"CHANCE"
He knew that there was a storm coming so he thought he'd take a brisk run thru the woods near the home where he lived with a nice family. Their little boy didn't like him much but he adored the lad and so when the kid followed him into the woods, he slowed down and waited for him.
They explored the deep woods and he stopped to leave his mark on every tree stump until he was all out of pee. The lad kept up and they played and ran together. Since the boy could not speak, he had to constantly look back to see if he was still following. They had played here before and so they did so today, chasing each other and laughing. But suddenly, the litle boy was gone!
He backtracked with his nose to the cold ground and tried to follow the scent but the water intervened. He tried going the other way and found himself deep in the darkening forest. The sun had gone down and it was very dark with a threatening sky.
He decided to head deeper inside the woods where he could detect the boy's scent and see his small footprints. But first he took a dump and drank from the near-by water.
Finally, he caught up with him and the little boy seemed very glad that he did and this time, he followed the kid's lead. But instead of heading towards home, he led him deeper into the bushes and trees.
Nightime came quickly and it began to rain; still the boy trudged tirelessly into the woods. He seemed confused and yet he exhibited endless energy. They ventured on; an adventure together. The boy was not smiling anymore; maybe they were lost? He followed him and was beginning to tire himself but he wagged his tail, happy to be friends with the lad.
When the moonless night and frigid air had surrounded them, they stopped. They found a rock to lean on and the boy laid his head on the dog's strong back and cried. The dog licked his face and allowed him to lean on him. They slept tightly together and he tried to cover him with his furry, heated body but the boy shook all night long.
Morning came early and they were still exhausted, not having slept much with the distant sound of wild animals scaring the boy. He was just 7 and still afraid of the dark and any unusual sounds. They were both very hungry as they had missed supper last night and now, it was past breakfast time.
He stretched, yawned, scratched and peed while the boy did the same. They looked at one another. What to do? Were they lost?
He tried to follow their scent back to their warm home but it had snowed all night long and there was no way to detect it. So he followed the boys lead again and all day they trudged ahead, hungry and thirsty and very, very cold. When the lad cried, the dog sat patiently and looked lovingly at him as if to say "I'll wait; take your time." Then, he'd attempt to lick his small, sweet face and freezing red hands.
There was not a sound to be heard but in the late afternoon, he thought he heard the sound of gunfire. Or was it an airplane? The boy was becoming very confused, frightened and disoriented. There was no water so they both ate snow. The dog peed some more and saw the boy on his knees, praying. Maybe God would find them?
That night, the snow was heavy and the winds were strong and the night came quickly. They saw deer and the boy ran away from them, frightened. They went further and further into the wet, freezing bush with no paths, the tree limbs always scratching their faces and arms. His tear streaked face and red, runny nose told the story; he was suffering from hunger, soaked to the bone and freezing to death, not to mention frightened as he had never been before. Alone, lost, with-out his family.....only a dog and God.
Finally, the little boy with the big brown eyes could walk no further. He collapsed, hungry, weak and very, very scared. He cried himself to sleep, huddled tightly with the dog for any warmth he might provide. And he slept, his small body curled up like he was inside his mother's womb again. With his thumb in his mouth, he dreamed of home......
The dog was the first to wake up and when the lad awoke, he didn't know where he was or what had happened. The animal waited for him to lead but the snow was so high and the forest so huge, the lad just sat and cried. The snow was coming faster and faster until they were both thoroughly covered and soaked. The boy shivered and dropped to the ground, his weak arms around the dogs neck. They lay down together on the cold, frozen ground and slept.
When the boy's breathing became very shallow and faint and the dog's kisses could not awaken him, he gathered all of his own strength and headed for home. He must get help for his friend! He could no longer run as he, too, was weak and so he walked very quickly and only stopped now and then to eat snow. His paws were red and swollen; still, he hastened towards home.
Home! They would know what to do to find his pal and make him smile again. He was hugged and petted and allowed into the warm rooms where he never was permitted before. How he wished he could talk to tell them how urgent it was that they go rescue their son. But he could barely bark, he was so weak and tired. It had taken him 2 hours to get home! He ate so rapidly that he had to throw it all up right then and there. But this time, they did not get angry with him as they cleaned it up.
That night, they all left him to go be with the lad who had been found alive. He himself slept all night long in the warm house by the fireside but with one ear open for his friend's return. He hoped he hadn't been too late and that the lad would still want to play and be buddies. He didn't care about all the special treatment and snacks he was getting. What was taking them so long to come home? He missed his brown eyed boy, his chum!
When they did come home and all the strange cars pulled up with them, the house was full of people he had not seen in ages. But wait! Where was his friend? The lady who sat beside him hugged his neck and cried. He waited patiently and looked up at her, his sad eyes sensing the tragedy. He dropped to the floor and sank, eyes downcast.
His little friend wasn't coming home today or any other day. He'd not be coming home on the schoolbus anymore either or slip him food underneath the table that he himself didn't like. There would be no more romps through the woods when the lad needed an escape or time to himself.
The dog was the center of attention today as people seemed to connect the dead lad with him and they petted and patted him. So he went outside to his doghouse and knawed on his old bone. And he slept and dreamed he was with him again, watching those big, brown eyes, asking him silently "Help me find my home."
And God heard and answered...........
