When the Summer Vacation Goes Wrong

When A Summer Vacation Goes Wrong

When the heat of the dog days of summer came to town, I knew it was time for the

family vacation. Off to a place that I could run free and smell the fresh air. Freedom from the city and all its hustle and bustle.

The day we left, I could feel relief sinking deep into my bones. One week to relax with no schedule to keep. The whole family together again. I just couldn’t wait to play games, eat, drink, and just hang out. We really didn’t have any plans this year. For me, this was perfect. I was always stuck to the same old schedule every day. But, on this trip, I was free to have my time.

We spent two days in bliss out in the country. The air was so clean, not like the air in the city. The air there is full of smog and dust. I loved being with my family. All the catching up, the stories of past vacations, the laughing, the sharing of meals. It was great! But the third day...

It started off as any other day. We were all outside enjoying the nice weather. I was playing catch with my brother Nate. It was going well, until someone new showed up. He said his name was Tony, and his family was in the house next to ours. They were here on vacation too. At first, Nate and I were excited to have someone new to play with. But Nate said he was getting thirsty. So Tony and I decided to get to know each other.

Tony told me all about his adventures in the city he was from. How he gets to trav- el around, see the wonderful sites of the city with his parents. Tony talked about help- ing out all the time, and how he was ready to be on vacation. That this was the first time he had been out to the country, but so far, he really loved it. I just knew Tony and I were going to become the best of friends.

Later on that day, Tony and I met again. Nate decided to take a nap. Tony and went for a walk down the lane. As we were walking, I noticed we were going farther

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and farther away than I have ever gone from our country home. It was a new adven- ture for me, and one I couldn’t wait to be able to share with my family. Maybe even show them this part of the lane.

Until something very unexpected happen. Tony and I heard it at the same time. A truck sputtering down the old lane. Tony yelled out to run, but my legs could not get purchased on the gravel. I tried hard to gain distance between myself and this old truck, but nothing I did put space between us.

The truck suddenly stopped. I could hear a loud clunk and screech as the door whipped open. I tried to take off again, but I found that I was being restrained. Some- thing caught me. I could feel it wringing around my neck every time I tried to pull free. What was happening. I tried calling to Tony for him to help, frantically yelling for any- one to hear me. But no one came. I was trapped with this person who now was taking me to their rusted out truck.

I had no time to see who it was and was stuck now. Unable to tell which way we were going. I was scared. I was just having the time of my life, and now... I wasn’t sure if I would have a life. I was shaking but trying to stay still. This rope was still around my neck, and it pulled at my throat so bad.

The whole ride, all I could think about was my family. How I wanted to be with them. I wondered if they noticed that I was gone yet, and if they were looking for me. I wondered if they would be mad at me when they did find me. I started playing out dif- ferent scenarios in my head. How mad my mom would be when Tony tells her what happened. She would yell at me about going off alone on a walk down a lane I did not know. Or my entire family scrambling around the Country house looking for me like a big game of hide-and-seek. Going through all the closets, cabinets, under the beds, and all my favorite hiding spaces, before realizing I am not there. Then what will they do? Will they reach out to someone, who will they ask?

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I felt the truck sputter to a stop, and the engine cut off. I was never more scared in my life until right now. How could I have been thinking all that time about if they have been looking for me instead of what to do next? Now what do I do? But that time was up, this person was already unlocking the back doors. My shaking came back. So much so I was not ready when I was again yanked out of the back of the truck and into the bright light of the sun.

I had to run to keep up with this person. He smelled of old, musty cheese and ba- con. He sounded like he was trying to be kind, but if he was, then why did he take me? I couldn’t understand? I had to think fast, what things could I hear, see, smell, to re- member, so I could tell my family? Ok, so the guys' shoes are black boots, with, eeeewwww is that dog poop I smell? Gross, how much dog poop does one have to step in to make their boots smell that bad. So bad that I want to vomit. YUCK! Ok, I re- ally need to focus, this is so difficult to focus, but I need to if I want to get home. Ok, so this place, it looks like those stores we have back in the city. I really hate being color- blind. I can never tell the right colors.

How can this be? He is taking me to the back of the building. It is all fenced in back here. The top has sharp razor wire on it. I could feel the fear rise in me. Where was he taking me? As he opened the back door, a blast of cold air came rushing out. All I could think about was the cold refrigerator my mom would open at home when it was time to eat. It would send a wave of cold air. Sometimes it was so cold I would shiver. But it would never last too long. Not like this blast of cold air. As this man pulled me along, the cold air just continued on. I walked alongside a cage that looked very frightening. Now I knew I was never going home again.

This man jerked on the rope tied around my neck, which caused me to stumble into this cage. I tried to resist. I put all my weight and dug in to try to avoid going into that deep, dark cage. But he was just too strong, and the rope pulled so hard, that I

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had no choice. I had to go into the dark, damp, cold cage. As soon as the man had me in the cage, he quickly took the rope from around my neck and with one swift step, he closed the cage door and locked me in. I was done.

