I am excited to announce The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale will be available on August 6, 2013 in paperback and e-book formats. You can pick up a paperback copy via Amazon or Createspace, or go the e-book route via Amazon Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, or the Nook store. Meanwhile, here is a short trailer to get you excited about the book! (Really, I needed an excuse to make a Zelda video.)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jlyrUqsKCo&w=560&h=315]
Last fall, I began writing a collection of short stories called the Legend of Zelda. The stories are loosely based on the life of our pug named Zelda. I published one Zelda story a month on this blog from October through March, and after writing thirteen Zelda stories, I decided to self-publish the collection. In the midst of this decision, I took one of these stories to my writing group to be critiqued. The reception was great, although they had a few good suggestions to create a story arc for the Legend of Zelda. I revised the thirteen short stories, sent them to be proofread, and booked a designer for my book cover. Unfortunately, the process took longer than expected on my end as I took time off for my stepfather's illness and passing, along with moving.
But, I am excited that I am super close to announcing a release date for what will now be known as The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale. (During this process, I realized the Legend of Zelda is copyrighted and decided it was best to change the name.) I have some final formatting to do and a couple design tweaks. When those are done, I will set a release date. Until then, the teaser is below or you can read the first two chapters on Wattpad!
What happens when a stubborn pug encounters a snowman, a giant leaf pile, or Jack Jack the cat?
Zelda is a curly-tailed, wrinkly, stubborn pug. But, she isn't an ordinary pug content to eat and sleep her days away. Zelda is always searching for a new adventure, mystery to solve, or squirrel to catch, and her unexpected reactions cause readers to smile and laugh.
The thirteen short stories in this book connect and build into a story arc creating an exciting chapter book for all ages, young and old.
The Adventures of Zelda will be available the summer of 2013 in paperback and across the major e-book platforms.
I planned on April being a big writing month. My goal was to have the first Legend of Zelda collection out on Kindle by the end of the month along with significant progress in the novel revisions. Those were my plans. And then life happened. My stepdad has been in the hospital for about a month now. For a couple weeks, it was pretty scary and I spent many hours in the hospital. Thankfully, he pulled through the worst of it and is on the long road to recovery. Needless to say, I'm not reaching my writing goals this month. But that's life and I will put aside my goals to take care of family whenever it's needed. The good news is I received great feedback on my Zelda stories a couple weeks ago at my writing group. From that feedback, I am revising all twelve stories of the first collection and I think the revisions will make the stories more enjoyable for children and adults. After the revisions, they will go through final edits, cover design and formatting. I have formatting under control, but looking for recommendations for designers and editors. My new goal is to have the first Legend of Zelda collection available by the end of May. The goal is very attainable on my end as long as life doesn't get crazy again and I find a reasonably priced cover designer.
I am really excited about the Zelda stories and my novel. Hopefully, I can get my butt in gear and get them out into the world soon!
Thanks for the prayers, love and support the past several weeks!
This month's short story is the 6th of The Adventures of Zelda series. I am excited to announce I have now written all 12 stories which will make up the first collection of The Legend of Zelda stories. The first collection includes 6 stories not published on the blog such as Zelda vs. the Skatepark and Zelda vs. Jack Jack. With the writing done, I'm moving into the compiling, final edits, and cover design phases. More details will come in April, but for now, enjoy Zelda Meets Squeaks the Squirrel.
Only a few leaf piles remain on the tree lawns in our neighborhood. Every day the breeze becomes a little bit colder, and I realize winter is around the corner.
With winter on its way, I spend as much time outside as possible kicking leaf piles and taking walks. The squirrels are busy collecting nuts in the trees at the far edge of the yard. Some days I lie in the grass and watch them jump from branch to branch, wishing I could join their fun.
I notice a new squirrel scent in the backyard. The squirrel scents are usually concentrated along the tree line on far edge of our backyard. This scent, however, is not along the tree line. I smell one squirrel in two new spots–behind our garage and at the oak tree bordering the patio. I wonder why the squirrel ventured so far into my territory on its own.
My curiosity gets the best of me, and I change my backyard habits to investigate the mysterious squirrel. When I am outside, I run first to the backyard to see if I can spot the squirrel. So far, I haven’t had any luck, so I start surveillance of the backyard through the kitchen window. An hour into my stakeout, I notice something brown and fluffy in the oak tree.
Squirrel!
