Jack's walk home was a long one. It was no longer than any other time he walked back from town. This time he was burdened with a heavy load though. He carried no bags with him, but the weight of the news he had to bare was heavy in his mind. The closer he got the harder it was to make each step.

Jack finally reached the meadow or the wall of bushes that went along the roadside of the meadow. Looking through the breaks in the bush. He noticed a lot of activity over at the house. Wonder what's going on now, better not be Ropey again he thought. Jack was in no mood to entertain that man and would take pleasure in escorting him out of the meadow. It was still Snook's meadow for another day.

Looking through the next break in the bushes. Panic struck in, "What the,," Jack's pace broke from a heavy step to a full out sprint. Snook was being attacked by a pack of dogs.

Reaching the entrance, almost going head over heels as he turned at such a fast pace. He noticed most of the dogs were relaxed with only a couple running around back and forth. Snook didn't seem worried at all. Jack shouted out to Snook, "Everything okay?"

Snook "Yes, just dandy, I think I met a few new friends. I don't know were they came from, they all just turned up. I wonder who they belong to. That one over there seems to be the leader, He keeps running off and coming back with more."

Jack. "Looks like you are having a better day than me. No luck with the lawyer, lot's of moral ground but nothing legal can be done."

Snook. "C'mere Jack. Look at this."

Jack. "I see you put your wings on again today."

Snook. "Never took them off Jack. Watch this when I ask a question. It's one bark yes and two barks no." Snook turned back toward the dogs and began to speak. "Should I sell the meadow?" in unison the dogs barked twice. "Should I fight to keep the meadow?" again in unison the dogs backed just once. "Isn't that great Jack, they can understand me." again the dogs barked once.

Jack. "Snook there is some weird things going on around here lately." "We need to have a chat, a serious chat."

Snook. "Yes Jack, but can we do it later tonight?"

Jack. "That works, I need to get off home and take a shower anyways. I'll be back around 7 or 8 if that okay with you."

Snook. "Perfect, I'll be waiting for you then."

Jack made his way off home. Passing the apple trees, he looked back thinking some strange weird things going on all right. Snook waved and then returned her attention to the dogs. One by one the dogs disappeared, feeding time Snook guessed. Four remained and took position at the entrance to the meadow. Two Labradors a Rottweiler and a chihuahua stood century. The chihuahua doing the barking while the other three lay just inside the entrance.

Snook returned to the house. No matter what else was going on, house chores still needed to be done. Kitchen cleaned and while brooming the living room, dusting off the bookshelf. Snook noticed a book she had not seen before. Spells for Life. "Well that looks like it might be interesting reading." "Who's here?" Snook said as she realised she was talking to herself and placed the book on the arm of her chair for night time reading later.

Snook brought two chairs out to the porch, the second chair was for Jack, ho she expected to be arriving soon. There was a bit of time before Jack would arrive and a bit more before sunset would put on its night show of twilight. Snook remembered the book of spells and brought that out too for some light reading while she waited.

Jack made his way back to Snook's place. The walk not as troublesome as the walk earlier on that day. None the less his mind raced with thoughts from Mr Roper to the weird things going on. Like talking with a pack of dogs. Flowers growing on trees. Four apple pies from one. Reaching the meadow Jack slowed his pace wondering what he would see when he passed the apple tree. He peaked round the apple tree and what he saw.

Snook was just sitting down to read a book it seemed. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Though the past couple of days out of the ordinary seemed to be ordinary. "Hey Snook." Jack moved himself toward the cabin. Snook stood up and said. "Let me get you a coffee."

Jack. "If you have any of the appleade left that would go down a treat."

Snook. "I sure do, coming right up." "Rest yourself there, I'll B R B."

Jack. "B R B?"

Snook. "B R B Be right back. All the kids are saying it, guess I picked it up from them."

Snook returned with appleade for Jack and herself. "So, whats on your mind Jack. You seem a bit distant."

Jack. "I'm not sure distant is the right word. I've seen a lot in my day. But, ,, But nothing like the things I have seen in the past few days. I mean, I took an apple from the apple tree and thee was no apple there before I put my hand up to get the apple. I'm sure of that."

Snook. "You believed you would get an apple though." "I know you have questions Jack. To be honest, I am not sure I have the answers." "But maybe after tonight we will both have answers. Maybe more questions too."

Jack. "Okay, so what are we doing tonight?" "Learning some spells?"

Snook. "Learning spells?" "Oh the book, no that's just a book I found while dusting off the book shelf. "We are here to watch the sunset. Only this time don't watch the sun go down watch near the ground by the tree's at the end of the meadow."

Jack. "We going to watch the ground not the sunset?"

Snook. "Exactly. We're going to watch below the sunset."

Jack. "Below the sunset, got it." "So tell me Snook. The talking dogs, what was that about."

Snook. "Well I don't know whose dogs they are. Four of them are still here, over there by the meadow entrance." "The dogs were not actually talking, I was talking the dogs just barked back."

Jack rose to take a look at the meadow entrance. "I can see three dogs laying down. Can't see the fourth one."

Snook. "Keep watching, it might take a moment."

No sooner had Snook finished her sentence when Jack began to speak again. "Wait, I think I, what is that? there's a tiny shadow walking from left to right at the entrance."

Snook. "That's Chichi. I don't know the real name, but it's a chihuahua dog and it keeps marching back and forth over there."

Jack. "Just when you think it can't get weirder." "Wait, something is going on. The chihuahua is coming this way. The other dogs are all standing up now."

Snook. "I bet that's Jamie. Saturday night, he doesn't work tonight." Snook leaned down to Chichi and said. "I bet that's Jamie. Be nice to him now" Off went the chihuahua back to the entrance, let out three barks and the other three dogs went back to laying down.

Reaching the entrance and three big dogs staring him down. Jamie looked toward Snook's house to see, a bouncing ball of fluff making its way toward the entrance. Letting out three barks and then tugging on his trouser leg to come into the meadow. "I guess your the big dog around here then. I best do as you bid" Jamie entered and made his way toward Snook's house. The chihuahua walked along side him.

Jack rose and went to the kitchen to get a chair for Jamie to sit. "Have a seat there Jamie, I'll just grab another chair." Jamie sat and the chihuahua pawed at his leg until Jamie got the message to lift her to his lap.

Jamie. "Waiting for the sunset are we then?"

Snook. "That and maybe a bit more."