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Hide and Seek

A toddler wanders off in a rural Alberta farm, prompting a wide-scale search with no success and fading hope until something unusual happens to point the way.

By Jesse LeungPublished 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago 25 min read
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The crisp autumn air smelt of fallen leaves and fresh bread being baked in the country home overlooking a vast cattle ranch. The penned off areas consisted of many acres of fertile grasslands bordered by boreal forests of evergreen trees like Lodgepole Pine. The grasslands allow the cattle to graze until the winter when they switched to a diet of straw and hay. Wafts of smoky hot air dissipates from the chimney, like some cloud-making machine, spreading the aroma from the bustling homey kitchen.

Ken looked up from his work sealing the window edge and silently chuckled as his son watched his every move. “Barb dear, you know, I think Sam wants to learn how to seal a window like his pops…don’t you little guy?”

Laughing at his father’s silly expression, Samuel burst out into giggles when Ken tickled his feet and blew raspberries onto his belly.

“If you don’t hurry Ken, the sealant will dry you know.”

“Yes ma’am. Two bags full ma’am.”

Shaking a ladle at her goofy husband, secretly she was grateful for his comedic outbursts, breaking the dull routine of work that farming families typically experience in the vast Canadian Prairies.

Suddenly remembering something he had to fix, Ken made a list of what to buy in town when they made their weekly shopping trip. “Barb, I think we need more lumber and nails for my wobbly shed. The thing won’t survive the winter if I leave it as is.”

Deftly writing down the additions, Barb also added flour, oil, sugar and milk; the basics needed by any housewife responsible for cooking and feeding the family.

Using his finger to smooth out the silicon, he put his hand out to feel for any cold drafts coming in and he kept working until he was satisfied little or no heat was escaping through the window. After washing his hands and removing the stubborn sealant stuck to his fingers, Ken lamented as he recalled another memory of his childhood.

“I used to squirt hot glue from a glue-gun onto my fingers so I could mold and shape it before it hardens. We would make fingerprints, or long lines of spidery-silk webs. You know, kid stuff.” He took a long sigh, “where has the time gone?”

“I honestly feel sorry for your mother dear, remember what you told me before, that you would run into the busy street if she didn’t hold onto you with a vice-grip? Hah!”

“Well, this impulsive, danger-seeking child grew up to be quite a sensible, noble and responsible young man now, hasn’t he?”

“If you see a responsible young man in the house, let me know.”

Grabbing his wife and kissing her neck, he tried to charm her from making more sarcastic jokes about him. Spreading peanut butter onto his toast, he quickly devoured the breakfast and headed out to check on the cattle and to ensure the ranch was organized and in good shape, ready for the start of the day. Watching as one-by-one his farmhands parked into the front lot, he casually waved at them and went straight to work managing the entire ranch and keeping on top of everything from cleanliness of their tools and work areas to the health of his cattle. The farmhands chatted for a bit while they waited for their shift to start, and several of them sported bright red caps featuring their favourite hockey team in Calgary which had just advanced to the semi-finals in the most-watched hockey tournament in Canada. While Ken himself was a fan of the opposing Edmonton team, he knew better than to stoke the fires of rivalry and needed to keep everyone on task instead of being distracted by competitive vigor or even friendly trash talk.

Spotting one such Calgary fan, Ken hailed him to come down and talk with him. “David! Good morning bud. can you move Group A into the new grass in Zone three? We’re going to need to let Zone four rest for a few weeks as the grass recuperates.

“On it boss!” The young man seemed to have limitless energy, with a spring in his step and a sense of urgency to work that made him such a good farmhand. He could remember when Barb was in labour during the morning and he had to pass on the reigns to David to manage the ranch while they stayed in a hospital. Coming home with little Samuel, Ken was greeted by all his workers and found everything in the ranch was in order and well managed to a T. He only hoped that his son, who was approaching five years old, would learn to be as diligent and responsible as his lead farmhand was.