I stand with my front paws on the windowsill, watching the squirrel’s every move. When I hear a car pull into the driveway, I know it’s the perfect opportunity. I run to the back door. Moments later, Ben opens the door, and I run outside.
“Zelda, no!” Ben says. But, it’s too late. I am in the backyard beelining for the oak tree. I am about ten pugs’ length away when the squirrel runs from the tree to the ground. I chase after the squirrel, but I can’t catch him in time. He darts up a tree and perches on top of a branch. I gaze up at the squirrel, and he starts squeaking and screeching. I bark and kick the ground.
“Zelda, come!” Nate yells. He is walking towards me with a bag of treats.
Treats! Forget the squirrel!
I sprint to Nate, and he gives me a few treats. We walk inside. After enjoying my snack, I remember the squirrel. I walk to the back window and look out, but he is gone.
After our encounter, I decide to call the squirrel Squeaks. I look for Squeaks day and night, inside and outside. I sit on the kitchen chair, staring out the window for any signs of him. Most days, I end up falling asleep by accident. But I am determined to stay awake today. I sit in my chair, scanning the yard for movement.
My eyes are blurring when a flash of brown appears in the corner of my eye. I focus my eyes on the brown flash. Squeaks runs down the oak tree and towards the garage. I can’t see Squeaks when he moves behind the garage, but he only stays behind the garage for a moment, before running back to the oak tree. Squeaks repeats the pattern five times, and then he disappears into the woods. I can’t figure out what he is doing.
When Nate takes me outside later, I pull him to the back of the garage. I follow Squeaks scent to a small pile of acorns–Squeaks’ secret acorn stash.
I realize I have an important decision to make.
I break for the oak tree, dragging Nate behind me. I find an acorn, scoop it into my mouth, and run to the stash next to the garage. I place the acorn in the pile and run back to the tree. I grab another acorn; I bring it back to the stash. I place my third acorn in the pile before Nate grows tired of walking in circles with me. He leads me inside.
Over the next two days, I add more and more acorns to the stash. My family has caught on to my routine. They let me stay outside longer, so I can collect more acorns.
“Why is Zelda collecting acorns?” Lucy asks.
“Because Zelda thinks she is a squirrel,” Nate says.
“But Zelda is a wrinkly pug. Why does she think she is a squirrel?” Lucy asks.
“I don’t know dear,” Nate says. Lucy asks more questions, and I know my family thinks I am crazy or confused.
A few days later, I spot Squeaks from my kitchen chair. I start scratching at the front door, and Hannah leashes me to take me outside. I am so excited to see Squeaks that I start sprinting for the backyard. I turn the corner to the back of the house and see Squeaks at the bottom of the tree. He runs for the tree line. I am disappointed and out of breath, so I stop running. Squeaks disappears into the woods. I return inside, sad I didn’t have the opportunity to meet Squeaks.
I sulk and sleep away the new few days. I give up my backyard surveillance, and I ignore the acorn stash. Maybe I was naive to think Squeaks and I could become friends.
A week later, Squeaks is a distant memory. I meander into the backyard with Hannah to do my business, like any other day. As I look for the perfect spot, Squeaks’ scent fills my nostrils. I follow my nose toward the tree line. I hear a squeak and gaze into the tree. Squeaks is perched on a branch above my head with an acorn in his mouth.
Clunk!
The acorn hits me on my forehead wrinkles. Squeaks starts making lots of noise.
Is he laughing at me?
I think he is. Squeaks runs across his branch to another tree, darts down the tree, and races back up the tree above my head. I look up to see he has another acorn. I’m not falling for that twice! I scamper to the right, and the acorn falls to my left. Squeaks leaps to a nearby tree branch and runs down the trunk. I run to the tree and meet him at the bottom of the trunk. Squeaks and I arrive simultaneously. We are looking into each others’ eyes. I freeze, unsure what to do.
Squeaks makes the first move. He grabs another acorn, runs back up the tree, and finds his place above me. I stay still. Clunk! Squeaks makes more noise. I air kick below him, kicking leaves, dirt, and grass everywhere. I hear more squeaking and look above. Squeaks is smiling. I smile back and look into Squeaks’ eyes. He returns the eye contact, implying we are not enemies–we are friends.
“Z, time to go inside,” Hannah yells. I bark a goodbye to Squeaks and trot back inside.
Today's post is the fifth installment in the Adventures of Zelda series. If you are a new reader, I encourage you to catch up with the links below!
