Once I Was a Beehive Page #9

on the way up here, so we had

to stop and investigate.

Turns out I'm the cuckoo.

It was just a mockingbird

up to his old tricks.

- Yeah.

- I'm not surprised.

Yellow-billed cuckoos

are rarely found this far west.

Well, lookie here.

Not only is she cute, but she's

got a brain in her head.

Hopefully she's got some muscles

on the old arm skies, 'cause

we got a lot of fences to mend.

Um, will ranger Craig

or ranger Jeff be joining us?

No, sorry.

You're stuck with us,

but word on the trail

is we're pretty cool too.

Where did they go?

They got sent

on a special mission.

- Yeah.

- Really?

During the flash flood

a bevy of otter pups

- got separated from mama otter.

- Oh.

So they're out there just

working around the clock

trying to get that family

reunited.

Do they need any help?

I don't think they do,

but good news.

We need a lot of help,

so what do you say

we all get this party started?

Break it down.

Where do we start?

Glad you asked.

We're gonna

take all of the decayed logs,

pop them off this fence, and

load them up over by the truck.

Once that's done-zarino,

we're gonna put the new ones

on where the old ones once were.

Yup, just... we got a lot of work

after that too.

It's gonna be lots of work,

all day 'round.

I'm totally telling dad

that you have a crush

on a park ranger.

Please stop talking.

The spirit of god

like a fire is burning

The latter-day glory

begins to come forth

Visions and blessings

of old are returning

And angels are coming

to visit the earth

We'll sing and we'll shout

with the armies of heaven

Hosanna, hosanna

to god and the lamb

It's probably better we

didn't see ranger Craig and Jeff again.

They probably wouldn't have

lived up to the images

of perfection

we'd created in our minds.

The new guys were nice

and really helpful,

mustaches and all.

It didn't take long

for Charlotte

to find them cute in a way.

They were still boys, after all.

There was something

special about that morning

that had nothing

to do with the rangers.

It was the first time

that everyone was together

and everyone was having fun.

It was hard work, but we built

something awesome together.

Best of all, there was no drama.

Until we got back to camp.

We got to hurry up

'cause I need a snack

- before we start our trial.

- Right.

I know, I'm hungry too.

Is this a prank?

No, it was a bear.

A bear?

We have to go

tell the leaders. Come on.

Roxy. Roxy.

Roxy.

Roxy?

Roxy?

Roxy?

- What happened?

- It was destroyed.

Oh.

Stay together.

The bear still may be near.

Is everyone here?

- Where's Phoebe?

- She was just here.

- She was just with us.

- Phoebe?

Phoebe? Phoebe? Phoebe?

Phoebe?

Phoebe?

Phoebe?

- Roxy's gone.

- We left Roxy at home.

Phoebe snuck her in the ark.

We've been hiding her.

I'm so sorry.

- I should have told you.

- We have to go after her.

Holly, wait!

You stay here,

and you stay together!

- Holly, wait.

- Let's say a prayer.

Come on.

Dear heavenly father,

please bless that we'll

be able to find Phoebe.

Roxy?

Please protect her

from the bear.

- Please keep Roxy safe.

- Roxy?

We ask these things in

the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Amen.

- She went this way.

- How do you know?

The tracks go in this direction.

They went the wrong way.

Wait, we're supposed

to stay here.

We have to go after her!

I'm going with her.

Bree?

Roxy? Come here, girl.

Roxy?

Phoebe? Phoebe?

Phoebe?

Phoebe?

Roxy?

Roxy, come on, girl.

Roxy?

Phoebe? Lane?

Roxy? Roxy?

R...

Roxy?

Oh, my... please, no.

Phoebe.

Roxy.

Lane.

I'm so sorry.

I am so sorry.

Phoebe?

Phoebe, oh,

we were so worried about you.

I'm so glad you're okay.

Let's get you back to camp.

Come on, let's get you back.

Oh.

Everything's gonna be okay.

I promise, okay?

It's going to be all right.

It's going to be okay.

Stop telling her

everything's gonna be okay!

Her dog is dead.

That's not okay.

Maybe she's still alive.

Let's just say a prayer and...

You already said a prayer,

and it didn't work, okay?

Just leave us alone and let

us deal with this right now.

Praying is not gonna help.

Look, i... l'm sorry.

I didn't mean to offend you. I...

What do we do?

What do we do?

Phoebe, that... that's a grizzly

bear, not a black bear, right?

It's a grizzly bear.

I'm pretty sure.

Okay, me too.

Do you remember what to do?

Play dead and cover your neck.

- Okay, I think she's right.

- Wait, are you sure?

Get down.

For some

people, praying comes naturally.

For others,

they have to be sniffed

by an 800-pound grizzly bear

before they realize

its importance.

We probably sat there

in the fetal position

for a good 30 minutes

before we dared look up

and see if the bear

had really gone.

A good part of me didn't

want to move at all.

I knew the moment we did,

Phoebe would have

to be reminded of her pain,

and I couldn't stand

to see her that way.

Well, it looks like Cain's

about six miles east by now.

How can you be sure?

Well, we tag all the bears

for research purposes,

and when we need to find them,

we turn on the old GPS.

- Boop.

- We'll keep an eye on him.

You guys should be okay

to stay here as long as you

keep your food tied up.

And if you have any candy,

you must stash it away.

Mustache, that's how I remember.

That's very nice of you, sir,

but I think it would be better

if we packed out early.

Okay, well, let us know

if we can do anything for you.

We're here

for you and mother nature.

- Thank you.

- All right, thanks.

All right.

You heard it, ladies.

Tear it down,

or what's left of it.

Wait, this is all my fault.

I'm the one that left

the syrup out like an idiot.

Don't punish the girls

because of my carelessness.

No, it's my fault. He probably

smelled dog food too.

Phoebe didn't know any better.

There's no need

to play the blame game.

We're a team, a unit.

We're all responsible

for our failure here.

Come on, we're burning daylight.

All right, I'll call the bishop

and tell him to head down.

Okay, just hold on.

I have been reciting the young

women's values my whole life,

and I don't remember

quitting being one of them.

Do you remember the one

that's integrity?

Or how about choice

and accountability?

Yeah, that's just it.

I mean, how can we be

accountable if we just give up?

Look, I know that we messed up.

We lied about Roxy.

We haven't been treating each

other the way that we should,

but how can we make things right

if we just go home?

We have so many more amazing

things that we need to do here,

and I don't know about you guys,

but I desperately need

a trial of faith right now.

So please, just forgive us

for messing up

and give us a chance

to make it right.

Well, girls,

your president has spoken.

Is that what you want,

another chance?

How about you, Phoebster?

I want to go home.

She's hurt enough, girls.

Let's go.

I know exactly

how you feel right now.

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