The following is a story I wrote. I am curious to see if it has any value to anyone other than myself.
Respectful comments are invited.
Respectful negative opinions are also invited.
Thank you.
A Dog's Life
[The man had eaten nothing and seen no one for nearly six weeks. He was shuffling through the desert in filthy rags heading for an oasis he knew to be nearby. Among the rocks a few hundred paces from the oasis he noticed a filthy furry shape in the dirt. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. He saw what looked like a dead dog tied to a stake. Then he noticed the dog was breathing.]
Through the haze of death, I saw a shadow lean over me, untie the wicked rope around my neck, and gently pick me up.
I passed out again, knowing there was no one who could rescue me from death which was to come my way any moment.
My next memory was feeling coolness all over and choking as someone dribbled water down my throat. I smelled something hearty and wholesome, like a human, but with something more added. I swallowed some of the water and drowned in darkness again.
I woke to the smell of the same human. He was stroking my back and sides with his hand. I raised my head and saw a simple man, slender, below average height, looking into the distance. I looked around and saw we were at the oasis that I could see when I was tied up but could not get to to save my life.
Part of my body was laying in a pool of water and my head was in his lap. He was sitting in the pool too.
Bright strangers appeared and gave him some food and then left. They didn't smell like humans. I don't know what they were, but I knew they were good. The man gave me some of his food, helped me stand and drink, and then I laid back down with my head in his lap. For the first time in my life I felt safe and comfortable. I finally knew that at least one human cared about me.
He scratched at the itchy places around my neck and removed the irritating burrs all over my scraggly coat.
The next several days, we both got stronger and more energetic. He threw sticks and I ran after them and returned with them proud as I could be. I was learning what he wanted me to do and I rejoiced to do it. I learned when he wanted me to sit, lay down, come to him, and more.
We were best buddies, pals that trust each other. I didn't care about anything other than being with him and learning what he wanted me to.
My favorite place was curled up next to him as we slept. Even then, I was instantly alert for bad noises and smells. I wouldn't let anything bad happen to him.
Early one morning, when we were both feeling better, he started walking and I followed. We walked until it was very hot and then rested in the shade of some rocks. The bright strangers appeared again and gave him some food, and water in a skin. I smelled lamb. He gave me some of his food and let me drink as much water as I wanted. He drank more. We rested in the shade until the desert cooled and then continued walking.
Two more days of walking and I smelled people; good people, bad people, healthy people, sick people, animals, other dogs, and many other smells I didn't recognize. As we walked among all the people, I stuck out my chest, raised my head and tail, and walked like I was pals with the most important person in the world. For me, he was the most important person in the world.
As time went on, more and more people gathered around him, and stayed with him.
Through all of this, I rarely left his side. When he was teaching, I was curled at his feet. When he was sleeping, I was snuggled next to him helping him stay warm. My sole goal in life was to be next to him and make him as happy as I could.
The first time he got in a boat with some of his followers, I was not allowed in. I jumped in the water and tried to paddle after him but I couldn't make it. The boat was too fast. I went back to the dock and followed his boat along the shore. When he finally got out of the boat I jumped around like a puppy. His followers shooed me away but I didn’t go far.
The next time he and his followers took off in a boat, I swam after him and after a few minutes they saw I was not going to give up so they stopped to allow him to haul me in the boat. I shook the water off and everyone yelled at me. He just smiled at me and gave a wink. Then I curled up by his feet and went to sleep. After that, they never chased me away again. They just pretended I was not there.
When Judas came near my master I sometimes growled. I didn’t like the way he smelled. A few times Judas threw rocks at me when no one could see it, but I didn't worry because I was close to my master most of the time.
I knew there were some places my master did not want me to go. I didn’t understand what went on inside those buildings, but when he told me to stay I waited for him to return. He always came back for me.
There were times when I just didn't know any better and did things that he didn't like. Then he showed me what he wanted from me. He never got angry at me. He just patiently kept working with me until I understood what he wanted. I usually tried to obey and make him happy. But I was just a dog and sometimes it was hard for me to understand.
And sometimes, I did things I know he didn't like. I don't know why I disobeyed him like that.
Sometimes I did things that made him smile or laugh and those were the happiest moments of my life.
After many sleeps, someone brought him a large beast that he rode into a great crowd of people. They were yelling things I didn’t understand. I had to be very careful to not get kicked or stepped on, or let him get too far away from me.
Then my master and some of his followers went inside a large house and tried to keep me out. But I snuck inside anyway and laid down next to the door.
Although something smelled very good on the table where they were eating, he let me know that I should stay by the door.
