Writings

Ruby 🤎

Ruby was born on Halloween night, 2000. She was all white, and her owners said her spots would come in soon.

She loved her mommy, and her brothers. She had three brothers. They were a lot bigger than her.

She loved spending her days playing with her brothers and her nights asleep next to her mommy, her belly full of milk.

One day, though, her brothers left her. She whined sadly as they were taken from her.

Her owners said her brothers were all going to Japan to grow up and be studs there. All Ruby knew was that she wanted to go to, because she missed her litter mates.

But then she remembered her mommy. Her warm, loving mommy. She provided Ruby with milk and gave her lots of kisses.

She loved her mommy. She wanted to stay with her forever.

As the weeks went by, Ruby's spots came in and her owners doted on how pretty she was.

"I can say, we'll get a lot of money for this pup," the man said to the woman.

The woman smiled. "Of course, that is what breeders should aim for. Once this pup is gone, I'm sure we can arrange for our darling Celeste to meet with the Dalmatian in Lisbon. Oh, what was his name, dear?"

The man smiled. "Sebastian. He's a prize winner too!"

The woman laughed. "Oh lovely! Those pups will be worth even more money!"

Ruby didn't understand what these people were saying, so she snuggled up to her mommy and went back to sleep.

One day, a man came by her owner's apartment. He smelled of cinnamon and spearmint.

He went over to her mommy and rubbed her ears. Celeste wagged her tail.

Ruby did the same, only to be polite. She was very sad, though, when the man took her away from her mommy. He put her in his car and drove away. She missed her mommy.

The man was very nice. He put on music and Ruby howled along. She liked this man.

He got her out of the car and went inside his house. Ruby was amazed at the twinkling lights. The man said it was a Christmas tree and something about how she'd need to sleep in a box underneath.

She yawned sleepily and curled into the box. She missed her mommy's warmth.

The next morning, she was startled awake by squealing. A little girl picked her up out of the box and held her close.

Ruby liked this girl. She smelt of chocolate, and it reminded her of when her owners made hot chocolate on the stove.

Years went by and she had an amazing life with the man and the girl. The girl grew up and moved away. Ruby didn't mind. She liked the man. He was comfort.

One day, she awoke and the man wasn't moving. She tried nudging him but he laid still.

She barked and barked for help. Maybe he was just sleeping. But he usually moved if he was sleeping.

She laid there all day and night beside him. She noticed how cold he felt against her fur. She missed his warmth.

The girl came by the next morning and saw her father deceased in his bed. Ruby laid beside him and whimpered. She missed the man.

The girl cried and held Ruby to her. She still smelt like chocolate.

After the funeral a week later, the girl packed what little Ruby had in the house and they left to go to Ruby's new home.

She was living with the girl. She had her own bed at this house, but slept in the bed with the girl. She didn't like being alone.

One day, the girl told her she would be getting a new friend. She was having a baby. Ruby didn't know what a baby was, but hoped it was something warm, like her mommy.

Ruby never saw the baby's daddy come around. The girl told her he left her. She had to take care of the girl. It was her duty.

The baby was warm, and loud, and stinky. He loved to play in Ruby's food and lay on her. She loved him. And the girl loved him too.

She loved playing outside with him and the girl.

She sometimes missed her mommy. But she loved her new life.

The boy was five when Ruby left.

She saw a bright light and went.
She was happy to see her mommy and her brothers. The man was there too. He kissed her head.

Ruby had lived a good life.