"Ya' think he'll be alright by himself?"
"I took him outside a few minutes ago, he should be fine until we get back."
"It's jus'...I've never left him alone this long before...."
I watch my owners pace around the house. The woman wears pointy shoes that clack against the floor and clothes that sway. The man keeps looking at me. He kneels down to my level and pets me. I sniff his face. He and the woman smell a lot alike nowadays.
"We'll be back soon, Charlie. Be a good boy for us, okay?"
They walk out the door and close it before I can follow. I run to the window and have a hard time seeing since it's dark out. The lights on the car turn on and I squint. I hear it roar and the sound gets fainter and fainter. Until it's quiet.
They leave me behind.
They have to come back. I want to whine and sneeze but I don't. I scratch myself instead. I limp away from the window and sniff around. I don't want to sleep. I want to play! I want to tear things up! I jump in my pile of toys and start tearing left and right! My teeth pierce everything that is mine! I shake them and throw them! I pounce on them and bark at them! I growl and spit! I dig and bat! These are my toys and I will rip them to shreds!
I grab something that honks between my teeth and tear. Little clouds come out of it and cover the carpet. I try chewing the clouds but they taste awful. I spit them out and push them around with my nose. I wag my tail and decorate the house with the pillows. I put them everywhere! I put them on our bed! Won't my owners be surprised!
I smell fresh air and I feel a breeze. I look out the window. It's open. I sniff carefully. I whine. I stick my head out and feel the cool wind through my whiskers. I pull myself further through the window and jump down. I'm outside! I'm in the grass! I see dirt! I want to dig so badly! I dig right under some bushes hoping to find some treasure!
I hear a car. I look up and see it drive right past the house. It isn't them. I keep digging. The air is warm. I trot away from the house and look for anything else I can smell. I wet on some leaves and kick them. Time to explore!
**********
I don't know where I am exactly. But it smells safe. There are lights all along the street and I can see just fine. There are lights on in some buildings and I see humans but none of them are mine. Some of them are outside and watch me trot by. They're not my humans either. What a surprise it will be! My humans will see me and they'll smile and laugh at how I found them and it will all be such great fun!
I have a hard time finding them through scent. I don't smell them on any of the cars I pass. I wander further and further and the lights are spaced out more. Soon there aren't any more lights. It's completely dark.
I hear things. I hear clanking and shattering. I hear squeaking and hissing. I growl and start up a chase and I get stuck behind a pile of foul smelling rubbish. I sniff around for any food someone might have thrown out. There's nothing I want. I tear a bit at the bag and leave a huge hole. I hear more squeaking and see a rat. I must chase it! I bark and scramble after it and it climbs away from me. Come back here! I'll get you! Wait till my owners find out about this!
"Shut up, ya' mutt!"
Something comes hurling at me and I run around a corner right before I hear it shatter. That voice is loud and scares me. The shattering scares me. I crawl back to sniff what it is and I smell old grapes. I scamper away in case the voice comes back. I don't want the rat anymore. I want my owners. I want my Mum.
**********
I hear dogs barking. Big dogs. I smell meat on their breath. Some have claimed everything on this street as theirs. I can smell how big they are. They're young and large and some are mean. I'm scared. I tremble and shiver. I have no idea where I am.
Cars drive by slowly. I watch to see if they're my humans and they never are. Where are they? I thought I could find them! I'm a bad dog for going out the window! I'm a bad dog for running away!
My tail hangs between my legs. I keep my ears flat. It's so dark I can barely see anything. I rely on my nose and ears. I hear more dogs. They're massive. I turn around and listen. I scurry away from the barking as quick as I can.
I'm scared. I'm very scared. I want to go home. The big dogs are chasing me and I'm scared! They'll find me and hurt me! I have to hide, I can't fight them! They'll kill me! Mum, they'll kill me! I whine and run across the street. Bright lights come straight at me and I freeze. My entire vision is filled with the bright lights of a speeding car. I can't move. I shiver and tremble. I hear the car screech.
**********
"Fuckin' hell, Charlie!"
I'm frozen. I can't move. Even when I see my owner come out of the car and run towards me. He picks me up off the street and holds me close to him. He's warm and safe. I want to relax but I still tremble. He's alone. The woman isn't with him. He buries his face in my fur and I feel my fur grow wet. I lick the man's face and taste warm salt. I whine and lick.
"Bloody fuckin' hell, you scared us shitless!"
He cuddles me and takes me into his car. I sit on his lap and he takes us home. I feel safe. I feel warm. I feel loved.
**********
"Oh, thank goodness!"
The woman rushes to greet us and she takes me into her arms. Her face is wet too. I lick her cheeks. Salty.
"Found him downtown. Almost hit him with the car."
I'm crushed between the two of them as the woman hugs the man. They cover me with their salty water and kiss me and pet me. I lick their faces and my tail finally begins to wag. I'm home. We're all home and together and I'm never doing that again.
"Is he hurt at all?"
"I don't think so...I'll give him a bath though, jus' to clean him up a bit."
The man puts me in a warm bath and I don't care. I let him cover me with bubbles and rinse me with water. I'll be a good dog. I want to be a good dog. I love them. They found me and I love them. I'm home.
