Pets & Strays: Hope's Journey

Chapter 1 - The Gift

It was dark. Darkness was everywhere. But not everything was consumed by the dark. Many, tiny holes shone light all around.

Then a slit of light formed horizontally. It grew bigger, split wider. And the face of a young boy peeked through the light, his brown eyes looking directly into something in the darkness. He smiled. It was a smile that pretty much everyone needed. A smile that would remind and reassure you that everything will be fine.

Then the light shrank. Until what was left was darkness.

Everyone was gathered at a long table on a beach of a sunny resort. Men, women, and children. Old and young alike. They were having a feast. A celebration.

Inside the small, yellow house, there was a man in his late 20's peeping through the blinders at the people preparing the plates and food at the table. In his hand was a blue shirt. He was naked and getting ready.

There was another man in his room with him. Looking like the same age and the same looks; black hair, brown eyes, and a straight nose. He put on a red shirt and a pair of brown shorts, the same shorts the other guy was wearing. "Come on, bro," the man with the red shirt said, "they're waiting for us, man."

"I know." the naked man said, putting the blue shirt on. "Just thought I could tease them for a little bit, you know?" two middle-aged men outside were setting up a banner between two long palm trees near the table.

"Your wife might like that, but not Mom and Dad." the man in red countered. "Especially my nephew and niece. They get really impatient with occasions like these."

"Okay, okay. I'm ready. Let's go." the two men walked out of the room.

The two men walked out of the house. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" greeted everyone at the table as soon as they stepped foot on the sand of the beach. The words "Happy 30th Birthday Brooks & Brody Coulson." Brooks, the older twin by 12 seconds, was the one with the red shirt and Brody was the one with the blue shirt.

The identical twins smiled the widest smile. They were speechless because they thought a simple thank you would not be enough to appreciate what their family had done.

A fine young woman, with blonde hair and blue eyes to match, approached the twins, hugged Brooks, then kissed Brody on the lips. "Happy birthday," she said to them.

"Thanks, Dina," Brody replied, speaking for both him and his older twin.

Then two children approached the twins: an 8-year-old boy carrying a cardboard box, and a 4-year-old girl tailing the boy. "Uncle," the boy said to Brooks, "dad," he said to Brody, "happy birthday." he and his sister said in unison. Their names were Marcus and Lily.

Brody knelt by Lucas and Lily. Then he kissed Marcus' head, then Lily's. "Thank you," he said, smiling.

"What's that you got there, sport?" Brooks said, pointing at the box Marcus was carrying.

"It's for you, guys," Marcus said, handing the box to Brody.

"It was my idea," Lily said.

Brody chuckled and said, "Well, thank you, sweetie."

Brooks kneeled at his brother "I wonder what's in it?" he said in a playful tone.

They examined the cardboard box. Just a plain white cardboard box. It had more than a dozen holes punctured all around it, even at the top of the box's lid. Suddenly something whimpered, coming from inside the box. Brody opened the lid and something small popped from the box.

A German Shepherd pup of 2 months old, and it was a boy. The pup was happily wagging his tail and showing his tongue, licking Brody's face. A bundle of innocence meshed into one small creature.