“I’ll take good care of him.” Lie. “He will be my best friend.” Lie. The man, with the big strong arms I fear, held me close in the dead of the winter as we made our way to his truck. I sat with my paws on the dashboard and we drove away on the smooth road. When we got out of sight of anyone he pushed me down. “Off!” he shouted louder than a puppy needs to hear. The truck pulled up to a house and he brought me inside. Last time I saw pure light.

I lied awake in the cold of the night. Sharp pain comes from my neck. Nothing was new. The chain dug into my neck and was pretty much a part of me. The chain has been around there since I was picked up as a cuddle puppy. Blood stained the metal. I put my head on my paws and sighed. The sun slowly rose and I wondered like I always did, what today? When I saw the small light turn on in the house, I rose from my sleeping place on the gravel. I walked over to the bowl next to me and licked up some rainwater from the bottom. My feet weakly walked a little further but the wood pole behind me jerked and I fell backward. Two feet of chain was all I ever had, every day. Five years I have been restrained from walking any further than the edge of the grass and into the shade. So I sat here, in the heat of Arizona. My bare ribs burned in the heat and I panted for water, but none would come. “Hey, Maggot!” my owner called, “Get your food!” Maggot, what a loving name. He walked over with a hand full of leftover breakfast and dropped onto the rocks in front of me. I looked up and tried not to attack him. Last time I did, well let’s just say I have scars. I ate slowly and thought if it would be the only food of the day. Probably. Scorching heat hit me and my black fur absorbed it like a magnet.

I fell asleep and awoke to the sound of screaming. Two feet with high heels were planted in front of my eyes. “My word!” shrieked the lady “What kind of a owner are you” She marched away and swatted away my owner’s hands. “Mary” rolled across my owner’s tongue. He turned around when she left. Fire blazed in his eyes. “Your fault! This is all your fault!” He shouted. He turned away and stormed into his house and came back with a crowbar. I have been hit with it before but nothing could describe the pain I was about to feel. Whack. “You stupid dog!” Whack. “Why did I ever get you!” Whack. “Nobody loves you!” Whack. Darkness filled the light in my eyes. I fell in a heap on the ground. Police sirens filled the air and people surrounded me. “Will he live?” asked an old lady. I closed my eyes and everything went silent. Goodbye, my owner. Goodbye, hell.