Blind Love               They say that love can find anyone. Well, it certainly found me. It all started on a nice-feeling day (since I am blind in both eyes). I was 2 years old. It was also a typical day for me. I was in what felt like the street, and I heard some dogs nearby whispering to each other, "Hey, there's that blind dog.", and laughing. I kept walking, ignoring these dogs. I had endured this and worse for over a year now. Shortly after, I bumped into something furry. When he spoke, I knew it was the one I hated so much - Steele. "Hey, watch where you're going!" he said, then started laughing. I heard some others join in this awful laughter. It was the only laughter I had ever known.             Then I ran off, trying not to bump into anyone else. But I did. I must have been crying because I heard the dog say, "What's wrong?". I told him what had happened just a few minutes earlier. As he listened, he sounded truly sympathetic. Very few dogs who had stood up for me before had been sympathetic. Some of them were my friends. They had just been fending off the others who constantly made fun of me. But this one was different - he truly cared. "You're the first dog I've bumped into who has ever truly cared. You still there?"  "Yes, I'm still here. Wow, really?", he said. "Yes.", I responded. "Well, thank you. No-one has ever said that to me before. Uh, what's your name?" "I, uh... I'm Catherine." "That sounds beautiful. My name is Brus." "Thank you. I like yours, too.", I said to him. "Thanks, Catherine."             I don't know what happened just then, but Brus said "I have to go. My musher is calling. Pleasure meeting you.", he said to me. I replied, "Nice meeting you too, Brus." "I'll see you later, Catherine!" he said, his voice growing fainter. I put my nose to the ground and followed his scent. I stopped when I bumped into something, probably a human. Soon, I heard the hiss of a sled and the barking of dogs as a team went by. I couldn't see them rush by, but I knew Brus was on that team. I could still hear his handsome voice in my head. I have no idea what he looked like, but I felt something inside that I had never felt before. I felt like I loved him. No idea what he looked like, yet I loved him. I sniffed my way to what smelled like an alley. I walked inside until I bumped into something, then I laid down. Something there didn't feel right, so I stood up and made my way out of the alley. I heard a few more comments as a made my way to a spot where it felt warm inside. I went in and laid down by the source of the warmth. I soon fell asleep.             I dreamt of Brus. I dreamt I heard him right next to me, talking to me. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I felt that same love-feeling I felt earlier. I felt a longing for him. I also felt a sense that he belonged with me. When I woke up, the dream was still fresh in my mind.             A few days passed before Brus returned. A day before he returned, I had another seizure. That's something else about me. I have seizures on a semi-regular basis. They don't last long, usually. I know this Brus knew that I was blind, but I wanted to keep my seizures a secret, or at least from him. I had to try.             I walked out of the warm place, and I smelled him on the wind. Brus was back! I smelled my way to him. "Hi again, Cath.", he said. "Hi Brus,", I said, "How are you?" In his handsome voice, he said, "I'm fine, thank you. You?" I suddenly remembered my dream. I felt like telling him about it, but decided to keep it to myself. "I'm fine, too." Inside, I felt happy and cheerful. "Well, I'll talk to you later, Brus." I heard him say, "Okay. Later, Cath!" As I was walking away, I felt him watching me. I knew he was smiling, though I don't know how. Just then, I felt an all too-familiar feeling. Not again! I thought. Not in front of Brus! I was helpless as I fell to the ground on my side and couldn't move. I felt my body spasming. I was both frightened and embarrassed. Less than a minute later, it was over. I could move again. As I got up, I hit my head on Brus. He had come to my side to see if I was okay. "Oh my! What happened? Are you okay?", he asked, concerned. I turned my head toward him, not knowing if I was making eye contact or not. Nervously, I answered him. "Y-yes. I-I- I'm sorry you... had to see that. That happens to me a lot. I didn't want to tell you because... I didn't know if you would still like me if you knew. I'm sorry I kept that from you." I had started to cry a little. What he said next was to my relief. "Why would I not like you? That terrified me! I was so worried about you! I know you're blind, but nothing could change what I think of you. Not even your having seizures." "I... didn't know you liked me. What you just said... makes me feel a whole lot better about myself. I think I like you, too.", I said. Brus replied, "You're welcome. I'm glad you do." Somehow I felt he was smiling. "I have to go again. My musher is taking us back to the kennels. Bye, Catherine, I'll see you tomorrow.", he said. "Alright. Bye, Brus."             We met and talked a few more times over the next few months. We were good friends. Whenever he went out on one of his sled runs, I thought about him. I knew he thought about me, too, out there in the cold. When the team returned, he was always happy to see me. In return, I was happy to hear the sound of his voice. He always made me laugh, and still does. He is so clever. I knew he had always been clever.             A month later...               I was again walking down what felt like the street. It felt like it was nearing the evening. As the snickers of "blind dog" died down, I was still hurt by it, though not as much as I was before I met Brus. I sniffed out an alley, the same on I had entered months earlier. Suddenly, I was knocked down by someone who smelled all-too-familiar - Steele. As I laid there, he said, in that menacing voice of his, "Well, well, looks like I've finally caught you alone now, Catherine. Let's say you and me go for a run together, huh?" I stood up and f aced him. "No way, Steele, you've hurt me to much over the past couple of years. There's no way on Earth I'd do anything with you, ever. Got that?", I said to him, angrily. He responded, "Getting feisty, I see." I heard him walk around me. I felt him push against my side as he stopped back in front of me. I started shaking in fear. I didn't want to know what he was about to do. I started yelling "Bruuuuus! Brus! Heeeelp!" "Trying to spoil the fun, are we?", said Steele. A few seconds later, I heard an "Oof!" as Steele was apparently knocked down. I heard another familiar voice say, "Catherine, are you alright?" It was Brus! Shyly, I answered, "Y-Y-Yes." Steele said "So unwise, Brus, so unwise." I heard Steele leap at him, and Brus the thump as Brus threw him off. After a few more minutes of scuffling, thumping, and shouting, the fight was over. "You got me this time, but next time, I'll finish her off." said Steele, keeping the feeling of defeat out of his voice. Brus said, angrily, and growled, "Get out of here, Steele! Just go! If you so much as look at her, I swear I will turn your day and life into a living hell!" He growled a little more, then stopped, as soon as I no longer smelled Steele. Brus must have turned toward me again, for he said, "Did he hurt you, Catherine?" "No,", I answered. "I'm fine." "Let's get you out of here. Take you somewhere.", said Brus. "Okay." I said, smiling a little. He helped me along and stayed by my side as we walked. Soon, we were in the warm room. We stopped close to the source of the room's warmth. "Thanks for helping me back there.", I said. "You're welcome.", he replied in a happy tone. I felt happy too. "You sound really happy.", I said. He replied, "I guess I do." "Why?" "Because," he said, I... I love you." "Really?", I said. "Yes. You're beautiful, Catherine." "Thank you," I said, happily, "I... love you, too, Brus. You've cared about me when no-one else has. You've made me laugh and smile when no-one else has." "So,", he said, "You want to ask, or should I?" "Ask what?" He sighed happily. "I want to be with you, Catherine. Will you?" I was overjoyed. "Yes!", I said. "I do!" Brus then said, "I've always thought you were beautiful. I've always seen how others treat you, Catherine. They were wrong to do that. I've always felt sorry for you. They should have treated you better. I know you can't help being blind or having seizures. It's just part of who you are. And you? To me, you are perfect. I love you, and nothing will ever change that." I got close to him, and he put his head next to mine, and we nuzzled. Shortly after, he led me to a cooler part of the room. It felt different. The surface felt somewhat rough, and felt

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