SAM

By Andrew Heighway

“It’s funny how things turn in out in life. You often look back and wonder if things could have been different. Take my life for example... by the way my name is Sam. I’ve never had any place in the world and for good reason; I’m not the type that fits in a crowd for one thing. I get a lot things said about me, it’s not like I chose my family or anything... actually I never met my family... but I know what I am and you know what I don’t care.
I suppose it started when I was looking through a couple of garbage cans for some scraps to eat... when another dog approached me and let me tell you now that is really unusual. ‘Hey dad what are you doing?’ he said, when I turned around he apologised and walked away, he’d mistaken me for someone else... I mean how could he? This guy was quite young, reddish fur and part of the Mail run between Nome and White Mountain... I don’t venture into towns that often so I couldn’t understand how the little man servant could mistake me for someone... unless, I wasn’t alone I the world after all. So I waited and waited for the mail run to come back, and there the kid was now the leader of the group. I tracked them for days; right across the harsh Alaskan conditions... the snow was so annoying too. It’s a good job I used my hunting instincts to get food, the only good thing my mom ever gave me.
So here I was, in a little town called Nome. Charming little place in an absolutely no where else to go sort of way, in my opinion. I was sticking to the shadows following the kid, I was wondering if this was even worth it, it seemed a little sad to be following some guy I don’t even know because he mistake me for somebody else... actually no... Not just somebody else, his Father. Ahhh Father, who are you? Anyways... I followed him to a boat that was wrecked on the frozen shore line just outside the town. Why would he go here? He seemed like the classy type, someone who has an adoptive family with a nice home.

But then... like clouds clearing for a sunny day... it was revealed...

...It was amazing, the guy he met looked almost like me, there where some differences but still. But was he the guy he mistook me for, I still wasn’t sure until he said that one beautiful word... ‘Dad’. How could this be? His son looked like a dog, which meant that his mother must have been a dog too... unbelievable. I never knew my Mom and Dad... I just assumed I was alone in this world and had nothing to call family... now that really is a whacky concept for me. But I couldn’t help, just one word came to mind when I saw this guy, just one... Brother?
I thought about it for days and finally decided to meet this guy, but I had to learn more about him first. So I listened to stories and rumours about him. I was impressed... but also a little bitter, he got the good deal and what did I get? Jack is what I got. But before I judged him for that I had to see him in person... but will he accept me?”

Kodiak was walking along the frozen shore line on a starry winter night, he was tired after the constant mail runs he had been doing over the last month or so. It was nearly Christmas for the townspeople of Nome so it was understandable how tired he was. As he was walking along he felt like he was being watched by someone, and it made him uneasy. He was looking along the icy beach to see if he could see someone, suddenly he heard a crumbling noise behind him and looked in the same direction... and saw nothing. He sighed and decided to resume his journey, only to bump straight into Steele who was standing right in front of him. Kodiak jumped out of his skin...

“Oh man! What are you trying to do Steele? Give me a heart attack?”

“I’m just protecting what’s mine” said Steele.

“And that would be ‘what’ exactly?” asked Kodiak.

“I’m protecting my stretch beach little red riding dog!”

“I’m not little! And since when do you own this part of the beach?”

“Since always... now get lost before I chew you up into...” he stopped as Kodiak started to giggle. “What! What’s so funny?!”

“You know, since you became crazy homeless dog you’re not half as intimidating as you used to be.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! I’m bad, I’m tough and...” Steele stopped again as Kodiak was now laughing out loud. “Stop it!” he shouted almost childlike.

Kodiak just began to walk away whilst still laughing. Steele just stood there shaking with annoyance and grinding his teeth. Kodiak disappeared over the frozen sand dune towards Balto’s boat. Steele then began to pace up and down the frozen sea shore.

“One of these days... one of these days... I’ll show them I’ll show them all, I’ll...” Steele stopped as he heard a cracking noise; he looked down... and fell through the ice. After a few moments he poked his head out of the water and said...

