and get my feet soaked chasing an untrained, bratty pet. “Arrggg!”
The barking plus the trampled snow gave Sara an indication of her pet’s direction. Sputtering and swearing divested a little of her rising ire and lowered her blood pressure somewhat, but to say she felt annoyance eating into her stomach lining would be putting it mildly.
The staccato yelping continued and rose to frenzied proportions. Sara started into the direction the noise came from. She knew she couldn’t leave her big baby out in the night alone.
Chiding whatever impulse made her choose to wear her fashionable high-heeled boots over the practical ones she usually preferred had her shaking her head. She put on her gloves, powered her flashlight, and started in the direction of her dog’s cries.
Wet, sticky snow had built up over a foot high on the roads, in some places even higher, and was much worse when she headed for the side. The trees were thick and the gullies deep with lots of brush under the snow to trip her up. In her anxiety, the first stump she fell over only earned a grunt and a groan, but the next few made her let loose with some of her more colourful cusses. Only her determination to beat her dog senseless kept her going. Like that was going to happen.
Pegi, the fanciful canine that believed she was human and had rights to the end of her mistress’ bed was the most spoilt animal in the world. The fear that her pet might be in trouble was what drove Sara on.
Rocks barred her way, branches ripped at her legs, while her indulgent, twelve-dollar pair of silk stockings became their victim. To stop never entered her mind. Her beloved’s begging cries and her own stubborn streak forced her onward.
Finally, her flashlight beamed on the silly, crazed mutt and instead of returning to her mistress when ordered, the creature led her further into the woods.
Just when Sara decided not to play this insane game any longer, Pegi ran up to a dark mass leaning against a tree. It was then she saw movement and heard the murmur of a girl’s voice.
Sara rushed forward to drop to her knees beside the quivering youngster. Shushing the distraught dog, she knelt down and shone her flashlight into the face of a frightened teen. “My God! Are you okay, sweetheart?”
Brushing the wind-blown hair away from the face of the frightened girl, she added. “Don’t be afraid. Pegi’s big, but gentle as a lamb. She’s barking because she’s worried about you.”
“I can’t believe you’ve come. I gave up hope.” The young voice broke, and Sara watched as the girl bit her lip.
Amazed by her control, Sara waited. “Your dog woke me and keeps pushing at me to get up, but I’ve hurt my ankle, and I can’t. It’s swollen and won’t take my weight." Now sobbing, the youngster’s fear came through loud and clear.
Once Sara was able to make out the girl’s features, she guessed she was probably twelve or somewhere around that age. The bluish tinge to her lips, and her shivering, told Sara that hypothermia had started to set in, and getting her back to the car became her top priority.
“Look sweetheart, I need you to stay with me. Don’t pass out again. I’m going to piggyback you to my car on the highway, and we’ll get you warmed up. Okay? Now tell me what you’re doing in these bushes and so far off the highway.”
She boosted the girl up and gave her the light so she could shine it in front of them. Lifting her the same way she’d carried Kai to bed before he got too old, she balanced the weight on her back and held on to the arms around her neck.
“I got angry at my dad and ran away. I stayed off the highway so he couldn’t find me. Once the snow started, I decided to try and get back to the road, but I tripped over a tree and must have hit my head. I think I passed out for a while. When I came to, I couldn’t remember which way to go. It was dark and I couldn’t see. My foot hurt so much, that I…I.” Her sobs made
The barking plus the trampled snow gave Sara an indication of her pet’s direction. Sputtering and swearing divested a little of her rising ire and lowered her blood pressure somewhat, but to say she felt annoyance eating into her stomach lining would be putting it mildly.
The staccato yelping continued and rose to frenzied proportions. Sara started into the direction the noise came from. She knew she couldn’t leave her big baby out in the night alone.
Chiding whatever impulse made her choose to wear her fashionable high-heeled boots over the practical ones she usually preferred had her shaking her head. She put on her gloves, powered her flashlight, and started in the direction of her dog’s cries.
Wet, sticky snow had built up over a foot high on the roads, in some places even higher, and was much worse when she headed for the side. The trees were thick and the gullies deep with lots of brush under the snow to trip her up. In her anxiety, the first stump she fell over only earned a grunt and a groan, but the next few made her let loose with some of her more colourful cusses. Only her determination to beat her dog senseless kept her going. Like that was going to happen.
Pegi, the fanciful canine that believed she was human and had rights to the end of her mistress’ bed was the most spoilt animal in the world. The fear that her pet might be in trouble was what drove Sara on.
Rocks barred her way, branches ripped at her legs, while her indulgent, twelve-dollar pair of silk stockings became their victim. To stop never entered her mind. Her beloved’s begging cries and her own stubborn streak forced her onward.
Finally, her flashlight beamed on the silly, crazed mutt and instead of returning to her mistress when ordered, the creature led her further into the woods.
Just when Sara decided not to play this insane game any longer, Pegi ran up to a dark mass leaning against a tree. It was then she saw movement and heard the murmur of a girl’s voice.
Sara rushed forward to drop to her knees beside the quivering youngster. Shushing the distraught dog, she knelt down and shone her flashlight into the face of a frightened teen. “My God! Are you okay, sweetheart?”
Brushing the wind-blown hair away from the face of the frightened girl, she added. “Don’t be afraid. Pegi’s big, but gentle as a lamb. She’s barking because she’s worried about you.”
“I can’t believe you’ve come. I gave up hope.” The young voice broke, and Sara watched as the girl bit her lip.
Amazed by her control, Sara waited. “Your dog woke me and keeps pushing at me to get up, but I’ve hurt my ankle, and I can’t. It’s swollen and won’t take my weight." Now sobbing, the youngster’s fear came through loud and clear.
Once Sara was able to make out the girl’s features, she guessed she was probably twelve or somewhere around that age. The bluish tinge to her lips, and her shivering, told Sara that hypothermia had started to set in, and getting her back to the car became her top priority.
“Look sweetheart, I need you to stay with me. Don’t pass out again. I’m going to piggyback you to my car on the highway, and we’ll get you warmed up. Okay? Now tell me what you’re doing in these bushes and so far off the highway.”
She boosted the girl up and gave her the light so she could shine it in front of them. Lifting her the same way she’d carried Kai to bed before he got too old, she balanced the weight on her back and held on to the arms around her neck.
“I got angry at my dad and ran away. I stayed off the highway so he couldn’t find me. Once the snow started, I decided to try and get back to the road, but I tripped over a tree and must have hit my head. I think I passed out for a while. When I came to, I couldn’t remember which way to go. It was dark and I couldn’t see. My foot hurt so much, that I…I.” Her sobs made
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