I remember the day when he took me home for the first time. I ran around in the garden. I smelled the roses. I sniffed the lilies. I ran after the bees. I dug the bones in the backyard. It seemed so wonderful. I barked in delight.
Master fed me pumpkin and chicken. He took me for long walks. He used to throw a ball at me and would say “Fetch!”. I always ran and brought back the ball to him. He said he loved me more than his children.
Sometimes he wept alone in the park. I licked him to make him feel better. He would say “Why? Why did you leave me so alone Alice? I miss you so much.” I would quietly lay my head on his feet and wait for him to feel better. After some time he would wipe his tears and walk me back to home.
One day the master tied me to a leash. I protested. But, the master would not listen. I saw a girl enter the house. I snarled at her. She got scared. The master hushed me up and took the girl inside the house. After a while, the girl started shouting and started throwing things around. This made me angry and I barked ferociously. “How dare she threaten my master?”. The girl left the house soon after and the master released me from the leash.
I ran at full speed to the gate. As I raised my head, I saw the girl leave. I barked at her angrily and the master called me back. He said “Max! Good boy! Come back!” and fondled my neck as I returned to him. “That was my daughter Max,” he said with pride. “Do you want to know why she was angry?”. I woofed. “Well, I never told her before that I was dying. I have got Cancer, buddy.” I woofed again. The master started weeping. I sat there quietly. I bent my head and placed it on his knees.
Master started coughing badly every night. Sometimes he woke up with blood in his mouth. One day he fell in the park and did not wake up. I licked his face. I started barking and howling. Some lady saw me and came running. I became scared and started whining.
People came in a van with shining lights. They carried master on a bed and I followed them. People in white clothes took care of the master. Someone tried to feed me. But, I was sad and did not eat. I stood outside the master’s room. They would not allow me inside. Finally, the master opened his eyes. He saw me outside and called out to me “Max. Come here, boy. Sorry about that old fella”. I ran inside and he fondled me. I was happy that the master was awake and I wagged my tail in delight. He fed me with his own hands.
After some time, I saw his daughter outside the room. I snarled at her and Master woke up and said “Easy Max, Easy!”. I became quiet. His daughter brought him some flowers. She kept them on the table. She kissed him on the forehead and asked “Pa! Are you Alright?”. She started weeping and said “Forgive me! I have not been a good daughter.” Master held her hand and caressing it gently said: “You are the sweetest daughter in the world, my child”. I woofed. After some time the people in the white dress came and took me and the daughter outside the room. We waited for the master outside the room.
That night master started vomiting blood. He experienced so much pain. The people in the white dress took care of him. I shivered in fright. I jumped and barked. After some time a person with the white dress came outside the room and said: “Sorry, we could not save him”. His daughter rushed inside the room and I followed her. Master was dead. I cried as I saw his soul resting by the window. “Max! Good boy! Stay with my daughter,” he said. I barked and rushed to the window. But, he disappeared. I wished I could see the master again. His daughter hugged his dead body and wept the whole night. I sat by her side and lay my head on the ground.
They buried the master the next day. I followed his daughter everywhere. She took me to her home. It was a small flat. A tiny room with less space. I sniffed around and it seemed funny. But, she fed me well and gave me a bone. “I loved my dad Max,” she told me. “I did not call him for five years. I could have saved him,” she said and started weeping. I rested my head on her feet and said “Woof”.
The End
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