<b>TIMBER - A DOG HERO (AkA ADH) </b>

by Paige in my world of make-believe

TIMBER - A DOG HERO
By PAIGE D.

Introduction
Hello. My name is Timber. I’m a black and white Siberian Husky. I live in the woods with my two companions, Lester and Barker. Barker is an Alaskan Malamute mix, brown, tan and black. Lester is a orange stripped tabby cat.
Barker, Lester and I were owned, but were getting abused so we ran away. That was a year ago though. We’re now adapted to the forest and like it. But I’m not writing this part of my life to tell you about where I live. Oh no! I wrote this story because ... well, you probably think that if a dog is abused it wouldn’t like humans. Well, that’s not exactly true. It’s not true because... oh, just read!

I woke up one morning to the bees buzzing and the birds chirping. I blinked, lifted my head and looked around. Lester and Barker were sound asleep next to me. It was early fall and the leaves were bright orange and yellow. I pulled my furry body off the ground and stretched. I yawned and said out loud, “what a beautiful day.” Suddenly I heard something from the bushes behind me. I turned my head in that direction, but saw nothing. Lester sat up and did a little yawn.
“So what’s happening” she asked. (yes I know, Lester is a boy’s name, but alas, she’s a girl.)
“I.. I thought I heard something,” I stuttered.
“You probably just heard a...” Lester stopped in her sentence. We heard it again.
“Do you think we should wake up Barker” asked Lester. (Even if Barker is just a little bigger than me, he sure is a lot stronger and braver, even though I am pretty brave and fairly strong.)
“Um-m-m-m yeah, good idea,” I replied.
Suddenly a red and white fur ball with dagger like teeth came flying out of the bushes and pounced on me.
“Ah-h-h-h!” I cried as the creature bit into my fur. Then saw
Barker. He was laughing his head off!
Lester and I were in shock and by this time the red fur ball was off me.
“Sorry Timber, I couldn’t help it”.
“Urge-g-g-g!” I growled. “Youknow! Why did you do that!” I yelled. Youknow, the fox, was trying to hold back his laughter.
“Sorry mate, you-u-u-u kno-o-o-w I always love to do pranks,” he said.
“Ger.-r-r-r-r-r,” I turned my attention to Lester who was still in shock.
“Le-e-es-s-ster-r-r,” Barker walked over to her and waved a paw in her face.
She slowly bared her teeth in a fierce growl. It all happened in slow motion. Lester pounced, Barker quickly ducked. Lester went right for her target. (If you haven’t ever noticed, cats are pretty quick.)
“Lester furiously screamed at Youknow. “YOUKNOW!!! You know I have quick panic attacks.
“Gee Les, sorry.” (Les is one of her nick names.) I guess I forgot. But you should know that you could have a heart attack if you scream too much,” said Barker snickering.
“Oh shut up” Lester hissed and leaped off of Youknow. I don’t think Youknow ever takes life seriously. Actually, I don’t think he thinks at all.
“So what are yo-o-o-ou doing here?” asked Lester
“Oh nothing, just POUNCED in to say hi!
“Uh uh, yeah right”, I said, “what food do you want now?” Ever since we found Youknow, who at the time was only 5 months old, he was always asking for food. And since we had the brains (well… me), the director, (Lester), and the working dogs, (mostly Barker and me), we could easily catch food.
“Oh, well, since you said that,” I would like Squirrel please.” said Youknow.
“Oh, come on Youknow, you could catch a squirrel easily”, said Lester, frowning.
“Les, you know I don’t know how to catch squirrels… only mice. And since it’s Fall, most of the forest mice haven’t come out yet.”
“Oh, whatever!”, I said. I went over to the digging spot and dug up a left over squirrel from yesterday and threw it toward Youknow. H e grabbed it with his mouth and between clenched teeth, said “thanks Bud”, and vanished in to the trees.
