shocked. He thought it best to keep the fact that he’d been there a secret.

“Yeah, pretty vicious from what I hear,” the dog said.

“How?” Steele asked.

“It looks like someone killed her,” the gray dog said. “They haven’t moved her yet,” he said. “They’re waiting on Shep, he’s the local police dog, to come and take a look. Isn’t it scary, this little town has a murderer in it.”

“Yeah,” Steele said quietly. “Where was it?”

“In the dog barn that she lived in,” the gray dog said.

Steele turned and began to run in the direction of the barn.

He reached it not too long after that. The snow was really starting to fall then. He ran into the open door of the barn. He stopped and stumbled. This scene seemed familiar. He stopped and remembered….

Chapter III

Steele was really happy for the first time in his life. He couldn’t believe how stupid he’d been back in Nome. He’d been a real jerk, especially to Balto. He had even considered going back and apologizing, but the other dogs would never let him back. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking of Jenna since he’d been banished. He couldn’t get her out of his head; however, he knew that nothing would ever come of it, so he’d begun to meet someone new. Her name was Jingle. She was a malamute, just like him. She really seemed to like Steele. That’s why he was so happy, he felt needed and loved. He was headed to the shed now, to talk to her. A few days ago she’d brought up the subject of pups. The idea had scared him to death and he eluded it for a little while, until she dropped it. He knew it kind of hurt her that he wouldn’t give her an answer, but he had to really think about it. He had and, he’d reasoned with himself, this was a perfect way to start his new life. He was going to tell her today. He knew that she’d be ecstatic. He was looking forward to the look on her face when he told her. He had reached the barn now and he stopped walking. He walked into the shed.

“Jingle,” he said. He looked around, but he didn’t see her. Then he heard a laugh. It was her. He walked up the ramp leading to the loft. He stopped just short of the top. He saw her there at the window, that new gray dog was there.

“Aww,” she said as she laughed again, “Kyle.”

He bent over and nuzzled her and she laughed again.

Steele was heartbroken; he didn’t know what to do. He started to walk away, rejected again. Then he got angry, at the dog, Kyle, at Jingle at everyone who’d ever ticked him off. He got so angry that he started to shake. The more he thought about it, the more he got angry. He turned around and walked up the ramp. Kyle saw him.

“Oh, shoot,” he said.

“What?” Jingle said as she turned around.

Uhh, bye! He yelled to her as he jumped out the window. Steele watched Kyle run away.

“Steele…” said Jingle.

“I’m... it’s not what it looks like…

really… he’s….

he’s just a friend.” She started stuttering.

“It’s alright,” Steele said calmly.

“Really?” Jingle said hopefully.

“Yeah,” Steele said. Then, with no warning, he leapt at her….

Steel remembered everything. He stood at the body now. He remembered the flashing teeth, the bright red blood, and the salty taste it left in his mouth. He looked down at her. Her beautiful throat was ripped wide open and her once stunning silver coat was stained deep crimson. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was open, as if caught in mid scream…

“No,” he said, “I didn’t want to do it. I’m not a murderer.”

“I thought so,” Kyle said as he stepped up into the loft. “You killed her, didn’t you?”

Steele said nothing then he remembered who Kyle was, where he was.

“It’s so good to hear you admit it,” Kyle said. “I’ve already sent for Shep, he’ll be here soon and we can sort this whole thing out.”

Steele suddenly jumped at Kyle. Kyle wasn’t prepared for this, and he started to slip off the side of the ramp

“Steele, help me,” he yelled.

Steele just smiled at him as he knocked Kyle off the edge. Kyle fell to the hard concrete floor. He started to crawl away, dragging his back legs. Steele ran down the ramp and stood over him.

“Steele?” Kyle said, pleadingly. Steele grabbed Kyle by the throat and twisted his head sideways. Steele heard the bones in Kyle’s neck pop. Then Kyle went limp. Steele tossed his lifeless body to the ground.

