Like a wool coat on a cold winter day, a sense of safety enveloped Zoe when spotting the white and tan rambler. Pink buds speckled the cherry tree branches with the promise of jam and pie. Red and green molted together on tomatoes and peppers. Along the cobblestone garden wall, hundreds of weeds reached to the sky for the suns attention and shut out any competition.

Inside, the house was warm. She slipped her coat and shoes off. The mud room connected to the rest of the house through a hallway covered in picture frames of various sizes. It was a collage of her family's life together. From her parent's wedding to Zoe's first haircut through her high school graduation.

She paused briefly as she touched the wooden frame housing her favorite photo.
It hung between her dad's retirement plaque as a Washington State Forest Ranger and a recognition award from the mayor for her mom's countless hours of community work.

James, Zoe's dad, taught her to ride as soon as she could walk, and the two spent hours on horseback together scouring the forest for bugs and animals to catalog. They agreed she outgrew, Tandum, a Shetland pony, and together they found Rhyme.

The image in the worn frame was taken on the day Rhyme arrived at the Sohappy Boarding Stables. Zoe's dad reminded her of a well-aged Patrick Swayze, with his wavy brown hair and disarming smile. The two stood next to Rhyme. Zoe's arms were wrapped around James in a fierce hug. That day was one of the happiest moments of her life.

"You're cutting it close, baby girl." The warble in her dad's voice indicated that he hadn't spoken in hours. James Thornton sat in a burgundy recliner next to the unlit, brick fireplace. A copy of Dan Browns' latest novel lay open on his lap while a curvy blonde on the TV screen rattled on about possible rain showers over the next few days.

Zoe gave him a sheepish smile. "I came across a burrisonii." She pulled up the pictures and handed the phone to him.

"What did I tell you?" His face lit up with a smile. At times like these it was easy to forget about his COPD. At least until Zoe caught sight of the clear, pencil-sized hose hooked under his nose, wrapped around his ears and attached to an oxygen tank.

She chuckled. "I know, but for me seeing is believing."

"Where did you find him?"

"Up Culver Ridge, bout half a mile."

James shifted in his chair, as if her words caused him discomfort.

"I came across this too." She swiped through the images; the black tree filled the screen.

"That's odd, isn't it?" James enlarged the photo.

Thousands of invisible needles pricked Zoe's skin. She rubbed her arms to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling. "And a little creepy."

"What's creepy?" Tessa, Zoe's mom, walked out of the kitchen carrying a platter of roast beef and garlic potatoes in one hand and a bowl of tossed green salad in the other. She always overdid things when food is involved. It didn't hurt Zoe's feelings because her mom's cooking would put any five-star restaurant to shame.

"A hemlock." Zoe studied her dad's face for clues to what he might be thinking. "I poked around but couldn't figure out what caused its color or lack of vegetation."

"Lightning?"

She jerked her chin at the photo. "No splits or anything."

"You can talk at the table, because diner's ready." Tessa moved behind James as he wobbled to a standing position. Like a mom coddling her newly mobile babe, her palms hovered inches from his back as he shuffled towards the walnut dining table.

Unable to bear seeing him so weak, Zoe ducked into the kitchen. She turned the facet on full blast, but the water hitting the basin didn't drown out his gasps for air. The oxygen tank's wheels rumbled like a mini jet rolling across the wooden planks. Zoe focused on the scent of lemon soap and the warm water as it washed any dust from her hands.

Several high-pitched wheezes rushed out of her father and clawed at her ears. Each gasp for air burned in her chest as if she were the one suffering.

If she were a match, she would give him one of her lungs, without question or hesitation. But life wasn't that simple. With no other living family, the search took over a year and nothing short of a miracle for Tessa to find a matching donor as well as a specialist that would perform surgery on the 64-year-old. The single lung transplant is scheduled in May, a few weeks from now.

Squeezing her eyes closed, Zoe begged the universe to help him stop gasping for air and breathe easy. With a forced smile to cover her concern, she headed to her seat at the opposite end of the table as James.

"No Takota tonight?" Tessa asked. A plate and floral-patterned silverware sat in front of the empty chair he occupied when he came for diner.

"Nope, he has a paper to write for his criminal justice class."

"I'll make him a plate in case he decides to drop by." Tessa stopped pouring grape juice into James' glass. Her brown eyes shined as they landed on Zoe. "Don't tell me the paper is due tomorrow."

"Okay." Zoe loaded her plate with roast and salad.

"Of course, it is," James said.

Their laughter filled the room and for a fleeting moment, Zoe breathed easy.

"That boy will never learn." Tessa wiped the tears from the corners of her dark brown eyes.

James' cough cracked in the air like a whip, shattering the lighthearted moment. His body convulsed as he gasped for air. He grabbed the inhaler he stored in his shirt pocket and shook as he tried to bring it close to his mouth. He fumbled with it before Tessa's dusky hand wrapped around his pale one. The plastic savior, sounded like a shot of hairspray from an aerosol can.

Zoe's heart ached, but she pretended not to notice what transpired. She focused on the roast that flaked apart with a swish of her tongue. Her unshed tears were swallowed down, soaked in salt, onion and roast beef.

James' breathing came easier and the quiet closed in on the room.

Tessa spoke up, "Tomorrow, I will be late. I have to run to the pharmacy for refills, send off some insurance paperwork from the post and pick up groceries."

"I have an early day tomorrow; I can take care of all that afterwards," Zoe said.

"That would be wonderful. I'll give you some cash to pay for it."

"No Mom, I can cover it."

Tessa opened her mouth as if she was going to protest. James enveloped her hand with his. "We will pay you back when funds aren't so tight."

"No. I eat, I can help pay for food."

"Very good." His blue eyes sparkled with approval. "Do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Don't go back up Culver Ridge."

Tessa inhaled sharply. The look James gave his wife was one that Zoe had seen only a handful of times. It was his way of him putting his foot down, and he expected her to back him up.

Their silent exchange gave Zoe pause. This was the first time her dad asked her to stay out of any part of the forest before. "I plan on going back out there to find more burrisonii."

James shook his head. "It's dangerous this time of year with rockslides and bears. You don't want to injure Rhyme; her legs aren't as sturdy as the Quarter horse you passed up."

Bears were only aggressive if they are threatened or have young. But he was right about Rhyme. Zoe was disappointed she had to give up the butterfly hunt, and said, "Okay, Dad. I won't go out there."