❆ Sandy’s Story ❆

Nome, Alaska 1929

   Kodi raced on with his team into the town of Nome towards the steps of the mail-house. The mailman inside went out to greet Kodi and his team, and to get the mail from White Mountain. The mailman, clumsy as always fell on his way inside his shop with the bag of mail in his arms. Kodi’s musher asked, “You okay, sir?” The mailman just replied back, “I’m fine!” Kodi sighed. It’s just the same old thing everyday. He thought.
    Kirby, Dusty, Ralph, and Bounce (a new member of the team) all ate the dog chow they had gotten as a reward from the mailman. Kodi didn’t eat his.
    “Why so down Kodi?” Dusty asked. Kodi looked at her.
     “I’m just bored.” “With what?” She asked back. The others started to listen as they ate. “Just bored with doing the same old thing every day.” “Yeah, but now the plane does half of what we do for us.” “Yeah,” Ralph agreed. “That ‘a-way we don’t have to wore ourselves out.” He finished licking his chops. Kirby finished licking his, when he added, “Besides, getting the mail is what we do.” “Yeah, it’s our job.” Bounce replied flapping his ears. Kodi knew that but he just felt bored. “I know, it’s just well… maybe I should go into town to today, instead of hanging’ around the boiler room. I just feel like I need a little bit of a change. I hope you guys don’t mind?” Kodi asked his pals with his mind made up. Kirby and Ralph nodded understandingly. Dusty just gave a wink and a smile agreeing. Bounce was scratching his ears panting and smiled at Kodi. Kodi smiled back at them all and shook off his gear from the sled for the mail and bounded further into town.
    Kodi looked around. The baker had just placed a large loaf of bread by the window, it smelled great. Kodi kept walking around town, he passed the shoe-shop, the small town-market, the bookshop, and then on his way towards butcher’s he bumped into something soft. Kodi shook his head and blinked. “Well- excuse me.” The voice sounded from what Kodi had bumped into. It was sable colored female husky, with a large blue bandana wrapped around her shoulders like Kodi’s mother Jenna had, except Jenna had a red one that was much thinner. Her chest fur resembled that of a wooly-coated husky, but the rest of her fur was regular husky-like.
    Kodi’s heart pounded a little. “I’m sorry,” He started not knowing what to say. “That’s okay.” The female husky replied quickly. “I’m new around here, so I don’t know much about the town’s daily basis places. But maybe you could…” “Show you around?” He interrupted finishing her question. She smiled at him blinking. She padded beside him. “I think I like what I see so far in this town.” The female husky mentioned to Kodi her tail whisked gently to his. Kodi smiled and led her into town.
   
