One Night at the Shelter

It was a very quiet night at the Restigouche County SPCA shelter. Nine border collie mix puppies lay snoring in a heap. Only one was awake, and suddenly noticed a glowing form take shape in the corner of the room.

"Who are you?" the puppy asked, a little bit afraid.

The glowing dog smiled. "It's not so much who I am, but who you are."

Looking confused, the puppy wriggled out of the mass and crept closer. "I'm Seven of Nine," she replied. "These are my eight brothers and sisters, and this is our home."

"No, puppy," the glowing dog said gently, "this is not your home. Neither was the place where you were born, because those people left you and the others in a box on the doorstep here at the Ess-Pee-See-Ay. Tomorrow you will get your forever home."

"Oh, boy!" the puppy exclaimed. "Wait 'til I tell the others!" And she moved to wake them.

"No," the glowing dog said quickly, then waited as the puppy turned, puzzled. "You will be going alone, for you are the Chosen One. They will each have their forever homes, but I am here to talk just to you about yours."

Feeling both sad and special, the puppy sat and listened to what the glowing dog had to say.

"Tomorrow a woman and her friend will come here to this place. It will be a very long journey, but she is coming for you. She doesn't know it yet, but you will be the one she will choose. This woman will be your hoomin mom, and she will give you a new name. She will love you and take care of you. She will take you places and talk about you and take naps with you. Most of all, she will be your best friend until the time comes for a passing. She will be there for you always."

The puppy let this sink in, and watched as the glowing dog stepped forward and slipped a swatch of brightly-coloured tartan fabric around her tiny shoulders. "You will be the Chief Dog of the Clan McLean, puppy. And the woman who comes tomorrow will see that you have a long and happy life."

"But," the puppy burst out, "how do you know this?"

The glowing dog smiled, almost wistfully. "I know ... because she was my mom, too." She pushed a small bundle towards the puppy. "These are also a part of your legacy. Use them wisely."

And with that, Pepsi smiled and gradually faded away, leaving the puppy staring in bewilderment at the bundle that looked like nothing more than some weird stripey bedding attached to bizarre hollow sticks.