Everything She Had Always Wanted.

I’m going to write a story about love, and about hope. A story of everything I have ever cared about. A story about a dog and a girl. This dog gave the girl everything she had wanted. A friend, a chance, a new life. Before I move on I want you to really think how lucky you may be. It could be a little reason, like having a cup of coffee each day. Some people have nothing. Some people have lived their whole life wishing for a chance, a new start. Cherish everything from that cup of coffee to your life in general. You have what others don’t. Think about that. 

Faith stared out the window, her blind, clear blue eyes blinking in the morning light. How she longed for a chance to see the sunrise, and even to see her parents yell. She smiled, intertwining her fingers in a blanket that her grandmother had made for her.

Don’t forgot who you really are, and what your meant to be, she had said. Faith wanted to see the blanket, she wanted to see the world around her. She wanted to feel the satisfaction of crossing the street as a 14-year-old, and not have to hold her parents’ arm. She wanted to look normal to the other beautiful humans around her. The lucky people, her mother would say. Her grandmother had begged her not to listen to her parents, she begged her to believe that anything is possible.

You don’t know if you belong here, you’re afraid I won’t stay long, but just know you got me wrong. While I lay in your arms dear, can’t you tell you got me wrong. These dreams aren’t all that they seem, I know that they could hurt me, so why don’t you hold my hand why they come true, but I’m not losing you. My grandmother had sung to me. Each morning. I started to cry, she is gone.

I walked to school with my cane, keeping my head down, as I heard kids laughing around me. I felt around for the door handle, as I walked into my classroom. I got my daily instructions, and felt the words. Braille. As I walked out of my classroom to lunch, someone bumped into me. They started to laugh.

“Oops sorry blind kid.” That caused more laughter to echo through the room. I dipped my head lower, and speed walked to lunch. It was even harder at lunch, because I had no friends to help me open my containers, and help me eat.

As another school day ended, I sat on the bench to wait for my mother, who hated having to come early from work to walk me. I remember my grandmother saying I should get a guide dog, but my parents refused to get a dog for their blind daughter.

While I waited, I heard a yipping sound, and a sniffing sound. I sharply turned around, and heard a dog rummaging through my bag. I reached out my hand, bracing for it to bite me. It sniffed my hand, then licked me. I giggled.

“You’re a soft doggy,” I whispered as I rubbed its head. I felt the vibrations on the bench, as its tail thumped hard. It sat down next to me. “What should your name be?” I gasped as I remembered my grandmothers’ words.

 You don’t know if you belong here, you’re afraid I won’t stay long, but just know you got me wrong. While I lay in your arms dear, can’t you tell you got me wrong. These dreams aren’t all that they seem, I know that they could hurt me, so why don’t you hold my hand why they come true, but I’m not losing you.

 “You will be Hope.” I whispered speaking my grandmothers’ name. I heard the car pull up. “Faith get here right now!” I looked up, feeling myself get sad. “Mother can we bring Hope?” I pointed the dog. I imagined her making a face of disgust.

“No! Get here this instance.” I slowly walked to the car, feeling around with my cane. As I closed the door I whispered to Hope, “I’m not losing you.”

I walked downstairs to the smell of chicken. “Faith tried to bring a dog into my family.” My mother spat. I heard my father groan. “Enough already! Don’t you get enough attention?” I flinched, and shrunk into my seat.

“I want her to be my guide dog. I want a friend. Please, I need Hope.” I could feel my dad’s glare. “No, never, nope.” My dad yelled. I almost choked on my chicken.

“Please! I want to be normal!” I heard them laughing. “Well you’re not normal, so dream on Faith.” I ran upstairs crying. I slammed open my drawers in search for something my grandmother got me. I felt around, until I felt the leather collar.

For when you get a dog. Love it with your life, she had said. I ran my fingers over the leaves imbedded on the collar. I imagined the brown, and yellow autumn leaves, and the light blue collar. I picked up my backpack and grabbed the collar. I raced out the door, before my parents could see me.