Riding on one of the many stallions on the ranch, David expertly corralled the cattle to the new feeding zone, careful not to spook the animals into a stampede. The trampled earth where the cattle had been staying was broken but fertile, thanks to the gifts of fertilizer from the nearly one-ton animals. The grass would need some time to regrow, having been grazed on for several days.

Entering the main barn where all the cattle slept in the ever-colder nights as winter approached, Ken noticed some clumps of hair near the entrance of the structure. Curiously crumbling the delicate balls, he noticed some miniature bones inside, including a skull of what appeared to have been a mouse or tiny rodent of sorts. Looking up at the alcove above the entryway, there was nothing to betray the presence of some bird other than the regurgitated fur and bones. Making a mental note in his mind to check the roof later tonight, he busied himself with managing the ranch, but looking forward to spending more time with Barb and the little one in the evening. Barb was his rock and anchor, keeping him steady in the rough winds and storms of life. He would do anything to keep his little growing family safe, as they meant the world to him. He didn’t know how he ended up with such a beautiful wife and adorable toddler, but he was glad that they were now an inseparatable part of his life.

Eight years ago, Ken was a different man, impulsive, danger-seeking and without a care in the world for his life or the life of any others. He enjoyed the thrill of danger, flirting with it as if taunting death itself, mocking it for being unable to catch him. He had survived an avalanche while snowboarding, jumping from a plane with a malfunctioning parachute, and even walked away from a multi-vehicle crash, mostly unharmed. He had a feeling of being indestructible and he was going to milk his life of adventure till the very last drop. That is, until Barb careened into his heart, giving new meaning and purpose to his existence. The shy, bubbly girl, with her shoulder-length blonde hair caught Ken’s attention the moment they met. He was so infatuated that he couldn’t even introduce himself without stuttering. She was the friend of his buddy’s sister, and as they sat at the table for thanksgiving dinner, everyone noticed the spark between them right from the get go. From then onward, there were multiple occasions where the two were set up by their friends, who wanted nothing more than the couple to get married. On a gondola in Grouse Mountain, British Columbia, Ken proposed to Barb, much to the excitement of their friends who were watching the whole scene on the carriage behind them. Accepting his proposal, they kissed to seal the deal and was congratulated many times over by their friends, who finally succeeded, after many attempts, in bringing together the two love-birds.

For the next two years, Ken worked hard to earn a living for his family, juggling multiple jobs at various dairy and cattle farms till he had saved enough to start his own ranch. At first Barb thought the whole cattle business was a bit risky, given that their first child was due in several months, but she could see the dedication and hard work her tireless husband had and so she supported him all the way. Starting off with a dozen calves, which he tenderly cared for, he had to rely mostly on horses and dogs rather than expensive equipment that the larger farms used. He could still remember the first calf he lost to coyotes, and Barb could see it was a very emotional and gut-wrenching feeling that overcame him when he lost the young cow. The next day, he hired a tracker and they set out to destroy any coyotes on his property; luring them out with fresh meat. By the time the day had gone, they had eliminated nearly five full-sized animals, and for the time being, kept his herds safe from attacks. Back in the farmhouse, Ken listened to his baby’s kicking in Barb’s womb and he would sing to his wife and the unborn baby one of the many lullaby songs he had learned from his mother. His favourite was the wise owl song, which he would ask his mom to sing over and over every night. A kind, genteel woman, Ken’s mother also was a strict believer of discipline and could be stern when needed. After every hard, punishing lesson though, she would always console and encourage, so as not to exasperate him with too much discipline. As well as being an adequate cook and seamstress, she could also dance fairly well, keeping in beat with the hardest footwork-intensive tangos or cha-chas. Indeed, it was on the secondary school graduation dancefloor that Ken’s parents first met, starting a roller-coaster ride relationship of ups and downs.