He knew that there was a storm coming so he thought he'd take a brisk run thru the woods near the home where he lived with a nice family. Their little boy didn't like him much but he adored the lad and so when the kid followed him into the woods, he slowed down and waited for him.
They explored the deep woods and he stopped to leave his mark on every tree stump until he was all out of pee. The lad kept up and they played and ran together. Since the boy could not speak, he had to constantly look back to see if he was still following. They had played here before and so they did so today, chasing each other and laughing. But suddenly, the litle boy was gone!
He backtracked with his nose to the cold ground and tried to follow the scent but the water intervened. He tried going the other way and found himself deep in the darkening forest. The sun had gone down and it was very dark with a threatening sky.
He decided to head deeper inside the woods where he could detect the boy's scent and see his small footprints. But first he took a dump and drank from the near-by water.
Finally, he caught up with him and the little boy seemed very glad that he did and this time, he followed the kid's lead. But instead of heading towards home, he led him deeper into the bushes and trees.
Nightime came quickly and it began to rain; still the boy trudged tirelessly into the woods. He seemed confused and yet he exhibited endless energy. They ventured on; an adventure together. The boy was not smiling anymore; maybe they were lost? He followed him and was beginning to tire himself but he wagged his tail, happy to be friends with the lad.
When the moonless night and frigid air had surrounded them, they stopped. They found a rock to lean on and the boy laid his head on the dog's strong back and cried. The dog licked his face and allowed him to lean on him. They slept tightly together and he tried to cover him with his furry, heated body but the boy shook all night long.
Morning came early and they were still exhausted, not having slept much with the distant sound of wild animals scaring the boy. He was just 7 and still afraid of the dark and any unusual sounds. They were both very hungry as they had missed supper last night and now, it was past breakfast time.
He stretched, yawned, scratched and peed while the boy did the same. They looked at one another. What to do? Were they lost?
He tried to follow their scent back to their warm home but it had snowed all night long and there was no way to detect it. So he followed the boys lead again and all day they trudged ahead, hungry and thirsty and very, very cold. When the lad cried, the dog sat patiently and looked lovingly at him as if to say "I'll wait; take your time." Then, he'd attempt to lick his small, sweet face and freezing red hands.
There was not a sound to be heard but in the late afternoon, he thought he heard the sound of gunfire. Or was it an airplane? The boy was becoming very confused, frightened and disoriented. There was no water so they both ate snow. The dog peed some more and saw the boy on his knees, praying. Maybe God would find them?
That night, the snow was heavy and the winds were strong and the night came quickly. They saw deer and the boy ran away from them, frightened. They went further and further into the wet, freezing bush with no paths, the tree limbs always scratching their faces and arms. His tear streaked face and red, runny nose told the story; he was suffering from hunger, soaked to the bone and freezing to death, not to mention frightened as he had never been before. Alone, lost, with-out his family.....only a dog and God.
Finally, the little boy with the big brown eyes could walk no further. He collapsed, hungry, weak and very, very scared. He cried himself to sleep, huddled tightly with the dog for any warmth he might provide. And he slept, his small body curled up like he was inside his mother's womb again. With his thumb in his mouth, he dreamed of home......
The dog was the first to wake up and when the lad awoke, he didn't know where he was or what had happened. The animal waited for him to lead but the snow was so high and the forest so huge, the lad just sat and cried. The snow was coming faster and faster until they were both thoroughly covered and soaked. The boy shivered and dropped to the ground, his weak arms around the dogs neck. They lay down together on the cold, frozen ground and slept.
When the boy's breathing became very shallow and faint and the dog's kisses could not awaken him, he gathered all of his own strength and headed for home. He must get help for his friend! He could no longer run as he, too, was weak and so he walked very quickly and only stopped now and then to eat snow. His paws were red and swollen; still, he hastened towards home.
Home! They would know what to do to find his pal and make him smile again. He was hugged and petted and allowed into the warm rooms where he never was permitted before. How he wished he could talk to tell them how urgent it was that they go rescue their son. But he could barely bark, he was so weak and tired. It had taken him 2 hours to get home! He ate so rapidly that he had to throw it all up right then and there. But this time, they did not get angry with him as they cleaned it up.
That night, they all left him to go be with the lad who had been found alive. He himself slept all night long in the warm house by the fireside but with one ear open for his friend's return. He hoped he hadn't been too late and that the lad would still want to play and be buddies. He didn't care about all the special treatment and snacks he was getting. What was taking them so long to come home? He missed his brown eyed boy, his chum!
When they did come home and all the strange cars pulled up with them, the house was full of people he had not seen in ages. But wait! Where was his friend? The lady who sat beside him hugged his neck and cried. He waited patiently and looked up at her, his sad eyes sensing the tragedy. He dropped to the floor and sank, eyes downcast.
His little friend wasn't coming home today or any other day. He'd not be coming home on the schoolbus anymore either or slip him food underneath the table that he himself didn't like. There would be no more romps through the woods when the lad needed an escape or time to himself.
The dog was the center of attention today as people seemed to connect the dead lad with him and they petted and patted him. So he went outside to his doghouse and knawed on his old bone. And he slept and dreamed he was with him again, watching those big, brown eyes, asking him silently "Help me find my home."
And God heard and answered...........
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