The Enthusiasts

27

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." – Margaret Mead

"It's a machine that dispenses endless liquid cheese product! It's a miracle! It's the gift that keeps on giving!" Sasha pounded on the table, demanding the complete attention of the small, seated crowd surrounding her.

"Where was this place again?" Jake inquired.

"Not far. It was past Crowchild." Sasha squinted. "Ssssssouth somewhere. It was really troush'd up. Like, I know it happened, I know it was real... but how? I don't know. All I know is it was amazing, and it was stocked with everything you could ever want. It's like an untouched store that crash-landed here from a different dimension."

"Let's go. Teddy needs his liquid cheese."

"Teddy needs to stop talking to himself in third person," Sasha suggested.

"Hey, look who's up and checking things out." Coleman pointed out the dog. Cheeco was sniffing and snorting his way around the yard as the morning's glow took hold over the camp. The stray hound ran each side of his protruding jawline over the small matted grassy patches outside the basketball court. He let out a euphoric, pleasing groan to himself while feverishly rubbing his front half across every surface he could grind against to familiarize himself with the camp. It felt really good to claim this place as his, and to claim to know these upright sorcerers — these conjurers of the impossible, aligned together from the higher realms — as his kin. This was his land, yet no sense of authority over it ran in his blood. Openness remained the cornerstone of his nature. Fearful not of rejection, he would always allow those who may wish to do harm to him, his lands, or his kin the freedom to reveal themselves first before baring his own teeth in battle. Unlike most of the wild beasts, he had never let himself become asphyxiated through learning the word enemy. Cheeco was still hobbling on only three-and-a-half legs as the bottom part of his back right appendage was forever gone. It appeared to make no difference to the mutt though, as he played the part of luckiest dog alive at daybreak. The untethered pooch was quickly becoming the main source of entertainment to those seated around the wooden picnic table they had set outside that morning. The weather had changed dramatically overnight, and it was feeling balmy now. Nearly all the area's snow was melted in the city's core, with the sun's heat radiating across the outer divisions where Ranchlands cornered the northwest quadrant of North Garrison. Nearly summer-like temperatures were striking the region today. The focused rays jostled each and every cell of biology they contacted sending the environment into hyperdrive now that the cold snap had ended. All eyes around the table were frequently drawn outside the courtyard, noting a dome of endless light blue without a cloud trail to be seen in the sky cresting over the mountain-scaped horizon beyond the camp's walls.

"I know. He's loving his new lease on life." Sasha spoke of the animal the same way a competitive soccer mom would speak of her child. Her dog was special and talented in areas where others would never be able to compare or even understand. Emerson, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air, sat down next to the preoccupied group on the edge of the old wooden double-benched picnic table.

"Nurse Sasha has brought her patient back to life," he said, watching the dog sniffing around the perimeter of the camp. The dog's ears perked up as he heard a new voice. He trotted over to investigate, nuzzling his snout into Emerson's waist as a hand went down his coat of thick coarse hair. "...Yeah, you're not so bad, are you?" Emerson told the dog who immediately excused himself to do some more sniffing in the surrounding area. Emerson looked over the crowded table of eight.

"Where's Keith?" he asked.

"He's putting things together in the medic room or something. I don't know, he said he's really tired. He said he needs sleep before we leave today," Sasha explained.