$14.95 / Perfectbound
ISBN: 9781608440924
200 pages
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Chapter One: My Story Begins

A late spring snow was falling on the Tehachapi Mountains. As the sun slipped behind a sawtooth ridge, the headlights of a car cut through the dusk and illuminated me. One minute it seemed that I was nestled in a warm bed next to the silky fur of my Mama’s belly, surrounded by my littermates. The next thing I remember is the entire bed being lifted and my Mama saying, “Hang on! We’re being moved. Snuggle closer!” Then, all of a sudden, I was tumbling through icy air, coming to rest in a blanket of snow. (Why they call it a blanket of snow, when it is freezing cold, I will never know.)

As I struggled to my feet, I could see our humans’ van pulling away. My Mama was standing, looking out the back window, and I knew she was barking, but I could not hear her. The van just kept going. I watched as the taillights faded into the twilight. Deep in my heart, I was afraid I would never see my Mama again.

But I couldn’t let myself think about that now.

As the sun went down, it was getting colder and colder. What to do? Here I was: an adorable Dachshund puppy trying to make my way through the snow on the side of the road with no help in sight. As the twilight deepened, the howl of a coyote split the air. Yikes! Not only was I cold, but I could be a local predator’s main entrée. I decided to move out onto the road, and of course that was a good decision. (Even as a very young puppy I had terrific judgment. Most Dachshund puppies do.) The snow had melted on the side of the asphalt road, and heat radi­ated up warming up my frozen toes. The song of the coyote and the cold were a catalyst for movement so I started walking.

I had only gone a short distance when a car drove by nearly burying me in the snow. Unlike the van, this was a black and white sedan with lots of lights on the roof. As I was struggling to get out of the cold, nasty, wet stuff, the car stopped. In a few minutes two humans were standing over me.

The female human bent down and said, “I told you, it was a puppy.”

She scooped me up with both hands and tucked me inside her fleece-lined jacket. It was warm there and I could hear the thump of her heart, much slower than my Mama’s. Pinned to her shirt was a big, gold star, and that is when I thought that maybe these weren’t humans— maybe they were angels.

I was soon disabused of that notion. If these were angels why did they bring me to such a hellish place? We were standing in the lobby of a public animal shelter, a place of unbelievable horror. As soon as the door opened, I was overwhelmed with the stench, the suffering, and the general air of hopelessness. I burrowed deeper into the jacket and heard a grandmotherly voice say, “Hello, Officer Kate. What have you got there? I can see a cute little brown butt, and a tail that’s tucked tighter than tight, but that’s all.”

Officer Kate reached inside her jacket and gently brought me out.

I was really frightened and said, “Please don’t leave me here. Death lives in this place,” but all the humans heard was a whimper.

Officer Kate, my rescuer, seemed to sense my fear because she said, “Don’t worry, princess. Kate will protect you.” Then she addressed the woman behind the desk, “Mary, I’m glad I finally tracked you down. I should have known I would find you here. Are you picking up some dogs to take to New Beginnings?”

“Not today, dear. Jan had a dentist appointment, and I said I would cover the desk for him. He should be back any minute…”

“We found this pup abandoned, walking along side the road on Lone Pine Highway. There was a family staying out there, but they’re gone.”

“Oh, Darlin’, she’s adorable, and she’s frightened. She doesn’t belong here even for a minute.”

My lovely auburn ears perked up when I heard that.