Blue Eye, Brown Eye

• Sandon Vanderschoor, Grade 7, Illawarra Christian School -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

The icy wind rattled the cabin’s semi-rotten, feeble framework, howling as it fled far yonder. Huddled inside the dilapidated plywood planks, lay a seasoned husky. Beneath his soft, silver, snow-stained eyelids hid a curious pair of eyes, one blue, one brown, smeared with distrust and dejection. He gradually raised his head, revealing a threadbare collar, on which a dull gold tag dangled loosely, loftily swaying to and fro. Imprinted on the worn tag were five letters: M-A-R-C-O. As the miserable wreck of a dog awoke, he recovered his memories from the previous day. Suddenly, misunderstanding flowed through him, which turned to frustration, then to bitterness as he reimagined yesterday.
Click!
The front door opened. ‘In comes Master. He looks upset and is cold from the snow. I know, I will kiss him; that delights Master,’ thought Marco. As he jumped up to embrace Ollie, instead of reaching his face, he was greeted by a firm, chilled hand, pushing his cheek until he was forced away.
“Not now, Marco,” murmured Ollie glumly.
‘I stared at him until he met my gaze, looking straight into my eyes; my blue one, and my brown one. Ollie’s face portrayed a glimpse of sorrow, nearly sympathy, but it quickly faded. He turned his head abruptly and started down the hallway, stomping all the way to his room. I followed Master but he slammed the door in my face. I felt a tinge of warmth for him, but it was swiftly replaced with resentment. He didn’t even care about me!’
‘I heard the front door creak as a cool draft hit my back. Master mustn’t have shut it properly. An idea rushed to my head. At first, I denied it, but as anger consumed me, the more I desired it. I sauntered to the door, hesitated a moment, then stepped outside. Spurred on by my fury, I suddenly broke into a sprint, darting down the glistening street, across the snow-strewn meadow and up a steep hill. I came to a noticeably rickety cottage on top of the slope. It didn’t have a door so I stepped in and sheltered from the snow. Panting as my body met the floorboards, exhaustion chewing at my limbs, I hid my two eyes beneath my eyelids. My blue one, and my brown one.’
All of a sudden, I snapped out of my daydreaming to a distant noise, someone trudging up the hill. I swivelled my head, turning my attention to the rectangular door, through which I saw a figure rising up on the far side of the hill. Ollie! I scrambled to my feet, carelessly tearing towards my companion and shot up into his arms, throwing aside all negative emotions. I barely noticed, but another delicate pair of hands stroked my back. I glanced to the side, and saw a charming young lady, then glanced back at Master. They both shot me a warm smile and winked at me, him with his blue eye and her with her brown eye.