“You don’t need to shower tonight,” Nate says.

  “That’s gross, Dad,” Ben says. “Man, I am soaked. I don’t know how such a small dog can get me so wet from shaking.”

  I snort. I guess it’s a pug mystery!

  12

  The Firefly Chase

  When the days are hot, I love going outside after the sun slips away but before the darkness invades. The air is warm, but the sun isn’t burning the sidewalks and grass. I love being outside during this part of the day. Peach and I run around in the backyard until we grow tired. Then we lie on the cool grass until our energy returns.

  Tonight our family is in the backyard with us. Lucy is chasing me. Ben is throwing the Frisbee with Peach. I steal a glance at the house. Hannah and Nate sit in chairs by the back door.

  “Gotcha!” Lucy yells, reaching for me. At the last possible moment, I dart under her outstretched hands. She laughs and then races after me. We weave around Peach and Ben’s game. I run to the house and plop underneath Hannah’s chair to catch my breath.

  “Hey, Zelda,” Nate says.

  “Dad, help me catch her!” Lucy shouts. She runs toward me.

  I better get moving again. I leave my safe spot under the chair and dash for the back fence. When I arrive at the fence, I turn around. Lucy sits with Nate and Hannah while Nate fidgets with sticks and a giant bowl. Ben stops playing with Peach to join Nate, so Peach trots to me with her tongue hanging out. We make our normal rounds along the fence in the back.

  A crackling sound catches my attention. I spin around. I see a small, bright light in the bowl next to my family.

  What is that?

  I jog to the bowl to get a better look. The light grows bigger, and small streams of fog lift from the light. The fog burns my eyes, so I move out of its way. I approach the bowl.

  “Zelda, leave it,” Hannah says. I stop and sit, watching the bright light bend and move with the wind. I can’t look away. Another stream of fog turns in my direction, so I do a quick spin away from the fog. When I spin, my tail grazes the bowl.

  Yikes!

  It’s blazing hot! I scamper away from the giant bowl and leap into Lucy’s lap.

  “The fire is hot. Don’t get too close,” she whispers into my ear while her fingers pet my wrinkles. The exhaustion from the evening’s playtime catches up with me. I let my head fall to my paws. I look out into the backyard. The darkness is almost here.

  What is that?

  I blink and shake my head, but I see it again. This time, the small flicker of light flashes in a different spot. The lights continues to turn on and off for a few seconds at a time throughout the backyard. I jump from Lucy’s lap to the ground and wander into the darkness.

  Where did they go?

  I see one! I run for it, but the light vanishes before I reach it. I see another flash appear in the back of the yard, close to the fence. I know I can’t reach that one in time, so I wait longer. I watch the lights, trying to find a pattern, but I can’t solve the puzzle. I return to my original plan. A light flashes nearby. I jump for it, but the light disappears the second before I reach it. Then I see a light next to me on the right. I lunge in its direction and snap my mouth shut with the light inside.

  I regret that decision.

  It feels like something is crawling in my mouth. I cough and spit out the light into the grass. It doesn’t move, so I inch closer. It lights up with my face next to it. The light is the butt of a bug! Eww!

  I run to the porch and find the water bowl. I take several big gulps. I drink so fast I cough half of the water out, so I drink more. When I finish drinking, I jump into Lucy’s lap. The light in the bowl is big and much warmer now. I feel warmth from my spot in her lap. I look into the backyard. The bug butt lights continue to flicker on and off. It is neat to watch them. I wonder why they do that. Maybe it’s the same reason I have a curly tail—it’s just the way they were made. They do look cool in the darkness, but I can’t believe I almost ate a bug!

  13

  The Parade

  The light barely filters through the windows, but my family is awake and moving. I rise from bed and watch the chaos from the couch. They say the word “parade” over and over as they eat and get dressed. When they gather in the living room, I know they are leaving. They haven’t mentioned us yet, but when Nate grabs my harness, my tail bounces with excitement.

  We arrive somewhere new with many cars and people. Our family guides us quickly onto the street. We hurry through crowds of people and dogs. I want to stop to sniff and say hello, but Nate pulls me forward.

  When Nate stops walking, Peach and I use the break in the power walking to check out the scene. I smell dogs everywhere, but I can’t see any nearby. Eager to meet these dogs, I try to pull Ben away from the middle of the street. He isn’t budging.

  “We are behind the mayor’s float,” Nate says. “It’s a little ways up.” He motions to us, and we are off again. We are practically running. This isn’t a proper pug-walking pace.

  The smell of multiple dogs surrounds us. They must be farther up the street. I pick up my pace, but when we are three pug lengths away from a big, floppy-eared dog, we stop. I try to go forward, but then I see another, smaller black dog to my right. There are dogs everywhere! I look to Peach. She pulls Hannah to a short woman. Peach greets the lady with many licks to her face. Hannah says hello.

