Storm Dog by L. M. Elliott
Author:L. M. Elliott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2020-06-02T00:00:00+00:00
Eleven
THE CRAZY-GOOD THING ABOUT DOGS IS if youâre nice enough to them, most every single one will get happyâeven if itâs locked up behind bars. As soon as Marcus put the key into the back-door lock, I could hear them get excited. He walked in and twenty dogs were up, yip-yapping, jumping on the cage doors, their tails wagging, wagging, wagging. He walked down the line of inmates, saying hello, calling each by name: Ace, Butch, Rowdy, Rocky. They were mostly mutts, genetic mishmashes of country dogs used for all types of huntingâfoxhounds, Jack Russells, setters, springer spaniels, beaglesâand the occasional pit bull or corgi. With such strange mixtures of physical features, none would win a dog show beauty contest. But they sure got adorable with the littlest bit of attention.
âWill these dogs get adopted, Marcus?â I asked.
âThatâs what weâre here to remedy,â he answered. âSome of them have been here for weeks, and itâs beginning to show in their eyes. Like this one.â
He stopped in front of a Labrador retriever, who sat waiting for him, whimper-whining, gazing through the wire mesh with solemn, sad eyes. She was truly pretty. But she had a beard of white around her muzzle, andâthereâs no other way of saying itâshe was downright obese.
âHereâs Midnight, the one I was hoping you could take home,â he said. âSheâs the sweetest thing, but nobody wants her because sheâs old and needs to lose a bunch of weight to ease the strain on her legs. Sheâs had a passel of puppies. I bet she was a good mother; sheâs so gentle. She was turned in by one of those thousand-dollar-a-puppy pedigree breeders. He said times were bad, and he just couldnât afford her anymore. Iâm thinking the jerk didnât want to pay for her old age.â
He reached through the bars to scratch her ears. She licked his hand.
âWhy donât you take her, Marcus?â
âI wish I could. But we already have my dadâs pointer he takes hunting and two dogs I brought home when theyâd been here for weeks and weeks with no takers. According to Momâs tarot cards, another stray would make our trailer explode.â He winked at me. âHer way of saying she doesnât want another dog.â
I laughed.
âAll righty, then.â He clapped his hands together. âLetâs get cracking.â
Balancing an armload of brushes, I followed Marcus outside to set up a dog beautician corner. Because our county shelter also rescues mistreated horses, it has several fenced paddocks where the dogs can have a real romp. We let four out at a time to run and tumble all over one another before taking them aside for their beautifying.
For a while, I raced around with them as Marcus tended to his chores. They jumped all over me to get some petting. I even convinced a couple to do dance circles around me. Without bacon! I guess dogs that desperate to please just catch on fast.
Marcus came out to check on me right as I got one of the oddest-looking
Download
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.
How to Win Friends and Influence People for Teen Girls by Donna Dale Carnegie(738)
Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti(668)
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey(532)
How to Disappear Completely by Ali Standish(510)
The Nerdiest, Wimpiest, Dorkiest I Funny Ever by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein(448)
Dorian by Will Self(446)
Incredible You! by Wayne W. Dyer(400)
I Funny: School of Laughs by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein(379)
Storm Dog by L. M. Elliott(378)
Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover(369)
Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins(343)
Sunnyside Plaza by Scott Simon(338)
Everything (ARC) by Catherine Miller(338)
There's A Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by Sachar Louis(328)
Ninja Boy's Secret by Tina Schneider(326)
I Even Funnier: A Middle School Story by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein(324)
Teen Psychic by Julie Tallard Johnson(315)
Jasper and the Magpie by dan mayfield Alex Merry(313)
Empress Theresa by Boutin Norman(308)