A Dog's Purpose Boxed Set

by W. Bruce Cameron

  I’d learned from being with CJ in the car that when times were scary sticks could be bad, so as the man poked the stick at my nose I growled, too frightened to do anything else.

  “Okay, that’s it,” the man with the food said. “Aggressive. Short track.”

  “But the owner said she was coming back,” the other man objected.

  “They all say that. Helps them to feel better when they’re dropping off Fido. But you know what? They never do.”

  “Still…”

  “Hey, I know you’re new, but you’re going to have to get used to it real fast or you’re not going to last. It’s an aggressive dog. So, that’s it.”

  “Yeah, all right.”

  I was led back to my cage. I curled up, my eyes closed. After a time I was able to fall asleep, despite the physical assault of the barking.

  A day went by, and then another. I felt anxious and sick. I was becoming accustomed to the noise and the smells but never to being without my girl. When I barked, it was with the pain of separation.

  Another day went by and this one was the worst one because it really did seem as though my girl had forgotten all about me. I needed CJ to come get me now.

  The din was so loud that I sensed the presence of a woman outside my cage door without hearing her. She opened the door and patted her knees. Slowly, unsure, I approached her, my ears down, wagging. She hooked a leash onto my collar and led me past the other cages, the dogs howling and barking and snarling and whimpering at me.

  The woman took me to a door and when it opened CJ was there. Sobbing, I jumped up, trying to lick her face.

  “Molly!” she said. “Oh, Molly, Molly, are you okay? I am so sorry; Molly, are you okay?”

  For several minutes we hugged and kissed each other. My girl. She hadn’t forgotten about me after all. I felt the love pouring out of her and it made my heart soar.

  CJ led me over to a car and I joyously followed. She opened the back door, but I was so happy to be leaving I sailed inside and then I got to see why I wasn’t going to get to be a front-seat dog—Gloria was there, sitting in my usual spot. She looked at me and I wagged because I was even glad to see her, so elated was I to be leaving the place of barking dogs.

  “Good dog, good dog,” CJ said as she slipped behind the wheel and started the car.

  We drove to a place that was every bit as loud as the place with all the dogs, but these were all people noises. I heard cars and busses and shouting and other sounds and every so often a giant thundering noise that would seem to shake the very air.

  CJ got a box out of the trunk and opened a metal mesh door at one end of it. “Go into the crate, Molly.” I looked at her questioningly. “Crate,” she repeated. I lowered my head and went inside. “Good dog, Molly. This is your crate.”

  When I was inside I could see out through the metal grate, but the rest of the crate was solid. “You’re going to go for a plane ride, Molly. It will be okay.” CJ poked her fingers through the grate.

  It was one of the strangest days of my life. Several times the crate was tilted one way or another, and eventually I was put in a room and there was another dog in it I could smell but not see. The dog started barking, but I was all barked out and just wanted to sleep, though a teeth-rattling roar soon filled the room, vibrating my crate and making my body feel heavy, as if I were on a car ride. The dog barked and barked and barked, but I had heard worse recently and wasn’t annoyed. The vibrations seemed to drive fatigue into my bones and I was soon asleep.

  After some more tilting and moving, I was in a place with a lot of people and the same loud noises. CJ appeared and opened the crate and I bounded out, shaking myself off and ready to have fun. She led me outside to a patch of grass to do my business, and the combination of scents floating on the cold air told me we were now close to home. I wagged with happiness.

  A man gave us a car ride. Gloria sat up next to him and CJ sat with me. I wanted to sit in CJ’s lap, I was so glad to be with her again, but when I tried she laughed and pushed me away.

  When we got home, Trent was there and so was Rocky! I bounded out of the car and ran to my brother and he sniffed me up and down, no doubt smelling all the dogs and people I’d met since I’d seen him last. Then we wrestled and played in the snow, but I was still feeling insecure and didn’t let Rocky pull me more than a few feet away from CJ’s feet as she sat on the steps with Trent.

