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Grade
7

¨Creek¨ I hear the mail slot open, I rush to the window. ¨Arf! Bark! Woof!¨ But of course, that person can't hear me. He just minds his own business thinking he can walk on our property. But really he can´t. Look at him, he's wearing a blue vest, a sling bag full of paper, I mean it's not like he is disturbing my beauty sleep or anything. It's not like the loud ¨Creek¨ Doesn't bother me anyway. But all that paper he puts through our door. We don't keep! Goes straight to the garbage. I tried to read the label on one of the papers. And I made out this, 1111 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20224. What is the Internal Revenue Service? Suddenly, I hear this terrible noise. It's like an orchestra playing untuned. Terrible! Oh no, it´s Samantha! She practicing the trumpet! I need to make her shut up! I run up the stairs barking as loud as I can. Reach the end of the hallway, and claw at her door. She keeps playing! I start to claw faster, bark louder! Until I go to desperate measures. I lift up my hind leg. And relieve me right in front of the door. I whine and whine. But it's like she can't hear me! The noise becomes so unbearable I run into the nearest open door. It takes all my strength to close the door but I managed to do so. I ran to my doggie bed. And cover my ears. The sound, I can hear it coming to an end. And after twenty minutes of despair and miserableness, it's over. No more playing. I hear a door creak open ¨Creek¨ I hear a scream from the end of the hallway.

 

¨Oh my lord! Sparky! What did you do?¨ Samantha exclaimed.

 

I could hear her coming. I am afraid. I don't know what to do. Do I hide in the closet? Basement? Attic? I got it! Under the bed! I run underneath the bed. I´m halfway under the bed when I feel a sharp pain in my paw. ¨Arf¨ I yelled in wincing pain. I hear the door slam. Blood is gushing from my paw. My leg feels like jelly. Samantha tries to pick me up. But I'm in too much pain to get up.

 

¨Mom!¨ Samantha calls. ¨Go give me the phone!¨ A girl walks in a lot taller than Samantha. And hands her the phone, she dials in the number 952-435-7738. I recognized that number right away. Samantha called it a dozen times before. She successfully picks me up without any pain. We take the twenty-second walk over to the car, which feels like twenty minutes. She gets me down in the backseat. My owner´s mom walks goes into the driver seat. And next thing you know, I´m on the road. To the veterinarian's office.

 

¨Oh doc, will he be alright¨ Samantha said. The doctor replied in a slight tone.

 

¨ He will be fine, he just needs a cast. But we gave our last one out. So he must wait here until a shipment comes.¨

 

¨ What? I don´t know if I can last that long!¨

 

¨ Samantha, it will not be that long, just a month or two.¨

 

¨A whole month! I can´t wait that long!¨

¨It's for the best. He's going to be in so much pain. ¨

 

¨Thanks doc.¨ said, Samantha, as she walked out of the veterinarian's office. With me here alone with a random stranger I don't even know.

 

The creepy guy starts to walk towards me, I want to run. But my feet are stuck. I´m too scared to run. He picks me up and takes me to a dark and dreary room. The walls are cement the floors are cement. And there are animals everywhere! There are small animals in big cages and big animals in small cages! There is cat food in a dog dish! This is not the way animals should live! The veterinarian throws me in a big cage. He's A sick man. But out of the corner of my eye, I started to realize, I´m not alone.

 

¨What are you here for?¨ A dog came out of the corner.

 

¨ I In-injured m-my paw¨ I stammered.

 

¨Ooh, that is very serious, do you want my doggie bed for the rest of the day? Your foot needs to properly heal.¨ The dog said.

 

¨Thank you! That would be very nice!¨ I said. I walked to his corner of the room and laid down on the doggie bed. ¨So, what's your name?¨

 

¨My owners never gave me a name, they adopted me for a month or two. Then left me on the streets¨ He said.

 

¨ Oh, no.¨ I said. ¨Would you like a name?¨ I asked.

 

¨Yes! That would be lovely!¨ He said happily.

 

¨How about… Baxter? I asked.

 

¨No thank you. That was the name of my last friend.¨ He said sadly.

