[[<img src ="https://www.use.com/images/s_2/sorted/e4ad6e367fbf61850ffb.jpg" width = 100% height = auto >--> story]]She will wake up at any time now, so I go and sneak on her bed. I make her face wet with my tongue until I see her smile. After doing a couple turns, I snuggle like a roll right next to her body. I wish this moment lasted forever. [[She wakes up]].She gets up, goes to that other space where warm rain comes down from the wall. She comes back and I follow her to where she keeps the [[food.]]
She prepares something tasty. She asks me for some tricks we are learning. I get some of her food. She gives me round brown balls that fill my belly up. I am [[ready for the park]].I hop on the car, she opens the window, I (link-reveal:"feel the wind on my face")[ and memorize new smells along the way]. I (link-reveal:"fall asleep.")[The car’s movement make me dizzy.] The car finally [[stops]]. It’s been raining the last couple days, so the smells seem stronger than ever. There is so much to do that I don’t know where to start. I go (link-reveal:"mark some trees") [ that other guys insist on marking]. I play with some (link-reveal:"kids.")[They throw a bouncy ball around, that seems impossible to get.] I wait for hooman to take out some (link-reveal:"toys.")[ She takes her time, but finally she takes out the frisbee. I chase it until my legs won't respond.] [[I rest]]. I sleep on the way back. I sleep when we get back. She leaves. I am alone, taking care of [[the house]]. I sleep, sniff around, bark when I hear a noise, hoping its hooman coming back. I get anxious.
[[go back to sleep]]
[[chew on anything]]
[[try to reach something tasty on the table]]I wake up after a while.
[[chew on anything]]
[[try to reach something tasty on the table]]I start chewing on a stick I see. I feel better. [[Hooman arrives]].I try to jump. The table is too high. This sucks. [[Hooman arrives]] It is dark when she arrives. She takes me for a walk around the block. I move my tail to a couple hoomans and doggos walking by. We get back. The [[day is over]].Sun is up. I wake up. Get on her bed. I get some treats and food. We get to the park. I get tired. We come back. She leaves. I get anxious. I get bored. She comes back. We go for a walk. Another day [[is over]].Sun is up. I wake up. Get on her bed. I get some treats and food. We get to the park. I get tired. We come back. She leaves. I get anxious. I get bored. She comes back. We go for a walk. Another day [[ends]].Today is different. I can smell it but I don’t know what it is. The light today takes longer to arrive. I look out the window. It is raining. Hooman takes longer to wake up. She doesn’t let me on her bed.
[[I insist]] on licking her face.
I wait until she wakes up [[next to her]] bed.
I wait next to my plate for [[food]].
No matter what I do, her mood doesn’t change. I get no food today and she takes me to the car. No window down, sun on my face nor wind on mouth. After driving for a long time, the car stops. [[Where are we?]]No matter what I do, her mood doesn’t change. I get no food today and she takes me to the car. No window down, sun on my face nor wind on mouth. After driving for a long time, the car stops. [[Where are we?]]No matter what I do, her mood doesn’t change. I get no food today and she takes me to the car. No window down, sun on my face nor wind on mouth. After driving for a long time, the car stops. [[Where are we?]]She gets off the car, walks around and opens my door. Are we going for a walk around this scary neighborhood, under this heavy (link-reveal:"rain?")[ This rain is cold, it makes me shiver.] She pulls from my collar, I sit still waiting for an order. She gives me a (link-reveal:"look")[; a look I've never seen before. A look that is colder than the rain]. I sit down like a good boy and look back asking for [[forgiveness]].==>
//Still//, she says
<==
She walks back to her seat, slams her door and speeds away. The rain stays. She is gone.
[[I stay still]]
[[I run trying to get her]]
[[Go in the dark alley looking for shelter]]`I run as (link-reveal:"fast as I can") [. Much faster than when I try to reach the bouncy ball at the park]. There are many cars coming and going. [[I keep going]].Heavy rain is pouring down my fur. I am cold. But I am gonna stay here. She will come back. Then, I will know what I did wrong. Was it the thing I chew? I stay. I [[wait]].I find a little hole in a box. I go in. Water drops are not getting me anymore. I am shivering from the cold. [[I finally fall asleep]].I open my eyes. I feel rain falling on my face. [[I close my eyes]]I open my eyes. Everything is dark out.