I sat in that cage for what felt like 48 days. So I began to look around to see if I could find something to get me out of here. The first thing I saw was a cot on the far side of the cage. It was green and dingy, full of dirt and mold. It smelled so bad, I wasn’t sure I wanted to touch it. I looked under the cot, but with the dim lighting, I couldn’t see much there. I started pacing around, taking in every square inch of the small cage.

So far, I have found nothing in this cage but an old sock, one metal pan, and the filthy cot. It doesn’t look like I will be able to use any of these to break free. I began to worry that I would never see my family again. I sat on the floor and tried not to think about it.

Hours passed and nobody came in. What was the point of kidnapping me if they were just going to leave me here? I didn’t understand it. I had to stand and move around the small cage, my legs cramped, and I was getting hungry. How was I going to make it through this? I just have to stay calm. I can do this. Just stay calm. Well, walk- ing around was not getting me anywhere, so I had to see if there was a way out, maybe a loose spot in the cage.

I tried every inch of the cage, pushing, prodding, even trying to pick the lock, but nothing worked. I was doomed. I was scared, and I missed my family. I wondered what they were doing. I felt so lonely and afraid. All of a sudden, the back door opened again.

“Hello? Hello? Anyone here?” I heard the most magical voice I have ever heard! I knew that voice, I wanted to run up to my mom, to hug her to let her know I was here. But I also wanted to let her know to be quiet, to turn back. I didn’t know when that

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man would be back. What would he do to my mom? I was so scared! My mind was racing, and I had no idea what to do. My mom was right there, and I did not want her to get caught.

“Hello Miss?” Then his voice came out. Booming from the darkness. I jumped back from the cage. I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do to help save my mom. I couldn’t get out of here to help her. I wanted to run to her, to stop that man.

“Mrs. Algion, I was told you have my dog, Sandy? He went missing earlier today.” My mom was here talking to that man. Asking him questions, but he was not moving towards her. I was confused. I sat up a little more to see what was happening.

“Yes Ma’am, I did pick up a stray dog over by the old lane. But he did not have any tags. Would you mind describing him?” I just wanted this mad man to let me out. Of course, that is my mom! I began to speak as loud as I could, but the man just kept try- ing to shush me. But all I wanted was my mom.

“Sure, Sandy, has sandy color hair and is a Collie. Is he here?” I could hear my mom’s voice, and I just wanted to get to her. I started braking louder. I just wanted out of this cage and back home with my family. I missed them and my cuddle spot on the couch. I was tired and scared that this man wanted to keep me forever. “Is that my dog back there, I think I hear him. SANDY?” I heard my mom call to me, so I barked louder and even tried to say ‘I love you’ like she taught me. “That is my Sandy, please let me get to him,” I could hear the pleading in her voice.

“Sure, Mrs. Algion, let's go take a look to see if this is Sandy.” The man said. I could hear their footsteps coming closer and closer, I couldn’t stop my tail from wagging, I just wanted to see my mom again. It felt so long ago since I had seen her. I missed her so much. I could smell her sweet perfume now, more than the dingy cage. She was coming and I was so happy. They rounded the corner right before my cage, when all of a sudden the lights went out. ‘NO’ I howled.

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“What!” Mrs. Algion half stated and half shouted. I was getting mad. What would this man do to my mom. I started to bark louder and more ferocious than I ever had before. I knew I was behind this locked cage, but he better not hurt my mom.

“It’s ok, Mrs. Algion, I assure you...” The man began to say when my mom cut him off.

“Please call me Kelly, Sandy, it's ok baby, mommy is here, it's ok.”

“Kelly, the lights are set on a timer to save money. I can turn them on. Just stay right here, I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.” The man said. I could hear his foot- steps retreating to another area of the room. I was so scared I would not get home, so I howled again. I just wanted my mom.

“Ssshhhh, Sandy, you are ok, I am here now.” I heard her say. But how could I tell her this man was a bad man? How he took me off the lane I was exploring and put a rope around my neck even though I tried to get away. I was going to show you all the new things I found on the lane and even my new friend, Tony.

The lights quickly came back on, and there was my mom's face. I stood up against the cage, waging my tail, wanting so badly to get closer to her. The man showed back up a moment later while my mom was kneeling and petting my head through the holes in the cage. I couldn’t help it, I barked at him again. I just didn’t like him.

“Here, let me open the door so you can reunite with him.” The man came closer to my cage. I wanted to snap at his hands. But then he opened it. I was so happy I peed a little. I jumped up to my mom. She was so happy and I was so happy. I give her count- less kisses all over her face. My mom put my favorite collar on and a matching leash. I was just too happy to be going home.

By the time we made it back to the country house, it was getting dark. I had missed a whole day of vacation, but it really felt like I had missed an entire year of my family. They must have felt the same way because they all came running to greet me

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when mom’s car pulled up to the house. I could hear all the loud voices; ‘you found him, I thought he was gone forever, thank goodness he is home again.’ I was so happy to see everyone that I gave kisses to everyone, even my big brother Jeff. I have avoid- ed him because he sometimes does not like it when I give him kisses. He surprised me this time. He wrapped his arms around me in a big hug. I couldn’t help but put my paw on him.

Later that evening, when it was movie time, I went to my place to snuggle on the couch. I was home.