Zelda vs. Gannondorf the Tapeworm
"Dad, it’s snowing!” Ben shouts. Lucy and I are in bed, wrapped in warm blankets. With winter in full swing, I find myself staying under the blankets much of the day.
“I wonder how Zelda will react to the snow,” Nate says to Ben while he sips his coffee.
“She needs to go out anyway, why don’t you take her and find out?” Hannah says from the kitchen. The word “out” sends me running to the front door.
“Okay, let me find some warm clothes,” Nate says. I run in circles around Nate while he puts on his shoes, a giant red coat, and something black on his head.
“Are you ready, Zelda?” he asks. My tail wags furiously.
Nate attaches the leash and opens the front door. I dash out the door onto the porch and freeze.
White stuff covers the ground and the trees. I slowly walk down the steps from the porch. The white stuff is cold yet soft; my paws sink into it. I am not sure I like the feeling. I turn around and head back to the door.
“Back inside already? Don’t like the snow?” Nate says. Snow. That must be the name for the white stuff.
“I don’t think Z likes the snow,” Nate says. “She took one step and ran inside.”
“She has to like the snow. All dogs like snow,” Ben says.
“Zelda isn’t a normal dog,” Hannah shouts from the kitchen.
“Nope, she’s better than a normal dog with her wrinkly face, curly tail, and snorts,” Ben yells back. He grabs my owl and throws it. Without hesitation, I fetch it and bring it to him.
“See Mom, Zelda is a great dog,” Ben mutters.
Ben and I play until Lucy wakes up and wanders into the living room. I snuggle up with her on the couch and start snoring.
I wake up later in the day and look out the window. The snow covers the yard. How long does this stuff last? To make it worse, small drops of snow are falling from the sky. I can’t avoid the snow forever. I will have to go out. Hannah walks into the living room and sees me staring out the window.
“Do you want to go for a walk in the snow?” Hannah asks with a book in her hand. No, not really,but I walk to the front door anyway.
“Okay Zelda, I’ll take you, let me find your hoodie to keep you warm.” Hannah walks over to Vacuum’s closet and opens the door. I sprint to the door and bark at Vacuum until Hannah pushes me out of the way and closes the door. In her hand is a pug-sized blue shirt. She grabs me and slides the shirt over my head and my front paws. I immediately hate wearing the shirt. I feel like my front paws can’t move normally, and I probably look ridiculous, but I cannot get the thing off me. I sigh and walk to the door.
The snow is higher than earlier, almost to my stomach. As I walk, I forget about the coldness of the snow and begin to like its softness. I run through the snow, letting it splash around me. Hannah and I run down the sidewalk together.
We stop at the corner, mostly because I’m out of breath. When I stop moving, a cold wind blows, and I’m thankful for the blue shirt. As we walk back home, my curiosity about the snow grows.
Can I eat it?
I take a quick bite as we walk. The snow melts in my mouth and refreshes my dry throat. I stop for more and more mouthfuls on the way. When we arrive home, I dash indoors to warm up. The snow stuff is actually fun, in short bursts.
During the evening, Nate takes me for another walk. The sky is dark, but the snow casts a faint glow; it’s eerily quiet outside. We walk down the street on the sidewalk. The wind is blowing harder than earlier, and when we reach the corner, I’m shivering. Nate doesn’t notice my shaking, so we continue down the street further.
Up ahead, I notice a large shadow in someone’s yard. The shadow grows and begins to take shape as we approach. The shadow is cast from a man, who is almost as tall as Nate. The man is made of snow, but much rounder than Nate or Hannah. He has stone black eyes and mouth, stick arms, a scarf, and shoes. I don’t know this man is, and I don’t want to find out. I turn around and start walking the other way.
“Zelda, this way,” Nate says. I pull him the opposite way, but Nate resists. “C’mon girl.” I bark a few times and try again in the opposite direction of the shadow. “Okay, okay,” he says as he follows my lead.
“How was your walk?” Hannah asks as we walk in the door.
“A little short, but I think Z was cold. And she may be afraid of a snowman,” Nate says to Hannah.
“Wait, Zelda, let me take this off,” Nate says as he pulls the shirt off me. I lick his hands, find a spot on the couch on top of the fuzzy blanket, and fall asleep.
Suddenly, I am running down the street through the snow. Something is chasing me. I look back as I run, and I see it. The man with stone black eyes is gliding down the street after me. I try to run faster, but the snow is deep, slowing me down.