Ken’s father was for the most part, absent from Ken’s life and was borderline uncaring about how his son would turn up, after tirelessly working from dawn to dusk. Thankfully his mother spent more time on taking care of Ken, and while he and his father got along, they were never really close until his wedding day with Barb. Seeing his dad for the first time in years, Ken gave his father a huge hug, with both grown men holding back tears.

Glad that his son was finally settling down from his out-of-control whirlwind of a life, he admitted that he didn’t spend as much time as he should’ve with his family during Ken’s childhood, and so he gave Ken some advice on marriage and parenting.

“Son, don’t make the same mistakes your old man made. Taking care of your family doesn’t just consist of paying the bills. You have to spend time with your family as well; you cannot raise a family without either. I learnt that the hard way and I should have listened to your mother when she kept reminding me of my duties as a father.”

By the time little Samuel was four, the ranch had expanded to several hundred heads of cattle and ten full-time employees. With a barn large enough to house a small army, the job of keeping the stalls clean was vitally important to keep the cattle healthy and happy. Ken had tried breeding his bulls and sows but found that the time and energy needed to make it work was too time consuming and so he bought his calves from specialized farms that breed the best cows using the seed and eggs from the finest specimens. When the seventh year of operation approached, the ranch finally earned a profit and Ken was finally able to buy some necessities for the house. Of first priority was the diesel generator that could power the home for seventy-two hours per fill-up. They needed to replace the old generator which wasn’t capable of running the various base-board and radiating heaters in the home during the frigid Alberta winters. After ensuring the basic necessities were covered, they agreed on spending a little to spoil themselves with chocolate. Picking a hazelnut creamed chocolate with a peanut inside, Barb admired its iconic wrapper, which looked luxurious in every way. Meanwhile, Ken bought several dark chocolate and mint bars, a favourite he had since childhood. Sitting in the truck popping chocolates into their mouths, they laughed at the simple pleasure that candy could bring.

Back to the present, there was a fluttering of wings and Ken spotted something flying to the roof of his barn under the dim light of the full moon. Cautiously approaching, he hoped it wasn’t some rabies infected bat that would send him to the hospital. Seeing something on the ground, he walked over to pick it up but instantly heard a hissing sound, as if some creature was about to strike. Pulling out his smartphone to use as a flashlight, he gasped as he looked at what seemed to be a miniature bird. The baby had only a few feathers on its mostly naked body and when he got close to the baby, he could hear the hissing warnings from what he could only guess were its parents. Grabbing a ladder, he gently picked up the baby bird, and climbed the ladder to where he assumed the nest would be. Holding the phone in one hand with the bird in the other, he used his elbows to climb carefully past the seventh step and was immediately met with the pungent odour of bird feces. The large nest was tucked into the alcove and was pretty much hidden from view from the ground. Realizing the baby was an owlet, he gently placed it back into its nest, and the parents ceased hissing; watching him with their large, elongated and dilated pupils. Hooting five times in a row, it was as if they were thanking Ken for his assistance, and they continued watching him as he left their nest. Slowly backing down the stairs, he smiled and walked home, eager to tell Barb of his harrowing rescue.

“You saved an owlet? That’s amazing Ken. You know, owls are extremely wise creatures, known to give sage advice to those that seek it.”

“Hah! Well, the next time I see them I’ll kindly ask where I left my tractor keys. Been missing the darn things for two days now. Been using the Gator to substitute, but it doesn’t have the amount of horsepower or torque that I need.”

“So, did your parents get back to you about babysitting Samuel? We need to go get groceries and supplies tomorrow otherwise it’ll be cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

“Chocolate puffs for dinner…I like the sound of it, hah! Only joking dear. I’ll put some gas in the truck and we’ll go tomorrow, if my folks are okay with holding down the fort that is.”

Watching as Barb plated spaghetti for themselves, and cut up some noodles and meatballs for Samuel, Ken nodded his thanks and give her a thumbs up with his mouth full of the pasta.

“Eat slowly dear, you’ll give yourself a stomach ache.”

With a half-eaten noodle in his left hand and a partial meatball in his right, Samuel watched as his dad scoffed a full plate of spaghetti, while casually talking to his mom.