I try to ~~move~~.
I close my [[eyes]]. I open my eyes. The pain is too sharp. I try to bark, but the pain is too deep. Is she [[coming back]]?I open my eyes. I see a bright light coming from the above. A hooman's face gets in between me and the light. He covers my snout with something. I get sleepy. I close my eyes. [[This darkness feels comfortable]]. I open my eyes. The hooman has something spiky on his hand. I feel a jab. I try to react but my body won't respond. It is suddenly cold. The light and the hooman begin to fade. I fall into the [[deepest darkness]].
I wake up with the sudden [[sound of a bark]]. I come out and I see two dogs showing me their teeth. I [[run away]]
I run as fast as I can. I feel them approaching me. I go under a small fence. They can't pass. [[I keep going for a while]].I tell her my story.
==>
//Well, you're lucky to be alive, boy.//
<==
I follow her and we walk for a while. We arrive to a small town, but it doesn's seem to be any hoomans around. She goes into a broken door. [[I tag along]]. It is getting dark out. I stay still. She told me to do that. Whatever I did wrong, I will make it up for her. I stay still. That was her last command, so I stay [[still]]. Other dogs come sniff. I lay down with my belly up to show them respect. They walk away, inviting me to join.
~~I follow them~~
[[I keep waiting]]A big car drives through and a big splash of water gets allover my body. I didn't know I could feel as cold as I am feeling right now. I hope she doesn't take much longer. Back to my [[sitting position]]. A hooman with a very strong smell pushing a cart comes by. He gives me a bone and a piece of hard bread. I never liked that before, but my body can't resist. I eat it all. He pets me and walks away. It is tempting to be taken care of.
~~I follow him~~
I stay. [[She will come back]].My muscles hurt for being still for so long. They get as hard as a rock. I move them a little, trying to stay as still as I can. My eyes are heavy. What if she comes back and I am sleeping? [[I can't let that happen]]. Things are getting (link-reveal:"weird")[:
» People passing by are barking.
» Dogs are pulling around hoomans on leashes.
» I see a piece of meat right next to me. I feel a deep pain. I am chewing on my leg].
I shake my body. My eyes are heavy. I can't stop them from [[closing]]. I feel the sun on my face. Is it time to wake up from this bad dream? Is it time to go to her bed?
[[I open my eyes.]] The sun is out. Many cars and people are coming by. They don't seem to see me. Did she come? Did she come and as I was sleeping she left again? It is all my fault. [[I sit back]]. A lady approaches. She says something and pets me. She goes away. My eyes are getting [[heavy again]]. Tireness is beating. I have to be strong for when she comes back. But I can't hold my body up. My legs won't respond. [[My eyes won't respond]]. I wake up and I am curling, trying to keep myself warm. One of the only things I can feel is the shooting pain of an empty stomach. But if I go look for food, she might come back and not find me. [[I have to stay]]. I wish I have been a better dog when I had the chance. I didn't realize how important she was for me before. I wish I could take back all the bad things I did. I close my eyes [[once again]]. I wake up to a big white dog licking my face. She has noble eyes.
==>
//What happened to you, ugly boy?//, [[she says]]. Two lights approach me. A dry and loud sound comes together with a sudden pain. The pain is sharp but ephemeral. It dissapears together with the rest of my feelings. All I can hear is silence. All I can see is [[darkness]].It's been a while since I last saw her car. Other cars drive by so close that they make me loose my balance. Now it's too late to go back. My legs hurt, but there is something inside that pushes me [[forward]].Buildings are smaller. There is more and more space between them. Other dogs bark when they see me pass by. But there is someone I have to get to, before it is [[too late]]. Roads are now just rocks and dirt. My claws are not used to this, I guess. They hurt. I desperately need to drink. I stop by a puddle, and I drink some muddy water. My legs won't respond very well. She must be there waiting for me, and I shouldn't be late. [[I start running again]]. It is getting dark. I keep going while I can, until the darkness is so thick that I can't see where the road goes. I stop. (text-style: "shudder")[My legs] can barely keep me up. I try to smell, but nothing familiar shows up. I walk step by step finding [[the path forward]]. I don't see the dogs anymore. I cross a river, a set of trees. I follow an empty road. It is getting dark and it starts raining again. Heavily. I see a shed. There is a hole and [[I go in]]. I wake up to a big white dog licking my face. She has noble eyes.