  “Peach is doing really well. She is a very sweet dog,” Hannah says.

  “I’m glad she found a great home,” the lady says. She smiles. “The parade is starting soon. Christine has some shirts for the kids to wear.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  Hannah motions to Nate. He grabs a few shirts and gives them to Ben and Lucy. I realize many of the people are wearing the same shirt. Nate keeps me far enough away from the other dogs that I can’t greet them. That’s no fun!

  “It’s time to walk!” Nate says.

  “Can I walk with Zelda?” Lucy asks. Hannah turns to look at Nate with her brows raised.

  “You have to hold on tight, Lucy. Can you do that?” he asks.

  “I will. I promise,” Lucy says. Nate turns to me.

  “Be good, Zelda.” He hands Lucy the leash. We trot down the street with the group of people and dogs, but I’m still out of leash range of reaching the small white dog next to us. I know I can pull Lucy, but maybe I should stay out of trouble. We turn the corner onto a new street with people lining either side of the street.

  What is going on?

  The people are big and little. Some sit in chairs or even on the street. Others are standing. I see dogs, too. The noise is overwhelming. I try to walk to the side of the street to greet people, but Lucy has a really tight grip on me. She isn’t letting me anywhere near them. When did she get so strong?

  I veer back to the middle to walk with Peach. We prance down the street together while our family shouts hello to people. I hear a few people near us mention “rescue dogs” or something like that. I’m not sure what they mean. People wave at us. I hear lots of comments like “Aww” and “Is that a pug?” from the crowd.

  Of course I am a pug! Crazy people.

  A few minutes into the walk, Peach and I are panting. Our tongues hang out of our mouths. The crowded street is hot with the bright sun. I need some water or some shade. How much longer are we going to walk on this street?

  I press forward, but I notice something big moving in front of us. It smells like a car, but it’s low to the ground and open in the back. I pull Lucy forward.

  When I get closer, I see it’s decorated, with some people sitting in the middle. They don’t have to walk! The man and woman sit in the chair and wave to the people on the street.

  I want to be in that chair.

  I glance behind me. Lucy and I have distanced ourselves from the rest of the family. I know Lucy won’t let me go, but maybe I can get close enough to jump on this thing. Nate looks at us. I don’t have much time. He won’t let Lucy stay this far away from him for long. I pull Lucy forward.

  “Where are we going, Zelda?” she asks. I push ahead. My goal is only five pug lengths away.

  “Lucy, don’t get too far ahead,” Nate yells on cue. The moving plank isn’t far now. This is my only chance.

  I leap for it. I feel the pull on my leash in the air. I’m not going to make it. I land with my front two paws on the plank.

  “Oh, no!” Lucy says. My back two paws flail and scramble to get leverage so I can pull myself up. Before I get my pawing, Lucy gently pushes me on the plank. “Here you go,” she says. I sit on the plank, panting. She walks behind it.

  “Are you tired?” she says. I lick her hand.

  “What’s going on back here?” the man in the chair asks. I turn to face him.

  “I’m sorry, mister. Zelda jumped on your float. She is tired.”

  “Is that a pug?” he asks.

  Why is everyone asking if I am a pug?

  “Yes.”

  “I love pugs. C’mon up. Here, let me give you a hand.”

  “I’m sorry, Mayor,” Nate says. He jogs to catch up to the float.

  “So what is your name?”

  “Lucy. And this is Zelda,” she says.

  “Hello there, Zelda,” he says. He bends down and gives me a few pats on my head. “Zelda is tiny! I had a pug once. He was double her size.”

  “She makes up for her size with her personality,” Nate says and then laughs. Nate walks behind us.

  “Why don’t you two ride with us the rest of the way? We have room to sit,” the man says. Lucy’s face lights up.

  “Please, Dad!” she cries. Nate nods.

  “Thanks, sir. You made Lucy’s day,” Nate says.

  And mine too! No more walking for me!

  Lucy sits on a bench across from the mayor. I jump into her lap. She waves as we move down the street. I watch all the people and look behind at Peach. She is panting, but she often stops to lick faces and say hello. She loves walking down the street, being the center of attention. I bet she could walk for days. Not me. But when you are crafty like me, you don’t need to!

  14

  The Canoe Trip

  Peach and I are going on a canoe trip with the family. I’m not sure what a canoe is, but I know it involves a big coat. Hannah and Nate tried the coats on us a couple dark sleeps ago. The coat had padding in it, and it was very uncomfortable. Peach didn’t like the coat either. She prefers her Batpeach costume.

  The ride in the car to the canoe trip is long enough that I fall asleep. I wake up to Peach stepping over me on the way out the door. I follow her out of the car.