“I hate my life...”

Steele climbed out of the water and started to walk away completely drenched. Over on the frozen dunes was a dark figure in the shape of a dog watching what was going on. He just ignored Steele and then followed in the direction that Kodiak was heading.

The figure arrived at the boat and climbed onto the deck and was watching both Kodiak and Balto having a conversation.

“So how was the mail run son?” asked Balto.

“Exhausting, it would have gone a lot faster if Ralph would exercise in between runs.” Replied Kodiak.

“Is there something else?” asked Balto.

“Steele has started patrolling a section of beach, claiming it’s his... I think he’s losing his edge”

“Or his mind, assuming he had one to begin with.” Said Balto. “Do you want me to get rid of him?” he continued.

“Nah... He’s not scary... just annoying. He really used to give you a hard time?”

“Yep that he did. Just because I’m half wolf. The guy really has no imagination; it’s all about looks to him.”

“Pity he didn’t work on his own, the guy looks a wreck.” Said Kodiak.

The figure then just walked away into the night, he had now found what he was looking for.

Meanwhile Steele was walking into to his new home... the garbage cans outside the butchers shop. He simply sat there wondering what the point of his existence was. To make things worse it was soon going to be Christmas... not his favourite time of year... it may have something to do with people other than him being happy. As he sat there, he heard a noise coming from the other end of the alley. At first he ignored it and wanted to get some sleep, but then he heard it again and decided to take a look.

“Is anyone there?” he asked.

There was no response, just another noise. Steele wasn’t amused by this and started to get annoyed.

“Okay, is this the part where I say ‘Who’s there?’ and something creepy happens?”

There was still no response, so he crept forward a few paces ready to kill who ever it was. But suddenly...

“Guess again!” shouted a voice.

Something started to charge at Steele and knocked him to the ground. Steele started to yell in agony and the sound of punching noises and impacts on trash cans. Unfortunately for Steele, not even the passers in a near by street cared what was going on.

The next morning Balto woke up after a good night’s sleep and saw Boris mopping the deck.

“I don’t know why you even do that.” Said Balto whilst yawning.

“It is called having pride with your home, you should try some cleaning yourself sometime.” Replied Boris.

“But does moving the dirt around the deck actually count as cleaning?”

“That’s funny; I ask myself that question when you go for a bath.”

Balto started to laugh sarcastically.

“You’re a real funny guy, you know that.” Balto started to walk away and said quietly “Herring breath.”

“I heard that!” shouted Boris.

Balto walked off the deck of the boat and saw that Dingo was waiting for him outside.

“Morning dad” he said with a silly grin on his face.

“Well you seem happy, which can only mean two things... you either finally had the nerve to ask Rose out on a date. Or you got a free lunch... and since I don’t see the remains of sausage meat around your face I’m guessing it’s the former than the latter.” Said Balto.

“That would be nice, but no. It’s something else and you’re gonna love it.”

“I’m intrigued so what is it?”

“Somebody beat up Steele in an alley last night, isn’t that cool?”

However Balto just stood there with no emotion on his face, he wasn’t pleased by this news at all.

“What’s the matter?” asked Dingo.

“That isn’t good news, it’s not tragic but it’s not good. Who did it?”

“Nobody knows, no one has owned up to it at any rate... You’re really not pleased by this?”

“Of course I’m not, I’m not exactly petty.”

“So why did you say it wasn’t tragic?”

“I’m not petty but I still don’t like the guy.”

Dingo just looked confused by the statement and simply carried on walking along the beach with his father.

As they where walking along they heard barking coming from the edge of the forest. Both of them decided to go and investigate, as they approached the area they saw Kodiak trying to fight off a wolf that had come near the town. Kodiak was knocked to the ground quickly, Balto then started to run straight at the wolf to chase it off... but then another ‘dog’ jumped onto the wolf before he could. Balto came to a halt; Dingo went over to Kodiak to help him