The Unfortunate Dog Life of Maxwell Foxhound (Proof Copy for Review)

Chapter One: Blizzard

The Campbells raised Maxwell Foxhound to be a hunting dog. He was born on April 3, 1958. His father was a purebred English Foxhound, and his mother was an English Foxhound-Chihuahua mix. Fortunately, Maxwell took most of his genes from his father. He had his mother's dark acorn-brown eyes and his mother's black pattern. It looked as if Maxwell wore a small black saddle on his back all the time.

Maxwell lived with his human family, the Campbells. The husband, Robert, was tall and muscular with jet black, neat hair, and blue eyes. He was about fifty-five years of age and was a kind man. The wife, Dorothy, was petite and average with long, curly brown hair and blue eyes. She was about fifty-four years of age and was a magnanimous, mild woman. They had a little girl, seven years old, another daughter, and three sons. Their eldest daughter and three sons didn't live with them but had their own homes and families.

Unfortunately, Maxwell's siblings were sold to another family, as they were not the dogs that the Campbells were seeking. Maxwell was the perfect fit, though.

And another unfortunate event happened when Maxwell's parents perished to a coyote. Maxwell was just two years old. His father was hunting one night, and the coyote smelled him. His mother died the following evening to the same coyote. She had been outside visiting her partner's grave when she was bitten and beaten by the predator.
The following week, Campbells lost all of their money and were no longer rich. It was a mystery why, though. They lost their house and jobs. Then their children stopped visiting. The Campbell family began to live in a permanent state

~*~
It had been seven years since, and the Campbells were suffering much more. This winter was the worst that it had ever been. Not only was the Campbell family starving to death, but Maxwell was as well. Rhode Island was having a prodigious and dreadful blizzard that day. Of course, that would be predictable as they lived in a small house in Valley Falls, where it snowed the most in Rhode Island. The house was more like a shack, as it was that small. The shack was slightly smaller than a wooden shed. It had a metal roof and wooden walls. Straw was all over the wood floor. There was one window in the back, and one on the door, which was always slightly cracked open to let air in so they could breathe. The shack used to be a shed for animal feed before the farms were destroyed and replaced by cities. The shack was kept for some reason, and the Campbells decided that it would be a great place to stay. It was often cold, and all they had was a torn-up blanket they had stolen from their house before it was sold. Their clothes were tattered and ripped. The girl never wore her shoes, as they had grown too small for her.

Maxwell was unfortunately claustrophobic, as he was used to the great outdoors and space. Outside of the shack, rabbits and chipmunks roamed around. To the right of the shack was a street, and in front was a brick building. Also to the right was a sidewalk. To the left was just a path behind the building. Behind the shack was a fence that separated the shack from the tall grass.

Maxwell was slim, and you could see his ribs make through his skin and fur. His dark eyes were saggy and droopy, and his tail rarely wagged. He was always begging for scraps of food. He didn't realize that no one would give it to him, as they needed that food to save themselves.

The following week was much worse: The Campbells fell ill. They were ghost-white in the face and threw up a lot. Especially the little girl, who was Maxwell's personal least favorite. He never really cared to learn her name. She had her mother's long, curly brown hair and her parents' blue eyes. She was kind like her father and gentle like her mother. Though, when it came to dogs, she wasn't very gentle. This was all because of being bored. She had nothing to do except annoy Maxwell to death.

She would tug at his ears and pull his matted fur, but now she was sick and innocent as the rest, lying coldly on a straw bed and going outside to throw up every hour. Maxwell would rest at their side, as they were the only family he had ever known.

A doctor passed by their shack while driving home after stocking up on food. He wanted to check the shack for beings, and beings he found. He told them that he would be back in a little bit. He came back, but with another dog—a Keeshond. She sat obsequiously by the doctor, tilting her head poshly. She avoided Maxwell's abrupt stare. The doctor, whose name appeared to be Henry Tuffin, bent his knees to stroke Maxwell's head. He cleared his throat as he stood up. "What's your name, buddy?" he asked. Maxwell noticed Doctor Tuffin's gray hairs. He had big round glasses that made him look smart.

"Maxwell," Mr. Campbell answered, barely audible because of his illness.

Doctor Tuffin nodded and said to Maxwell, "Meet Apricot. You probably have seen her judging the poor conditions here in Valley Falls. She's seen every poor patient here, too." He laughed to himself, and Apricot gave Maxwell Foxhound a proud look.

Maxwell sniffed the air defiantly, merely choking on Apricot's peach perfume-like scent.

Apricot trotted over to him, sniffing him all over, only gagging on his acrid fumes. "Ugh! What is that smell?" she yelled, backing away from him.

"Well, I'm not as healthy nor as wealthy as you are," Maxwell muttered coolly.

"What was that you said, disgusting-smelling dog?" Apricot barked.

"Nothing."

"Well, you sure said something."

"I sure didn't," Maxwell retorted.

He suddenly became interested in the shack's wall, then the shack's door that stood open.

"I don't think that you'll survive the night..." said Doctor Tuffin to the Campbell

"Oh, I didn't know that—" Apricot apologized.

"No, no, you're fine," Maxwell assured Apricot warmly.

"I guess you'd like someone to be there for you?" she offered. "What's your name, sir?"

This was one of those rare times when Maxwell Foxhound wagged his tail vivaciously. "My name is Maxwell Foxhound, Madam Apricot," he replied, laughing after he had said Madam Apricot.

"...though, I have to leave you here for the night. We don't have room in the hospital—too many patients with the flu and tuberculosis. But I promise I'll get y'all a room soon enough."

Doctor Tuffin left them after giving the Campbells good wishes. He also told Apricot to stay with them so that Maxwell had wasn't lonely, and so that she could look after them. Doctor Tuffin gave everyone food and bottled water before leaving them.

Maxwell stuck his long snout into the dog food can, devouring its contents. Everyone else did the same, but Apricot didn't eat, letting everyone else have it all. Mrs. Campbell poured water into Maxwell's mouth, but she was too weak and dropped the bottle. Because it was a glass bottle, it broke immediately.

The little girl began to moan and wail in pain and melancholy.

"Mrs. Campbell!" Maxwell yelped.

"Is everything alright?" asked Apricot after jolting herself up from lying down.

Mr. Campbell was the next to do something concerning, flopping over and smashing his bottle on the ground. The human food cans clinked together as the little girl dropped hers.

"They're fine—for now," Apricot assured Maxwell.

It was the next evening, and Doctor Tuffin hadn't returned. The Campbells were seemingly worse. And after another hour, everyone's eyes were closed, and no one's chest moved up and down. No one's heart was beating while Maxwell lay against their chests.

"Apricot...?" Maxwell said with a shaky voice.

Apricot took one good look at the Campbells and knew. "They're gone—just like that; really gone," Apricot murmured, looking just as surprised as Maxwell, before pressing herself against him reassuringly. Maxwell stared down at his paws.

The following morning, Doctor Tuffin reappeared in the doorway, rushing over to Maxwell, and looked around. He gazed into Maxwell's eyes, clasping his paws with his warm hands (gloves included). "There, there, old buddy. I'll come back to pick you and Apricot up later. I am truly sorry for your loss, Maxwell." Doctor Tuffin patted Maxwell lightly before grabbing his briefcase and exiting the shack again.