  “It was … an adventure, that’s for sure,” CJ said. “I have to say, next time I go to California I want to stay in a place with a shower. The Ford didn’t have one.”

  “What happened to the Ford?”

  “God, Gloria made me sell it. Supposedly, I had too much independence—that’s the new theory, that I ran off because of independence. Also, she wants me to see a shrink. She’s convinced that anyone who wouldn’t want to live with her has to be crazy.”

  “How was it? Having her show up, I mean.”

  “You want to know what? It was pure, unadulterated Gloria. She comes to this women’s shelter and she’s saying, ‘Thank God, thank God,’ and she tells the staff thank you for taking care of her ‘little girl.’ I think maybe she thought they were going to give her an award or something. Mother of the Year. And then when we get in the car she asks me if I want to go on a tour with her to see celebrities’ houses.”

  Rocky had tried several times to get me to chase him around the yard and now gave up, rolling on his back and baring his throat for me to chew. CJ reached out and petted me. It felt so good to be home.

  “So then she gives me this lecture and tells me she’s already arranged for a broker to sell the car, which is in Impound, I guess. And then we go out to eat at the Ivy, which is this restaurant where you’re supposed to be able to see all these movie stars. She tells me she’s disappointed in me and that she loved her mother, which is this thing she always says, that her mother was worse and yet Gloria still loved her, so that makes me, I don’t know, weak or something. So I’m trying to talk to her about it, about why I ran away, I mean, and she interrupts me to ask if I want to try her wine because in California the wine is as good as in France. In a restaurant, she wants to give a minor wine. And then we pick up Molly and fly first class and she flirts with the flight attendant the whole way—she thinks that because he kept asking if she wanted more wine he must have had a crush on her, though he was like twenty-five years old and obviously not into women, if you know what I mean.”

  “What about Molly? I mean, what happens now?”

  “Well, that’s the question, isn’t it. I told her if anything ever happens to Molly again I’m going to write a book about how I was forced to run away because my mother was a dog abuser and I’m going to self-publish it and go on a national book tour. That gave her something to think about.”

  Rocky and I had both stopped wrestling when we heard my name. Now he jumped up and tried to climb on my back.

  “Rocky, stop that,” Trent said. Rocky dropped off of me and went over to Trent for reassurance.

  “Let’s walk,” CJ said, standing up. She and Trent snapped leashes onto our collars and then we went to the side gate and down the street. It felt so great to be going for a walk!

  “Oh, and then she tells me how helpful Shane was, that he was the one who said I was in LA. This is after I told her what a creep he is! She takes his calls and chats with him and probably does her laugh and everything.”

  “I tried to find you, you know. I mean, on the Internet, I was looking at postings, anything with your name on it.”

  “I should have called. I’m sorry. I just … It wasn’t the best time for me, and when things are bad, I can’t make myself communicate.”

  “I found something, though, while I was looking,” Trent said.

  “What?”

  “Actually, it’s more like what I didn’t find. I just noticed that on the real estate office site where your mom has an office? Her picture is there, but there are no property listings for her.”

  “
Is it her glamour shot? I hate that.”

  “Yeah, I think so. It’s really fuzzy, out of focus.”

  “She’s pretty sure that someone’s going to see that picture and sign her to a record deal.”

  “You can go back three years on that site and find sales. Your mom’s name isn’t on any of them.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I guess it means that in the past three years your mother hasn’t sold or listed a house.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “No. Check it yourself.”

  “I had no idea. She’s never said anything about it.”

  Rocky went rigid and saw it the same time I did: a squirrel had bounded into the street and was now frozen, staring at us, probably paralyzed with fear. Our paws digging into the snow, the two of us strained at our leashes, the squirrel darting over to a tree and scrambling up it. CJ and Trent led us over to the tree. Rocky put his paws on the tree and barked, a joyous noise that let the squirrel know we could have caught him if we’d really tried.

  “Hi!” a woman called from behind us. I lifted my nose and could smell that I had met her before, though I wasn’t sure where.