“Zelda.” I hear my name and open my eyes. I’m lying on the couch without a snowman in sight. It must have been a nightmare.
“Sleepy-time,” says Lucy. I slowly get up and move to Lucy’s bed. I lie under the covers next to her.
I have trouble sleeping that night. I can’t stop thinking about the man with black eyes. The man haunts me in my dreams. When sunlight shines through the window the next morning, I am grateful.
Not long after I wake up, Hannah takes me on our morning walk. I lead her on the same route as the previous night. At the corner, my heart starts beating faster. I know we are getting close. I continue forward, but at a slower pace. From a distance, I see the white mounds rising out of the ground.
I stop several feet in front of the man. His white body glimmers in the daylight and his black eyes pierce into me. I start barking.
“Zelda, it’s okay, it’s just a snowman,” Hannah whispers. “He can’t hurt you.” I want to believe Hannah, yet my instincts are telling me otherwise. I back away from the snowman, but Hannah pulls me closer. She walks right next to the snowman and touches his body with her hand. The snowman doesn’t move an inch.
“Cmon, girl, it’s okay,” she says. I walk closer and closer. I take bites of snow along the way. I can’t help it; I eat when I’m nervous.
The snowman stands motionless, and I take a few more steps under Hannah’s reassurance. I am next to the snowman. I take a bite of the snowman’s belly. The snow is delicious and refreshing.
Wait a minute, I just bit the snowman!
I back away slowly, scared of the snowman’s reaction. The snowman’s black eyes stare at me, but he doesn’t move.
I inch closer. No movement. Now I am standing next to the snowman. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t stop myself. I take a bite of the snowman, then another bite, and another, and another.
“Zelda, leave it! Stop eating the snowman!” Hannah says in between laughs. She pulls me away from the snowman, back to the sidewalk. I run forward and lead the way, stopping occasionally for mouthfuls of snow or a good scent. When we return home, I am exhausted. I curl up on the couch. I won’t have any more nightmares tonight, just sweet dreams of eating a giant snowman.
Today's post is the fourth story in the Adventures of Zelda short story series. This story is different from the past three in format and content. Let me know what you think and your favorite Zelda story so far!
Since Hannah and Nate adopted me, I’ve experienced many adventures and encountered dangerous foes. I faced the leaf pile, Vacuum, a snowman and Squeaks the squirrel. But, the most terrifying villain I faced was a tapeworm Nate named Gannondorf. Gannondorf arrived suddenly and quietly one day, causing me terrible pain for several days. Usually, I protect Hannah and Nate, but this time, they saved me.
This story of Gannondorf started on a day like any other. I woke up, went for my morning walk, played for a bit, and took my mid-morning nap on the couch while Hannah and Nate went to work. I woke up that evening to the door opening. Nate walked in and asked if I wanted to go out. I jolted up to meet Nate at the front door. But, when I started moving, my stomach seared with pain. The pain was terrible and debilitating. However, I desperately needed to go out, so I fought through the pain and went outside with Nate. I quickly did my business and returned inside to lay next to Hannah. I tried to jump on the couch, but I was too weak. I missed the couch and toppled backwards on the ground. Fortunately, Hannah took pity on me. She picked me up and set me next to her. I curled up next to her legs and fell asleep.
I woke up to the sun light seeping through the curtains and my body in serious pain. I looked around and realized I was in the bedroom. I couldn’t recall moving to the bedroom the previous night. I let out a moan of frustration.
“Morning Zelda,” said Nate. He started to massage my body, but I moved out of his reach.
“Zelda, do you want to go out?” whispered Nate. I didn’t move. “Okay, guess not,” he said. I was still exhausted. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
Nate and Hannah were both out of bed when I opened my eyes again. I couldn’t hold it any longer so I slowly walked to the front door and sat. I hoped going outside would make me feel better.
“Okay, let’s go out,” said Hannah from the kitchen. She put on her shoes and coat. We went to the backyard and returned inside. I laid down in my dog bed and tried to get comfortable without any luck. There wasn’t any way to lay without feeling the searing pain. I didn’t know what to do. I started shaking. What was wrong with me?
“Why are you shaking Zelda?” Hannah asked. She walked over and started petting me. Her soft touch calmed my tremors and I allowed my eyes to close.
I woke up with no sense of how much time passed. I didn’t feel any better. Hannah was sitting in the chair across from me in the living room so I moved next to her and laid down. The movement caused my pain to worsen and my tremors returned.