 

¨Oh, I´m so sorry… Bailey?¨ I said.

 

¨What?¨ He asked in confusion.

 

¨Your name! Bailey? Do you like the name?¨ I asked.

 

¨I love it! And what's your name?¨ Bailey asked.

 

¨My name is Sparky, but I like being called Sparks.¨ I said.

 

¨Would you like to play a game, Sparks? Bailey asked.

 

¨I would love too! I said. ¨But we really can't do anything today, my paw still hurts, and there are no toys here!¨ I said.

 

¨Okay.¨ Bailey said gloomily. ¨ Anyway, it's lights-out. Time to go to bed.¨

 

¨ Oh okay!¨ I said. I never had a curfew before. Normally Samantha goes to bed whenever she wants! ¨ Would you like your bed yet? I can sleep on the floor. It doesn't matter. I said.

 

¨Your fine, keep the bed. I´m used to sleeping on the cold hard floor.¨ Bailey said.

 

¨Goodnight!¨ I yelled.

 

¨Goodnight¨ He said sleepily. I never knew these were the last words he would ever speak.

 

I woke up only to silence, I didn't know what time it was, but I was guessing it was around seven in the morning. It was light outside. And it looked like Bailey was still sleeping. I looked around and saw the other dogs up and ready to start the day. I looked at Bailey and saw that he wasn't breathing. I looked around again. No sign of the veterinarian. I barked, and I barked. Everyone was looking at me. But I was not going to lose my best friend. Finally, the veterinarian showed up. He must have woke up on the wrong side of the bed because he was not happy to be here. He started to walk over by me and Bailey´s cage. He looked at me then Bailey, then he sighed. He picked up the dog and took him of our cage. I started to weep. I´ve been through a lot. I broke my paw, lost a best friend, and now I'm stuck in a cage all alone. I started to think about everything that happened in the past day. But then I realized ¨This is not my fault, it's not the veterinarian's fault, it's Samantha's fault. If she would have never played her trumpet, I would have never broken my paw. But through all I been through, I have to stop thinking about the past. And figure out a plan to get out of here. I think all day and all night. And finally, I figure out a plan.  I think it's time to talk to all the animals.

 

¨Alright! Listen up!¨ I stated. ¨As you might all know, this place is no good for animals. The cages are too small, we don't go outside, and we have to use a litter-box! And I say no! No more being treated badly, no more getting abused! It's our time to show what animals can do!¨

 

¨Yeah!¨ All the animals stated.

 

¨Here's the plan, one of you guys will make a distraction. While this is happening, the birds. You are skinny enough to fit through the cage right?¨

 

¨Yes Sir!¨ Said the birds.

 

¨Alright! While one of the animals are making a distraction, you will attack the Veterinarian. After that, we need you to unlock the cages.¨

 

¨Yes Sir!¨ Said the birds.

 

¨The animals on the right side of the room will pounce on the veterinarian. While the other half will unlock the door to get out.¨

 

¨Yes, Sir!¨ Stated the animals.

 

¨When the animals unlock the door. You will abandon attacking the veterinarian and head straight for the front door that leads to the street.¨

 

¨Okay!¨ The animals said.

 

¨After that, I think I know where we can go for shelter, just follow me.¨

 

¨We will win!¨ The animals said.

 

¨Alright we need to make a distraction, you! The cat! You have sharp claws right?

 

¨Very sharp indeed.¨ Said the cat.

 

¨I need you to claw on the cage, hopefully, that will get his attention, we will start this plan tonight, the sooner the better.¨

 

I keep pacing around the room, I don't know if this plan will work. There are so many flaws. What if the veterinarian doesn't come? What if the birds don´t remember the plan?

 

¨It's five o'clock, two minutes until game time.¨ The cat said.

 

¨Thanks cat, is it me or are you feeling nervous? I feel like the plan won't work.¨

 

¨Sparks, there is nothing to worry about. If we just believe, maybe we can get out of this rat-hole.¨

 

¨Thanks cat. Well, I´ll see you on the other side.¨ I said.

 

¨Thirty Seconds!¨ The cat yelled.

