Flashback

it was dark, damp, and cold. he was all alone. he sat in the far back corner of his cadge. never to have anyone to guide him. he was still too young to understand, but he knew in his heart that they were never really gone...................

                                           Back to Reality

he lie down in the back of his cadge. Axel perked his ears and saw someone coming, maybe this was going to be his new owner, who would bring him to his forever home. the man walked up to Joe, the owner of the kennel, and said, "how much is he?"

"five grand." Joe responded

"WHAT! that much for this mutt?!?" the man shouted and he stomped out of the kennel.

Joe sighed and walked into his office. and when he came back he was holding a sign. Axel had been in the kennel for many months now, so out of complet boardom he learned how to read. he looked at the sign on his cadge and it said: if not found a home tomorrow, will be put to sleep.

Axel whimpered. he walked into the muddy feilds that the owner let the dogs run around in. Axel wanted to make the most of his life. he walked over to a small stone. he said to himself, "pretend this is a frisby, whatever that is."

he never had a chance to play with toys. he never had a place to call home. he never had a family.

he picked up the rock and he ran around the yard with it. enjoying his last fun in the summer sun. after a few minutes Axel got board so he walked back into his cadge. his paws over his head wishing that night would never come.

                                             The Next Day

when Axel awoke he knew today was the end. he stood up and thought to himself: every cloud has a silver lining, but what good comes out of dieing?

the saw Joe walking out of his office with some medicien in a spoon. he walked over to Axel's cadge. then Joe whispers to Axel, "i'm sorry."

he puts Axel down on his side. he is about to give Axel the medicien that will humanly put him to sleep when a police officer yells, "stop! wait!"

Joe asks the man, "is there a problem officer?"

"no everything is fine, i just wanted to know how much that dog costs?" the officer said

the kennel owner looked down at his empty wallet and said, "five grand should do it."

officer Mike took out his wallet and handed the owner the money. then Joe said while holding back his tears, "thank you sir, if it wasn't for you Axel would have died."

Mike smiled and thanked the man. he then took out a green camo collar with golden ID tags out of his poket. he clipped it on Axel's. Axel held his head high, thrilled that he now has a forever home.

Mike clipped a black leather leash to Axel's collar. Axel jumped down from the cadge. sliding on the tile floor. he has never been outside his cadge before, the muddy yard was as close as he ever got to freedom.

Axel followed his new owner and barked goodbye to Joe. Mike waved and walked away. they rounded the corner and came to a hudge house, it had a balcony and even an indoor pool. officer Mike opened the door and let Axel look around the living room really fast. Axel didn't know houses came that big. but he didn't really care, they could have lived in a trailer and Axel would have still been happy.

then Mike yelled, "were home."

then two little kids ran out of their rooms and flung their arms around Axel. Mikes wife, Shannon, walked out and smiled at the newest family member. the kids asked, "whats his name dad?"

Mike said, "his name is Axel."

the kids petted Axel and said, "can we show him the house?"

"well first you two need to give him a bath, he stinks." Shannon said as everyone started to giggle

the children ran back into their rooms, and when they came back they had: a dog brush, dog shampoo, a plastic doggy pool, and towels. the brought Axel into the back yark and started to fill up the baby pool. when it was filled to the brim with water, one kid picked up Axel and plopped him down into the doggy pool, into the ice cold water. but Axel didn't mind it, he loved the water, he never really went swimming before but he would splash his paw around in his water bowl at the kennel.

they took the hole bottel of dog shampoo and squirted it all over Axel. then hosed him down and dryed him off. Axel shook his fur and he got everyone soaked, and they all started to laugh.

the kids then put everthing away and led Axel inside to have a look around everywhere. when Axel was done looking around he saw his new family on the couch watching T.V. so Axel jumped up on the couch and lie in the middle of them and everyone laughed and smiles. Axel whispered to himself: finaly I have found my forever home.