“Zelda, what’s wrong?” Hannah asked. I looked at her and tried to convey my pain with my sad, listless eyes, because I knew she couldn’t understand my thoughts.
The next time I woke up Nate was home. He greeted me with a friendly hello and pet. I started shaking. I couldn’t stop myself.
“I think we should take her to the vet,” he said to Hannah.
“Me too,” said Hannah. “I’ll call now.” She walked into the other room and returned a few minutes later. “We have a four o’clock appointment.”
“Oh wow. We better get moving! ” said Nate. We loaded up into Nate’s car and I felt a glimmer of hope. I loved car rides and maybe we were going somewhere to make me feel better. When we stopped, I hurried to get out of the car. I sprinted towards the door, before I stopped dead in my tracks! I recognized this building. The last time I was here I left with six fewer teeth and an underside in pain. I was not going inside again. Nothing good happened there.
“Let’s go Zelda,” said Nate. I stood motionless. “C’mon, the vet is going to help you feel better.” I didn’t believe him, but I also didn’t have any other choice. I reluctantly followed Hannah and Nate inside.
The variety of animal smells overwhelmed me when I walked inside. Momentarily, I forgot why I was there. I let my nose guide me around the room until Nate and Hannah led me down a hallway into a room with a woman in a white coat. They started talking but I didn’t recognize many of the words.
“It’s okay Zelda,” said Hannah. Nate handed the white coat woman a bag.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes with a diagnosis,” said the white coat woman. Nate picked me up from the counter and placed me in his lap. I wanted this nightmare to be over. I laid down and closed my eyes until I heard the door open.
“Zelda has a tapeworm. I am writing a prescription to cure her. She will be back to normal in a day or two,” said the white coat. “Thanks so much,” replied Nate. The white coat said goodbye and left.
“Did you hear that Z? You are going to be fine.” said Hannah. I really hoped Hannah was right.
“We should call the tapeworm Gannondorf,” said Nate.
“What? Why?” asked Hannah.
“Because Gannondorf was the villain in the Zelda video games,” he replied.
“Oh yeah, I remember now.” Hannah turned to me, “Don’t worry Zelda, we will help you vanquish the evil tapeworm Gannondorf.” I didn’t recognize some of the words Hannah said to me, but I think I got the message. Hannah and Nate had a plan to save me from Gannondorf and then I would be back to my normal walking and playing pug self. We headed back to the car and returned home.
At home, Nate called me to the kitchen. When I walked into the kitchen, I smelled something delicious. I realized the smell was peanut butter as I approached Nate. I love peanut butter. Maybe that’s what would make me feel better!
Nate knelt next to me with peanut butter covering his finger. He signaled for me to eat it and I didn’t hesitate. The peanut butter was delicious. I was in heaven. But, then I noticed something small in the peanut butter. It was hard and tasted bad. I stopped licking the peanut butter.
“C’mon Zelda, you need to eat it, it will make you feel better,” said Nate. He slopped more peanut butter on his finger and called me over. I stared at him. I realized this may be part of the plan to save me from Gannondorf. I started licking and forced the gross food down my throat. I swallowed, drank some water, and reclaimed my spot on the couch.
I slept through the night and woke up with the sun in the morning. I slowly stood up and waited for the pain to return. Nothing happened! I walked to the other side of the bed and stood on Nate to wake him up. I felt discomfort, but nothing like the past few days. I licked Nate’s face.
“Okay Okay. Somebody must be feeling better.” he said. I walked to Hannah and jumped on her. She grumbled at first, but then petted me. “Do you want to go for a walk?” asked Nate. I ran to the front door.
“It’s good to see Zelda prevailed over Gannondorf the tapeworm,” said Hannah with a grin on her face. I waited by the door with squirrels on my mind. I knew one of my responsibilities as a dog was to protect Hannah and Nate- my owners. But, I’m glad they look out for me too.
[vimeo 56034210 w=500 h=281] Merry Christmas! from Kristen Otte on Vimeo.
By the way, Zelda hates wearing her Christmas Sweater. Have a very Merry Christmas!
Peace & Love,
Kristen & Zelda
Today’s post is the third short story in the series: The Legend of Zelda. Once a month I post a short story here on the blog. The first story is The Legend of Zelda: Part 1 Beginnings and the second is Zelda vs the Leaf Pile. Today's story is Christmas themed. I hope you enjoy!
