Paul Zindel: Loch

“Will Dad open the grid?” Zaidee asked.

“Yes,” Loch said.

Dr. Sam waved to them. He knew what had to be done, and he unlocked the door of the bunker. Inside, he punched the code into the controls. In seconds the hydraulics of the grid came alive. Still singing, the beasts slowly sank beneath the surface of the lake as the grid parted its massive gates. There was a tremendous surge of water as the river was restored to its full depth, and the beasts slowly swam into the rush of water flowing toward Lake Champlain-toward their home.

CLICK CLICK.

Only Wee Beastie surfaced. He remained off the stern of the skiff, his eyes glowing at them.

“He wants to stay with us,” Zaidee cried out.

“I think he does,” Loch said, “but he knows he can’t.”

Wee Beastie lifted his snout and shook it at them. Zaidee rushed forward to pet him. She looked closely into the creature’s eyes and knew her brother was right.

“Good-bye, Wee Beastie,” Zaidee cried out. “Good-bye!”

The light in Wee Beastie’s eyes slowly faded. He shook his snout again, turned, and dug his fins hard and deep toward the open grid to follow the song of the plesiosaurs.

Dr. Sam waved to his kids from the knoll.

“We’re a family again, aren’t we?” Zaidee asked Loch as she waved back.

“You bet we are,” Loch said, holding Sarah close to him. A wide grin broke out across his face as he lifted his hand into the air. “We’re a family.”