 

I see everyone get into position. The cat's paw is on the cage. The birds are ready. The room is tense, everyone is quiet.

 

¨Ten seconds!¨ The cat yelled.

 

Everyone counted down the moment until freedom. I can't believe it! It's finally happening! Freedom in Three, Two, One. The cat starts clawing, and clawing, and clawing until we hear footsteps. The door slams open. Caw, caw, caw! The birds go.

 

¨ What in the world?¨ The veterinarian yelled.

 

The plan was working! The birds were distracting the Veterinarian! The veterinarian fell hard to the ground. He was so shocked he couldn't get back up! The birds they were unlocking the cages! It took so long for the birds to reach my cage, but once they did, it felt like freedom. Being locked up in a cage even just for one day creeps me out. It took them a couple seconds to unlock the cage but finally, they did. The birds all looked tired. And looked like they could not go on with the plan. So, I took over, and I agree, It took a lot of my energy, but once I finished I felt great. The left side of the room was having troubles opening the door. Apparently, there was a lock on it! We all thought we were doomed.

 

¨Let's just give up.¨ The birds said.

 

¨My paw hurts!¨ Said the cat.

 

¨My fins hurt!¨ Said the fish.

 

¨Guys!¨ I said. ¨We need to work together. Bailey would be proud of us if we made it out of here. If we could just a bird to gather enough energy to fly to the lock maybe we could pick the lock!¨ I said.

 

¨But none of us have enough strength to go on!¨ The birds complained.

 

I was furious. ¨You know if we don't succeed you might as well say goodbye with our lives! The veterinarian is going to be mad. Next thing we know, we will be the entree for a fancy restaurant!¨ I exclaimed

 

¨He's right.¨ Said the cat. ¨We already got the veterinarian on the ground. Once he stands up, he's going to cook us up, and have us for dinner.¨

 

¨I will.¨ Said a bird in the corner. He looked terribly wounded. And then, he mustered enough strength to get off the ground. He was maybe one foot off the ground, but then he started to get higher, and higher! Next thing you know, he's on the door handle picking the lock with his claws. ¨Click!¨ Everyone is quiet. Suddenly, the door swings open. Everybody screams in glee! The plan worked! Everyone stood up, and was happy, and cheering on the bird. But the bird never came down, again everyone was quiet, everyone has teary eyes. Just then, another bird flew up to the door handle. He picked up the wounded bird and brought him down to the surface. The bird was breathing, he was alive!

 

¨Quick! Everyone follow me, maybe we can rescue him, but we need someone to carry him. Cat your strong right?¨

 

¨I suppose so, come on bring me the bird.¨

 

Lucky for us the front door was a sliding automatic door. We walked right in front of the sensor bar and the door opened.

 

¨The light! It burns!¨ The cat said.

 

I didn't have any time to admire the outside and the sunshine. We needed to get the cat to shelter before he dies.

 

¨So, Sparks. Where are you taking us?¨ The cat said.

 

¨I think it's time for you to meet my owners. It's A mile walk from here. I think we can survive.¨

 

The walk home was treacherous, it was so hot. And we had to keep stopping so we could take bathroom breaks. But after two hours of walking, we made it to our destination. One look at the house from the outside everyone was awestruck.

 

¨Where are we?¨ The wounded bird said when he woke up.

 

¨Your home.¨ I said.

 

We knocked on our door and barked. In a couple seconds Samantha showed up at the door.

 

¨Mom! We have a problem!¨ She yelled. Her mom showed up at the door. She screamed then she fainted. ¨Oh no, this is awful! Sparky, why did you?¨ Then she looked at my paw. It was bloody red. She screamed. ¨All of you come inside.¨ She said.

 

¨Okay animals, maybe you can´t hear me, maybe I´ve gone crazy, but if you want to stay here there will be a couple rules. Number one: You will be only allowed to be in the bedroom, living room, and kitchen.¨ Number Two: You will be treated fairly, no-one will make fun of you, no-one will be harmed. Number Three: I love all of you. No matter what the circumstances are, you will be safe with me.¨

 

I had a feeling, I and my new friends were going to love this new home.