The trees are barren, the air is cold, and the cool breeze creates an uncomfortable chill. The sun is out for less of the day. The morning grass is crunchy, and the puddles on the edge of the yard are frozen. All of these signs point to the unfortunate truth. Winter is here.
I am not built for winter with my short hair and small body. I return from walks with a nasty case of the chills, so my time outdoors is limited. Luckily, I have Ben and Lucy to keep me busy. My favorite toy is the purple owl. The owl has the loudest squeaker. To top it off, the wings of the owl crinkle. I love playing with it.
As usual, I take my afternoon nap while the family is gone. I wake up mid-afternoon to the front door opening. I slowly wake up and greet Hannah, Ben, and Lucy.
“Ben, grab Zelda,” Hannah says. Ben scoops me up as Hannah opens the front door. Nate walks in carrying a pine tree, and he places the tree in front of the big window.
I have seen flowers and small plants indoors before, but never a full-size tree. I search my brain for a reason to plant a tree inside our home, and the only idea that pops in my head is squirrels. Maybe we are getting a pet squirrel? I walk over to the tree and sniff for clues. My sniffs turn to sneezes instantaneously. I back away. The tree top almost touches the ceiling. Compared to the trees outside, it’s a small tree, but in our home, the tree is huge. But I find no trace of squirrel in the tree. Hmmm…
A few minutes later, Nate brings boxes from the basement, cluttering the living room. Hannah, Nate, Ben, and Lucy spend the next hour playing with the tree. First, they wrap strings around the tree. On the strings are small colorful lights. Next they place balls, other objects, and statues on the tree. Everything they put on the tree resembles a toy.
“Does Zelda have an ornament?” Ben asks.
“Here it is,” Nate says and hands something small to Ben. He hangs it on the tree, but I can’t see it from my vantage point.
I investigate the tree a second time. My sneezes and itchy nose return. I find a little man with a red hat, red coat, and a long white beard hanging within my reach. I stand on my hind legs and use the windowsill to maintain my balance. I knock the little red man with my paw, and he falls to the ground. I grab him with my mouth and run to Lucy.
“Hi Zelda,” Lucy says. “Mom, Zelda has something.”
“Zelda, what is that?” Hannah asks. “Nate, can you help me out? I think Zelda has Santa.”
“Maybe Z is trying to tell Santa what she wants for Christmas,” Nate replies with a grin.
“Zelda, drop it,” Nate commands. I drop the statue on the floor immediately. “This isn’t a toy,” Nate picks up the statue and places it back on the tree above my reach.
I run to the tree and find a small, red ball hanging low on the tree. I grab it and bring it to Ben.
“Zelda, give me that,” Ben says. I run away, and he chases me.
“Mom, Zelda has another ornament,” Ben yells in between breaths.
“Get it from her Ben. She can’t have them,” Hannah yells back.
“I’m trying,” Ben shouts.
I run until Ben pins me in a corner.
“I have you now!” Ben grabs for me. I start squirming to avoid his reach, but in the process, I drop the red ball.
“Ah hah!” Ben says. “I got it Mom!”
“Thanks dear. Bring it back to the tree. Let’s move the ornaments up so Zelda can’t reach them,” Hannah says.
“But then I can’t reach them either,” Lucy says. She has her bottom lip turned up.
“I’m sorry Lucy, but we don’t want Zelda to break the ornaments or to hurt herself with one,” Hannah says.
“It’s not fair,” Lucy cries. She walks into her bedroom.
“Not again,” Ben says. “Lucy is always crying.”
“Be nice to your sister,” Nate says. “She’s young. You cried a lot at that age too.”
I run up to Ben with one of my tennis balls. We play until I get tired. I lie down on the couch, and I fall asleep.
I awake to some noise outside and an empty house. From my perch on top of the couch, I see a man walking three dogs on the sidewalk. I sprint to the window. I stand up, resting my front legs on the windowsill. I start barking. One of the three dogs sees me and barks back. Soon all three dogs are barking. I am pumped. I race to the other side of the tree to get a different view. I stand up on the windowsill, and my front feet slip. I fall into the tree. I hear something hit the floor, but I regain my balance and stand up on the windowsill. The dogs are far down the street. I return to the floor to see what I knocked down. It’s a very little boy.
I pick it up. It’s a little hard for a toy, but it will work. I take it to the back bedroom and bury it in the blanket on the bed next to a milk-bone.
