Free earthgirl by Jennifer Cowan

out. To figure out if there’s another way to go to where they’re going. For lunch. Or a swim. Or maybe some mating action. And it can take a long time. And they starve or get attacked by wolves.
    AND SUDDENLY THERE AREN’T ANYMORE CARIBOU.
    Guess most people don’t really worry about that much when they drive their gas guzzlin jalopies or big honking SUVs to the corner store for chips or to rent a DVD or to pick up Rover from his doggy daycare and spa!
    FYI caribou are cousins of reindeer. So when they’re gone, who pulls Santa’s sleigh? A pickup truck? A pack of elves? No one?
    link                                                                                           read 4 | post
www.cariboucommons.com
    altalake 10-28 23:58
The link to the caribou site with the letter from Robert Redford and the spooky music was haunting. Cariboo-hoo. :(
    â€œWe’ve already given a deposit,” Mom said, as if that would change my mind.
    â€œI’ll pay you back from my job,” I answered. It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for my hard-earned cashola, but seemed only fair under the circumstances.
    â€œThat’s not the point, Sabine,” Dad said in his very logical voice, which he annoyingly seemed to be using a lot more than usual lately. “You need to take driving lessons to get your licence and ensure the best rates on insurance. Otherwise it’s ridiculous for a first-time teen driver.”
    â€œYou don’t get it, Daddy,” I sighed. “You don’t have to worry about expensive insurance. I don’t want my driver’s licence.”
    â€œYou can’t wait to drive,” Mom snorted. “You’ve been counting the days since your tenth birthday.”
    â€œI changed my mind,” I replied. “I have a whole different perspective on cars and driving now.”
    â€œDon’t be silly. You’ll change your mind back. And what about Ella? She’ll be so disappointed.”
    â€œIt’s not like she won’t be able to learn to drive without me taking the course, too,” I scoffed.
    â€œActually, kiddo, I’m not sure I agree with you,” Daddy smirked. “She’s not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.”
    â€œBob!” Mom scolded. “Don’t say things like that about Beana’s friends.”
    â€œPlease,” I groaned.
    â€œI just don’t understand where this is coming from all of a sudden. It’s like that stupid woman and her garbage gave you brain damage,” Mom said. “First it was the new job, then you stop flushing the toilet and now this from a girl who used to beg me to drive her to the mall so she didn’t have to take the bus? Something’s up.”
    Then, like a complete freak, she knelt down in front of me and took my face in her hands and stared me straight in the eyeballs.
    â€œYou’re not doing drugs or something crazy,” she demanded, her nose to my nose.
    â€œFor Pete’s sake, Rachel, leave the girl alone,” Dad said. “If she’s so smart she thinks she doesn’t need to drive that’s her decision. Personally I think she’s being ridiculous, but that’s what teenagers do, right?”
    â€œThank you,” I answered, pulling my face away from my mother’s clammy grasp. “And for your information, it’s exactly like me. The new, improved I’m-part-of-this-planet-and-I-care-about-it me.”
    With that I stomped out of the living room, even though stomping on wall-to-wall carpeting wasn’t all that dramatic or noisy.
    And it would have been the ideal gesture if I hadn’t heard my mom swipe my glory moment