B.O.L.T.

It has been almost a year since Bolt and I met. It felt like such a short time ago that he and I met in New York. I remember he pushed me against the dumpster and asked me where Penny is and the green eyed man. I thought he was crazy back when we first met. Ahhhh the good ol' days. But life now is so much better on the farm. I love having an owner again, because I'll never go hungry. Love and affection feels so great, and I never knew how great it was, which is why I didn't believe Bolt back in New York. I didn't think an actor could actually love their dog.

I hear the faint barking from inside the house. It's early morning and Bolt likes to talk to the pigeons on the front lawn. I walk slowly to the porch and attempt to listen in on their conversation. I am concerned as Bolt looks worried about something. He looks up suddenly and our eyes meet. He runs up to me and asks quickly, "Have you seen Penny?"

"No, why?," I utter slowly.

"Because she is usually back from the pet store around this time, and I'm worried something happened to her," he spoke anxiously.

"Hey, Bolt, I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe she's in traffic or something" I said reassuringly.

"I wanna go run in town and see if she's okay"

"Okay, Bolt, but I'm coming with you. You can't go by yourself"

Bolt and I head down the thin dirt road that eventually leads to the small town of Summerstone. The town is small, but it is well populated. The good thing about well populated areas, is the food that people drop on the ground. I even saw someone drop a fish stick once, oh how it was good. We walked to the intersection which leads to the farm. We kept going straight, to go to Summerstone. I feel like it always takes forever to get to town, because it is so much walking. Bolt never seems to get tired out, but when he is on a mission, he doesn't let anything get in the way. When I am almost about to collapse, I see a faint sign in the distance, and I get a wave of relief. Seeing the Summerstone sign gives me the motivation to walk just a little bit further. I just know we're close now as I see a faint building on the horizon. It gets closer and closer as Bolt and I approach the town. Since there weren't any cars that passed us on the way, we both assume that she was still in the pet shop.

We both curiously look around at people in town looking for Penny. We both start walking around town and inside stores looking for her. Bolt checks the big grocery market while I check the multiple smaller stores. The comic book store workers start petting me as soon as I walk in. I immediately start scanning the place for Penny. She's not here I thought. I have to find a way out of here as the worker is still petting me. I squirm out of the man's grip and out the open door onto the main walkway. I run to the big supermarket to see if Bolt found her yet. Running into the store, Bolt and I collide into each other, causing him to fall on top of me. He gets off of me quickly, but I am still a little shaken up from the collision as I am seeing stars. After the dizziness is gone, I asked Bolt of she was In there.

"No, she wasn't in there. Mittens, I'm really scared that something happened to her. We can't find her anywhere"

"Bolt, it's gonna be okay. Let's go check the pet shop. She probably just bought a lot of things"

We both quickly made our way to the pet store. The pet store is a risky place for a cat and a dog to be, because the workers can easily take us to the shelter. Bolt carefully opens the door and closes it slowly. I look around each corner but I don't see her, but I do see one of the workers. He comes right at me, picking me up so swiftly, as I struggle to be released. He jams me in a cage on the bottom floor and clanged it shut. As soon as the man leaves, Bolt appears in front of the cage.

"You see, Bolt, I knew this was a bad idea! We should of just stayed at home!"

"But-"

"No. You're always getting us in situations that would never have happened if you just stayed put!" By the time I finished that sentence, I knew the damage I had done. He had this look of despair on his face. This is a moment that I knew I would regret for a long time."Bolt.. I-"

And that was all I am able to say before he runs away. I can't believe that I really said that to him. I don't deserve him as a friend. He is probably better off without me. I look down at my claws and start to sharpen them with my teeth. My claws might be able to pick the lock. I jam my claw in the lock and wiggle it around until I hear a click. I open my cage and run down the aisle of the store. I look back to make sure the man isn't behind me. I walk out to the main walkway and make my way to the back of town. I can't go back to the farm after what I said to Bolt. I find a dumpster behind the supermarket and see a cardboard box. I turn it on its side, so that I had a little shelter. It was about noon right now as I see the sun is directly above me. I wonder if Penny and Bolt are back home yet. Do they miss me? Nah, they probably didn't notice I was gone... I soon fell asleep thinking about them.

I wake up to the rattling of the dumpster as a worker threw a trash bag inside. It looks like it is evening as it is getting dark outside. I had not been used to this in a while, because it's been almost a year since I have slept outside. The streets are emptying as people are getting back home to their families. It's been a really lonely day without Bolt around. Just as I am thinking about Bolt, I see this flyer with a polaroid of me on it. It reads:

Missing cat

She is black and goes by the name of Mittens

Ten thousand dollar reward.

Evening turns into night pretty quickly, and I am still staring at the flyer. They really do care about me. They really did notice I was gone. I slowly walk back to my cardboard box by the dumpster. I try closing my eyes and going to sleep but I just can't. The thought of Penny making flyers to find me really made me feel loved and appreciated. That is why Bolt dragged me all the way across the country. He was chasing the one person in his life who loves and appreciates him. If he hadn't gotten me in that situation, then I would have never met Penny. I have to go find Penny, only this time, I am doing it by myself. Just as I finish that thought, I see four white paws appear in front of me.

"Bolt! I am so glad to see you! Listen, I am really sorry for what I said this morning"

"It's Okay. I know you didn't mean it. Me and Penny have been looking all over for you, why didn't you come home?"

"Well… I thought that you were better off without me so I ran away. But after I saw the flyers, I saw that you guys really do care about me"

"Of course we care about you, Mittens. I found Penny shortly after I left you. She was out getting supplies for a birthday party she was planning to throw you. She had to drive to the next town over to get the supplies"

"Aw that is so sweet of her to do that"

And Bolt and I walked side by side down the dirt road as dawn broke on the horizon. The sun cast a gold ray of light on Penny's face as she ran toward us with the biggest smile on her face.