This is the first chapter of the novel I've been working on....
1
TORN
Derek’s Perspective
I look down at the little rascal, soundly sleeping on the floor. What a decision… I think to myself. I can’t believe that Jesse is making me get rid of him… I bend down to get Bailey, Carter’s old stuffed rabbit, so I can keep SOMETHING of his to remind me of him. I feel bad having to wake him up, he usually has nightmares and rarely sleeps well, but I have to if I am to do my girlfriend’s willing. “Carter…” I whisper, “Wake up buddy!” He slowly opens his one eye and thumps his tail quietly. “That’s right! Today is a happy day!” Today is happy day… I think, trying to convince myself. What a lie. He slowly and unstably gets up onto his 3 grayish brown legs. His floppy ears perked up just the slightest little bit. He walks up to me and looks up as if he is trying to say, “Hey! What’s up? What are we gonna do today?”
His story always makes my eyes well. He has been abused his whole life, his first owner, he had a spoiled son who wanted to own and know everything. So, he naturally wanted a bow and arrow as well as an instructor. However, the instructor was late to the first appointment so the man put him out of business. He never did come around to getting is son a new instructor, so I suppose that the 13-year-old-boy tried to teach himself. However, Carter must have been walking around the yard with him, and got in the way of an arrow. One eye left.
Another owner had one day accidentally left Carter outside when they were about to leave for Phoenix, and ran over him with their car. 3 legs left.
I can only imagine the pain he has been through, and I know I’ll be adding to it by abandoning him.
“C’mon Carter,” I mutter as I drag myself down the ratty stairs in my old apartment and into my kitchen. I open the cream colored cabinet and got out the Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I open up my milk and fix my cereal.
I whistle 3 times to Carter, a trick that I taught him, so that he will fetch my computer for me. 3 minutes later after staring at my overly-soggy cereal, I pull up Google Maps and try to decide where I should go to… abandon him. It should be pretty far away so I don’t see him on the side of the road one day and pick him up…. I think. This place is perfect! I think. The Sonoran Desert… I think. Not too close, not too far! I then go onto Google search and find out that coyotes live there!!!
Are coyotes related to wolves?? I think so… And I know that wolves are related to dogs! So, by putting him in this desert with the coyotes, I might be placing him with his long lost Great Aunt Susan!! That’d be great if I was reuniting him with family!! That’d be great! Now I don’t feel as bad having to drop him off there!! I think, finally convincing myself that I COULD leave Carter in good hands, hands that might just be his family! What a delightful thought.
I realize that Carter is watching me, and I’m suddenly worried that he knows what I’m planning. Then, I realize that he’s just staring at my food and I had forgotten to feed him. I pull out his bag of dry kibble and pour it into his bowl that says “Bad to the Bone” with a little bone painted onto it. He happily ate his breakfast, unknowing of his fate-to-be…
1
TORN
Derek’s Perspective
I look down at the little rascal, soundly sleeping on the floor. What a decision… I think to myself. I can’t believe that Jesse is making me get rid of him… I bend down to get Bailey, Carter’s old stuffed rabbit, so I can keep SOMETHING of his to remind me of him. I feel bad having to wake him up, he usually has nightmares and rarely sleeps well, but I have to if I am to do my girlfriend’s willing. “Carter…” I whisper, “Wake up buddy!” He slowly opens his one eye and thumps his tail quietly. “That’s right! Today is a happy day!” Today is happy day… I think, trying to convince myself. What a lie. He slowly and unstably gets up onto his 3 grayish brown legs. His floppy ears perked up just the slightest little bit. He walks up to me and looks up as if he is trying to say, “Hey! What’s up? What are we gonna do today?”
His story always makes my eyes well. He has been abused his whole life, his first owner, he had a spoiled son who wanted to own and know everything. So, he naturally wanted a bow and arrow as well as an instructor. However, the instructor was late to the first appointment so the man put him out of business. He never did come around to getting is son a new instructor, so I suppose that the 13-year-old-boy tried to teach himself. However, Carter must have been walking around the yard with him, and got in the way of an arrow. One eye left.
Another owner had one day accidentally left Carter outside when they were about to leave for Phoenix, and ran over him with their car. 3 legs left.
I can only imagine the pain he has been through, and I know I’ll be adding to it by abandoning him.
“C’mon Carter,” I mutter as I drag myself down the ratty stairs in my old apartment and into my kitchen. I open the cream colored cabinet and got out the Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I open up my milk and fix my cereal.
I whistle 3 times to Carter, a trick that I taught him, so that he will fetch my computer for me. 3 minutes later after staring at my overly-soggy cereal, I pull up Google Maps and try to decide where I should go to… abandon him. It should be pretty far away so I don’t see him on the side of the road one day and pick him up…. I think. This place is perfect! I think. The Sonoran Desert… I think. Not too close, not too far! I then go onto Google search and find out that coyotes live there!!!
Are coyotes related to wolves?? I think so… And I know that wolves are related to dogs! So, by putting him in this desert with the coyotes, I might be placing him with his long lost Great Aunt Susan!! That’d be great if I was reuniting him with family!! That’d be great! Now I don’t feel as bad having to drop him off there!! I think, finally convincing myself that I COULD leave Carter in good hands, hands that might just be his family! What a delightful thought.
I realize that Carter is watching me, and I’m suddenly worried that he knows what I’m planning. Then, I realize that he’s just staring at my food and I had forgotten to feed him. I pull out his bag of dry kibble and pour it into his bowl that says “Bad to the Bone” with a little bone painted onto it. He happily ate his breakfast, unknowing of his fate-to-be…
"no" Kyle said. "I'm so sorry."
"What for? you were always there for us, what else could you have done?" James said.
"I could've been more of a brother, instead of your leader." Kyle said and looked at his brother.
"But then what would I have gotten angry at you for then?" James said they smiled at each other.
"Take care of them.Kyle said, " Kyle croaked, "Please?" James nodded "I will." James wanted to say dont go or something, but he knew it was time. "I'll be watching you, hot-head." he said.
James looked down and didn't speak.
"I wish it were different to." Kyle told him. James hugged Kyle tightly, "Say hi to mum for me"
"I will, bye" Kyle cried on James' shoulder and he cried on Kyle's. "To let you know, I do need you."
"Your a funny kind of brother, aren't you!?" Kyle whispered. "Goodbye." said James.
"Look under my bed, remember Sheila" his eyelids growing heavy. "James. You couldn't have stopped this"
"What do I do without you?" James asked.
"Live on"
"What for? you were always there for us, what else could you have done?" James said.
"I could've been more of a brother, instead of your leader." Kyle said and looked at his brother.
"But then what would I have gotten angry at you for then?" James said they smiled at each other.
"Take care of them.Kyle said, " Kyle croaked, "Please?" James nodded "I will." James wanted to say dont go or something, but he knew it was time. "I'll be watching you, hot-head." he said.
James looked down and didn't speak.
"I wish it were different to." Kyle told him. James hugged Kyle tightly, "Say hi to mum for me"
"I will, bye" Kyle cried on James' shoulder and he cried on Kyle's. "To let you know, I do need you."
"Your a funny kind of brother, aren't you!?" Kyle whispered. "Goodbye." said James.
"Look under my bed, remember Sheila" his eyelids growing heavy. "James. You couldn't have stopped this"
"What do I do without you?" James asked.
"Live on"