After an afternoon away, my family returns home with bags and boxes. They cover the boxes with colorful paper, put them under the tree, and call them “presents.” Over the next week, more presents appear under the tree. I use the presents to reach more toys on the tree. I’m gathering a collection of the toys. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself.
Everyday when my family leaves, I look for another toy to collect. So far, I have a small red ball, a small green ball, one little boy, and one little girl. I hide the toys in my favorite milk-bone spots. I have one in my crate under a blanket, one sandwiched between cushions on the couch, and two under the blanket in the spare bedroom.
“Hey Z, what are doing?” Ben asks when he arrives home that afternoon. Hannah joins us in the living room.
“Ready for Christmas Eve dinner?” Hannah interrupts.
“Yes Mom. Can we bring Zelda?” Ben says.
“Sure, why not. My family loves Zelda.”
We spend the evening with Hannah’s family. I love their home, especially when I know the visit is short. I run and sniff all corners of the house while the family eats, drinks, and laughs together. When we return home, I am exhausted. I head straight for bed and drift to sleep.
I hear Hannah and Nate wake up early the next morning. They are normally slow to get out of bed, but not this morning. I get up from Lucy’s bed and follow them into the living room, being careful not to wake Lucy. Hannah and Nate put more presents under the tree and just as they finish, Ben and Lucy wake up. The whole family gathers around the tree. They pass each other the presents and open them one by one. They smile and laugh throughout the entire process.
“Zelda, do you want your Christmas present?” Ben asks.
Ben grabs a stocking hanging on the wall and places it in front of me. I walk over and sniff it. Inside, I see something green. I stick my paw in the stocking and try to get it out. It is firmly jammed in the stocking, but I am able to wedge my paw in the stocking and move it towards me. As I put pressure on the green thing, it squeaks.
I recognize that sound!
I move it a little further; I can grab it with my mouth. I pull out a brand new green owl with a perfect squeaker. I run sprints with it through the house. I bring it to Ben, and we play tug of war.
“What is this?” Hannah asks.
“Huh?” Nate says.
“Come here Nate,” Nate walks over to Hannah.
“Look at this,” she says. She lifts the pillow on the couch to reveal the small green ball from the tree hidden next to a milk-bone. “Zelda must have hidden this ornament here.”
Hannah found my hiding spot. I’m in trouble.
“So our pug hides Christmas ornaments?” Nate says with a big smile.
“I guess so,” says Hannah chuckling. “I wonder if we will find any more around the house.”
“Probably. Oh well, it’s Christmas,” Nate says.
“That it is,” Hannah says. She leans over and kisses Nate.
“So what would you like for Christmas breakfast?” Nate asks.
“Pancakes!” Hannah says. Nate goes into the kitchen and starts cooking breakfast. I follow him into the kitchen. Maybe he will accidentally drop some pancakes or bacon on the floor. If not, it’s still been a great morning. I got a new owl, and I didn’t get in trouble for hiding the tree toys. But I still have no idea why we have a tree in our living room!
Today’s post is the second short story in the series: The Adventures of Zelda. Once a month I post a short story here on the blog. If you missed the first story or want to learn why I'm writing this series, visit The Adventures of Zelda: Part 1 Beginnings post.
rom my perch on top of the couch, I watch the leaves blowing from the trees, and the squirrels scurrying through the yard. The weather is perfect for pug walking. The hot and humid days of summer are gone for now, and I am glad for the cooler air and the breeze ruffling through my fur. I can take long walks with the family again. Ben and Lucy just left for school, so I wait for Hannah so we can take our morning walk.
Hannah finds her hoodie and yellow shoes, sits down, and ties her shoes. I run to her and grab the shoelaces with my mouth. I try to help her tie the yellow shoes, but she pushes me away, and I wait by the door until she is ready.
We head out the door a couple minutes later; I veer to the left. Hannah follows my lead, and we turn right onto Edgewood–my favorite street. A canopy of large oak and maple trees lines both sides of the street, creating shade on the sidewalks at any time of the day. The big trees attract squirrels and chipmunks–animals I love to chase. The houses are filled with dogs of all shapes and sizes. My favorite spot on this street is a light post on the corner of Edgewood and Meadowfield. The light post rests on a popular cross-section, so many dogs frequent it. Every visit to the light post introduces me to a new smell. I love it. I lead the way down Edgewood, pulling Hannah along behind me.
