Susie and her dog Fuchs find a strange bridge in the forest that appears as the sun goes down. A warm red stone waits on the planks, and something stirs on the other side.
In a small village beside a big green forest, Susie loved to wander with her dog Fuchs. When the day began to grow golden and long, they went into the trees to look for strawberries. The air smelled sweet, and the leaves whispered above their heads.
They had not gone far when Fuchs stopped so suddenly that Susie nearly bumped into him. Right in front of them was a bridge. It was small and narrow, made of bright painted planks, and it seemed to glow in the last light of the sun. Susie blinked. She was certain it had not been there a moment ago.
In the middle of the bridge lay a tiny red stone. It looked like a berry, but warmer. Susie reached out and touched it. The stone felt hot in her fingers. Fuchs gave a sharp bark and pricked up his ears.
Then the bushes on the far side rustled.
Susie froze. The bridge gave a soft creak, even though no one had stepped on it yet. Fuchs put one paw on the first plank and looked back at her, as if he was waiting for her to decide. Behind the leaves, something moved again, and a thin silver light slipped through the shadows. Susie took a breath, looked at the bridge, and stepped closer just as a voice whispered from the trees, "Susie..."