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Show -21- Peppermint Monday the cages were locked, but the animals didn't seem to want to go anywhere. They were getting good care, the best there probably was, right where they were. Jason and I spent several minutes looking at the animals and talking back to the squirrel. We had to be close now, we had found Jake's animals, and we were in a forest. I was tired, real tired, and my feet ached. It seemed like we'd come closer to ten miles than to three, and so far all we'd found was the silly squirrel and his friends. Jason let our a whoop of delight and started running. I didn't quite have the strength to run, but hurried along with a half skip. Jason was smiling when I caught up with him. He was breathing heavy huffs, and was scarlet red in the face, but he'd found the shack, that was worth the sore feet. "No more shouting," I said between breaths. "Jake and Russ could be nearby. They're probably through checking out the rabbits by now." "Yeah, sorry," Jason said without looking the least bit sorry. "We didn't exactly find this place in record time, you know. We're going to have to hurry now." Jason had already turned before I quit talking, and was headed for the door. I followed at a slower pace, looking all directions except up. Wherever Jake was, I doubted he would ever reach heaven. Prom all I'd heard at church, hell is overflowing with mean, rough codgers like Jake. The shack was wood-framed, weathered, but solid looking. There was one front window, but it had been boarded up. Jake had probably done that to keep both sunshine and people from peeking in. Jason didn't bother with the window, but went straight to the door, knocking his eighty-five pounds |