I used my cane, all by myself, to go back to behind the school building where Hope last was. I then heard a bark. I laughed, and jogged forward. I felt Hope jump on my, causing me to fall. I gasped, as I hit the asphalt painfully. I cried out, and Hope licked my face.

I closed my eyes, “I want to see,” I whispered. I took out the collar, and found her neck. I gently clasped it on, and gently tugged on her collar, and started to walk. I was so scared, because I had just put my full trust in Hope to lead me around.

“Cross.” I said, as I heard the zooming cars, and felt the wind blowing on my face. Hope whimpered. I felt myself start to walk forward. I held my breath. Hope guided me to the other side, and barked.

“Who’s a good girl.” I laughed, and hugged her. Over the next few weeks, when my parents weren’t watching I trained Hope, she gave me everything I wanted. I could see, and I could look normal, until the next day.

I was crossing the street with Hope. We were halfway to the other side, when I heard a honking noise. I turned sharply, and gasped as I felt the truck bore down on me. I screamed, as I felt something ram into my side. I went flying in the air, as the truck zoomed by. I hit the asphalt hard, and started to cry. Had I gotten hit? I heard a whimpering, and gasped. I felt around, as I heard sirens.

I touched something wet, and soft. Hope. She was bleeding, and barley moving. I started to cry. “Shh, Hope you’re going to be okay.” I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Come on honey, let’s get you into the ambulance.” I screamed, and cried, and tried to pull away. “Noo! Hope!” I collapsed into the lady’s arms.

“I need her, she is my guide dog.” She rubbed my arms. “You have a broken arm, I need you to relax.” I laid back on a bed, and enveloped in darkness.

I woke up to the sound of talking, and murmuring. “I heard she tried to do suicide,” “I heard she ran away,” “I heard…” I coughed, and sat up.

“Is Hope ok?” I heard a sigh. My mother. “Faith, Hope had to get her legs removed, so she is going to have to have fake legs.” I let out a sob, and buried my face in my hands.

“We are going to bring her in later, Faith.” I nodded, and laid back. I closed my eyes for a while, until I heard a shuffling noise. I sat up, and heard squeaking wheels. I imagined Hope having her legs supported by wheeling legs.

“Faith, you and Hope are going to be on the news. Is that okay?” I nodded right as I heard footsteps. “Hello this is Fox News how are you feeling, and can you tell us a little bit more about your dog?” I took a deep breath.

“My name is Faith Bosman, and I’m 14. I’m not like other kids at school I have been blind since birth. One day at school I met Hope. I have always loved dogs, and I remembered my grandma talking about getting a guide dog. I asked my parents, but they said no. The next day I went out to find her, and I crossed the street for the first time in my life, without an adult. I felt so powerful with her. It was almost like I could see. The next few weeks I trained her by myself, to cross the street, and to guide me. Today when I was crossing the street, a truck ran a red light, and Hope pushed me out of the way. She saved me, and she could have died. Hope has really changed my life”

I sniffed, as the news reported continued to talk, and then finally he left the room. “I had nothing,” I whispered to Hope. “And you gave me everything.”

A few months had passed, and I recovered, and Hope was getting better. My parents finally allowed me to have Hope. We got a professional trainer, to train her. When I went to school, it was much easier, and nobody laughed at me anymore. Hope was very good around kids, so it worked perfectly. I finally got what I had always wanted. It felt like grandma’s spirit was in Hope, because she was very protective. Me and Hope got really close. Hope sadly died at the age of eight. She had a disease, and finally died from it. It was really hard for me, because I was so used to having her around. My parents are looking into getting a new dog for me. No dog will ever be like Hope. Everybody says I am the most amazing person they had ever meet. No, I’m not. I just showed hope, and never gave up. I was stubborn, and didn’t really accept who I am. I am blind, yes, I know, but I’m just like you.