Saying Goodbye

• Rose Bostelman, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2019

It was the best day of my life when we got a puppy; a sweet Jack Russell named Jake. I played, loved and gave Jake lots of attention for 6 years then it got difficult. I couldn’t play with Jake because of the amount of homework I had. But that started five years ago. This year I’m in year twelve, I’m seventeen years old and Jake is eleven.
Jake barked, he had his lead in his mouth “Not now Jake”, I told him, “I have to study for my exams tomorrow”. Jake’s tail drooped. “Sorry old buddy” I said. My sister Judy came into my room “Ever heard of knocking?” I said to her. “Come on, sis. Jake wants a walk so take him,” she said to me. “You take him” I replied, without looking up. “Look sis, Mum said you should, not me,” she replied. “Fine I’ll take him,” I said exasperatingly rolling my eyes. So Jake got his walk, but then I realised something was wrong. Jake’s tail was drooping, he was limping and he wasn’t himself, so I took him home.
The next day Mum took Jake to the Vet. She was there for a couple of hours. When she got home she said to me, Judy and Dad “Jake has cancer in his back leg and it’s spread too far for surgery. He has to be put…” I didn’t stick around for the rest, I didn’t need to. I knew what she was going to say.
That night I cried for Jake. I couldn’t sleep because I was worrying about Jake, I couldn’t concentrate on my exam because I was worrying about Jake. When I got home from school I went to my room and cried. Judy didn’t come in and call me a crybaby, she was crying too. Jake came in and licked me. He sensed something was wrong. I picked him up and hugged him as he licked away my tears. “Jake is perfectly fine” I thought out loud. “ I wish I never told mum about his legs and the fact that they looked sore”. More tears dripped down my face and Jake stuck out his tongue and caught a tear. He cocked his head to one side and looked up at me with his cute eyes making me cry and laugh at the same time. I could hear Judy crying in her bed making me sad all over again.
Finally the day came I cried and cried my tears dripping all over Jake as I hugged him tight. After we said goodbye, Mum and Dad took Jake to the Vet. They where there for a good hour before they got home. When they got home we buried Jake in the back yard and cried.
I mourned Jake for two years. Then one day when Dad got home from work he was carrying a cardboard box. In that box was a sweet, tiny Jack Russell, we named him Jake.