It's A Dog's Life

• Francesca Ierardo, Grade 7, Kilbreda College
• Short Story
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'The Text Generation 2014' competition

Sitting in a small cage, lying on my big stomach. It hurts a little, but what can you do. I look up at the tin roof of the shed. It’s about 40 degrees in here. I go to take a sip of water, or what is left. I look over to the next cage. Where my dad Angus sits. He look really sick. I lye back down and close my eyes. Think of a nice cool room with icy cold chilling water.
I hear the shed door open, I get a glimpse of the sun going down. The man looks around then stops his stare at me. I look away afraid he’ll hurt me again. Hit me with a broom or worse with his foot. He walks over and opens the cage. He grabs me buy the scuff of my neck, and drags me to the shed door. The man pulls me across the lawn into the garage. There is a lady there putting a towel on the ground. My stomach starts to hurt even more. I close my eyes and think of something happy but I can’t get the picture of my dad lying there helpless. Nobody helping him, nothing that I can do. The man throws me onto the cold ground. My stomach is really hurting by know. I know that its time. I lie there for 30 minutes while the man and women rush around. Finally I’m finished my job. I get up and look over to a bunch of west highland terrier puppies. That is my 15th litter. I am very proud of myself. It’s dark when I get back, I fall straight asleep.
I wake up to the sound of my cage opening. I open my eyes to see the man stuffing a bowl of brown goo. I don’t want to eat it but I haven’t had a meal in three days. I take the first bit and force it down.
I finish my food and sit down. The shed is starting to burn up, I feel hot and sticky. I can’t even remember what a really bath feels like. I dream that I’m having one right know. The cold water cleaning and cooling my body at the same time. It brings a little bit of hope into my life when I dream and just believe that anything can happen. Who am I kidding? I was born and will die in a puppy farm. The only thing I was meant for in life was to bring new life into the world. I fall to sleep dreaming I’ve what life should be like.
I open my eyes to talking in the background. I get up and walk over. There is a lady standing there. She smells like other dogs. She looks at me with a kind smile that makes me light up, there is something good about her. She then opens her mouth and says
“I’m from westie rescue. I’m here to adopt Molly and Angus”