Squirrel!
I spot the first squirrel midway down Edgewood. The squirrel is on the opposite side of the street out of my reach, so I ignore its taunting. Meanwhile, in the next yard on our side of the street, a second squirrel runs up a tree. Without hesitation, I charge for the tree. I sprint four strides before being yanked backward by Hannah.
“Zelda, calm down!” Hannah yells. I ignore her and press forward. The tree is only a few more steps away.
I want that squirrel. It’s so close.
When I reach the tree, I see the squirrel a few branches above me. I jump up and try to gain traction on the tree trunk.
“Let’s go!” Hannah pulls me away from the tree; I have to keep walking. I walk a few paces and sit down in the grass, disappointed. Hannah pleads with me to keep walking. I lie on the grass and look at the street ahead.
The light post!
I get up and run towards the corner light post at the end of the street. As I approach the corner, I sneeze. Something isn’t right. I don’t smell the normal mix of dog scents. I keep walking and see the problem. I see something on top of the ground around the light post. I walk cautiously toward the corner.
As I approach the corner, I realize the barrier is a collection of leaves in one big pile. I stop and stare at the leaf pile. Why would anyone put a bunch of leaves in a pile? And why did they have to do it on my corner light post?
I can’t tell if the pile is covering something. It probably isn’t covering up anything dangerous, but I don’t want to risk walking into thorns. I continue walking, ignoring the corner light post and the leaf pile for today. I bet the pile will be gone tomorrow.
Hannah and I stroll past the elementary school and through the park. I see two more squirrels, but I don’t catch either one. When we arrive home, I’m thirsty and exhausted. I drink a bowl of water and sprawl across the couch.
On our walks the next few days, I lead Hannah or Nate to the corner light post, but the leaf pile remains. Unsure what to do now that the leaf pile seems permanent, I lead Nate in the opposite direction of our normal route. We turn down Sunbrook and start walking. I haven’t walked on Sunbrook in several days. Sunbrook has huge oak trees in most of the yards, many more than Edgewood, but Sunbrook lacks dogs, so the street is not quite as fun.
While we walk down the street, I notice something strange in the distance. I pick up the pace; I recognize the similar shape. It’s another leaf pile. I keep walking.
When we reach the corner of Sunbrook and Meadowfield, I turn left towards Edgewood. When I turn the corner, I see another leaf pile. My excitement rises. Since more leaf piles have appeared, maybe the other leaf pile will be gone. We pass the elementary school, and Nate stops to talk to the man in the yellow shirt. The bright yellow shirt blinds me. I want to see the light post. I bark and pull Nate forward.
We arrive at the corner light post. The leaf pile remains. I sigh, ignoring the squirrel running across the street. I am too distraught by the leaf piles everywhere; they surround fire hydrants, tree trunks, and light posts. I don’t know what to do.
When we return home, Nate takes a seat on the couch and turns on the television. I curl up in his lap and fall asleep, trying to forget about the leaf piles.
I awake later in the afternoon. I feel better, much more refreshed and light-hearted. It is amazing what a good nap can do. Nate asks if I want to go outside. I answer by waiting at the front door. He takes me out to the backyard. I notice the grass is almost covered by red, yellow, and orange leaves. I hear a noise and look at the next yard over. I see Don, our neighbor, working outside in his flower beds. He is raking the leaves from the flower beds and putting the leaves into a pile.
He’s making a leaf pile!
I start running towards the front yard, but Nate pulls me inside. I will have to wait to test my theory.
After dinner, Nate grabs my harness. I am so excited for this walk; I run at least twenty circles around Nate before he catches me and puts on the harness. When he opens the door, I run for the closest leaf pile I can find. There are none on our street so we turn down Edgewood. I see a leaf pile across the street, and I pull Nate in that direction. He obliges, and we cross the street. I start running for the leaf pile and lunge into it, hoping I can make it through. The leaves move out of my way and collapse around me. I stop and smile. I am in the middle of the leaf pile. The leaves come up to my neck, but it’s okay. I can breathe. The leaves feel great, and the aromatic smells overwhelm my nose. The leaf pile is better than the corner light post.
I start kicking the leaves. The leaves fly in the air in every direction.
“Zelda, you are getting me dirty,” Nate mumbles. I ignore him. Kicking the leaves is so much fun, and the amount of leaf piles on our route is endless. I walk out of the leaf pile. I see another pile a house away. I start running.
