Prologue
The wind blew in my face, and the leaves rustled on the trees. I looked around to see a chipmunk skitter to the nearest tree. I am a stray.
The love of my life is named Fire because she has a fire-colored coat. I heard a howl, and knew it was a coyote. Sunset was approaching. The days were gradually growing shorter, and it was getting cooler. Fall was coming. I had to find a temporary shelter for winter.
I looked around, eyes and ears alert, for some food. I walked the highways and around buildings. I was hungrier than I had ever been. I haven’t eaten for two whole days. All the food is hiding.
I sometimes try sneaking into stores, bakeries, and such to find food. But it always ends up the same…I get caught, kicked out, and yelled at never to come back. Most people don’t know I’m a stray and think I’m lost. I try to veer away from them. Today, I’m trying a grocery store.
The grocery store’s name is:
Great Groceries
By the sign, another sign read:
Better Deals for Great Food…so come on in today!
Everybody’s Welcome here!
Oh, yeah right! My tear-shaped blue marks above my forehead rose with my eyes in sarcasm. I tried this place a while ago and they threw me out! ‘Everybody’s Welcome’ huh? Grrrrrr…well, better give it another go. A car sped past me. “Meow! Watch where you’re going!” I hollored at them. People give no respect for abandoned strays!
I walk into the store, and stay low…making sure that no one sees me. If I get caught again, I aught to scream. “Hey!” Uh-oh! I’ve ben caught! I gotta run! I gotta-wait! Is that what I think it is? Yes! It is! CHICKEN!
I ran over to the meat place, and managed to get my paws on the delicious, roasted animal. . I grabbed it with my teeth and ran through the door. When I look back, I saw the manager yelling. “I thought I told you to never come back! You’d better listen, because if I find you in here again…just stay away!”
Well, at least I got the chicken. Now to eat and fill my stomach. I rolled over when I was done, and fell asleep.
****************
By the time that I woke up, it was freezing and the coyotes were howling their heads off! I could tell that it was nighttime. But wait! I’m out in the open! I can’t stay out here for long. I’m sure that the coyotes have caught my scent already!
I sprinted to the back of the grocery store and saw a rusted pipe. I guess it’s cold, but it’s safe. I tried to sleep, but curiosity kept me awake. The coyotes were closer than usual. I peeked outside my hiding spot to find they’d trapped me! They’d made a half circle around my pipe. They had big, sharp, bone-crushing teeth and they looked really hungry.
Their red-pink tounges hung out and they slobbered badly. Their breath stunk like forty-five skunks. I fluffed up. This was no life for a stray! I knew then my life would not be long.
I was born in an abandoned shed with my mother, my two sisters and one brother. My mother was shot on acount of looking like a wolf at night, After that everything just kind of went downhill for me. My brother was the last one to leave. He is not dead, but he strayed away from the shed and wandered into the woods. That was the last I ever saw of my brother.
I heard a yelp, snapping me back into the present. A coyote had lunged himself at me. I tried calling for help, but then decided that who would save a mutt like me? The weight of the dog flew off me, and I looked to see all the coyotes running away. Then I hear a noise. A loud noise.
A giant car was rumbling past me. It looked like a dump truck, but when it past, I looked into the back window. There, looking sad and downcast, was a coyote. The dogcatchers! They had rumbled past and caught a coyote. My head spun as I tried to figure out what is happening. I finally fell asleep in my pipe.
I dreampt I was picked up by a boy. His dad was somewhere else, but he took me to a place with a beautiful white cat with blue eyes. Then I met a black cat with red eyes. I woke up with a start, my head spinning faster than usual.