Slowing down as I approached the asphalt, I took a deep breath of the start of a new world. Overwhelming gas swirled occasionally, followed by wisps of unmarked air. The girl said something, so I turned around my head seeing she was gently tugging my leash toward a grey car parked in an outlined white rectangle. Just as I was inspecting it, the car honked, louder and brighter than the flock of geese I had once seen. I flinched in confusion and fear, but the giggle and smile that came from the girl told me it had no bite just bark.
She moved closer to the car and I watched in awe as a door swung to the side. Her arm motioned from me to the dark car interior, and gently nudged me to it. She wants me to go in, so I jumped into the car onto a squishy seat just like my bed. She closed the door, leaving me alone in this strange place surrounded by grey and dim light.
“Don’t leave me here!” I barked. “I trusted you!” I added as she continued moving. She didn’t leave me, instead, she opened another door of the car and sat down, smiling at me. Relieved I jumped to the front of the car onto the seat beside her. She took out jingling keys and turned them in the car, and a low growly sound came out from the car below. All of a sudden the car was moving. As if flying like a bird, I watched the whole car leave out the plaza, into a scenery of more zooming cars.
The car ride was full of sudden stops and the constant drone of the engine, giving me a headache while feeling sleepy and dizzy. Knowing that the car ride was not going to end soon, I reluctantly laid down on the car seat smelling like burning plastic under the relentless sunshine.
Just as I was starting to fall asleep, the car stopped again, this time for a longer time, and there were no longer any engine sounds. Sensing something different, I lifted my head up and sat up sniffing the surroundings of any danger. Scrambling around and jumping onto the front seat, I whined to my new owner hoping she could somehow communicate what was happening. Sensing my emotions, she petted me and took out my leash and harness from her bag, dangling it in front of me. My leash! We are going out of this tight space! I eagerly stuck my head into the harness and patiently waited for her to buckle it on.
Clank! The door opened with a push, and my owner slipped off the seat and stood outside, gently tugging my leash in her direction. I cautiously peeped my head down to hear how high I needed to leap, and I scrambled to find a good jumping position, pressured by my owner's constant tugging that was distracting and starting to irritate me. But I didn’t blame her; I was her first dog.
Bracing myself for landing I jumped off the car seat and onto the concrete ground. I was momentarily dazed by the sensation of no longer being in a moving car, but soon I recovered and took a deep breath of the new life.
The air smelled like freedom, free from traces of artificial oranges and dusty concrete. The grass was dewy, green, and softer than the dead grass from the pet store. In the middle, was a structure painted the color of warm winter oranges inviting among the tall pines. The whole scene seemed to be in a different world.
Before I could enjoy the scenery better, I got tugged away towards a building that seemed like the pet shop. “Home….Home..” I heard her repeat as she pointed toward ‘home’. It must be important to her and now me. I thought as I followed her footsteps into ‘home’.
Inside, was another scent combination different from the outside. It smelled like my owner, but more intense, and I was bathing in her musky scent. Just then just I felt my harness click loose and a nudge forward, and so I ran into the house sniffing and and exploring.
What will you do?
claim your house
inspect the house