He walked outside, now there was another body, what was he going to do? He had to leave Applegate, of that he was sure. He ran out of the barn, and soon he was far away from the small town. He didn’t know where he’d go, but he’d have to figure it out fast, the storm was getting worse. He kept running, pushing on through the snow.

Chapter IV

Jenna was returning from another trip into Nome. She saw Max lying under a tree in the yard.

“Max?” She thought. “The team must’ve come back for some reason. “

She walked up to the gate and pushed it open, it squeaked. Max didn’t move., maybe she was asleep? The wind started to blow and Jenna shivered. She stepped into the yard, something didn’t feel right.

“Max?” She said. Max didn’t say anything. Jenna walked slowly up behind her. She still didn’t move, in fact she was kind of leaning up against the tree… Jenna walked around it, and almost threw up.

Max was dead. Her throat was torn open. She looked behind her and saw a trail of blood in the snow. She followed it warily.

At the end of it she found Flash, he’d been killed too. Jenna started to cry as she thought of her mother and father. She turned and started to run, to get away from this horrible scene, then she remembered something…

“Balto,” she said. She walked back to the pantry, afraid of what she’d find.

“Oh no,” she said as she saw the door. There was blood splattered on the front of it. She walked in through the door, getting some of the blood on her as she did so. She stepped into the room and froze.

“Oh Balto,” she said quietly. He was lying in the bed he shared with her, obviously from the blood on the floor, he’d crawled there. His lifeless eyes stared back at her. She really started to cry then.

“NO!” She yelled, “NO Balto NO!”

She ran over to him.

“Balto,” she said. She nuzzled him and pulled back as she felt how cold he was. She didn’t know what she was going to do now. Who could have done this? She decided she had to go to Aleu’s, as that may be the only safe place for her now. She got up, she could hardly stand. She couldn’t believe it. She started to walk out the door when a dark, dog looking shape lunged at her. She screamed…

As she woke up. She started to sob. The dream had been so vivid, had seemed so real. She got up and walked to the window. It was really starting to snow now. She hadn’t seen it snow like this in a long time. She wondered who the dog in her dream was? She’d never gotten to see it. She shivered. Balto had told her to pay attention to her dreams, that they were signs of things to come. She hoped desperately that he was wrong.

“Balto,” she said aloud, as she watched the snow.

Steele was still running through the storm. It was starting to get incredibly cold. He felt as if he were frozen solid already. He knew he had to find someplace to get out of the storm. He passed a road sign, and grinned he took off down the path.

“I’ll meet some old friends”, he thought, and I’ll take care of that half breed. take Jenna, and take out anyone else who gets in the way.”

The sign said NOME.

Balto was running through the storm as well. He was getting a little concerned. They’d had to slow down considerably. The snow stung Balto’s face as he struggled to find secure places to put his feet, so they wouldn’t slip on the frozen snow. Max slipped and nearly brought the entire team down. Balto stopped and looked back. He could barely see her, much less the rest of the team. He could see that she’d gotten tangled in the main and secondary guidelines when she fell. Balto saw Roger struggling up through the snow. Ice covered the heavy clothes that he wore. He had to take his gloves off to help Max, as they were frozen solid. His hands went numb almost immediately. He unclipped Max’s harness from both guidelines, leaving her hooked up to the tertiary. He started untangling the guidelines. Max laid down and shivered. Roger looked at her and then at the guidelines in his hands. He shook his head. He finished fixing the harness and Max stood up.

“You okay girl?” He yelled over the wind. Max barked, but Balto could tell she wasn’t. He barked back at Roger. Roger put his gloves back on and walked up to Balto.

“What’s wrong boy?” He asked. Balto whined, pawed at the snow and barked. He was trying to tell Roger that they should find shelter and wait out the storm. Roger patted Balto on the head, walked back, and got on the sled. Balto looked back at Max. She didn’t look very good. Balto smiled at her. She gave him a half wink. Balto turned back to the front and started pulling, edging his way slowly but surely through the storm towards Applegate, their first