I looked up at the sky. It was fairly clear with little gray clouds, like streaks of hair. I knew it would rain later today, it did yesterday too. The problem was that we had no shelter where we were, so we had to move somewhere else, and fast!
“Come on you guys we need to move, it’s going to rain soon, ”I said
“Yeah good idea,” Barker said looking at the sky.
“I agree,” Lester said, and we set off.

About 20 minutes later we came to a big waterfall. We were standing on some rocks on top of it. All of our feet were tired so we stopped to rest.
“Ah-h-h-h,” Lester said, this feels so-o-o-o good. Her stomach was flat on the warm rocks.
“Wow, this is so cool,” Barker said amazed.
Suddenly Barker began to slip off the rocks!
“Yo, dog, move!” came a big booming voice.
Lester and I turned our heads in time to see a huge brown and white Saint Bernard come bouncing towards us.
It all happened in a slip of time. Barker was slipping off the edge and this big Saint Bernard, who just showed up out of nowhere, ran right into Barker. Barker did a little slide and slid right into Lester. But in doing that, the Saint Bernard slide off the edge himself. He grabbed the edge with his claws and clung on. I ran over.
“No!” he suddenly cried.
“What are you saying, I’m helping you!” I said in a frightened voice.
“No!” he said again, “I deserve to die.”
“There must be something I can do” I yelled.
“There is, save three humans.” He said and then let go to plunge to his death!
I turned to Lester and Barker almost in tears.
“We would’ve helped you, but it was too late.” Barker replied, his head low.
“What did he say?” asked Lester.
“He… he said to save three humans.” I replied.
“I wonder what he meant by that?” asked Lester.
“Well let’s keep moving, shall….” started Barker when we suddenly heard a yelp and then a big SPLASH, from somewhere down below.
“we?” Barker finished.
I could tell he was trying to erase everything from his mind that just happened. I wished I could too, but I couldn’t. Why did he want to plunge to his death. Why did he deserve it, and why did he want me to save three humans? Well it’s not that I don’t like humans it’s just, I don’t trust them. Besides what humans could you help in a forest? I let my mind run off as I followed Lester and Barker into the forest.
“Hey a cave,” cried Barker running over to a little opening between two rocks. He quickly slipped through it.
“Oh wow!” he said
“Wow is right! It’s huge!” exclaimed Lester as her slender body slipped in too.
Suddenly as I was about to go in too, I heard a faint cry for help!
“Help!” it cried, “someone help!” Only it wasn’t an animal’s cry. Oh no. It was a human’s cry and it was coming towards me! I went into a panic! It sounded just like a kid. Should I help him or run and hide? I didn’t have time to decide.
Out of the trees came a little kid about eight or nine.
“Oh” he cried and stopped where he was.
I just stood there unable to move. The boy just stood there too, eyes wide, I could see tear stains down his cheeks. I realized that he was lost. I had this strong urge to run and hide in the safety of my cave, but I held back.
“Tim…” Lester and Barker came out of the cave.
The boy stood there paralyzed to the spot. He stared at me and Barker. Lester was behind us hidden from view.
“You guys,” I whispered not taking an eye off the boy, “I think we should help him.”
“Are you kidding!” Lester whispered back, “remember what owner did…. ?”
“That was someone else,” I interrupted, “besides what could he do?”
Barker answered this time. “Maybe this is what the Saint Bernard was talking about. Maybe you need to help him.”
“Right then. You guys go in. I’ll handle this.” I said.
Barker nor Lester refused.
I put my head low and, careful not to make eye contact (just in case I scared him), moved slowly towards him. He gasped and staggered backwards. Suddenly he stumbled backwards. I was quick though, I ran over and pulled at his pants towards my cave.
“No!” he cried and pulled his pants out of my mouth. I put my head down and whimpered. This isn’t going to work. I though. He just stood there again looking at me. I just want him to know that my friends and I aren’t mean. I thought. I sadly tucked in my tail and made my way back into my cave.
“Wait, he cried”. I looked back. “Here doggy. I’m sorry. Do you want me to follow you?”
