Arrow

Chapter two

I woke up and Mias arms were still wrapped around me, asleep. Her mom came in and sat beside me, tears flowing from her eyes. I licked her hand but I didn't move any closer because I did not want to wake Mia.

"Oh, Arrow..." she said softly, "Mia's going to be heartbroken without you... I always try to put Mia first, I always try to do what's best for us, but right now... I don't know what to do. My mind says to do one thing while my heart says another... I can't bear to see Mia after you're gone. I know it's the best choice, but it still feels so wrong."

I could feel the sorrow in her voice, and I barely stopped myself from whining before remembering that Mia was still asleep.

Mia's mom sat on the bed for a little while longer, then slowly got up with a sigh and left the room.

I listened to my thoughts for awhile. I knew something bad was happening. I had never seen my owners this upset before. I could almost understand what it was, but the humans were strange. They used complicated noises as their only means of communication, when they could just as easily explain through their eyes or the way they move. I've learned that certain people can't even understand each other because they use different words. I don't know why things have to be so confusing with humans. Still, I understood things like 'go,' 'wrong,' commands and names, but other than that I wasn't completely sure. I was a bit nervous, but worrying only makes you suffer twice, so pushed it down and tried not to think about it.

Finally, I fell back to sleep.

The next day, after breakfast, we got into the van. I wondered where we were going. I hoped it was someplace fun!

I quickly noticed my owner's solemn faces, and my wagging tail stilled. We spent the ride in silence, aside from the radio and the occasional sobs from Mia.

The vehicle pulled up to a big building, and we headed in. I saw Mia's mom talking to the person behind the desk, but I didn't pay much attention to them beyond that. Instead, I was trying to find out what was behind the doors at the other side of the room.

After awhile, Mia's mom handed my leash over to someone I didn't know, and I was lead up to the doors. A soft whine escaped my throat as I was taken away from my family. I saw Mia's face, full of tears, and I got more worried.

The door opened, then closed again as we went through. Inside there was a long halI, full of cages along the walls with other dogs in them. I couldn't stop whimpering, but didn't care what the dogs around me thought. I wanted to go back! Why was no one helping me?

I was shut in a kennel, and I scratched at the door, and my whimpers escalated into barking.

I barked as the woman who put me here walked back out of the room, and as long as I could before my throat was sore and I couldn't make another sound.

The days without Mia were dull, and seemed to drag on forever. It seemed like with her gone, my tail no longer had the power to wag nor did my ears have the strength to perk. It was solemn and monotonous, the other dogs were either sad, scared or scary, but I didn't have the motivation to interact with them anyway. I had my own thoughts on my mind.

Why would Mia leave me? Would she be back? ...Maybe she didn't like me anymore. I let out a weak whimper. No, of course not. We were friends, we were family. She would be coming back.

I lapped slowly at the bowl of water in my cage, thinking.

Maybe it would be like when she goes on... what was it, vacation? Sometimes I'd have to stay with someone else for some time. 

If that was the case, then I'd be here for a while.

I suppressed a whine. Mia would come back.

She'd be back.

The only thing I have to do is wait.