Read Online Ellie's Story by W. Bruce Cameron - Free Book Online Page B

I was being punished. But for what?
    For biting the man with the gun? Biting people was not part of Finding them; I knew that. And now Jakob was hurt. The memory of his pain and the smell of his blood made me whimper as I lay there.
    I remembered how I’d felt when I was a puppy and Jakob had left me in the apartment. I’d been worried, each time, but Jakob had always come back. The thought made me feel better. Jakob would come back. All I had to do was wait.
    The next few days were even more confusing. I lived in the kennel. A few times a day one of the police officers would come and let me out into the yard, but they never had Work for me to do and they would put me back into the kennel quickly and hurry away.
    Amy talked to me and played with me a little, but she and Cammie were gone a lot of the time. Sometimes Gypsy wanted to play I’ve Got the Ball and You Don’t, but I did not feel like it. Mostly I sat at the gate, waiting.
    Slowly Jakob’s smell faded from the yard. Even when I concentrated, I could not locate him. If I was supposed to Find him, I would not be able to. The thought made me bark anxiously until Amy came to let me out and pet me and talk to me.
    I couldn’t understand her words, but I felt a little better. That day I played with Gypsy and got the ball away from her twice.
    A few days later, Amy brought her lunch out to a table in the yard. Cammie and I were in the kennel together, but all he wanted to do was nap. He wasn’t interested in playing, even when I showed him a rubber bone one of the police officers had given me.
    I didn’t understand what Cammie’s job was. Why would anyone want to have a nap dog?
    Cammie was interested in Amy’s lunch, however. She let us both out, and he walked over to the table and sat down heavily at her feet. He sighed, as if he had many serious problems that could only be cured with a bite of her ham sandwich.
    A woman came out and joined Amy, sitting down at the other side of the table.
    â€œHi, Maya,” said Amy.
    Maya had dark hair and dark eyes and was tall for a woman. Her arms looked strong. Her pants smelled faintly of cats. She sat down and opened a little box, then took a fork out of it and began chomping on something spicy. “Hi, Amy,” she said. “Hello, Ellie.”
    Maya didn’t say hello to Cammie, I noticed. I liked that. I liked her. I liked Amy, too, but Amy belonged to Cammie. She wasn’t my human, the way Jakob had been.
    When would Jakob come back? He’d been gone such a long time. Maya, though, was right here. And she smelled good. So did her food. I moved closer to her. She petted me, smoothing down the fur on my head. I caught a whiff of soap and tangy tomatoes on her skin.
    â€œDid you put in your paperwork?” Amy asked.
    â€œFingers crossed,” Maya replied.
    I lay down and gnawed at my rubber bone. Maybe Maya would see how much fun I was having and decide to coax my attention back by offering me a bite of her lunch.
    â€œPoor Ellie. She’s got to be so confused,” Amy said.
    I looked up. Lunch?
    â€œYou sure you really want to do this?” Amy asked.
    Maya sighed, and I could feel some tension coming off her. “I know it’s hard work. But what isn’t, you know? I’m just getting to that point; it’s the same old thing every day. I’d like to try something new, do something different for a few years. Hey, you want a taco? My mom made them. They’re really good.”
    â€œNo thanks.”
    I sat up. Taco? I wanted a taco!
    Maya wrapped up the rest of her lunch, as if I weren’t even there. “You people in K-9 are all in such good shape. Losing weight is so hard for me … you think I can hack it?”
    â€œWhat? No, you’re fine! Didn’t you pass the physical?”
    â€œSure,” Maya said.
    â€œWell, there you go.” Amy stuffed her trash into a little paper sack. “I mean, if you want