I was sitting by the door, enjoying the warm breeze coming into the house. I loved looking outside, because I could no longer go out there.
“Get away from the door!” Mum yelled. I turned and gave her my cutest look.
She softened and said, “Okay, Jasper. You can sit there.” Mum stroked my head. Sometimes I like it, but this time I didn’t. I tried to grab her hand to stop her and missed. Mum chased me and shut me in the bedroom. “You are so naughty! You make me so mad!”
“What did he do?” Dad asked.
“He scratched me!” Mum replied.
I hadn’t scratched her at all. I felt so confused, I wasn’t trying to escape. I would never run away for very long if I did get out, I get fed here and the couch in this house is the most comfortable thing I’ve ever napped on. In our old house I was allowed outside because I was a good boy, well that’s how Mum put it, such a good boy. Since we moved into this house I’ve been stuck inside all the time. It’s because Dad has these things called Huskies. They are usually locked up in their own part of the yard but Dad lets them out occasionally to run around. I think I could look after myself if I ever met them, I am pretty tough.
I was sitting very still, reflecting on what had happened. I went to look outside the window so I could continue to bask in the warm sun and feel the breeze on my face. As I approached the window I realised the fly wire was gone and I could leave. Without hesitation I jumped outside to freedom. Never mind about the food in the house and the comfortable couch. All I could think about now was rolling in the soft grass.
When I landed outside, I paused for a moment to consider what to do next. I began to walk beneath the window, touching it all the way along. Then I sat down on top of Dad’s vegetable garden, the strawberry plant was surprisingly comfortable. As I sat there I saw a bee collecting some nectar from the flowers. I wanted to swat it, but I remembered when I was only small I got stung by a bee. It hurt so much and I didn’t want that to happen again. I got up to go around the back of the house to the grassy area.
“Jasper, Jasper, where are you? Oh, he’s gone, he’s gone forever!” I heard Mum opening the back door, so I quickly jumped the fence and found myself in the next door neighbour’s driveway. The neighbour didn’t have any trees for shade like we did at our house. The cement was too hot on my feet so I ran to find some cover. The perfectly maintained grass further towards the back was much cooler, and the shadow from the large gum tree in my backyard crept over into this place. I layed down and rolled on my back.
“I can see him! Jasper! Jasper!” Dad was looking over the fence at me, shaking a box of food. I bolted under the low bushes near the neighbour’s back door. Biscuits could never tempt me, a tin of tuna would though, it was my favourite food.
I could smell dog in the bushes. The scent fascinated me and I couldn’t stop sniffing the leaves. It was a really dirty smell, and there were tufts of fur stuck to parts of the branches. A tennis ball had been left under there, ripped open so you could see the hollow inside. My stomach started to flutter, my heart rate quickened and I could sense my pupils getting larger.
“Out you go, Milo.” I heard an old lady’s voice. I crouched down low, slowly turning towards the door. The dog entered the yard, it was as big as me and I froze. The hair on my back was slowly rising. The dog began to trot towards the bush. I saw it pause as it caught my scent. The dog stopped and growled.
I’d never needed to fight before, the feeling felt so foreign to me. It was like I needed to go towards the dog and confront it. My legs slowly forced me from the cover of the bushes into the wide, open grassy area. The dog bared its teeth, he barked and growled at me again but he hadn’t made a move to attack. It seemed like a warning, a chance for me to leave.
I ran across the neighbour’s yard, cleared the fence and landed in my own backyard. I felt frozen with fear, my back was arched and I was twice the size I was five minutes ago. I felt like a coward and I wondered whether I should go back there and show that dog who’s boss. It was such an intense mixture of instinct and fear.
“My baby! Oh poor Jasper, are you okay darling?” Mum scooped me up into her arms, patting my fur flat. I finally felt safe. I’d accepted defeat and just wanted to go back inside and be pampered. Maybe that tin of tuna would appear in my bowl if I acted enough like I was the victim. I slowly relaxed and felt that familiar hand on my head, and purred.