I barked enthusiastically for him follow. I slid through the opening of the cave and saw that a ray of sunlight was shining through a fairly big hole in the roof. Because of the bright light, we could see well. I saw Barker and Lester inside the cave trying to sleep. The boy slipped in and looked around. He was very cautious when he saw Barker. But when he saw that little cat Lester with us big dogs, he started laughing. A short giggle that grew louder. Pretty soon we were all laughing. Of course, to him we sounded like dying animals.
He suddenly stopped and yawned. We were all pretty tired and tomorrow I knew we had to show the boy the way to town. (That’s where all humans come from.)
The thunder boomed and it started to pour. The little boy began to tremble. Lester, Barker and I went in a corner to try to sleep. There was really nothing we could do for the boy that night. The boy slowly approached us. I lay on my side, so the boy could rest his head on my furry stomach. Then he fell fast asleep.
We woke up early in the morning for our trip to town. The boy woke up yawning loudly. We led him out and we started on our journey.
About 30 minutes later we found the main road. The boy happily jumped up and down.
“Man my feet are killing me,” moaned Barker.
“Come on guys, we need to get him home,” I urged. We started walking again.
“But what if the animal control tried to pick us up?” whined Barker.
“Oh pleeease,” Lester said rolling her eyes. “As long as we are with the kid we won’t get captured.”
“Samuel,” cried a voice and a woman came running out of a nearby house. She swept the boy quickly off his feet.
“Mom,” he squealed and hugged her.
“We better get out of here before she calls animal control,” said Barker.
“My, my, what friends have you met?” asked Samuel’s mother.
“Those dogs and that cat show me the way back home.” “They live in the forest.”
“They do, do they?” she said smiling. “Well why don’t we welcome them in.”
Lester and Barker eyed me.
“Well, I am hungry, and what could the-e-e-e-y do to us?”, I asked. They both sighed and we made our way in to the lightly lit house. Two older girls were sitting at a table.
“Sam!” they cried as they came up to hug him.
“Oh Mom, why did you bring two wolves and a tabby cat in here?” asked a girl with a frown.
“Oh Honey, these animal saved little Sammy. They brought him back to town.”
“Maybe they’re rescue animals!” exclaimed the older girl.
“But Mom we don’t have any food for them,” said the older girl.
“Oh Andrea, don’t be so negative all the time.” They can have table scraps replied the mother
“But where will they sleep?” asked the smaller girl.
“They could sleep in the barn with Harvey and Ms. Madison.” piped Samuel
“Good idea,” said the mother.
“Savannah, you gather food scraps,” she said looking at her younger daughter.
“Andrea, you get some bowls and water.”
We just sat there watching the house bustle with excitement.
“I wonder if they have a father?” asked Lester, watching them.
Samuel came up to us and patted our heads.
“Now you three be nice to Harvey and Madison. You can’t eat them.” he said.
I tilted my head. “Who’s Harvey and Madison?”
“Someone or something we would likely eat,” said Barker.
Andrea, Savannah and Samuel led us to what they call the barn. When we stepped in I was surprised to see a horse and a rabbit lying next to each other. (It was sort of like seeing one little cat and two big dogs next to each.) When we were fully inside the rabbit quickly ran behind the horse. The horse was very casual. It was lying, staring off in to space. The rabbit I saw, before it ran behind the horse, was all white with a brown tail. The horse was tan with a black mane and tail.
“Alright you three. Here’s some table scraps and have a good night,” said Andrea. And she walked out the door with Savannah following.
“Bye, bye guys,” said Samuel and he walked out the door.
“I think he likes us,” Lester said.
“Oh Harvey, stop burying yourself under my tail” said a high pitched lady’s voice.
“Oh, hello there wolves and ….cat.” said the horse.
“Ah hum. We’re not wolves” I said. I’m a Siberian Husky and Barker is an Alaskan Malamute”.
“Oh, well sorry. I didn’t know” she said.