==>
//What happened to you, ugly boy?//, [[she says]]. When my eyes get used to the darkness, I see many other dogs looking at me. She brings me some food that I eat as fast as I can. One other older dog starts [[talking to me]]. ==>
//Hello, boy. I am Spikes. That's the name my hooman gave me when I had one. But he is history now. What's your story?//
<==
I tell him my [[story.]]==>
//It is not worth it. Hoomans are no good. It is better you know this sooner than [[later]].// ~~[[I keep my eyes open]].~~//Thanks for the tip. But she is different. I must have done something [[wrong]].//==>
//That's what we all say at the beginning. They are all the [[same]].//He walks away. I sniff some of them, they sniff me. I am finally welcome to the pack. I finally fall asleep feeling the warmth of the [[other dogs' bodies]]. The first ray of sunlight comes in through the window. Flying little guys are singing. Time [[to wake up]].I remember where I am. Spikes comes to me and goes:
==>
//It's time to get breakfast, [[boy]].//
Everything found is taken back inside an put in the same pile. The white dog with noble eyes gives everyone their share and we eat. She is the total leader. Flavors are funny, but my empty belly is happy to be [[filled]]. After sleeping for a while, we go back out. We head down to the city, as it is getting darker.
==>
//We go for more food. But we can't be seen, or else we are taken away and executed//, Spikes says. [[Straight forward]].
We get to the city. Food, as well as dangers, are much more abundant in the streets than I thought. I can smell something [[familiar]]. We pass by home. I freeze. I see hooman in through the window. She seems happy.
==>
//What are you going to do, ugly boy?// asks me white dog with [[noble eyes]].//I'm going home, [[hooman needs me]].// They go back, and I stay. I take some time sitting still and [[looking in]]. ==>
//You still trust her, I see.
[[I wish you luck]].//I sit down by her door. Everything will be okay when [[she sees me]]. The lights in the house are off. Its her time to go to bed. Only one more night until I am [[next to her again]]. I curl on the rug by the door. I close my eyes. [[One last night]].First ray of sunlight, flying little guys are singing from the tree. [[Time to wake up]]. I sit back up. She goes to the room with the warm water coming from the wall. She comes down to the kitchen. She approaches the [[door]]. The door opens. She [[looks at me]].I'm back at the pack.
(text-style: "blurrier") [I still trust her].
[[I don't trust hoomans.]]I wait until I fall asleep. I wake up. Getting dark again.
(text-style: "blurrier") [I still trust her].~~I wait~~
[[I go back to the pack]]//I am going to find my way back to my hooman, and stay next to her [[until she forgives me]]//One by one we go out through the little hole. We rumble around. Everybody is very focused on the mission: getting (linkreveal: "food") [: dead animals, food that hoomans left behind, and if lucky, animals that hunters in the group were able to get ]. [[Time to eat]].
==>
//[[go away]]//, she goes with a mean voice.I wait from the distance, and see her drive away, without me.
(text-style: "blur") [I still trust her]. [[I wait]].
[[I go back to the pack]].<img src ="https://www.use.com/images/s_2/sorted/e4ad6e367fbf61850ffb.jpg" width = 100% height = auto><img src ="https://www.use.com/images/s_2/sorted/e4ad6e367fbf61850ffb.jpg" width = 100% height = auto>The first ray of sunlight comes in through the window. Flying little guys are singing. Time to [[wake up]].