Foresight
Chapter One – The Visitor
It was five days after he had left. Dib now lay under a bare tree and awoke slowly as the early morning sunlight penetrated his eyelids. A girl walking by stopped when she saw him and threw up her arms.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm okay."
"What's wrong? No kid should be out this early!"
"What about you?"
"Probably the same reason as you. I ran away."
"Why?"
"A loved one died."
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
"What happened to you?"
"My family doesn't love me."
"Hey, you used to have a puppy, didn't you?"
"Yes. How'd you know?"
"I can't tell you. What was his name?"
"Rusty. I liked Rusty."
"Dib?"
"Yes?"
"I have a present for you. After all, it's Christmas."
"Really? You have a present for me?"
"Yes. Here." From behind her, a golden retriever toddled into view and stared affectionately into Dib's eyes.
"Rusty?" The dog licked his hand and let out a small "woof." "How'd you..." Dib looked up to where the girl was in perplexity. All that remained of her was a scarf. He looked back at the dog and it was almost as if he said, "She's a ghost." Forgetting the events quickly, Dib ruffled the fur of the lovable creature and whispered in his ear, "It's okay, boy, we're going to be okay."
Rusty gaped at Dib again; only this time sorrow was in his eyes. He could nearly tell what he was thinking, "I want to go home..."
"It's okay, boy, we're going home. We're going home."
Chapter One – The Visitor
It was five days after he had left. Dib now lay under a bare tree and awoke slowly as the early morning sunlight penetrated his eyelids. A girl walking by stopped when she saw him and threw up her arms.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
"Huh? Oh, I'm okay."
"What's wrong? No kid should be out this early!"
"What about you?"
"Probably the same reason as you. I ran away."
"Why?"
"A loved one died."
"Oh, I'm so sorry."
"What happened to you?"
"My family doesn't love me."
"Hey, you used to have a puppy, didn't you?"
"Yes. How'd you know?"
"I can't tell you. What was his name?"
"Rusty. I liked Rusty."
"Dib?"
"Yes?"
"I have a present for you. After all, it's Christmas."
"Really? You have a present for me?"
"Yes. Here." From behind her, a golden retriever toddled into view and stared affectionately into Dib's eyes.
"Rusty?" The dog licked his hand and let out a small "woof." "How'd you..." Dib looked up to where the girl was in perplexity. All that remained of her was a scarf. He looked back at the dog and it was almost as if he said, "She's a ghost." Forgetting the events quickly, Dib ruffled the fur of the lovable creature and whispered in his ear, "It's okay, boy, we're going to be okay."
Rusty gaped at Dib again; only this time sorrow was in his eyes. He could nearly tell what he was thinking, "I want to go home..."
"It's okay, boy, we're going home. We're going home."