A Dog’s Journey by W. Bruce Cameron Read Free Book Online

his paws? He’s going to be bigger than Molly.”
    Clarity stood and I stretched my forepaws up as high as I could on her legs until she picked me up. Rocky struggled to get down from the boy’s arms, but I held still, gazing into Clarity’s eyes.
    “I want him,” the boy said. “Rocky, you want to come home with me?” He gently dropped my brother, who jumped on a rubber toy and shook it.
    “This is so exciting!” Clarity said. She set me down and I stayed by her heels as she went over to where Rocky was chewing on his toy. When she tried to pet Rocky I thrust my head under her hand and she laughed.
    “Molly likes you, CJ,” the boy said.
    I glanced over at the boy because he’d said my name, but then went back to cuddling with Clarity.
    “I know. But Gloria, she’d lose it and start foaming at the mouth. I can just hear her. ‘They lick. They’re unclean. ’ Like our house is so spotless.”
    “Wouldn’t it be fun, though? We’d have a brother and sister.”
    I felt a wistful sadness coming from Clarity as she held my face in her hands. “Yes, it would be fun,” she said quietly. “Oh, Molly, I’m sorry, girl.”
    Jennifer came back out. “So, are there like papers to fill out?” the boy asked.
    “No. I’m not affiliated with any rescue organization or anything. I’m just the neighborhood lady who everybody knows will take in strays and find homes for them. Rocky and Molly are here because a little boy’s asthma was aggravated by them.”
    “You said free to a good home, but could I pay something at least?” the boy asked.
    “I accept donations, if you like. And please, if for any reason it’s not working out, bring him back.”
    The boy handed Jennifer something and then reached down and hoisted Rocky up into his arms. “Okay, Rocky,” he said. “Ready to go to your new home?”
    “You let me know if you have any questions,” Jennifer said.
    I looked expectantly up at Clarity, but she didn’t pick me up. “Oh, look at her,” Clarity said. She knelt down and stroked my fur. “It’s like she knows I’m leaving without her.”
    “Let’s go, CJ.”
    We all went to the back door together. Jennifer opened it and the boy went through, still carrying Rocky, and then Clarity, but when I made to follow, Jennifer blocked me with her foot.
    “No, Molly,” she said, sliding the screen shut, so that I was left behind in the backyard.
    What?
    I sat down and stared at Clarity, who stared back through the screen. I did not understand.
    When they all turned away, I yipped, frustrated that my voice was so tiny. I cried and yipped and put my paws on the door and scratched at it, trying to claw my way through. Was Clarity leaving me? No, that couldn’t be! I had to go with her!
    Clarity and the boy and Rocky went out through the front door of the house, closing it behind them.
    “It’s okay, Molly,” Jennifer said. She moved into the kitchen.
    Clarity was gone. Rocky was gone.
    I barked and barked with my useless little puppy voice, grieving, feeling alone in the world.

 
    SIX
    Daisy, the big, timid dog, came out from her hiding place behind the picnic table and stood and sniffed me as I barked. She could sense my distress but obviously couldn’t understand it.
    The back door was getting me nowhere. I went around to the side of the house, but the wooden gate was firmly shut, the knob far out of reach of my tiny teeth. I barked again and again. This yard, which had been so gloriously fun, now seemed a prison. I ran over to Barney and we touched noses, but the slow wag of his tail did nothing to help. I felt desperate. What was happening? How could this be?
    “Molly?”
    I turned and there was Clarity. She dropped to her knees and I ran to her and threw myself into her arms, licking her face, relieved that I had misunderstood—I thought for a moment she was planning to leave me!
    Jennifer and Trent were standing behind her. “She chose me, so what could I do? Molly chose me,” Clarity