Secret Life

The dogs ran quickly, chasing each other round the grassy area of the park, pausing to rub their noses and sniff one another every now and again before resuming play.
On the park bench not too far away, their young owners sat, talking them and watching their dogs play. The girls were neighbours, and over time they'd developed this routine. Every day, one would knock on the others door and they'd do their homework together before leashing up their dogs and taking them out.

Though the girls, Ida and Kelly enjoyed it, it was debatable who enjoyed it more. The girls, or the dogs. Unknown to their human companions, the dogs shared a secret. What secret? Unknown to the girls, or their families, Daisy and Pal met up again, at night, once a day. After they were certain everyone in their household was asleep, only just asleep so there wasn't a real possibility of them waking up again anytime soon, they'd sneak out. The two would meet on the street corner, rub noses and run across the road and into the bushes on the other side.

Hidden deep in the woods, well away from the world and safe from prying eyes was a small shack. And every night, within an hour of the last time, two people; a man and a woman, would emerge from the shack's front door, slipping seamlessly out into the world.

A few nights later, a tired Kelly noticed Pal heading for the door, and worried about where he might go, decided to follow. She quickly pulled on her slippers and padded as quietly as she could after her furry friend.

Kelly followed him as he came to the street corner and waited, hiding behind the side of the nearest house in case Pal were to look back and saw Daisy come to meet him. She followed them across the street and into the woods.
Kelly flattened herself against a wall of the shack the dogs led her to, peering cautiously around the corner as one after the other, Pal and Daisy squeezed past a loose wooden board to enter the shack. Taking a breath, she decided it was safe to come out and as quietly as she could, Kelly emerged from her hiding spot and dashed quickly to a nearby window, tightly gripping the sill with her fingers a she bent her knees just a little so that should anyone look, she could crouch down completely, out of sight and if anyone did catch her, from the inside, the most they would see were her eyes.

Too lost in what she was seeing to notice what she was doing, Kelly's mouth dropped open, forming a small 'o' that grew wider with each passing second. Inside, Daisy and Pal were miraculously changing shape. Slowly, they morphed and after a few minutes, they were no longer dogs, but humans.

Kelly was unable to stop blinking at what she'd just witnessed as she ran back home, her mouth still stuck in the 'o' that had formed when she'd been watching through the window.

She was practically jumping on the spot as she waited for Ida to answer the door after school. "You are never going to guess what I saw last night!" she said excitedly, jumping even more as her friend opened the door.
"What?" Ida asked in an anticipative whisper as she pulled her inside.
"Pal and Daisy," Kelly said, the smile inerasable from her face. "It's not like we think."
"What?"
"Pal and Daisy..." Kelly said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Are people!"
"Meet me on the corner tonight," Kelly continued on her friend's confused look. "I'll show you."

Ida's eyes widened, her mouth dropping at what she saw when they watched through the window, just as Kelly's had the night before.
"See?" she asked, hands on hips when Ida finally pulled herself away from the window and turned back to her friend.
"You were right," she said breathlessly before getting excited. "I don't believe it! This.. This is so awesome!" As they wandered slowly back home, Ida and Kelly made a plan. They'd return the following night and film what they'd seen through the window. Then, they'd show their parents.

Kelly's mother visibly shuddered at the sight her daughter was showing her.
"Ugh! That's disgusting! Turn it off!" her father ordered loudly.
"That thing is too weird!" said her mother. "It's got to go!"
"What?" Kelly asked, her face falling.

"Wow!" said Ida's father, eyes lighting up at the sight. "That's.. That's... I can't find the right word to describe it, but..."
"You said Daisy was always your best friend sweetie," her mother said with a smile. "Now she really can be!"
"We can still keep her?" Ida asked, giving her parents the 'puppy dog eyes', not wanting to get her hopes up before it was confirmed.
"Yes Ida," said her mother, smile widening. "We're not going to tear you away from your best friend. "
"Yes!" Isla said, practically squealing as she jumped around in her happy daze. "You two are the best! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Mum says Pal's got to go," Kelly told her friend, watching her dog with sad eyes as he played with Daisy.
"What?" Ida asked, covering her mouth with her hand as it formed a small 'o' of shocked surprise.
"She doesn't want a 'freak of nature' in her house."
"What did you Dad say?"
"What Mum says goes," Kelly answered, shoulder slumping.
"I'm sure there's a way," Ida said hopefully, resting a gentle hand on her friend's knee as she looks up to meet her eyes. "Why don't you try catching Pal when he comes out of the shack tonight?"

The next time Ida saw her friend, she had a smile on her face. "I'm guessing it all worked out then."
"Yep," Kelly said. "Pal's going to live in the shack, and I can still come see him."
"What are you going to tell your parents."
"Pal will 'run away' from home."
"Ah," Ida said, returning the smile. "Very clever. And everyone's happy. We get pet dogs and best friends!" Ida and Kelly high fived one another as the full extent of the smiles they'd been suppressing erupted on their faces for sheer joy. Just at that moment, Daisy and Pal came racing up to them, stopping at their owner's feet and vigorously wagging their tails. When they bent down to pat them, Daisy and Pal caught the girl's hands before they touched their fur, starting to lick them and the girls threw their heads back in laughter. Everyone was happy. The happiest they'd ever been in their lives.