  “Sheryl, hi,” CJ said. “This is my friend Trent.”

  The woman bent and held out her hand for Rocky and me to sniff. She had a glove on that smelled delicious, but I knew better than to try to take it in my mouth. “Hi, Trent. Hi, Molly.”

  “We met at the Christmas party,” Trent said.

  “Yes, of course,” Sheryl said.

  They stood talking for a little bit. Rocky and I kept glancing around for squirrels, but then some uneasiness came over my girl and I snapped my attention back to her. “Um,” CJ said. She and Trent looked at each other. “Sheryl, at the party, when Molly signaled … We never heard. I mean…”

  The woman nodded. “Of course. Well, there was … a lump. But it was so small, and I was so busy, I would have kept putting it off if it hadn’t been for Molly.”

  I wagged.

  “We caught it in plenty of time, my doctor says. So…” The woman gave a light laugh. “I called and told your mother about it all; didn’t she say anything?”

  “No, she didn’t mention it. But I’ve been … traveling.”

  The woman leaned over and kissed me. I wagged and Rocky stuck his head in the way. “Thank you, Molly,” the woman said. “You saved my life.”

  When we got back to the house, Trent and Rocky left and CJ and I went inside. There was a room I never went into because it was where Gloria liked to sit and look at papers, and this was where we went now. There was no food and no toys, so I had no idea why we’d bother with the place. CJ pulled open drawers and looked at papers, while I curled up in a ball and contemplated a nap.

  “Oh no,” CJ said quietly. I heard the word “no,” but it didn’t seem that I was a bad dog.

  CJ suddenly stood up and went down the hallway. She felt angry and she was stomping her feet. “Gloria!” she shouted.

  “I’m back here!”

  We went to Gloria’s room. She was sitting in a chair in front of a television.

  “What are these?” CJ asked loudly, rattling the papers. Gloria stared, her eyes narrowed, and then sighed.

  “Oh. Those.”

  “Is our house in foreclosure?”

  “I don’t know. It’s too confusing.”

  “But … It says we’re six months behind. Six months! Is that true?”

  “That can’t be right. Has it been that long?”

  “Gloria. It says we’re in foreclosure proceedings. If we don’t do something, we’re going to lose the house!”

  “Ted said he could loan me some money,” Gloria said.

  “Who’s Ted?”

  “Ted Petersen. You’d like him. He looks like a male model.”

  “Gloria! There are all kind of bills in your desk that aren’t even open.”

  “You’ve been snooping in my desk?”

  “We’re behind in our house payments and you don’t think I have a right to know about it?”

  “That office is my private place, Clarity.”

  The anger was slowly leaving my girl. She dropped into a chair, the papers falling to the floor. I sniffed at them.

  “Well, okay,” CJ said. “I think we’re going to have to tap into Dad’s trust.”

  Gloria didn’t say anything. She was looking at the television.

  “Gloria, are you listening? You always said there’s a provision in there that if we really need the money for something, like if I needed surgery or whatever, we can withdraw funds. I’d say losing the house counts.”

  “Why do you think we’re behind in the first place?”

  “Sorry?”

  “There wasn’t enough in there.”

  CJ was very still, and I could hear her heartbeat. I nuzzled her hand in concern, but she ignored me. “What are you saying? Are you saying you took the money? Dad’s money? My money? You took my money?”

  “It never was your money, Clarity. It was the trust your father set up so that you could live. All the money I spent was for you. How do you think I paid for your food, for the house? How about our trips, the cruise?”

  “The cruise? You invaded the trust so we could go on a cruise ship?”

  “Someday you’ll be a mother yourself. Then you’ll understand.”

  “What about your stuff, Gloria? What about your cars, your clothes?”

  “Well, obviously I had to have clothes.”

  CJ jumped to her feet. The rage in her made her whole body rigid, and I cowered from it. “I hate you! I hate you! You are the most evil person in the world!” she screamed.

