Sunday is writing day

So today I'm posting some of my writing. I am taking an online class on writing a Young Adult novel. Let me set up my story for you...

15-year old Kaylee Rich loves her family, loves the Goo Goo Dolls and loves animals, in particular dogs. Kaylee's mom, Kathryn turned her onto the Goo Goo Dolls and they've been to several concerts. Something is odd with the way her mom reacts to the lead singer, Johnny Resnick. Kaylee believes that she "knows" Johnny from the way she reacts to his songs.

One day while she's volunteering at the animal shelter, an animal control officer brings in a large male pit bull who is immediately sentenced to death just because he is a pit bull. The town she lives in has passed an anti-breed law against pit bulls and they are all to be destroyed. Kaylee takes the dog from the shelter so it doesn't get killed and runs away across country to find Johnny Resnick so she can give him this dog.

So here is my latest exercise for class and my creative endeavor for the day!

When the animal control officer brought Fred into the shelter, you would have thought that the dog was rabid. The officer had suited up wearing his protective dog gear that sort of made him look like a dirty Michelin Man. He stormed into the kennel area of the shelter dragging this pitiful looking dog. He was white and beige – not brown or golden like a retriever but sort of like the color of a deer. The dog did not want to be here and was whining and wimpering. Officer Stark was pulling him on one of those long aluminum poles with the noose on the end.

“I just finished cleaning 412 Officer Starke,” I yelled over to him. The kennel had erupted in a cacophony of barks and howls. I looked over at the poor dog and saw that he was shaking in fear.

“This one’s going in the back Kaylee. NOT FOR ADOPTION.” He ran his finger under his chin across his throat.

I watched him drag the dog across the kennel to the back room. We volunteers weren’t allowed in the backroom. It had some kennels and the area where the euthanasia was performed. I felt a lump form in my throat.

“Why? What did he do?” I yelled to Stark. I followed him to the back, forbidden area. “Tell me. What did the dog do?”

The dog looked at me and I saw his tail relax a little, maybe even wag a little. I stood with my hands on my hips waiting for Trask to answer.

“He didn’t do nothing. He’s a pit bull. We have a policy. Owner turned him over. But by the looks of him it don’t look like the owner cared for him anyway. This is the best for him.”

“You’re going to kill this dog? For nothing?” I could hear my voice thin out. I was close to screeching. Red was washing into my view and I could feel the heat flushing my skin.

“It’s the law. City Council passed it last year. Pit bulls are banned in this town. “

“Well, I’ll take him to another town. Look at him – he’s terrified, Starke. Can you at least take him off the pole?”

“Come on Kaylee. He’s a dangerous animal. You just leave him be.” Starke pushed open the door with his butt and pulled the dog inside the dark room. I tried to follow them in but he slammed the door shut. I jimmied the knob – it was one of those automatic locking doors.

In a few minutes, Starke emerged from the room with the pole on his shoulder. My eyes welled up with hot tears. “Is it done? Did you kill him?”

Starke shook his head. “Have to wait ‘til Thursday. That’s the day we take ‘em.”



Exercise 2

I got to the shelter early on Sunday morning. In the parking lot, I noticed that Officer Starke’s pickup was in the employee parking lot. I was hoping that he was off today. After our run in yesterday, I don’t think I am his favorite person. I know he’s not mine.

As I was pushing the back employee entrance door open, Officer Starke was coming out. “Hey Kaylee – you here again today?”

I nodded my head to him and ducked through the door. I turned back to Officer Starke and forced myself to tell him to have a nice day.

As I walked through the kennels, the dogs came to the front of their cages and barked to get my attention. “Just a minute guys…I’ll be right back,” I called to them as I made my way to the front office.

Pearl was manning the front desk today. “Hey Sugar, what’s shaking?” She handed me the sign-in clipboard.

“Pearl-what’s up with that pit bull Officer Starke brought in yesterday?” I asked her trying to sound nonchalant about it.

“You talking about that big-headed boy? Fawn and white?” she asked.

I nodded my head and pulled up another office chair. I was ready to hear a tragic story. “Well, there’s not much to tell. The owners brought him in about 2:00 yesterday afternoon. It was a normal surrender.”

I had to scramble to pick my jaw up off the floor. From the way Starke had treated that dog, I was sure he must have killed something or someone.

“Pearl is there any way I can go see him?” I asked her as sweetly as I could. I knew Pearl had a soft spot for all the animals here. “He just seemed so scared and confused yesterday.”

Pearl leaned in toward her like she had a big secret. “Sugar I AM not supposed to let volunteers back there but I’ve been sneaking in to see Fred all day myself. He is one sweetheart of a dog. If Starke finds you in there though, I know nothing.” She slipped me her keys . “Oh, and here – he really likes these.” She handed me a Ziploc baggie full of freeze-dried liver treats.