A New Life Is Just Around The Corner

• Alannah Clancy, Grade 6, Caroline Springs College - Creekside Campus
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'The Write Track 2015' competition

I sat at the gate, waiting. Staring sadly at the ground, one single, salty tear runs down my snout and onto the lush green grass. I whimper, my black ears drooping. 'Where are you?' I think, now looking at the cars whizzing by. A bright green car slows down in front of my yard, then turns into the driveway. Across the doors I read, Animal society-where all animals find a home.
My owner, Amelia, steps out of our plain, white house. "Hello, I'm Amelia. You must be Kevin." She says, shaking his firm-looking hand. " Yes, Ma'am. And this must be Sooty." He refers to me. The tall man looks at me sternly with his beady little eyes. "Just like your description, Ma'am. Dark grey with black ears and a pure white sock on his right forefoot." "Well, I have had him since he was a pup." Tears swell in her eyes. " Him and his brother, Tooty. Tooty unfortunately was very sick... I took him to the Vet and... Well, I never saw him after that." Tears were now rolling down her wrinkly cheeks. I start to whimper. My brother, gone? I thought he was still... Alive...
"I understand, Ma'am. Can you not afford to look after Sooty anymore? is this why you cannot keep him?" I look at Amelia. She's still crying. " I got all my money from Tooty... He was my show dog. So, unfortunately... Yes..." She sobbed What? I must be hearing incorrectly. Amelia would never sell me. She's my master... My Mother. "Yes, Ma'am. We will find him a good home. We promise." Kevin reaches for me, his arm bulging with muscle. Panicked, I run. I run down the driveway, around the corner and across the road. The cars honked and beeped at me. I stopped in the middle of the road. Kevin stopped the traffic, scooped me up and walked back to my so-called 'home'. Kevin plopped me into the bright green car softly, and went to speak to Amelia. I couldn't hear them, but I knew what they were saying. Kevin hopped into the car, turned the engine on and drove away. I looked back at my old home. Then I saw her crying, my own Mother crying over me...
The ride to my new home was bumpy. I had time to think why my brother got so sick. I had time to ask myself question I had never asked before. Then the car stopped. Kevin got out, opened my door and put a weird collar around my neck. It itched. He put me down, and I saw a whole new place. 'Why am I here? Why did Mother leave me?' I thought. I wondered around my new home and I saw a family walking around. They saw me, picked me up and took me to their home. It was strange, big, but I learnt to live with the kids dressing me up. That’s when I learnt A New Life Is Just Around The Corner.