A Pug Tale
Page 6
I am not scared of Vacuum since I tore her arm off, but we are not on good terms. I don’t trust her. I constantly remind her that I am the head of the family.
Why would they leave me alone with Vacuum?
I walk over to my crate and lie down. I am completely stumped; I don’t know what to do or what is happening. I go back over the conversation from earlier. Ben said they would be back for me. He wouldn’t lie, and my family wouldn’t leave me behind. I start to close my eyes, but I see Vacuum out of the corner of my eye.
What about Vacuum?
As much as I don’t like Vacuum, I know they can’t leave her behind, either. It wouldn’t be right. She’s been with the family almost as long as I have. She is a bit of a bully. On the other hand, she adds mystery and adventure to my life.
I know what I need to do.
I get up and walk over to Vacuum. I bark once to let her know I’m on her side. Then I grab one of her arms and start pulling her toward my crate, but she topples over onto the ground.
Whoops.
I grab her arm again and start pulling. She’s heavier than I remember, but I have enough strength. After an exhausting few minutes, Vacuum is next to my crate. I tell her to get up, but she doesn’t listen, and after a few minutes of trying, I give up. There is no way I can get her standing again.
I walk into my crate and lie down. It was exhausting work, but hopefully my family will understand.
I wake up to the front door opening.
“Zelda, it’s time to go to your new home,” Hannah says. I dart to her and greet her with a lick to the face to show my appreciation for her return. “It’s good to see you, too.”
“What happened here?” she asks, walking to Vacuum. “Did you get mad at the vacuum again?” she says with a laugh. “Okay, let’s get you loaded up.”
Hannah takes my crate, food bowl, and water dish to her car. She returns inside and grabs my leash. I run over to Vacuum and bark.
“It’s time to go,” Hannah says, coming toward me with the leash. I dart away, and she follows me. I sprint back to Vacuum and grab her arm, pulling her toward the door.
“No, Zelda, leave it,” Hannah says. I can’t mess up my chance to leave with Hannah, so I obey against my instincts. I slowly walk to the door. Hannah leashes me, and we go for a ride, leaving Vacuum behind.
Should I have done more?
The ride is surprisingly short. We pull into the driveway of an unfamiliar house. The big truck is there, along with Nate’s black car. I jump out of the car, and Hannah leads me up the front steps.
“Hi, Z Bug,” Lucy says as I enter the house. She bends over and gives me a pet on my forehead wrinkles. I sneeze in her face; for some reason, petting my forehead always makes me sneeze.
“C’mon, I will show you our new house.” Lucy takes the leash from Hannah.
Lucy leads me through the house—the living room, dining room, kitchen, and bedrooms. This house has two stairways! One stairway goes down; the other goes up. I recognize much of the stuff in the house—my couch and chair, the beds, and the boxes. The house is bigger than the last—so much more room for pug sprints. I can’t wait to try it out when the boxes disappear.
After our tour, Lucy takes me back to the living room. Hannah and Nate are sitting together on the couch, and Ben’s in the chair. I jump into Nate’s lap.
“Welcome to your new home, Zelda,” Nate says. Mystery solved. The boxes and I are in a new home. I reach up and lick Nate’s face.
Read on by picking up The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga.
Afterword
I want to thank a few people who were big supporters of this project. First, thanks to my family for supporting my writing career and everything I do. A special thanks to my mother who constantly reminds me of the proper place to put commas and proofreads my work. Another special thanks to Elspeth Peterjohn for her encouragement and for proofreading the collection. Thanks to Michael McFarland for designing an awesome cover. Thanks to my husband, Brian, for not thinking I am crazy for pursuing a career in writing. And finally, thanks to our pug, Zelda, for inspiring these stories and bringing joy and laughter into our home.
About the Author
Author Kristen Otte writes funny books for kids that parents can trust. She is also known to write books for teens. Most of the time Kristen is chasing someone around her house–her son, her dogs, even her husband. If she isn’t doing that, she is probably writing, reading, or enjoying the outdoors.
Learn more about Kristen and Zelda at
www.kristenotte.com
kristen@kristenotte.com
Series By Kristen Otte
The Adventures of Zelda is a laugh-out-loud chapter book series about a pug who has an appetite for adventure for ages 7 and up.
The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale
The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga
The Adventures of Zelda: Pug and Peach
The Adventures of Zelda: The Four Seasons
The Adventures of Zelda: The One & Only Pug
Charlie Baker is the new kid at school, and he’s from outer space. Can he keep his big secret? Alien Kid is an exciting middle grade series for ages 9 and up that love to laugh.
Alien Kid
Alien Kid 2 (Coming Fall 2017)
Eastbrook is a contemporary young adult series focused on teenagers trying to find their way with family, friends, and sports for ages 13 and up.
The Perfect Smile (Eastbrook 0.5)
The Photograph (Eastbrook 1)
The Evolution of Lillie Gable (Eastbrook 2)
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Also by Kristen Otte
Alien Kid
Alien Kid 2: Goshen's Secret
Alien Kid 3: The Principal Problem
Alien Kid
The Adventures of Zelda
The Adventures of Zelda: The Second Saga
The Adventures of Zelda: Pug and Peach
The Adventures of Zelda: The Four Seasons
The Adventures of Zelda: The One and Only Pug
The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale
Watch for more at Kristen Otte’s site.