Pulling out his phone, Ken called his parents, who were more than delighted to babysit their grandchild. “Mom, just remember to keep a close eye on Sam, he can move surprising quick when unchecked.” Giving a thumbs up for Barb, they could rest easy knowing that their son was in safe hands tomorrow.

“Dadda?”

“Yeah Sam, what is it?”

As if to answer his question, a wet sounding expulsion of gas came from the toddler’s backside and Ken quickly rushed to pick up Sam and put him on the toilet. While not completely toilet trained, at least he gave fair warning about the incoming defecation thought Ken. After washing up and changing into his pajamas, Sam climbed into his bed and looked up, waiting for his dad to sing him a lullaby song, as he always did every night.

“Which song would you like to hear bud? I’m sure you’ve heard most of them a million times now.” Brushing aside a tuff of his son’s brownish-blonde hair, he pulled the covers to his son’s shoulders.

“The owl one dadda. Pleazze”

Composing himself, Ken took a big breath and began the child’s song he had learned from his mother.

“A young robin sat in a sycamore tree,

wondering what he should eat for breakfast.

He couldn’t decide when it was half-past three,

so to the wise, old owl he simply asked.

The owl replied, with a twinkle in his eye,

If you’re worried about life, then gobble a worm,

if you feel bold and brave then bolt down a beetle.

If you’re anxious then scoff some ants as they squirm,

and if you’re worn out then try a weevil.

The robin replied, “kind sir, what if I’m reckless?”

Then the owl grabbed the robin with his talons,

“why prey, then you eat a robin for breakfast.”

By the time Ken finished the song, Samuel was dozing off, comfortable, warm and safe in his parents’ care.

Checking on the boys, Barb smiled as she listened to the ending of Ken’s song. She probably heard it a hundred times, but she always chuckled at the folly of the robin at the end.

The next morning, they got ready to head into town as they waited for Ken’s parents to arrive. Barb gave Samuel a cob of corn and asked him to behave for his grandparents. Nodding his small head in acknowledgement, he began to enthusiastically chowing down on the sweet kernels of corn.

Spying a small grey sedan pulling into their driveway, the doors opened as the old couple hugged their son and daughter-in-law.

“Thanks so much mom and dad for helping out again; I know Sam’s going to be happy to see you guys.”

“Ken dear, it’s not a bother at all, any time that we get to spend with our only grandson is truly worth it. Now go, go off to your errands, we’ll be fine.”

“If anything comes up, just give us a call, okay?”

Driving off along the notoriously flat roads, they went past acres and acres of farmland, until more and more buildings started to appear in the horizon. While their ranch was fairly self-sufficient, they still needed some groceries that could only be found in town.

Seeing a car pulled over by the police, Ken breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he wasn’t speeding. “I guess it pays to have a husband that drives like a grandma, eh?”

“Ken, my grandma drives eighty kilometres per hour in a sixty zone. I don’t know about your oma but mine drives just fine.”

“Heh, I remember when dad got his first speeding ticket for running a red light. Mom was so furious at him; but he learned his lesson and rarely ever goes over the speed limit since then.”

Patting Ken’s hand, Barb kindly reminded her husband to speed up. “Dear, it’s a seventy kilometer per hour zone. You’re driving at fifty. If we keep this up, we won’t get to town by nightfall.”

“Oh you’re exaggerating dear, just enjoy the ride. No one likes a backseat driver.”

“I’m in the passenger seat.”

“You know what I mean dear. Hah.”

Arriving at the railway town built in the nineteen-hundreds, it contained all the necessary

go-to places which couldn’t be accessible on their ranch. It also contained the only school in their area close enough to catch a bus to when Samuel gets old enough to start his education.

Seeing another farmer walking down the sidewalk, Ken rolled down his window and chatted with the gentleman. “Yo Mike, how’s it going man? Keeping busy?”

