Hank
By: Robert L. Morrissette

I will give you just a taste of what to expect inside Hank’s story book.

Hank is a young mallard duck, and because of his skill at flying, he was chosen to lead his flock to their winter home. He took his appointment as Point Duck very seriously and promised his father he would do his best and would keep an eye out for trouble, such as hawks and hunters. But, despite his best of intentions, as with all of us, sometimes things can go terribly wrong. This was the case with Hank, as the following will show:

“Hank led the flock in a slow circle over the lake. For a moment he thought he saw a suspicious reflection of light from down below, but when he looked again it was gone, and he thought it was probably just the sun bouncing off a wave. Out ahead of the flock as Point Duck, Hank thought he heard an unusual “click” sound. Hank was familiar with most sounds in and around lakes, but this one was different. It sounded more mechanical, more human, making him nervous. All kinds of thoughts rushed through his young mind. Hank’s forward speed, with the flock tagging close behind, now carried them over open water and that all-important touch-down point. Hank thought he saw a movement off to the left, and when he caught a whiff of that peculiar man-smoke his body began to tingle with fear. Suddenly scared as never before, fearful not only for himself, but for the flock and Hannah, he knew he had to pull the flock back up to the safety of the sky, if it were not already too late. Just as he lifted his head up and started to yell a warning, all hell broke out.”