Ariana’s Story: The Long way Home

This adventure started and ended with kibble. I was snuggled at My-Sophie’s feet when she rose from her special chair, and as always I jumped into her place. For moments I sat there, soaking up her warmth and scent, but then temptation got the better of me, and I bounded off to the source of the mouthwatering aroma.

I had wolfed down my breakfast when My-Sophie’s little light box started to buzz. She picked it up and started to speak. After what felt like hours she put it down, salty lakes flowing down her cheeks. I tried to lick them up but they wouldn’t stop, even when she kissed my forehead and gave me the biggest hug ever.

After that, everything started to change. My-Sophie no longer left to go to the building with the big windows, and strange smelling men started to take everything away. First the big light box on the wall, then the furniture and finally, even My-Sophie’s special chair.

My mountain of kibble shrunk to a molehill, and I got no more treats no matter what I did. Then, one hungry day, My-Sophie scooped me up and brought me to the door of a building that smelled of fear. She started to walk in, but turned instead and ran home, holding me so close I could hardly breathe. 

But the next day we went back, and this time she did not turn. The fear smell seeped into me and I struggled, but she didn’t put me down. As she talked to the man inside, I heard her voice shaking. She hugged me so tight I thought she would never let go.

Face wet, she kissed my head, but I was ripped from her hands and she was ushered out of the building.  I bit down hard on my captor’s hand but he just slapped me and gave me a push into a metal prison. I waited a long time, but My-Sophie never came back.

The cage was hard and cold, the food bad, the water never fresh. All I could think about was getting out, but my hopes died when the other dogs started to vanish and I smelled the ending smell. Maybe, I thought, ending was the only way to leave this place. But then something amazing happened.

Pushing man glared at me, rubbing his hand as he put up a sign. Soon, lots of strangers came to look at us dogs. One of them pointed at me and my cage door swung wide open. He went to pat me, but his hand grasped air as I bolted out of the door and into sweet smelling daylight! 

I saw people coming after me and I ran like the wind. Soon I lost them. It was only then that I realised I was surrounded by a forest of legs and roaring wheel boxes and had no idea where I was.

I started heading toward the faintest scent of home when a big wheel box came charging down the road. I swerved, and as it missed me, a tiny wisp of my squeak toy filled my nostrils. Paws throbbing and tongue lolling, I bounded after it.

I don’t know how long it was until I saw the familiar lime green door, slightly ajar. There was a strange sign above it, but I nosed my way in. And home smelt abandoned, wrong. I searched everywhere for My-Sophie, but I couldn’t find her. Everything but my squeak toy was gone. 

I felt the whimpering come, despair and loneliness drowning me as I curled up around my squeak toy.  Now home felt like the cage. 

I woke when I heard the door open. I looked up and there was My-Sophie! Wet faced again, she squeezed me tight, opened the door and started walking to another building. A blue door swung open and she explained to me that this was our new home.  Paper, covered with black scribbles, was all over the floor around a big desk.  She pointed to it, still hugging me, but all she said was, “You saved us!”

The next day, I wolfed down my mountain of kibble when the doorbell buzzed. A strange crate was outside. My-Sophie opened it, and inside were the story boxes she said people liked to read. She pulled one out and read “The Long Way Home, a Dog’s Tale, by Sophie Humble”.

Ariana F

Year 4 student