Henry Wang Hengle, Grade 8, BASIS International School Shenzhen

Chapter 4 Sawyer the dog

I lay there, sprawled across the muddy road, unconscious, for how long I did not recall or have the slightest trace of an idea. For in that dark hour, I was totally miserable, afraid to move or to make a sound. All I knew was that I was a small twig in a hostile forest ready to be crushed by other gigantic creatures. I was hopeless for the first time since the commencement of the undertaking.

I sweated a great quantity during the night, and when I forced myself to wake up the next morning, I felt the cold breeze sweeping my insides and chilling my bones, last night’s dream still exceptionally vivid in my throbbing head.

The otherwise bright and clear morning felt cold and miserable to me. I was enshrouded in the injustice that I had endured the night before and throughout my life, infuriated at my fate and doubtful of myself.

With my stomach growling under the painful strains of hunger, I stood up. My body was tired as well. I had half a mind to return to my cleaning post in Monroe, but no. I couldn’t give up hope, I wouldn’t give up hope. Hope was like an invisible rope pulling me forward, firmly guiding me on a path of unknown and uncertainty through darkness and light.

“I will not go back,” I decided firmly in my heart. “I won’t give up my responsibility of finding hope for our world.”

My heart was set for a new day of adventure. I was not walking for long when I suddenly heard a voice, distinct but soft. I stopped abruptly, turning around suspiciously to investigate the source of this most mysterious disturbance.

Having not seen anything, I resumed my pace and promenaded on, but a second voice of the same description and quality reached my ears, and I turned around my torso for the second time. It was a dog; a little brown dog no more than half a meter long, bounding into view, barking softly with happiness.

The dog, seeing my curious form, also stopped. He stared at me, his brown little eyes concentrated in effort to discern whether I was trustful or not. I looked back at him with what I hoped was a kind and understanding complexion.This continued for a while, but the dog did not retreat or show signs of fear or hostility. He seemed to be waiting for me to react first.