The Dog

Trigger warning: a sad story, but with a happy ending. Themes of animal abuse and abandonment, though there are no gruesome details.

I thought about sharing one of my older stories, one from about 14 years ago, but my stories from then were more bleak. They did inspire me to use darkness, but I want to turn darkness into light. Hence, this story. I present:

The Dog

The dog began his life in a fairly ordinary manner. After being fostered for the usual time, a seemingly kind and loving family adopted him. This family received him for free, for his foster parents were giving people and merely wanted to see more joy in the world. The dog was happy and joyous to be alive, appreciating all that crossed his path.

The adopting family had put on a collective mask when picking up the dog. Darkness lived in their hearts, and they had no intention of providing the level of care required for a dog to thrive in life. In fact, the dog was to serve as an outlet for the family's frustrations. He received no name, and was simply called "dog".

The family consisted of a mother, a father, and a young child. None were particularly bothered whether the dog was fed and so he was often left hungry. Occasionally, he would be given bad food, and rarely, the cheapest kibble that the family could find, not conducive to a healthy life. No comfort food was ever given.

The child would pull on the dog's ears and tail, causing great distress. It was not gentle or playful in any respect. The mother would chastise the dog for no reason, yelling at him and blaming him for things that could not possibly have anything to do with him. The father would physically assault the dog.

The dog endured the hardships, clinging to hope that if he remained good, the family would see him for what he was: a pure-hearted boy with no ill-intent whatsoever. He was forced to sleep outside with no kennel or bedding. Each day he awoke with renewed vigor—only to have it dashed.

This continued for years. He lost weight, and his health suffered greatly. The family refused to address his condition and actually laughed at his poorly state. It was a vicious cycle, with the family not learning anything and the dog having endless forgiveness. However, the dog was capable of learning, and although it took a long time, he saw that the family was not changing.

On a dark and cold winter night, the dog escaped. He knew his life was coming to an end and was determined to see a little of the world before he passed. He limped slowly around the town in the rain, not entirely sure what he was looking for. He was just seeking. Anything was better than the horror he had experienced.

He happened upon an abandoned, homeless child, hiding in a vacant and rundown house. The two became fast friends, finding great solace in each other's company. The child was not especially creative, but wanted to give the dog a name. The child simply called him: "Buddy".

There was not much the child and Buddy could do. Buddy was too sickly to play, and the house was empty regardless. So, the child just held him and talked to him softly. The child spoke of nice things: the sun shining; leaves whispering in a cool and gentle breeze; birds flying free and high. He named all the colours he could, and even sang songs.

On the last line of the last song the child could remember, Buddy drifted into an eternal and peaceful sleep. The child wept deeply. He was ever grateful that he had found a friend in the cruel world that neglected them both. Thankfully, when morning came, the child left the house in search of help, keen to find more light in life. They were assisted by empathetic people, and their life improved dramatically.

Buddy found himself in a strange situation. His consciousness continued on into a realm where he met a being, one of infinite compassion. This being had a colourful and pleasing aura that put Buddy at utmost ease. Although this realm was unlike anything Buddy had known, he had no anxiety at all. He felt peace and love, and knew that everything was as it was meant to be.

The two could somehow communicate. The being explained to Buddy that his perseverance in life, his unwavering kindness and ceaseless hope, was to be rewarded. Buddy came to know of the cyclical nature of existence, and that as there was reason, everything made sense. That sometimes, one must live a hard life in order to learn great lessons. Buddy had learned the value of sacrifice: without his presence, the family that mistreated him would have directed their anger elsewhere.

Buddy became human. Ordinary at first, he lived a regular life of minimal suffering, but was, in time, named a saint of modern times. He reformed the worst criminals; he discovered the cure for cancer; he improved the justice system so no-one was treated unfairly; and he treated everyone who came into his life with respect.

One day, Buddy visited an aged care facility. He came across an elderly woman who told him a story of a random dog that found her on a harsh winter night when she was a homeless child. She said that although she had only known the dog for that night, that dog was her favourite friend and most pleasant memory. She recalled the name: "Buddy". Funnily enough, this was the saint's nickname, and for some reason, he cried tears of joy upon hearing the name for the millionth time.