Читать книгу Where Dreams Blossom: The Wind of Past Times - - Страница 4

Ethan-as-Rusty exploded out of the back door and into the crisp autumn air. Freedom! Real, honest-to-goodness, dog freedom! The world smelled a thousand times more exciting than it ever had before. Every blade of grass, every crunchy leaf, every passing squirrel held a fascinating story, whispered on the wind and captured by his twitching nose.

He bounded across the yard, reveling in the feel of the cool earth beneath his paws. He hadn’t realized how soft the grass actually was! It was like running on a giant, green, fluffy rug. The morning sun warmed his fur, and a gentle breeze ruffled his ears. He was a dog, and the world was his to explore!

First things first: squirrels. Those bushy-tailed bandits had been taunting him from the trees for years. Now, he was finally fast enough, agile enough, to give them a real run for their money. He took off, barking with delight, chasing a particularly cheeky squirrel up the oak tree in the corner of the yard. The squirrel, of course, was far too clever. It chattered mockingly from a high branch, flicking its tail as Ethan-as-Rusty huffed and puffed below.

«Just you wait!» Ethan barked, but the squirrel just laughed and scampered away.

Next on the agenda: cats. There was a particularly grumpy calico cat, Mrs. Higgins, who ruled the neighborhood with an iron paw. She always hissed at Ethan when he was human, and now… now he had a chance to even the score! He spotted her slinking along the fence, her tail twitching with annoyance. He crouched low to the ground, wiggled his butt, and then… POUNCE!

Mrs. Higgins yowled in surprise and leaped onto the top of the fence, her fur bristling. Ethan-as-Rusty barked triumphantly, wagging his tail. He had won! (For now.)

The rest of the morning was a whirlwind of sniffing, digging, and exploring. He discovered a whole new world hidden beneath the bushes, a secret kingdom of ants and beetles. He overturned a garbage can (sorry, Mr. Henderson!), scattering its contents across the lawn (the smells were amazing!). He chased after the spray from the sprinkler, reveling in the cool, refreshing shower. He rolled in the dirt, burying his nose in the earthy scent.

This was the life! This was what freedom truly felt like!

Meanwhile, Inside…

Rusty-as-Ethan stretched luxuriously in the warm bed. He sniffed the air. Mmm… delicious smells were wafting from the kitchen. A human word popped into his head: «Breakfast!» And suddenly, he felt an overwhelming urge to get to the kitchen.

He leaped out of bed and raced downstairs, his bare feet slapping against the wooden floor. He burst into the kitchen, tail… well, imaginary tail wagging furiously.

«Good morning, sleepyhead!» Mom said, smiling. «I made your favorite: oatmeal with blueberries.»

Ethan, or rather Rusty-as-Ethan, wrinkled his nose. Oatmeal? Yuck! He normally hated that gooey stuff. But today… it smelled… amazing. He sat down at the table, grabbed a spoon, and shoveled the oatmeal into his mouth. It was warm, sweet, and surprisingly delicious!

Mom stared at him in amazement. «Ethan! You’re eating your oatmeal! And you like it!» She clapped her hands with delight. «I’m so proud of you! Maybe now you’ll behave better.»

Rusty-as-Ethan just grinned and shoveled another spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth. This human world was full of surprises!

After breakfast, Mom pulled out a brush. «Time to tame that wild hair of yours,» she said, chuckling.

Rusty-as-Ethan sat still as she brushed his hair, enjoying the gentle pressure on his scalp. He usually squirmed and complained when Mom brushed his hair, but today it felt… nice.

As she brushed, Mom noticed something odd. Rusty-as-Ethan kept sniffing the air and twitching his nose. And he kept looking longingly out the window.

«Are you feeling okay, sweetie?» Mom asked, concerned. «You’re acting a little… dog-like today.»

Rusty-as-Ethan just wagged his (still imaginary) tail and licked his lips. He couldn’t explain to her that he was actually a dog. But he could enjoy this strange, new, human world. He was going to do the best he could, even if it meant going to… school!