As the bad smelling Judas left, he tried to kick me but I got out of the way and he hit his foot on the door. I growled at him, and dared him to try again. He turned and left. I saw my master wink and smile at me so I wagged my tail and laid down keeping my eyes on him.
I didn’t understand what was going on but I know my master was very worried about something and I didn’t know what I could do to help him. After all, I was just a dog.
After a while people started getting up and my master tossed me a bit of meat from his plate. I knew he would always take care of me.
We all left and walked to a garden that had lots of interesting smells. Normally, I went exploring all these wonderful smells, but I knew something was bothering my master, so I stayed right next to him.
He left his friends and went off alone and started speaking to someone I couldn’t see or smell. He often did this. I didn’t understand it, but I tried to stay with him most of the time anyway. But it was very easy for me to notice an interesting smell or sound and go chasing after it.
But that night was different. I followed him and licked him and tried to comfort him as best I could. But I was only a dog. What could I do?
Since there was nothing else I could do, I snuggled up to him, worried with him a bit, and then quickly fell asleep. It had been a long and busy day.
I heard the commotion from a group of people coming near. I was quickly on my feet and nudged him to let him know something was happening. He stroked my back a few times and said, “Yes, I know. Thanks for telling me.”
Some men came and grabbed him. I tried to defend him but was kicked, cursed, and chased away. But I didn’t go far.
I circled around and kept my eyes on him. He was taken inside different buildings. I heard men yelling. Occasionally I heard his voice but I didn’t understand what he was saying.
Outside one of the buildings he was whipped. I attacked the man with the whip and tried to take the whip away from him. Instead of whipping my master, he struck me. I squealed and ran away. It just barely grazed me but it was more pain than I could take again. Perhaps, the lash of the whip I took kept that one lash from striking my master.
I ran away and hid in the corner of a pig pen licking my wounds until daylight. Then I went searching for my master. I heard a great commotion many streets away and went to look.
I smelled my master nearby but didn’t see him anywhere. I followed the smell to a bloody man slowly pulling a heavy plank along the street. I didn’t understand how that bloody mess of a human could be my master, but the nose never lies.
There were many many people yelling and throwing things at him. There was rotten food, and much worse, sticking to his face, hair, beard, and all over what was left of his skin. If not for his very special smell, I would not have recognized this bloody filthy mess as my beloved master.
I followed close to him and growled at anyone who came too near him. I tried to lick his wounds and let him know I was there and cared about him. But the people kicked me and threw rocks at me so I ran away again. Inside, I really am a coward.
I slunk along behind everything and watched from a distance as they nailed him to the plank he carried. They set the plank on top of a post and he hung down below it.
All I could do was sit on the ground looking up at him and whine. I knew something was very wrong. I knew my master was in pain. I could smell it. But, there was nothing I could do about it. I was just a dog.
Some people yelled at him while he was hanging there. I chased them away. In my little doggy way, I tried to protect him from the bad people.
When I saw his mother and friends come, I went to them and pleaded with them as best I could for them to do something to save my master. They just ignored me and walked on.
I licked them to let them know I cared and then went back to sit below where my master was bleeding and dieing. My little doggy heart broke for him. But I am just a dog. What can I do?
When he finally died I howled so loud and mournfully, the whole region knew something terrible had happened.
Then some men came to break his legs. I didn't let them get close enough to do it so they speared him instead.
When his friends took him down, I licked his face to try to wake him up. His face was cold and I knew he was gone. But I didn’t know where he went. Will I ever see my master again?
I whined and mourned as his friends put him on a cart and took him away. I followed them feeling as dark and abandoned as any dog can. They put him in a cave and I tried to sneak in with him, but they chased me away. I laid down next to a big rock and waited for my master to return. He had always returned before. Would he return this time?
After dark, some guards came and chased me away; kicking me and throwing rocks at me. As the days and nights rolled into each other I hid nearby and wondered when my master would come back. I didn't eat. I only drank from nearby rain puddles. I simply stayed there and waited. Without my master, there was no reason to live.
One morning, I was wakened by the ground rumbling, but I was so exhausted and black inside that I just lifted my head and looked around.
I noticed some of my master’s friends coming up the road and then my master was standing just a few hops away from me. I jumped up wagging my tail for all I was worth. I barked to get his attention. He turned to me, smiled, and then raised his hand to let me know I was to stay where I was.
“Not just yet, little one,” he said to me and then turned to meet his friends. I stood there watching. His friends left. He turned to me, waved and then disappeared.
I can’t wait until I am finally with my master again.
Would that the author of this fantasy was at least as loyal and obedient to his master as a good dog might be.