“Yeah, it’s super busy this season with lots of buyers for our canola. We had to hire extra hands to help harvest the orders.” Noticing Barb in the truck he greeted her as well; “Top of the morning to you ma’am. How’s your son doing?”

Smiling at the politeness of the middle-aged fellow, she replied; “He’s doing great. Turning out to be a cowboy like his father though.”

“Hah! I’m not surprised at all. Well, I’m glad your ranch is doing well Ken. If you need anything just give me a call alright?”

Giving Mike a thumbs up, Ken continued driving through town, passing by restaurants, bars and other small shops.

Heading for the hardware department store first, Ken grabbed several planks of two-by-fours and a pack of screw-tip nails for the shed in the back. While the lumber was too long to use as is, a neat cut with a table saw would make them just the right length. Meanwhile, Barb picked up a new hand-held sprinkler to water her flower and vegetable garden when spring arrives. Living too far from the grid to tap into municipal water lines, they relied on well water to service their taps, toilets, shower and hoses. Looking at the brand-new kitchen appliances, they could afford it, but the current machines they had now were working fine and didn’t need to be replaced.

After paying and loading everything into the truck, they stopped by the bank before heading for their final stop; the grocery store. Deciding to shop for food last, they figured that it would keep some of the more temperature sensitive goods from going bad on their long trip home.

While Ken and Barb were shopping for groceries, Ken’s parents tried salvaging what they could from the leftovers to make a decent meal. Finding some old pasta, an overripe tomato and some cloves of garlic, they decided to make an Italian meal, unaware that Samuel just had spaghetti yesterday. With both grandparents preoccupied with the cooking, they didn’t notice Samuel pulling open the door that had been left ajar, and walking out into the vast grassland and bordering forest contained in their ranch.

Looking over her shoulder, Samuel’s grandma suddenly froze, a look of pure anxiety plastered on her face. “Sam? Sam? Are you there Sam? Dear, where did Sam go?” Checking the living room and the rooms above, the two caretakers were growing increasingly worried every second that passed without seeing their grandson. Ken’s father then inspected the door, which was still ajar and they frighteningly concluded that Samuel must have gotten outside.

Back at the grocery store, Ken and Barb were just starting to check out their groceries when they got a call from Ken’s parents.

“Ken! Ken it’s bad. Sam somehow escaped outside and we can’t find him! Hurry back Ken! We’ve called the police already and they are on their way.”

Dropping all their groceries and apologizing to the clerk, they rushed to their pick-up and drove back from where they came with a new sense of urgency; worrying about the safety of their only son. Arriving at the ranch with several emergency vehicles already parked by their house, they got out of the truck and told the police officers that they were the boy’s parents.

“Officer, have you found our child? Sam? We heard he’s lost and got out of the house and…”

“Ma’am, please calm down. We’re doing the best we can right now. We’ve got several hours till dusk, so we’re going to try and find your son before it gets dark, okay?”

“Sir, we have to help, it’s our son. Also, we’re familiar with the surrounding area so we could be of some use.”

Entering the house, Ken’s parents immediately apologized, hugging Ken and Barb with tearstained faces. “We’re so sorry Ken, we left the door open slightly and he got out. We’re absolutely sorry. It’s our fault.”

“Don’t worry ma, it’s just a mistake. We’ll find him, okay? He’ll be okay. You’ll have plenty more chances to babysit him, okay?”

Looking outside as some of the officers were using drones to map and scan the area in proximity, the machines whizzed off high into the afternoon sky. Others were bringing in sniffer dogs, and Barb gave some used clothes that Samuel was wearing yesterday to help the dogs locate the scent. But just as Ken was about to set out with the officers to start looking, he noticed some movement in the owl nest atop his barn. Thinking nothing of it, he preoccupied himself with the sole goal of finding his son, setting out into the woods, hoping to find Samuel safe and sound.

“Sam! Sam! Where are you Sam?”

