Richelle Renae
  • Home
  • Read Write Ponder
  • Office Warrior
  • Blogs
    • Random Musings
    • Book Reviews
    • Writing Prompts
    • Office Warrior Connection
  • Goods and Services
    • Publications
    • Presentations
    • Downloads
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Read Write Ponder
  • Office Warrior
  • Blogs
    • Random Musings
    • Book Reviews
    • Writing Prompts
    • Office Warrior Connection
  • Goods and Services
    • Publications
    • Presentations
    • Downloads
  • Contact
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

7/15/2016

Sheltered Hope

Sheltered hope
Out for Publication... but here's the beginning of the story...

“It’s a mutt.”

“I know.” I had found a pup earlier in the day. She was a speckled thing, probably dropped off and not a run-away. When I brought her home, mom just sighed and shook her head. We had been through this routine too many times to count, but she found a tiny collar and help me hold the pup still to put it on.

Animals were often dropped off out here in the country. I don’t know what people thought, but animals that get dropped off in the country either get shot right away, or grow up feral and then get shot. Since I found the pup before my dad did, it wasn’t shot. Yet.

“Give it to me.”

“No. I want to keep it.”

My dad’s eyes grew hard and got small. I had only told him no a handful of times and I had paid for it. I was ready to pay for it again for the wriggling bundle in my arms.

“You won’t take care of it.”

“I will. I promise.”

He stood staring at us and I could feel him wavering for the first time over me having a pet. It had been a long, hard fight for me. Years of watching kittens, puppies, and even a couple raccoon kits drowned, clubbed, strangled, and shot before my eyes. I hadn’t even named this one yet.
 
“How’re you going to feed it?”

“I’ll do chores and work.” My heart beat with hope.

Hope. Hope. Hope.

I squeezed the pup and it squirmed in my hands. Finding it couldn’t escape, it started licking my face. It’s tail swept back and forth a mile a minute batting me on the side.

“We don’t pay you to do chores around here. That’s just part of being a family.”

“I’ll help the neighbors.”

“One chance. No mistakes. You feed it. You water it. You lock it up when you’re working ‘cause if it gets one of the chickens, it’s gone.”

I waited. He wasn’t much of a joker, but it still seemed too good to be true and when he walked away, I just sat there still squeezing Hope. That’s what I named her, right there, right then, right in that moment.

Watch for this story on Amazon.com.

Troy Cousino
7/16/2016 11:01:48 am

Wow !! I was "into" this story from the opening... Very moving !!

Richelle
7/17/2016 09:36:06 am

Thank you Troy! It's very nice to hear feedback on my work!

Joyce Bouck Miller
7/17/2016 10:06:59 am

Really great story for kids Richelle. Concise, moving, intense, rewarding - has a lot going for it. The somewhat open ending is also a good touch. You must be writing like a demon to get all this done. Keep it up. Let me know the details of your first book signing. I'll be at the head of the line.


Comments are closed.

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016

    Categories

    All About Me Short Story Top Rated

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.