  Sobbing, she fled down the hallway, and I was right on her heels. She scooped up some things from the kitchen counter as we went out the door and she went to Gloria’s car and opened the door. I jumped in—front seat!

  CJ was still sobbing as we drove down her street. I looked out the window but did not see the squirrel Rocky and I had chased earlier. CJ’s hand was to her ear, holding her phone.

  “Trent? Oh my God, Gloria spent all my money. My money, Dad’s trust, it’s gone! She said she took it out for me, but that’s a lie, it’s a lie, she went on vacations and she bought herself stuff, and it was all my money. Oh, Trent, that was my college fund; that was my … Oh God.” The grief in CJ was overwhelming. I whimpered, putting my head in her lap.

  “No, what?… No, I left. I’m driving.… What? No, I didn’t steal her car. It’s not hers; she bought it with my money!” CJ shouted.

  She was quiet for a moment. She wiped her eyes. “I know. Can I come over? I’ve got Molly.”

  I thumped my tail.

  “Wait,” CJ said. She was quiet, her body still, and then a new emotion boiled up in her: fear. “Trent, it’s Shane. He’s right behind me.”

  CJ twisted in her seat, then faced the front. I felt a heaviness that I knew meant the car was changing speed. “No, I’m sure. He’s following me! I’ll call you back!”

  CJ tossed her phone onto my seat and it bounced and fell to the floor in front of me. I looked at it but elected not to climb down to sniff it. “Hang on, Molly,” CJ said. I had trouble holding myself steady. I heard a car honk. The car turned and I fell against the door. We stopped suddenly and then were driving again. Another turn came.

  CJ took a deep breath. “Okay. Okay, I think he’s gone, Molly,” she said. She leaned over to pick up her phone, grunting, and then something slammed me so hard I lost track of everything. I heard CJ scream and a shock of pain went through my body and I couldn’t see. I felt us falling.

  It took me a long moment to understand what was happening. I was no longer in the front seat. I was lying on the inside roof of the car and CJ was above me in her seat. “Oh God, Molly, are you okay?”

  I could taste blood in my mouth and was not able to wag my tail or move my legs. CJ unbuckled herself and slid out of her seat. “Molly!” she screamed. “Oh God, Molly, please, I can’t live without you,
please, Molly, please!”

  I felt her terror and her sadness and wanted to comfort her, but all I could do was look at her. She cradled my head in her hands. Her hands felt so good on my fur. “I love you, Molly. Oh, Molly, I’m so sorry, oh, Molly, oh, Molly,” she said.

  I couldn’t see her anymore, and her voice sounded distant. “Molly!” she called again.

  I knew what was happening. I could feel the darkness rising all around me, and, as I did so, I remembered being with Hannah, on the last day I was alive as Buddy. How, when I slipped away, I found myself thinking of baby Clarity and hoping she would find a dog to take care of her.

  With a jolt, I realized something.

  I had been that dog.

  NINETEEN

  Always before, when the warm, gentle waves swept over me and washed away my pain, I let myself drift with the current, floating without direction. Each time I had been reborn before it had been something of a surprise: I always felt as if I had completed my mission, fulfilled my purpose.

  Not this time. My girl was in trouble and I needed to get back to her. When the waves came and the sensation of her hands on my fur faded from me, I actively pushed, fighting to make my limbs respond. I wanted to be reborn.

  When awareness came and I knew I had returned, it was a relief. I had the sense that I had been asleep for less time than in the past, which was good. Now I just needed to grow large and strong enough to find my way back to CJ and be her dog.

  My mother was a light brown color, as were my two siblings—both sisters, both aggressively seeking to feed. When sounds began to emerge from the liquidy fuzz as distinct and identifiable, I could hear barking dogs. Lots of them.

  I was back in a place of barking dogs. After a time, the din became so much a part of the background that I stopped hearing it.

  While the light was still muddled and my limbs were weak, I could do nothing more than sleep and feed, but I remembered what to do, how to push forward to my mother, and bit back my impatience with how helpless I was.