Free Writing Exercise

The twisting winding road led them to their destination. The bitter cold and blinding snow only made the trip all the more treacherous. Sliding to a stop, they entered an ordinary looking field. It only looked ordinary. The view overlooked the harsh landscape of the upper plains with wind swept shrubs twisting in the cold winter evening. The great forest of pines rose out of the horizon.
As they unloaded the container swiftly from their trailer, the stockpile of gear came tumbling out of the place it was stowed. Quickly gathering their supplies before the accumulating snow buried their equipment until next Spring’s melt, they made their way to the package. As they arrived, they both heard a distorted howl echoing through the valley. The howl chilled them to their already frozen bones, but the owner of the howl was their mission.
Carefully, they positioned themselves above and behind the crate, grabbed the release and the great grey wolf leapt out of the opening. With another mighty chilling howl, he pawed at the ground and listened.
From the depths of the forest, the wolf and his liberators heard one, then two, and then a chorus of return howls as the great grey creature rushed into the darkness. At the last moment, it turned and looked at the pair. Gratitude could be seen in the wolf’s eyes and the pair once again understood that the risks and hazards of the trip was worth it. Looking at each other, they nodded, and stowed their gear. The partners carefully and slowly made their way back down to town.

Brian Doyle