“You shouldn’t be talking to them,” said a muffled man’s voice. “They are outsiders, killers. Do you know what they eat Ms. Madison? Do you?” said the voice.
“Me! They eat me!”
“How come your tail is talking?” asked Lester.
“Oh silly girl! It’s not my tail. It’s Harvey, my roommate. A bunny,” said Ms. Madison, the horse, as she lifted up her tail.
“Ahhhh!” cried the bunny. “Cover me up. Cover me up.”
Ms. Madison rolled her eyes. “They’re not going to eat us,” she said. “I mean, why would our owners bring un someone who is going to eat us?”
“I know why” said Harvey shakily. “Because those meat eaters put mind spells on our owners and made them bring them here.”
Barker laughed. “The horse is right. We are not going to eat you. Besides, we have food already. And we aren’t going to stay long either.”
“And you are?” asked Ms. Madison.
“My name is Barker. That is Timber and Lester.”
“Nice to meet you. Don’t mind Harvey. He’s a bit jumpy around strangers.” Ms Madison said.
“He also has a bit of an imagination,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Well, you are welcome to our barn, if you don’t eat us,” replied Ms. Madison.
“We won’t,” we all said together.
“Well, if you are all staying, then you will get to know us a little bit better,” said Mr. Madison.
“I don’t think we’ll be staying that long,” I replied.
“You can sleep over there in the hay. It’s very comfortable you know,” Ms. Madison noted.
We ate our dinner and settled in for a long night. And that’s when everything went wrong!

It started late at night. Barker, Lester and I were huddled up in the hay. Ms. Madison and Harvey were sound asleep across from us. Barker and Lester were asleep, but for some reason I could not sleep. There was a certain feeling of dread that was making my sixth sense tingle. Suddenly, I smell something. Approximately two humans, about 18 years old or so. Thump, thump, thump. Quick footsteps thudded outside the barn.
“Timber!” I looked to my left and saw Barker and Lester wide awake.
“Timber, did you hear that?” Barker asked. I nodded my head yes.
“What do you reckon it is?” came Ms. Madison’s voice. We all looked over and saw two pairs of eyes starring at us… Madison and Harvey.
“I believe it’s two teenage boys,” I replied.
Then we heard it. Whispering. Muffled, nervous, whispering coming from outside.
“Great they found us. The H.I. found us and he’s brought his army,” whispered Harvey.
“What’s an H.I.?” asked Barker.
“Oh nothing. Just his imagination,” Ms. Madison said.
“ It is not my imagination,” Harvey said defiantly. ”An H. I. is the abbreviation for High Inquisitor. And he’s found us!”
“Come on, let’s go,” we heard from outside.
“No. What if someone’s in there?” another voice asked.
“Of course not. Don’t be silly Jason. Let’s go.” We heard more whispering from outside.
“Eeech, it’s him!. The H.I. and his sidekick agent, Jason!” cried Harvey.
“Oh don’t be silly,” whispered Ms. Madison. But I could see fear in her eyes.
“Well, just in case it’s something bad,” Lester began. “let’s hide behind that tractor.” She pointed to a big red thing and we all ran over and hid behind it.
“We should get out of here,” whispered Harvey.
“Shhh”, said Ms. Madison.
The door slowly opened and in popped two heads.
“Hello? Anyone home?” called a boy.
“OH MY GOSH. They are so stupid, “ Lester said.
“Go on Jason. Just go!” said the other boy.
“I don’t know. I still think this isn’t a good idea,” said Jason.
“Come on. Just one little smoke. You won’t hurt anyone.” You want to get back at Andrea don’t you.”
“Well yeah, but…” said Jason.
“Well then come on,” urged the other boy.
They made their way slowly into the barn.
“Alright Jason. Light it.”
Suddenly a bright fiery light flared up where the two boys were standing.
“Alright, all you have to do is….” said the other boy.
Suddenly the barn door burst open and in stormed Andrea and Savannah. Their faces were furious and scary.