Respectful comments are invited.
Respectful negative opinions are also invited.
Thank you.
A Dog's Life
[The man had eaten nothing and seen no one for nearly six weeks. He was shuffling through the desert in filthy rags heading for an oasis he knew to be nearby. Among the rocks a few hundred paces from the oasis he noticed a filthy furry shape in the dirt. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. He saw what looked like a dead dog tied to a stake. Then he noticed the dog was breathing.]
Through the haze of death, I saw a shadow lean over me, untie the wicked rope around my neck, and gently pick me up.
I passed out again, knowing there was no one who could rescue me from death which was to come my way any moment.
My next memory was feeling coolness all over and choking as someone dribbled water down my throat. I smelled something hearty and wholesome, like a human, but with something more added. I swallowed some of the water and drowned in darkness again.
I woke to the smell of the same human. He was stroking my back and sides with his hand. I raised my head and saw a simple man, slender, below average height, looking into the distance. I looked around and saw we were at the oasis that I could see when I was tied up but could not get to to save my life.
Part of my body was laying in a pool of water and my head was in his lap. He was sitting in the pool too.
Bright strangers appeared and gave him some food and then left. They didn't smell like humans. I don't know what they were, but I knew they were good. The man gave me some of his food, helped me stand and drink, and then I laid back down with my head in his lap. For the first time in my life I felt safe and comfortable. I finally knew that at least one human cared about me.
He scratched at the itchy places around my neck and removed the irritating burrs all over my scraggly coat.
The next several days, we both got stronger and more energetic. He threw sticks and I ran after them and returned with them proud as I could be. I was learning what he wanted me to do and I rejoiced to do it. I learned when he wanted me to sit, lay down, come to him, and more.
We were best buddies, pals that trust each other. I didn't care about anything other than being with him and learning what he wanted me to.
My favorite place was curled up next to him as we slept. Even then, I was instantly alert for bad noises and smells. I wouldn't let anything bad happen to him.
Early one morning, when we were both feeling better, he started walking and I followed. We walked until it was very hot and then rested in the shade of some rocks. The bright strangers appeared again and gave him some food, and water in a skin. I smelled lamb. He gave me some of his food and let me drink as much water as I wanted. He drank more. We rested in the shade until the desert cooled and then continued walking.
Two more days of walking and I smelled people; good people, bad people, healthy people, sick people, animals, other dogs, and many other smells I didn't recognize. As we walked among all the people, I stuck out my chest, raised my head and tail, and walked like I was pals with the most important person in the world. For me, he was the most important person in the world.
As time went on, more and more people gathered around him, and stayed with him.
Through all of this, I rarely left his side. When he was teaching, I was curled at his feet. When he was sleeping, I was snuggled next to him helping him stay warm. My sole goal in life was to be next to him and make him as happy as I could.
The first time he got in a boat with some of his followers, I was not allowed in. I jumped in the water and tried to paddle after him but I couldn't make it. The boat was too fast. I went back to the dock and followed his boat along the shore. When he finally got out of the boat I jumped around like a puppy. His followers shooed me away but I didn’t go far.
The next time he and his followers took off in a boat, I swam after him and after a few minutes they saw I was not going to give up so they stopped to allow him to haul me in the boat. I shook the water off and everyone yelled at me. He just smiled at me and gave a wink. Then I curled up by his feet and went to sleep. After that, they never chased me away again. They just pretended I was not there.
When Judas came near my master I sometimes growled. I didn’t like the way he smelled. A few times Judas threw rocks at me when no one could see it, but I didn't worry because I was close to my master most of the time.
I knew there were some places my master did not want me to go. I didn’t understand what went on inside those buildings, but when he told me to stay I waited for him to return. He always came back for me.
There were times when I just didn't know any better and did things that he didn't like. Then he showed me what he wanted from me. He never got angry at me. He just patiently kept working with me until I understood what he wanted. I usually tried to obey and make him happy. But I was just a dog and sometimes it was hard for me to understand.
And sometimes, I did things I know he didn't like. I don't know why I disobeyed him like that.
Sometimes I did things that made him smile or laugh and those were the happiest moments of my life.
After many sleeps, someone brought him a large beast that he rode into a great crowd of people. They were yelling things I didn’t understand. I had to be very careful to not get kicked or stepped on, or let him get too far away from me.
Then my master and some of his followers went inside a large house and tried to keep me out. But I snuck inside anyway and laid down next to the door.
Although something smelled very good on the table where they were eating, he let me know that I should stay by the door.
