Red In The Morning

Chapter 10

Bitzer ran towards the ghost. The flock's mouths dropped opened as they looked before themselves at the pale foggy farmer apparition.

The dog jumped up, wanting to land in his deceased owner's arms, but he only went through him.

The two alive humans looked at Bitzer complexed. But that was because people couldn't see spirits.

The animals didn't know this, and Shaun took a step towards the ghost, nervously. The farmer spotted Shaun and the sheep, and waved to them, happily.

The flock all gulped nervously. Bitzer looked back at them and waved them forward as if there was nothing to fear.

Shaun bit the bullet first and walked over to the ghost. The farmer pat Shaun on the head, but his hand just went through him. The farmer laughed at this, and Bitzer did too. Shaun and the flock looked at the two confused, and only shrugged, letting out bleats of laughter themselves.

Blondy and the old lady looked between one another then back at the animals.

When the ghost glanced up, he stiffened afraid when he saw his younger brother. The farmer pointed his white foggy finger at him and suddenly a vision came on to the sheep and dog.

They saw in the vision, Blondy making a cake at his house. But the powder he put into the desert... it was cyanide! He then delivered it to the farmer. When the farmer had gotten peckish, he opened the cream cake up, and swallowed it whole. By the time he had stepped outside the farm, the poison was in his blood and from heart failure that followed, he collapsed dead on the ground.

The two living people couldn't see the vision that the animals were, and Blondy pushed the old lady out towards her car, trying to get rid of her.

Bitzer's and the sheep's eyes were in tears, and they turned toward Blondy, tackling him to the ground. Bitzer shouted at him, and dug his paw into Blondy's pocket, pulling out a bag of cyanide.

The lady gasped, and Bitzer growled at Blondy, furious.

The man stepped back afraid. The sheep gathered around him before getting the chain and tying him up against a wooden post.

When the cops arrived a few hours later, they were surprised to see Blondy in such a state, but once the evidence was handed over, they handcuffed him and pulled him away to the police car.

The police took away the dead body of the wolf as well, leaving only the animals and the old lady at the farm.

The lady opened her arms up, and Bitzer fell into them for a hug.

He looked up when he heard a whistle call him and he smiled warmly. He saw his owner standing before the setting sun, and Bitzer let go of the woman, coming over to his owner. Shaun and the flock followed, and Shaun nodded to the ghost, with a kind soft smile.

The farmer's spirit nodded to the sheep, and then to Bitzer. He waved goodbye, and the animals all gasped as before them it was like the sun opened up into a white distant light, with spirits of people waving at the farmer with welcoming loving eyes.

Bitzer watched his owner head towards heaven, and tears ran down Bitzer's cheeks. Shaun was tearing up too, and soon all the animals were crying.

When the farmer had gone into the white light, it suddenly blasted over the land, and the golden sun returned as if nothing had happened.

Bitzer took a heavy sigh out, but he was at peace. He knew now, they all did, that their farmer had gone to a better place.

Shaun looked at Bitzer with warm eyes, and hugged him tightly, patting Bitzer on the back with his hoof.

The dog froze at the hold, but shut his eyes, nodding his head and smiling softly. When Shaun let go of him, Bitzer nodded to him, and the two shook one another's paw and hoof.

The flock all went, "Daw!" and the best mates looked nervously away from one another, embarrassed. Bitzer chuckled, Shaun giggled, and the flock all laughed gingerly.

The little old lady took over the farm, and her grown-up children came around, helping it keep functioning.

But this story is about the dog and sheep seeing the sun that day turn a beautiful red, a deep rich colour that lit the sky in hues of pink and orange.

As the old saying goes, red in the evening, shepherd's greeting. And it truly was a beautiful red sunset.

Bitzer was home, and the land felt like it was alive again with hope and loved ones.

The old lady sat the rocking chair out on the porch, and looked at the night sky spreading all through the atmosphere.

Bitzer sat on the stone wall looking up at the sky full of stars. Shaun sat down beside him, and the two nodded warmly to one another.

Shaun pointed his hoof up to a falling star splitting through the night, and the two closed their eyes, making a wish.

Bitzer's wish was for his family, the flock, farm animals and the old lady to be safe and healthy.

Shaun's wish was for Bitzer to be out of pain, and happy.

Though he would never tell his friend his wish.

He looked at Bitzer's smiling face, and felt warm inside, smiling himself. He put his arm around Bitzer's shoulder and the two gazed up into the never-ending universe.

Time stood still for the two when their wishes had been made, but now it was back on track.

And their wishes... well, let's just say... they became true.

At that moment... in that moment... they had nothing to lose.

They were with their family. They were with friends. They were home.

Bitzer and Shaun... they were where they always belonged.