“Jason, Bobby, I thought it was you,” yelled Andrea. “Now drop that lighter.”
It all happened so fast. Jason, who was holding the lighter, let it fall from his hands into the hay.
“No!” cried Savannah, as the hay quickly caught on fire.
“Run!” yelled Bobby who ran past Andrea and Savannah with Jason behind him.
By now the fire was burning so fast, it was starting to go up the barn walls.
“Oh no!” cried Andrea, and she ran straight in to the fire.
“Andrea!” yelled Savannah, “find the animals.” But Andrea didn’t answer back. She was lost in the fire.
“Harvey, Madison, Lester, Barker! Get out” I cried.
Ms. Madison wasted no time. She galloped right out of the fire, past Savannah, almost knocking her backward.
“But Timber,” started Lester, “
“No. Go. I know what I have to do,” I yelled.
Barker and Lester ran out. But Harvey was still sitting in the hay, paralyzed with fear. I quickly grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and ran out of the barn. When I ran out, I saw Savannah was gone.
“She must have gone in to the fire too,” I thought. I ran back in to the fiery barn desperately trying to find Savannah and Andrea. I started to bark. Long, terrified barks. I could feel my mouth fill with smoke.
Suddenly, I saw them. Only….
“Oh no.” Andrea was on the ground with Savannah crying beside her.
I barked loudly over and over. Savannah looked and suddenly fell over unconscious. I did the only thing possible. I grabbed Andrea’s shirt with my mouth and pulled. It seemed forever before we got out of the barn. We had to dodge falling fiery timber.
Andrea was fine. A little burnt and knocked out, but I could tell she was okay. My feet and tail were burnt but I went back in for Savannah. At first, I could not see anything besides smoke. Then I saw a lump on the floor. It was Savannah still unconscious, smoke filling her nostrils with every breath. I grabbed and pulled her out of the barn and next to her sister. I collapsed on the grass beside them.
We were out. We were safe. That is all I could think of. I passed out from too much smoke filling my lungs.
I woke up. At least I thought I did. “How did I get here?” I asked dazed.
“It’s a dream” came a voice I recognized. I looked beside me and saw the same Saint. Bernard that plunged to his death over the waterfall.
“I thought you were dead?” I asked.
“Am I not?” he replied.
I looked at him. He looked a bit gray, like he lost all his colors.
“But then, am I dead?” I asked.
“No, this is your dream, but it’s sort of real,” he said. “I needed to tell you something.”
I looked at him surprised. “You, a ghost, wants to tell me something?”
“Yes, I wanted to say thank you. You did what I asked you to.” he said.
“What was that?” I wondered in my head.
“You saved three people” he answered.
“Did you just read my….?” I started.
“Not only did you save three humans,” he interrupted, “you saved the little boy Samuel, that I found lost in the forest. You also saved a bunny, an animal you would expect to eat.”
“Oh, I guess I did,” I said.
“I’m very proud of you Timber. You are a dog hero.”
I jumped at the name hero as I did not think I was one. Suddenly the Saint Bernard started to fade away.
“Wait! Will I see you again?” I asked.
“No, but I will see you. And Timber remember. It’s not just what you do to be a hero, it’s also who you are and what you do,” he said and faded away completely.
“Timber, wake up! Come on , don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead,” came a voice.
“What.” I blinked and woke up. Lester and Barker were leaning over me.
“Oh, we thought you passed on,” Lester exclaimed.
“Where… Where am I” I asked.
“That doesn’t matter Timber. Do you know what you are?” Barker asked. “You’re a hero!”
“A hero.” I repeated as I was dozing off again. “A hero.”
“Timber! Timber!” Barker cried.
“No, let him be,” I heard Lester say. “Let him sleep.”

That’s pretty much all I remember about those days. Lester, Barker and I all now live with Samuel, Andrea, Savannah, and their mother. It turns out they don’t have a father.
Well, I guess you could consider me a different type of hero. I know Samuel, Andrea and Savannah do.