Chapter 2

Bolt was sitting in a dark barn. He was alone.

He drummed his paws on the wall. He was bored.

He looked around. The barn was in pretty good shape. Hard to escape.

"Don't even think about it." A voice threatened.

"Why am I here?" Bolt asked.

A brown wolf dog padded out of the shadows. "You've got a lot of nerve asking that. You killed…how many was it?"

Bolt frowned. "I stepped on an ant a year ago. Is that why I'm here?"

Balto grabbed Bolt by the collar and hoisted him up. "You've killed so many people Butcher." He noticed the collar. "Or should I call you Bolt?"

"That would be more appropriate." Bolt stated. "And you are…Dirty Harry?"

Balto frowned. "No. Who's Dirty Harry? Your associate?"

Bolt arched an eyebrow. "Dirty Harry? Clint Eastwood? Doesn't ring a bell?"

Balto shook his head. "You are as crazy as they say."

Bolt frowned. "What year is this?"

Balto chuckled. "You're more than crazy. What are you comatose? It's 1929."

Bolt's eyes widened. "1929? That's bad."

"Bad for you. Tomorrow we're giving you to the farmer."

Bolt stared at the wolf dog. "What does that mean?"

Balto chuckled again. "The farmer owned all the livestock you slaughtered. I'm sure him and his double barreled shotgun will be very happy to have you."

Bolt's expression changed to one of fear. "He's gonna shoot me?"

Balto nodded. "I normally feel sorry when dogs are executed. But you killed my friend. He was a good dog. Nikki. Does that name ring a bell?"

Bolt shook his head. "I don't even know your name."'

"My name is Balto."

Bolt's eyes widened. "Balto? Balto the hero dog?"

"Wolf dog." Balto corrected. He turned and padded out. "Good luck tomorrow."

Bolt sat dumbfounded. He had just been told by his childhood hero that he was going to die. A lot to take in.

Another dog entered the barn. He was a black dog, about Bolt's size.

Bolt rolled his eyes. "Is this about my last rites?"

The dog smiled. "No. I just want to know who your associate is."

Bolt shrugged. "I have no associate."

The dog nodded. "Balto tells me your name is Bolt. I'm Seamus. And personally…I don't believe that you're the Butcher."

"Really?" Bolt asked.

"Yes. First of all look at you. You're too small. You don't look like a killer. Second…well…if you were the Butcher you would have just killed Balto and escaped."

Bolt nodded. "I didn't do it. Balto doesn't seem easy to convince."

Seamus leaned in close to the dog. "Balto's at times a stubborn git. I'm sorry I can't do anything about your execution. I can't tell you that the boarded up window in the ceiling is very old. I can't tell you that with proper force it would break. I can't tell you that everyone who should be on watch duty is at the old mill. I'm sorry."

Bolt nodded, playing along. "I guess I better get ready for my execution."

Seamus got up and padded out of the room. "Good luck."

Balto padded into the old mill. Everyone began clapping.

Seamus was beaming at his friend. "Good job Balto."

He turned to the other dogs in the room. "Today Balto caught the infamous Butcher of Nome. Our streets our now considerably safer thanks to him. Let's hear it for him."

There was another round of applause from the dogs.

"Thank you." Balto said proudly. "Thank you. I just hope I've gotten a dangerous dog off the streets."

Bolt had taken too long. He had been split on whether or not to make a run for it. By now the guard had returned.

He climbed up some bales of hay. He could see the window. The wood did look charged at it. It broke into pieces. He was out. He was in the air. He was free.

Then he fell. "OH CRAP!!!"He landed in the snow.

One of the dogs saw him fall. He let out a wolf howl.

Balto's ears perked up. "Oh no."

He rushed out of the mill.

"I gotta go. Somethings gone wrong."

Bolt had heard the wolf howl. "That's not good."

He got to his feet and ran into the woods.

Balto arrived at the barn. "Where is he?"

"He fell off the building. One of the windows. I think…I think he may be dead."

"Forgive me if I don't cry." Balto said coldly. He padded over to the fall area.

There was an outline of Bolt in the snow.

"He must have fallen here." Seamus said.

Bolt noticed a trail of small paws leading into the woods.

"I'm gonna get him." He ran into the woods. Seamus watched him go.

"Good luck Bolty."

Balto charged through the woods. He was fast. Really fast.

Bolt looked back. Balto was gaining.

The small white dog was not fast enough.

He noticed a small hill up ahead. He pushed himself to go as fast as possible.

Balto picked up speed too. Bolt gasped. Below the hill was a ten foot drop to a frozen lake.

He slid sideways and came to a stop. Balto couldn't slow down fast enough.

"AAAHHH!" He cried. He went over the edge and crashed down to the lake.

There was a snap. Balto fell unconscious. The lake surface began to crack.

"Oh geeze." Bolt said. Suddenly the ice shattered.

Balto was pulled under the water. He was still unconscious. He would drown.

Bolt sighed. He couldn't let his childhood hero drown. He couldn't let anyone drown.

He jumped ten feet to the lake. He landed painfully.

Then he dove through the hole in the ice and into the freezing water.

Bolt could barely see. It was dark under this water. He looked around.

Balto was sinking to the bottom. Bolt swam towards him.

He had his leg tangled in something. Bolt looked closer. It was a branch. He fought to free his pursuer's leg.

He was running out of oxygen. He didn't swim much. He hated water.

He wrestled with the branch. Finally it came free.

He grabbed Balto by the neck. He now found another problem. Balto was bigger than him. And heavier.

All he could see in the darkness now was the hole. He had to get through.

He blocked out all feeling and headed for it.

He burst to the surface and gasped for air. He pulled up the limp wolf dog.

He was still not moving. Bolt pushed down on his chest. Water spurted out of his mouth.

He finally coughed and sputtered to life.

Bolt collapsed next to him breathing heavily. Balto stared at him.

"You saved…my…life. Why?"

Bolt shrugged. "I'm not a killer. I want to prove that."

Balto got to his feet. "I'm still gonna chase you. We have enough evidence to keep chasing you."

Bolt nodded. "I figured that."

Balto stared at the smaller dog. "But you did save my life. This…raises questions. So this once I'll let you go. The next time we meet I will chase you again."

Bolt nodded. "Fair enough."

"Now get out of here before I change my mind."

Bolt got up and limped away, still hurt from the fall.

Balto watched him go. Earlier that day he had been certain that Bolt was the Butcher of Nome. Now he was unsure.