Chapter 2

    Sandy and Kodi laughed as Kodi told Sandy about the time he first went on the mail run and had gotten into Kirby’s gear instead of his own, and they ended up being 20 minutes late towards White Mountain and then 30 minutes late back home, because Dusty and Ralph had gotten their harnesses tangled up together.
    “Way to go wonder-dog on getting the mail on time.” Sandy joked. “After that, I swore never to be late again. Otherwise everybody be teasin’ me.” He finished. Kodi and Sandy chuckled a little. They kept walking and talking until Sandy barked, “Well, this is my stop.” “Old Mr. Grand’s house?” Kodi asked. Sandy nodded. “My new owner is here visiting Old Mr. Grand because they’re cousins.” “What do you mean by ‘new owner’.” Kodi asked suspiciously. Sandy padded a few steps to her left and pattered her right forepaw at a clump of snow. “My original owners couldn’t take care of me anymore.” “How come?” Kodi asked concerned. “They had a new baby, and the baby turned out to be allergic to fur.” “Where did you used to live?” Kodi asked trying to be more cheerful. Sandy smiled and replied. “The Yukon, the part of Yukon down south.” “What’s it like down there?” “Busy with tourists, hunting, wild out-doors, not much of a difference from here, except the tourist attractions are at large down there. Especially the mountains, those are a killer thriller.” Sandy bragged. “Yeah- well, Nome is pretty famous too.” “Yeah? What attraction do you guys have.” Kodi’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “You’ll see.” “When?” Sandy pressed in eagerness. “Tomorrow. If… that’s okay with you?” Kodi nervously asked. Sandy smiled, “Why wouldn’t it be? I’ve got nothing to do tomorrow except watch you return from your daily run from White Mountain. I wanna see how fast you guys go. Maybe that’s your killer attraction?” Sandy guessed. She battered her eyes and before Kodi knew it, she licked him on the cheek. His eyes grew dazzled and he sloped down right into the snow below him. Sandy giggled. He shook the snow off that was on top of his head. Sandy got onto the old creaking front porch of Old Mr. Grand’s house. “Good night, Kodi.” Sandy told him. Kodi got up and stood gazing at her. “Good night Sandy.” He watched her, as she entered the old house through a doggie-flap that led into the house from the right side of the front door.
Kodi kept smiling thinking of Sandy as he made his way toward his home down town. Kodi scratched at the front door like he always did and barked. His owners, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, greeted him. Josh Brooks, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks’ son was the little boy who had chosen him when it was time for Kodi and his siblings to be adopted. Josh was now 8 years old. He was busy with school, so he didn’t have enough time to spend with Kodi like he used to, and during the summer Josh was busy with his friends and worked daily on his summer project.
Kodi had realized last year, that if he stayed home all the time while Josh was busy with friends, and school, Kodi’s life would just disappear like thin air. This is what motivated him into finding a job. His first job had been to be the news delivery dog, but he felt it wasn’t the right way for him to experience his surroundings. That’s when he thought of being part of the mail-run. He had been lucky, Kirby lead dog of the team had needed a new recruit since Weller had moved out of Nome because of his owner’s new job. Kodi had been delighted when he first began doing his new job, and took it very seriously.
Kodi walked inside the kitchen. Mr. Brooks was playing cards with Josh’s older brother, Zack. Josh’s younger sister, Susie was holding onto Mrs. Brooks’ apron, and with her other hand grasped tightly onto her stuffed animal that was silver husky, that she called, ‘Timbly’; while Mrs. Brooks brewed beef stew.
Kodi sniffed intently at the appetizing smell. Kodi walked towards his food and water bowls, which were settled nicely below the office counter. Kodi’s food dish had stained smudged writing on it that spelled his name on it, that Josh had written two days after he had adopted Kodi. Kodi lapped at his blue and tiny black spotted water bowl and went up the stairs. Kodi went into Josh and Zack’s room, where Josh was writing down information about icicles for his summer project. Kodi’s tail wagged and he nudged Josh’s side. Josh paused for a second away from his project and patted Kodi and praised him saying, “Hi there, boy. Did you run the mail today?” Kodi panted happily to answer a yes. Josh then smiled at Kodi and went back to his project. Kodi panted happily, his tail wagged, and his tongue hung out like dogs do when they’re happy. But he stopped, his ears and tail drooped down, and his tongue went back into his mouth, when he realized that Josh wasn’t going to pay him any more attention. Kodi padded towards Josh’s bed near the window and jumped up on it and watched Josh work. Soon Kodi drifted into sleep.
Kodi awoke as he heard Mrs. Brooks hitting a can of wet-dog-food with an old wooden stirring spoon as she called Kodi’s name. “Kodi! Come down boy! Chow time!” Kodi yawned and smiled. As he jumped off the bed he stretched. Then he raced eagerly down the stairs. Kodi jumped up a little as Mrs. Brooks held his food bowl that smelled deliciously of wet-dog-food. “Alright Kodiak, here you go.” Mrs. Brooks told him gently and placed down his food bowl for him. Kodiak quickly ate his breakfast and gulped down his water. He shook his head. “Oh gosh! Sandy! I completely forgot!” He rushed to the door and scrapped at it. Mrs. Brooks opened the door for him puzzled. “Alright Kodiak you can go outside, but the mail run isn’t until 8:00, and it’s only 7:30.” Kodi raced down to Old Mr. Grand’s house. He skidded to a halt as he almost collided into Sandy who was headed his way. “Are we always going to meet like this?” She asked with a smile. Kodi embarrassed chuckled a little. “I was headed over to your house.” She told him. “How did you know where it was?” Kodi asked puzzled. “Your scent is still in the snow, duh.” Kodi felt even more embarrassed. “Well I was headed down to your house, so… do you want to meet my friends before I go?” Kodi asked. Sandy nodded as a yes to Kodi’s question. They walked and talked together while on their way to the boiler room near the docks, instead of the boiler room near the hospital.
Dusty, Ralph, Kirby, and Bounce were all there talking by the boiler inside the boiler room. Kodi came in, Sandy a little shy by his side. “Hey everybody, there’s somebody I’d like you to meet,” Kodi started a moved a little to the side for others to see Sandy. “This is my new friend, Sandy.” He introduced. Everybody gave their hellos, especially Kirby who seemed to have a crush on her like Kodi did.
Sandy soon got comfy laying on an old potato sack that was filled up with fluff and cotton balls from Ralph and Dusty’s stuffed toys, while Kodi lay next to her. Dusty sat across from her, closer to the boiler. Glancing a little bit at Kodi, she then looked up at Sandy and asked curiously, “So, where do

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