My Short Short for the Day

Ollie raced down the packed dirt path, up the stone steps, weaving in and around the weathered grave markers.  This is awesome!  Ollie loved to run.  He ran across fields, through forests and up and down the leaf strewn pathways of the graveyard.  That was his favorite.  The silence was eerie to some, but not to Ollie.  He felt at peace here, among the ancient stones.  Sometimes he would slow down enough to read the names and dates and try to imagine what life had been like for them.  Once in a while he came across someone who had died very young.  He’d be sad for days after, trying hard not to imagine how the person’s family had felt when they lost their child. 

The wind blew strong bringing tears to his eyes but it didn’t slow him down.  Not today.  No time for reading names or calculating dates.  He was with his best friend Zak and Zak was winning.  That just wouldn’t do.  He knew a shortcut and made a sharp left turn.  He raced down the path, breathing heavy but smiling as he kicked up dust behind him.  Almost there, just a bit further.  He dashed across the invisible line just as Zak crested the hill.

“Aw, man!  You won again Ollie!”  Zak patted Ollie on the back.  “You’re too fast for me, boy.”

Ollie nudged Zak’s hand and Zak gave him a quick scratch behind the ears.  “Good run, boy!  Here you go."

Ollie accepted the biscuit and devoured it in one bite.  He fell in step with Zak, padding along beside him.  Tongue hanging out to the side and a happy grin on his face.  Still the fastest runner around, he thought proudly.