A Dog's Lament

The moment the door opened, the dog raced toward them. He jumped higher and higher, bouncing his legs on the stomachs of his owners as if they were springboards and his back legs springs. He bounded ahead of them when they began to move, leading the way into the house.

 Inside, there was more excitement, more jumping around, more hyperactivity. As his owners watched on, laughing hard, he zoomed around the house, circling them a few times before stopping at last, panting heavily. He collapsed into a flat position on the floor, breathing quickly, desperate for the  return of air.

The dog waited until the older woman left them alone before sitting in front of the girl. As she reached out and stroked his soft, wiry fur, the dog began to speak. A long, involved series of groans and moans, intermixed with a few odd growls here and there. He was telling her a story. A story that seemed sad and tragic and filled with woe. This was the dog's lament.

It was fine at first. There was sunlight and clouds and the sky was blue. There was warmth in the air and lots of smells and exploring to do. But then, there was nothing new. It started to get darker and colder, and I couldn't get inside no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't get to you. I couldn't find you anywhere. And then, it got darker and colder and I was all alone. It felt like the world was freezing over... Then, it was pitch black and I couldn't see anything. You still weren't here! You left me! All alone! In the dark and the cold. I didn't know if you'd ever come home again. I though you'd left me forever! 

As the girl listened to the dog, trying her hardest not to laugh at the humour in her dog's serious recount of his sorrowful tale, she imagined him sitting on one of the tree stumps in the yard, howling his tragic story to the moon.

But, as the family settled in for the night, together again, all was forgiven. The dog lay down atop the blanket under which the girl sat and licked the air contentedly. He took one last look round, then, satisfied nobody was going anywhere, finally he dropped his head gently onto his front paws and closed his eyes. With his people. All together again. Home at last.