During the winter, it’s hard to grow crops and collect food for the Snowflake Festival. We need the gold to expand our farm and to pay our bills. If we don’t grow crops, we can’t sell them, and if we can’t sell them, we don’t get the gold we need. The Red Feathered birds have migrated to the north, so there is nothing to protect us from harmful pest. Everyday, countless trees die due to the snow surrounding the acres. We never knew it would be such a challenge to do what we’ve been doing for decades. When mayor Lyla asked us to grow the food for the festival this year, we erupted with joy. But now, we may have to ask a neighboring farm near the north. 

“Is something troubling you?” 

My older sister, Ally, asked me. 

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” 

I replied. Ally is like a mother to me. 

I never got to meet my real mother, but Ally is just as great. My father passed when Ally was only a year old due to cancer,  and mother got into a horrible car accident when I was a few months old. Me and Ally were staying at our grandparents farm, and that is where we live today. Ally put her hand on my shoulder. 

“You can tell me anything, I’m your sister, Rose.” 

I smiled and looked up at Ally. 

“I’ve just been thinking about the harvest, it’s not going so well.” 

“Trust me, it will get better.” 

Her hand slowly slid of my shoulder. 

“Rose! Ally! Come quick!” 

Grandma yelled, running out of the barn with a bright face. 

“Tomorrow, we’re going on a trip!” 

“But what about the crops?” 

“We will be bringing seeds home, but not just any seeds, seeds that grow in the winter!” 

“That’s amazing!”

“We will be going on Friday, so you have three days to pack.” 

After our work in the farm was done, we rushed to our rooms and packed all of our belongings. 

Friday came sooner then I expected. We crammed all of our suitcases in the trunk of our small bright red car. Grandma sat at the steering wheel while Grandpa sat next her, looking like he was about to fall asleep. I opened the door that had a small silver scratch on it. Ally sat away from me. The seats were a deep black and made out of a soft leather that reached the faded floor covered in dirt and small rocks. After we buckled our light pale seatbelts, the car vibrated and we started to move. The car bounced up and down as we drove along the dirt road. When we reached normal road after a few minutes, the ride was as smooth as glass. 

Once again, I awoke surrounded in fence. I was smooshed into my mother’s stomach as my siblings pushed to get their food. After we all ate, I was pushed once more. The young man opened the gate to the garden and played with us for a while. The people always called us by numbers. I just sat under a shady tree near a bush with golden flowers. My two brothers and three sisters loved to run after a shiny blue ball that made a squeak when it bounced off the ground. My head turned back and forth as I watched them trip over each other, trying to catch the ball as they ran at full speed but never seemed to get tired. As they leaped into the air, chomping down on the ball just so they can bring it back, I lied down and took a nap. I slightly opened my eyes to see the old man in purple come over to me.  He was the only one I wanted to play with. It was always so crowded in the shelter, so he brought me to a special area where I could play. I liked tugging on a white long rope with a big knot in the middle. I also chased after a grey disc that soared though the sky. Sadly, that peaceful time doesn’t last long. After play time we are all hooked up to this pale leash and taken out on the sidewalk. My siblings run everywhere, while I like to take it easy. The man in purple held my leash, while the young one held the rest. Today was different. When I woke up, I was in the arms of the young man.  He then put me in a cage that’s not as big as my normal one, but still big. I was in the back of what they called a ‘car.’ 

“Sorry girl,” 

he started 

 “the shelter is getting too crowded.” 

I remember when my youngest brother was thrown into this place. He hasn’t come back to this very day. At least I can finally nap without my siblings barking and snoring in my ear. Then, the car hit a stop. The young man scooped me up, and carried me in a strange brown and white building.  There were people with strange mask.  They pushed though a clear force field into another room. Then, the held me down on a table with fabric the color of the sky on a nice summer day. The paper rubbed against my fur, making it stick up like electric. 

“How am I suppose to tell Henry? He loved playing with 379.”

They took out a big pointy thing filled with some sort of purple ooze. I struggled to escape their graspy pale hands, but it was no use. Just because some scary people are pushing me to some leather table doesn’t mean I give up! I kept pushing away, growling at them. Then, when the pointy thing drew near, I bit the humans’s hands, and they pulled back, examining their wound. As they held their hands with the other, I ran though the opened shield and escaped towards the wilderness. The scary people stayed behind, as I padded towards a strange black pathway. Zooming though the path, was a small, bright red car the color of roses. It had a silver scratch on the door, and inside were two girls, and elderly people. They didn’t go that fast, so I thought I’d catch up with them. 

 I stared out my window as we passed though an animal hospital. I spotted a small white and tan bulldog puppy zoom though the door.  We soon zoomed pasted the hospital, going so fast that looking at the snow top trees made me feel dizzy. After another hour, we were welcomed by a beautiful small cottage with a warm feeling. I slowly approached the cottage, with my eyes fixed on the door nob. When I opened it, I felt like I fell down the hole to wonderland. It was nice and toasty inside, and it had four rooms. Each room had it’s own bathroom. The living room was huge with a long couch, and the kitchen was very neat.  My bed was pink and black, my favorite combo of colors! It went flawlessly with my purple and black spotted pillow. All my clothes fit in the draw without a single one popping out. It was like somebody knew we were coming.  After settling in, there were small scratches on the door. They got slower and slower as none answered the door. Then, the daring do that I was, I opened the door, and a small, thing, zoomed inside and went straight under the couch. I turned the flashlight on my phone and checked under, but it was gone. 

“Please don’t tell me there is a cur in our cottage!” 

Grandpa boomed. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll get it out.” 

I said, with the flashlight still on. 

“No, you are getting it out!” 

“What?!” 

“You let the pest in! Now you’re getting it out!” 

“But Grandpa,” 

“No buts! Now get that thing away! And fast!”

“Yes, Grandpa.” 

I searched though the cabinets, looking for bait. I found an empty box of cookies. All that was left was the many crumbs, and a few chocolate smudges. I set the box on the ground and kneeled behind the door of an open closet. Then, I quickly dashed outside and grabbed and old stick from the backyard. The bark was slowly peeling off. I adjusted the stick to fit in the box, and act like a trap. I went back behind the door, with my back agents it. Then, I heard a sound that sounded like someone dropping thick paper into somebody else’s head.  I looked past the door, and a small bulldog puppy was standing in the box. It was white with tan speckles. It looked just like the one from the animal hospital. Or maybe it is the one from the animal hospital? I scooped her up in my arms. 

“Oh good, you got it.” 

Grandpa took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He snatched the puppy from me. 

“This will make good dinner. It doesn’t seem to carry and disease, it will be safe to eat.” 

“Hey! You can’t eat a pup-“ 

He was already walking towards the stove. He threw the puppy in a cage and locked it. He grabbed two silver pots the puppy could fit in perfectly. Her miserable eyes pounded down on my heart. I had to do something. I snuck over to the cage, and brought to to the back yard. I opened the cage and it sat down in my lap. I stroked my hand down it’s short, soft fur. 

“Where did that rascal go?!” 

Grandpa yelled, approaching the door with his glasses on. The puppy jumped out of my lap and leaped over the fence with the help of a pile of fire wood tied together. The puppy then zoomed away, still slightly in sight. Grandpa stepped next to me. 

“Aww, did I scare away your puppy friend?”

He asked with a drooping voice. 

“You nearly cooked her!” 

I screamed, looking back at the fence. The puppy was long gone now. 

“It’s alright, Rose. I’m sure she’ll come back soon.” 

He patted my back and led me inside.