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I ran. I ran, and ran, and ran. I didn’t know where I was running or where this seemingly endless road ended. When I first started I told myself I was going to find Gruff, but I soon, slowly I realized, against all will, that I may never find him. Gruff’s abductor could have driven for miles. He could have made all manors of twists and turns at the many turns in the road. It then struck me, how pointless my running was. I should have just went with the farmer when he came down the road for me, now I have a broken paw, several cuts and bruises, and even less hope.


Three days ago…

I walked down a dirt paved road aligned with rocks and broken glass. Behind me was the farm and distant memories of a seemingly far off past. Ahead of me… I don’t know. Will I ever find Gruff? Will it be along time before I do? Will I recognize him? Will he recognize me? What will be said? Such questions buzzed around my head like a bad head ache, always constant, never stopping. In the distance I could hear a truck. It was the farmer, not yet in sight but in an audible range for me. I felt I had to get away. “He’s out to get me because I killed his chicken and bit him. He’s going to send me to a human like Gruff and mom, and dad. I have to get away from him!” I thought to my self, resisting the urge to cry. To my left was another farm. To my right was a thick forest. I wasn’t about to go to another farm, so I jumped into the forest. There was only one problem. The road was on a hill and it was a long fall. I tumbled down the hill. It was littered with broken bottles and rocks. I felt as though I was in slow motion as my little body made contact with just about every rock, and every bit of glass

I finally landed, my ribs where beaten senseless, my head dawned a small cut just above my eye, and my back- left paw felt as though it where engulfed in flames. I tried to stand, but fell back down again, the feeling in my paw worsening still. I looked back at it and saw it was twisted. Blood crept its way out of a gash on my paw. I licked it, willing the pain to stop, but dispite my best efforts, it did not. I could hear the farmer’s truck now. I could hear him calling, “Sparky! Come back! Please? Sparky?!” The farmer sounded genuinely worried and sad, but I knew worse fates awaited me if I went back. I kept my silence, though I was in pain. After the farmer’s sorrowful voice faded in the distance I tried to get back up the hill, and onto the pavement, only to fall harder. I looked into the forest, knowing there was only one way out. “Hold on Gruff, I’m coming to help you!” I shouted into the forest.

Three days latter…


My leg still burned, and I was still stuck in the thick trees. I hadn’t eaten yet for almost four days. My stomach let out a particularly loud growl. I never knew hunger before. I never knew any suffering before. I never even knew what suffering was on the farm. My life was good, I just didn’t know how good. I spent most of my time in the trees trying to find my way out onto the road again. A couple times I saw squirrels and tried to catch them for a meal, but they where too fast. Damn those little rats. When they first saw me, they where afraid, but when they saw my leg, they taunted me. It was almost like they where saying, “Here I am! Here’s dinner! Come get us!” At my failure to catch a squirrel I began to cry. I was angry, I was sad, I was disheartened, I was hungry, I was in pain. “I will never see my brother again.” I thought, thinking of my hopeless situation. “I will end up dieing in this hell.”

Finally I found it! A small path up the hill. I was filled with relief, joy, and hope. My hunger and pain disappeared. I was running now, running for the beacon of light that was the road. I made it up again! Every feeling I had of pain and anguish was replaced with joy and glee. “Hold on a little longer, Gruff! I’m coming for you! I’m coming to get you brother! I’m-.” My sentence was cut short with a heavy collision to my side, so great I left the ground and flew through the air. Time felt as though it froze, I collided with the ground with a resounding, “THUD!” I laid there, helpless to the mercy of whatever hit me. Lights around me faded, but I n the fading view of the world around me I saw a car. Out of the car where two sets of feet. One was large, the other very small. I lost all sight after that. “Gruff… I’m sorry… I failed…”