This is the coldest I've ever felt. The sun comes out a few times and I lie in the sun whenever I can. There's usually a fire in the house. I sleep by it. I hear the humans talking. I hear tiny humans in the box. I'm too tired to pay them any attention.
Something feels loose in my mouth. I open my jaws and drool. There's something in the drool. It's yellow and hard. There's something missing from my mouth. I sniff the floor. My tooth! My teeth are falling out! How can I eat without my teeth??
My other teeth are still here. They feel sharp and strong. None of them feel loose. I can't be losing my teeth! What will the humans think? They'll think I'm broken! They'll give me away! I must hide!
I limp away from the tooth on the floor and hide under my owner's bed. There's old shoes under here. I sniff them. They smell bad. I chew on them. I lick my paws. I yawn and chew. I chew while I still can before my other teeth fall out.
**********
"Charlie!"
I hear the older man. He's walking around the house. I hear and feel his footsteps. I stay hidden under the bed. I continue chewing the shoes.
"Did you find him?"
"No, he's just gone."
I hear the woman sigh. "He can't have run outside, he must still be in the house somewhere."
I stop chewing. I lick the air. The taste of shoe is still on my tongue. It's awful. I want real food. I want meat. Maybe the humans will give me some if I come out. I scurry out from under the bed and shake. I stretch. My legs are longer than they used to be. I feel bigger. I feel stronger. I yawn and let out a yip. I hear footsteps.
"Oh, thank goodness. I found him, Margaret!"
I sniff the older man's feet and he picks me up. He takes me to where the woman is and she pets my ears. "Where have you been, silly puppy?"
I smell food. I struggle in the older man's arms and he sets me down. I find my bowl. There's no meat but there is food. I eat all of it. I burp. I lick the crumbs off my face. My teeth don't fall out. Maybe that tooth is bad. Maybe it had to fall out. My other teeth are good. They're good, strong teeth and won't fall out. I won't hide anymore.
**********
I feel lonely. I limp into the human's den and see them in bed. The woman is awake. The man is asleep. "Hi, Charlie."
I sniff the bed and look up at the woman. She sets something down and pats the bed. I jump and walk to her. She gives me pets and scratches and kisses. I turn in circles and plop down next to her. I lay my head down. I fall asleep.
**********
I sleep on the floor. I wake up and stretch. I roll over to my side. I sigh and sniff the floor. I stretch my hind legs and roll over onto my back. Warm air blows through the house. I'm extra tired and sleepy today. The humans are quiet. They do their own thing and I do mine. I don't mind. I want to be left alone.
**********
I hear voices. They're faint. My eyes flutter open and I stretch. I stretch far and wide. I sit up and lick the air. There are many humans. I smell at least a hundred humans. But I don't hear a hundred of them. I hear a few. I hear the woman. She's laughing. I hear the older man. He's coughing. I hear more men. Younger. My ears twitch. My nose twitches. I'm up in a flash, running through the house.
My tail whips everything I pass. I barely feel it. I rely on my weak paw to get me where I need to be. I follow the voices. I follow the smell. It can't be. It is! It must be! I must wag my tail! I must wag every bone in my body!
The man sees me and smiles! I lower my body so my belly touches the carpet. I crawl as low as I can toward the man. My tail scrapes the floor. I lick his feet, his hands, his face! I must lick! I must yip! I yip and yip! It's you, it's you, it's you!!!!
Promise you'll never leave again!! I'll be the best dog ever! I won't upset you! I'll make you smile and laugh! Just please don't ever leave me again!!!
I ignore the others in the room. It's only me and my human!
"How's my boy doin', huh?"
"He's grown, Mal."
"Anythin' I ought to know about, Mum?"
The humans talk and the man pets me! I lick him! He must be licked! He tastes just like he always does! I know that taste, I know that smell! He's here, he's here!!!
The smaller man who gave me my toy is here too. He pats my rump and I lick him once or twice. But I must lick my owner!! I must sneeze right in his face! He must know how much I missed him, how much I love him!
"Played with the wool, huh? Naughty boy, yes you are!"
He's talking to me and I can't understand him! I don't care! Must! Lick! Tail! Wagging! Can't! Control!
I yip as loud as I can!
And at this moment I realize I don't yip anymore. I bark.
