Wheeeee! Pop! Pop! Boom! Boooommmm!
Lights in the sky! Bright and dim! High and low!
Noises so deep and loud they hurt my ears!
I blinked my eyes against the brightness and my ears slapped against my head as I shook to clear them.
The bay of the hound around the corner was easy to pick out from the rest of the neighborhood dogs barking at the strange lights and noises. I barked too! What are those lights? Where is that terrible noise coming from? A dog somewhere began to howl. Something deep inside me made howl too.
The lights went high into the sky then fell toward my family. Barking and
growing fiercely did not make them turn. What to do? Why doesn't my family run away? I must protect them, but how do you chase off lights and noises?
Running from Jay to Gregory to Hannah and R.J. I nuzzled and nipped their
clothing. Why didn't they get up?
"Sparky! Stop! Sit and stay!" R.J.s voice was angry. Totally confused I sat down beside Gregory.
"It's OK Sparky, nothing's going to hurt you." Gregory whispered, hugging me close. I leaned into his arms and settled to watch the strange lights and tried to close my ears against the noises.
The lights and noises were almost stopped and everyone began walking toward the house when I heard the sound.
So faint I could barely make it out, I recognized the sound as Ming's cry for help. I stood and checked the area, perking my ears first one way then the other. Running across the yard to sniff out the flowers along the fence where she liked to hide and chase butterflies was no use, she was not there.
Shaking my head to clear my ears again I caught just a hint of another scared meow. Ming was in trouble!
Nose to the ground, I ran to the bush Ming liked to play in, but there was no scent. Where was that silly little cat? Running around the corner of my house I startled the fat gray cat that lives next door as she wandered across our front yard. Hissing and growling deep in her chest she raised a front paw as if to attack.
Sliding to a stop just inches from the gray cat I still got a full slap in the face with claws raised. Howling in pain I dove after her and was able to grab a mouthful of cat fur before I was jerked back by the collar and picked up.
"No Sparky! Bad dog! Leave that cat alone!" Hannahs voice is angrier than I have ever heard it. My ears flat against my head and I try to lick Hannahs face to let her know how sorry I am to make her angry, but she just turns her head and puts me down in the back yard.
"Maybe staying outside by yourself will make you think twice about chasing that poor gray cat! I don't know what is wrong with you tonight, but I won't have you attacking a poor cat just because she walks across the yard!"
I hate cats!
The cat's scent still in my nose as I ran to the fence, I jump as high as I can but the fence is too high. The cat is once again sitting on top of the fence, twitching its tail and watching me. I know barking does no good but I just can't help it, she makes me so mad!
I hate cats!
"Sparky Quiet!" R.J.s voice is so stern, and the slam of the back door startle me. I stop barking and lie down in the cool grass.
I hear the boys in the next yard but can't recognize any of the noises they are making. Walking in their direction I pick up a strange scent, and snuffle the bottom of the fence trying to get a better smell and maybe a look at what the boys were doing.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! The bright lights were bouncing around on the ground this time. Howling in pain the biggest boy ran from the lights, followed by the little one. The hole in the fence to small to see the whole yard I can't tell where the light is and why the smell suddenly got so much stronger. Something is very wrong and I don't know what!
Banging and booming drowns out my barking, but the boys' father runs into the yard. "Fire! Fire! Get me a hose! Dial 911!
Still barking as loud and long as I can I have to back away from the fence to avoid the flames. Why doesn't my family come? Can't they hear me and see the flames? There is that little sound again! Ming! Where is she?
The next meow is a little louder. She sounds so scared! I have to find her, but where could she be? "The tree! Put the hose on the tree!" I was so busy looking and sniffing for that stupid cat I didn't notice the firefighters had arrived and were pulling their big hoses out.
The tree in our yard was now on fire! Barking and scratching on the door finally got my familys attention, and Jay scooped me up in his arms as they all ran out of the house.
Ming screamed when water from the firefighters hose hit the tree. The tree! The dumb cat had climbed up the tree and been too afraid to climb back down again. She did the same thing a few days ago and R.J. had to climb up into the tree to rescue her. She is never going to learn anything!
The firefighter turned his hose off. "Did you hear something?"
Hannah yelled "The tree is going to catch our house on fire! Please turn the hose back on!"
Jay held tight to my collar, but by twisting my head and squirming I free myself.
Scratching on the tree and barking I try to make the humans understand Ming is in the tree.
"Sparky come here! Quiet! Come here!" Hannah reached for me, but I ducked out of her way and kept barking. I could not let the fireman turn the hose on Ming. I know how much she hates water and it would probably knock her out of the tree.
Laying the hose on the ground the firefighter walked to the tree. "There! I heard it again! A small meow, do you own a cat?"
"I hear it too! That's Ming!" Hannah began to cry.
"Do something! Please someone get her down before she burns up with the tree!" Another firefighter brought a ladder and climbed the tree while the first one carefully sprayed the flames.
Calmly talking to the scared kitten the firefighter barely missed getting scratched when Ming hissed and squirmed to get free as he climbed down and handed the silly kitten to Hannah.
Kneeling to ruffle my ears the firefighter remarks "You have that dog to thank for the kitten being safe. If we would have turned that high pressure hose on the tree the cat would have been blasted past the next house!"
"Sparky is our personal hero, we don't know what we would do without him."
Hannahs voice was shaky, "I think a big bowl of doggie treats is in order for such a wonderful little guy. Look, Ming wants to say thank you too."
Jumping from Hannahs arms, Ming lightly lands nose to nose with me, then makes a dash for the house.
I will never understand why anyone would want to have a dumb old cat around, especially one that keeps finding new ways cause problems, but I guess I'm glad she wasn't hurt.
I have a feeling trying to keep her out of trouble is going to become a full time job.
