brightness of car headlights blind me momentarily as they whizz past. I instinctively take a step back. I have never crossed the street by myself before, but my people and the warmth of home might be on the other side of this street. I must at least try to cross. When there seemed to be no cars coming, I suck in my breath and begin to run. Breathing heavily from fear and exhaustion, about halfway across, without warning, I hear a car engine and a blaring horn. Headlights fill my vision, a screech fills my head.

Suddenly, jerked awake, I smacked my head on something hard above me. While the screech faded away, small, bright lights burst in front my eyes. Through my fading sleepiness, I heard voices and could feel a car engine rumbling from somewhere below me. The engine seemed big like the truck back home. From somewhere, a male voice was saying, ---was crazy. He almost cut me off. Are you okay?

A young female voice answered back, Yeah. Are we there yet? It is taking for-ev-er to get there. I am starving, I have to go the bathroom, and I want to open another letter. Can I? Can I? Please, please, pleeeease. I want to know what the next piece might be. She had the begging sound in her voice. I knew all about begging. I was starving. Did I have to go to the bathroom? Nope, not yet anyway.

No, you cannot open another letter. Not until we get to the coordinates she gave us. What were they again? said the man’s voice with kindness and patience in his voice.

There was the scraping sound of a box lid being lifted and some rustling of paper. We just left coordinates N 40.978780 and W 117.711859. According to the first letter, the coordinates we are supposed go to are N 41.103004 and W 114.973809 before we can read the next letter.

That shouldn’t be too much further I hope. What does Navi say?

She says that we have about fifteen more minutes and that you are speeding again.

Am not.

Are too. The young girl giggled from somewhere above me. The voices were faint but, if I turned my ear the right way, I could hear them clearly enough from my hiding spot. I could smell a mixture of leather, sweat, and strawberries coming from the direction of the voices. There was also a rich wood smell and something else.

"Why don’t you read the letter again? The one that started this adventure for us. The one we found after ---," he said trying to distract her. I knew a little something about distraction. Eggs. Fried eggs. That was the smell.

This one? I could hear the rustling of the box lid and papers again.

Yeah, that one, if you feel up to it.

I will give it a try. More rustling of paper, and after taking a deep breath, she began to read:

"For Jim and Emma,

You will be going on a road trip. No arguments. You are going to take the road trip we always talked about taking. The one we bought the truck camper for but we could never find the time or money to actually go on. Get out of the house. You two deserve a vacation after these past few months, a vacation to reflect on old memories and to begin to create new ones. I know how you both love puzzles, so I have written you nine more letters and a puzzle to solve along the way. The letters are to be read in order, and are only to be read in specific places and at specific times. No exceptions. There are pieces to a puzzle for you to find; you just have to figure them out and put them together. Jim, do not let Emma talk you into reading all the letters ahead of time. I know how persuasive she can be. Emma, make sure you draw and take lots of pictures and use the enclosed journal to record your thoughts, experiences, and clues to solve the puzzle. Go pack your bags; do not forget the GPS I bought you last Christmas, Jim. Load up the truck, camper, and jeep; do not forget your favorite junk food, Emma. Set out on a grand adventure; do not forget your smiles, both of you. Ready to get started? Below you will find the coordinates of your first destination or Plot Spot. Once you are there, you may read the next letter.

XXOO, your Mystery Maker"

Her voice was a little shaky at the end, and I could hear her breathing getting a little heavy.

After a pause, he asked gently, So what clues do we have so far?

There was more rustling, and what sounded like a book opening. Clearing her throat and sniffing loudly, she said, Let’s see what I have written down. First, we went to the state capital and we --- Her voice trailed off. Wait! What did you do? What clue did you find? You cannot leave me hanging like that. I loved finding stuff. I felt the world lean and the truck was slowing down. Noticing I had inched my way out from under the table while she was reading, quickly, I slid back into the shadows as far as I could and waited. Car doors slammed shut. They sounded like the doors on our truck back home, big, heavy and kind of hollow. There was more talking, a little muffled but I could still make out most of what they were saying. Ant. Carried a rather large crumb.

It looks like we are here.

Finally. Good thing, because I am getting hungry. When can we read the next letter?

You are always hungry.

Am not

Are too. Why don’t you find something for lunch and I will check us in. Then we can review our instructions.

Fine, Emma said drawing out the word in exasperation.

A narrow door opened, not far from where I was hiding, and bright sunlight spilled across the floor in front of my face. I held my breath as small, sneakered feet topped by blue jeans walked from the doorway passed my hiding spot to somewhere on my right. I