A Short Story I Wrote -

I really like to write and I have been writing all sorts of stories. This is one I wrote for my english advanced class and people thought it was really good although very different from what the other students wrote. Anyways was wondering what you guys thought. Thanks!

Through the Eyes of an Innocent
-By Genevieve Clark

"You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don't trust enough." –Frank Crane

I arose from my warm basket much to the pain of my protesting hips. Slowly I stood up fully and you could see how magnificent a German Sheppard I was. I had the perfect black markings and points across my face and back. The rest of my coat was a golden chestnut brown, yet now, as the years had passed, my coat grew flecked with gray hairs. But what can you do?
I wagged my long tail as my human passed by. I could tell it was her because of the bright red pajama pants. Seeing she had just awoke I could imagine her rubbing the sleep out of her blue-green eyes, and her long, dark hair was probably escaping from her braid. I am an older dog, as you can tell, and my eyesight isn’t what it used to be so I couldn’t be sure. She smiled when she saw me; she had that sort of smile that could light up a room. This smile I had seen many times yet today it seemed kind of sad. I had been with her all through her childhood and teenage years. Whenever something happened she came to me for comfort. I was always there for her and her for me. So I could instantly tell something was wrong.

Treading slowly on the pads of my feet I trailed her into the kitchen where she took out a can of my favourite food. My ears perked up in anticipation of the delicious breakfast I was about to enjoy. But they drooped back down when she took out the bottle of my pain medication. She stopped to study the label and shaking her head placed it back on the shelf. This was unusual. Usually, she hid one of the pills in my food and, to make her happy, I pretended not to notice as I ate.

“Maxwell” she called.

I made my way over to her trying not to slip on the linoleum floor, for if I fell it could end rather horribly. She greeted me with a pat and placed my dish on the floor in front of my nose. I sniffed it, allowing the delicious aroma to waft through my nostrils. I don’t care if this type of food comes from a can. I count myself lucky to have a home and a family who loves me.

I watched Charity carefully as she prepared her own breakfast, something was not right. When she was in a good mood she would hum or sing as she went about things and move with a sort of spring in her step. But today she was silent and sullen, moving about slowly as she opened a loaf of bread and popped one piece into the toaster.
I shuffled over worried, sat down beside her and nudged her leg with my nose. She looked down and scratched me behind my ears. Why wouldn’t she tell me what was wrong? I gave a little whimper and when she looked back down at me there were tears in her eyes. I cried louder and all of a sudden she had thrown her arms around me and was crying. Her sobs grew louder and they shook her whole body as she held on to me tightly, tighter than she ever had. I still remember all those other times. When she was little, it was usually because she had fallen and scraped her knee or her favourite toy broke. As she got older the reasons changed, like when she got a poor mark on a school test or when her boyfriend and her broke up.

Charity raised her head to look at me and I saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. I licked her face a few times
to try and make her feel better; all I got was another sad smile. She hugged me once more before rising.

She sat down at the kitchen table with her breakfast and I lounged underneath it, lying over her feet to keep them warm as she ate. The sunlight slanted in through the picture window and fell across my back, warming my fur. I sighed, why would I ever want to be anywhere else?

Charity’s father entered the room and ruffled her hair as he passed. Noticing the puffiness of her eyes he looked down concerned and she looked up at him, on the brink of tears.

“Do we really have to?” she asked.

Wrapping his arms around her he said, “I’m sorry dear, but we must. It’s for his own good. He is very old. You don’t want him to suffer do you?”

“Of course not,” she replied, wiping her hand across her eyes, “But that doesn’t make it any easier.”

She pushed back her chair, to get up and place her dishes in the sink. Coming out from under the table I nearly ran into the leg of it before I realized something was there. Her father noticed and grimaced.

“Max, come here boy,” he called, and then added, “Go get dressed Charity,” he said, “We have to go soon.”

She nodded quietly and went to her room.

I followed the sound of his voice and once there sat at his feet as he clipped on my leash. This I was not happy about, the ache from my arthritis was bad and I was in no mood for a walk. But to please my family I would, of course, go.

Outside we went and I started for the sidewalk yet he pulled the other way, confused I followed. He made for the car and then I got a little more excited. Yay, a ride! He had to help me up into the backseat where my blanket was, I am getting to old for this. Well, it would be worth it anyways. He started the vehicle as Charity came out the door and crawled in the back with me. I thought this was odd, usually she sat in the front, but no matter I liked having company.
I lay down with my head in Charity’s laps. She rubbed my belly as her father drove us to some unknown destination. When we finally arrived, she helped me out and held my leash tightly as went inside. The smell of the place was familiar but I could not recognize my surroundings through sight.

My humans sat down and I sat beside them. Charity spoke to me in a soothing tone, reassuring me everything was okay. But I wasn’t feeling overly nervous, just a little confused as to why we were here. After a short wait I heard my name called and we all got up and followed a woman into a little room where a man in a long white coat stood.

It was then I remembered where I was. I promptly sat down on the floor and refused to move. I looked at Charity and she kissed my forehead.

“C’mon Maxie,” she patted the ramp leading up to the little table, “Up here.”

I looked at her warily but advanced towards it and she encouraged me as I climbed. Once up top I laid down and she praised my good behaviour with a treat. While her father and that awful man talked I chewed the treat and she stoked my fur. Suddenly was I felt a small sting in the back of my neck but ignored it, Charity had begun to whisper something and I had to listen carefully

“Goodbye Max, I love you” she whispered and I looked at her in confusion. Where was she going?

She smiled sadly at me again, I wish she wouldn’t do so; it’s enough to break your heart. I licked her hand and she laughed, it must have tickled. I yawned, I was suddenly feeling very tired and my eyelids began to droop. I would figure things out later; right now I apparently needed a nap. All this excitement was hard on a dog of 15 years. But no matter, when I woke up she would be there; we would get through things like we always had. I smiled to myself as I thought of this and our fond memories before I dropped off to sleep.