As the bad smelling Judas left, he tried to kick me but I got out of the way and he hit his foot on the door. I growled at him, and dared him to try again. He turned and left. I saw my master wink and smile at me so I wagged my tail and laid down keeping my eyes on him.
I didn’t understand what was going on but I know my master was very worried about something and I didn’t know what I could do to help him. After all, I was just a dog.
After a while people started getting up and my master tossed me a bit of meat from his plate. I knew he would always take care of me.
We all left and walked to a garden that had lots of interesting smells. Normally, I went exploring all these wonderful smells, but I knew something was bothering my master, so I stayed right next to him.
He left his friends and went off alone and started speaking to someone I couldn’t see or smell. He often did this. I didn’t understand it, but I tried to stay with him most of the time anyway. But it was very easy for me to notice an interesting smell or sound and go chasing after it.
But that night was different. I followed him and licked him and tried to comfort him as best I could. But I was only a dog. What could I do?
Since there was nothing else I could do, I snuggled up to him, worried with him a bit, and then quickly fell asleep. It had been a long and busy day.
I heard the commotion from a group of people coming near. I was quickly on my feet and nudged him to let him know something was happening. He stroked my back a few times and said, “Yes, I know. Thanks for telling me.”
Some men came and grabbed him. I tried to defend him but was kicked, cursed, and chased away. But I didn’t go far.
I circled around and kept my eyes on him. He was taken inside different buildings. I heard men yelling. Occasionally I heard his voice but I didn’t understand what he was saying.
Outside one of the buildings he was whipped. I attacked the man with the whip and tried to take the whip away from him. Instead of whipping my master, he struck me. I squealed and ran away. It just barely grazed me but it was more pain than I could take again. Perhaps, the lash of the whip I took kept that one lash from striking my master.
I ran away and hid in the corner of a pig pen licking my wounds until daylight. Then I went searching for my master. I heard a great commotion many streets away and went to look.
I smelled my master nearby but didn’t see him anywhere. I followed the smell to a bloody man slowly pulling a heavy plank along the street. I didn’t understand how that bloody mess of a human could be my master, but the nose never lies.
There were many many people yelling and throwing things at him. There was rotten food, and much worse, sticking to his face, hair, beard, and all over what was left of his skin. If not for his very special smell, I would not have recognized this bloody filthy mess as my beloved master.
I followed close to him and growled at anyone who came too near him. I tried to lick his wounds and let him know I was there and cared about him. But the people kicked me and threw rocks at me so I ran away again. Inside, I really am a coward.
I slunk along behind everything and watched from a distance as they nailed him to the plank he carried. They set the plank on top of a post and he hung down below it.
All I could do was sit on the ground looking up at him and whine. I knew something was very wrong. I knew my master was in pain. I could smell it. But, there was nothing I could do about it. I was just a dog.
Some people yelled at him while he was hanging there. I chased them away. In my little doggy way, I tried to protect him from the bad people.
When I saw his mother and friends come, I went to them and pleaded with them as best I could for them to do something to save my master. They just ignored me and walked on.
I licked them to let them know I cared and then went back to sit below where my master was bleeding and dieing. My little doggy heart broke for him. But I am just a dog. What can I do?
When he finally died I howled so loud and mournfully, the whole region knew something terrible had happened.
Then some men came to break his legs. I didn't let them get close enough to do it so they speared him instead.
When his friends took him down, I licked his face to try to wake him up. His face was cold and I knew he was gone. But I didn’t know where he went. Will I ever see my master again?
I whined and mourned as his friends put him on a cart and took him away. I followed them feeling as dark and abandoned as any dog can. They put him in a cave and I tried to sneak in with him, but they chased me away. I laid down next to a big rock and waited for my master to return. He had always returned before. Would he return this time?
After dark, some guards came and chased me away; kicking me and throwing rocks at me. As the days and nights rolled into each other I hid nearby and wondered when my master would come back. I didn't eat. I only drank from nearby rain puddles. I simply stayed there and waited. Without my master, there was no reason to live.
One morning, I was wakened by the ground rumbling, but I was so exhausted and black inside that I just lifted my head and looked around.
I noticed some of my master’s friends coming up the road and then my master was standing just a few hops away from me. I jumped up wagging my tail for all I was worth. I barked to get his attention. He turned to me, smiled, and then raised his hand to let me know I was to stay where I was.
“Not just yet, little one,” he said to me and then turned to meet his friends. I stood there watching. His friends left. He turned to me, waved and then disappeared.
I can’t wait until I am finally with my master again.
Would that the author of this fantasy was at least as loyal and obedient to his master as a good dog might be.