Back at the house, Ken’s parents had called anyone they knew who lived nearby to help with the search effort. News travelled fast and dozens of volunteers came by to join the search team. Mike immediately came with his wife, bringing with them large industrial flashlights to cut through the approaching darkness. Combing through the grasslands and forest, it was while they searched that they realized the ranch would take forever to finish searching, and there were thousands of hiding spots a toddler could have fallen or got stuck in.

As the hours past, the sun began to set and it grew darker and darker with each passing moment. While the time passed by, the temperature began to plumet, and the officers were worried that the toddler would be in danger from hypothermia if he was out in the cold any longer. Volunteers also vamped up their efforts, some deciding to stay indoors to comfort the family.

Looking through the bare birch branches that were now void of any leaves, Ken saw a barn owl, just like the ones in his farm, sitting on a branch in a westerly direction from where they were searching. Wondering what the owl was doing just roosting there looking at him, Ken walked to the bird and as he approached, it flew off to a distance and perched on another branch, seemingly leading Ken on a westerly trail through the forest that bordered his ranch’s grassland. Following the bird as it continued to fly off, the bird finally stopped and hooted five times before letting Ken approach it. As he got near the owl, the bird turned its head ninety degrees to the right and there on the river bank was Samuel, huddling on the ground shivering.

“Samuel! Sam! It’s papa!”

“Dadda?” Raising his arms to be picked up, his tearstained face betrayed how frightened he was being lost and that he was glad to see his dad again.

“Don’t ever run away like that again, okay? Dadda and mama were so worried!”

Kissing him on the head, Ken looked back at the owl and nodded his thanks, as the bird flew off back to its nest.

Back at the house, officers were asking Ken’s parents about what clothing Samuel was wearing when they last saw him, then, there was some commotion outside and there was Samuel, carried in Ken’s arms back to the house, with many applauding the successful search.

“Thank goodness Ken, you found him!”

“You won’t believe it…it was those owls I helped out earlier this week, you know, the ones with the fallen owlet? I figured it was trying to show me something so I just followed the bird till we got to the river and he led me straight to Samuel!”

Handing over Samuel to the paramedics to do a precautionary check-up on him, they concluded he was a little cold and dehydrated but otherwise healthy. Thanking all the emergency personnel, the family breathed a sigh of relief, all the while not forgetting to thank the wise owls as well, for helping them find their lost child.

Several years later, Samuel and his dad walked along the small river that ran through their property. Half-sliding and half-climbing down from the ridge to the bank of the river, they stopped at a plaque that was set up a couple months later after Samuel had gone missing.

“Was this where you found me pops?”

“You’re right bud, that’s the very spot I saw you hunched down and scared. I’ll never forget the relief I felt to see you alive and unharmed.”

Touching the edge of the plaque, Samuel read out the words deeply engraved into the copper.

“Here be the location where Samuel Zandberger was miraculously found unharmed after being lost for nearly six hours. It is said that an owl helped point Samuel’s father to where the boy was.”

Putting his hand on one of the branches the owl must have perched on during that night, Ken reminisced about that frightening day. “You know, we named the owl that saved you Kevin. They would come back year after year until one day, a younger, newer pair showed up.”

“Did you name the owl Kevin after grandpa?”

Smiling at his prudent son, Ken nodded his head in acknowledgement. “Yeah, I wanted to remember your grandpa for the effort he made later in my life to be a part of it. He passed away a couple months after our search for you. There are so many things I wanted to ask him; to tell him; to talk to him about.”

“I’m sure he would have been honoured to have a hero named after him.”

Resting his arm on his son’s bulky, muscular frame, Ken mischievously grinned as he gestured towards their home. “Race ya to the house boy!”

From the top of an Aspen tree, a barn owl watched as the two figures below him hooted and laughed as they raced back to their human buildings. Turning her head and closing her eyes, she returned to her nap after being rudely woken up by the humans below her. There is very little that escapes the notice of a barn owl.

The End

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About the Creator

Jesse Leung

A tech savvy philosopher interested in ethics, morals and purpose.

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