  “I’ll get us checked in,” Hannah says. She says a few more words to Nate and walks into a building across the street.

  “Ben, can you take Zelda for a minute?” Nate hands off my leash. He pulls out the big coat and straps it on Peach. Peach sits motionless. She is unhappy.

  “Zelda, it’s your turn for the life jacket,” Nate says. He hands Peach’s leash back to Ben and takes mine. I try to squirm away from the big coat, but I know it’s hopeless. He snaps the coat on me. I am trapped.

  “All right! Are we ready?” Hannah says.

  When did she get back?

  “I think so.”

  “Let’s go get our life jackets and paddles.” We circle to the back of the building. My family puts on padded coats. Nate hands everyone a long stick. We walk down a dirt hill. A group of people are standing on the edge of water. They get in something I haven’t seen before and move across the water in it.

  I don’t like what I see.

  “Okay, Lucy, you are with me. Ben, you are Mom’s canoeing partner,” Nate says.

  What about us?

  “I wanted to canoe with you, Dad,” Ben says.

  “I know, but if Mom and Lucy are in the same boat, we will be on the river forever,” Nate replies.

  “Hey! Lucy and I would do just fine!” Hannah says. Nate smiles at her. “Okay, maybe you are right.”

  “Ben, would you like Peach or Zelda in the canoe with you?” I look at Ben, then Peach. I don’t want to be split up from Peach.

  “Peach,” he says. He picked Peach over me! “I don’t want to swim after Zelda when she does something crazy!” The family laughs.

  Crazy? I’m not crazy.

  I step into the canoe with Lucy. Nate pushes us into the water and gets in the back of the canoe. The canoe shifts when he gets in. I don’t like that feeling of it swaying back and forth.

  Nate and Lucy move their sticks back and forth in the water. We begin to glide across the water. Peach’s canoe is in the water next to us.

  “Zelda, come here,” he says. I walk to him slowly. My movement doesn’t seem to affect us. When I reach him, he unleashes me. I jump in his lap.

  “Whoa there, Zelda,” he says.

  From his lap, I can see ahead and behind us. I feel a breeze blowing. I look across to the other canoe. Peach sits in the middle of it. When she sees me, she stands, and puts her hind legs on the side of the canoe. It looks like she is going to fall in the water, but she doesn’t.

  We move down the river for a while. I move out of Nate’s lap and try to find the best spot in the canoe. The sun is over our heads most of the time, and it’s hot. I end up standing on the bench next to Lucy to get the best view.

  “Ready for lunch?” Nate yells.

  “Yes.”

  “Follow me. I’ll find us a bank on the river,” he says. We canoe a bit farther, then our boat turns for the land. Grass! Before the boat stops, I jump out of the canoe. I land in shallow water, splashing myself. It feels good. I take a drink and run away from the water to the grass.

  “Zelda, wait!” Nate shouts. I stop. He pulls the boat farther on shore. Peach jumps on the land and runs to me. She licks my face, so I nip at her to start a chase cycle. I dart away, but my coat makes it hard to run.

  “Zelda, Peach, come!” Nate says. We run over to him. He takes our coats off and then gives us a few treats. The family sets up a blanket on the ground.

  The surrounding smells intrigue me. Peach and I wander through the dirt and grass, sniffing and sneezing. I smell birds, squirrels, a few dogs, and some other animals I don’t know. I’m so wrapped up in the scents that I don’t realize how long I’ve been away from my family. I better get back to them. When I return, I see the top half of Nate and Ben in the water.

  “There’s Zelda,” Ben says. “Let’s see if Zelda and Peach like to swim!”

  What?

  Hannah grabs my collar and straps me back in the big coat. She carries me to Nate.

  “Okay, Zelda,” he says, standing at the edge of the water with me. Then he carries me farther into the water. We pass by the canoes and I begin to worry. What is he doing?

  “Time to swim,” he says. He lowers me into the water and lets go. The water feels great, but I can’t reach the bottom. My paws start flailing, and something incredible happens. I don’t sink. Instead, I move slowly forward, on top of the water, but I don’t like this feeling one bit.

  “Zelda is swimming!” Lucy exclaims. I kick as hard as I can in the direction of the shore. As I make my way, Nate scoops me up. I lick his face as a thank-you.

  “I don’t think she’s a fan of swimming,” Nate says. I lick his face again. He takes me to shore and lifts Peach. From the shore, I watch Peach in the water. She looks as freaked out as I felt. After a couple minutes, Nate takes her back to shore.

  “Neither of our dogs like to swim,” Nate says.

  “They don’t like to swim, yet,” Ben says. Nate laughs.

  “Are we ready to get back on the river?” Hannah asks.

  “Let’s go!” We load into our boat. While Hannah pushes her canoe out in the water, Peach jumps into our canoe.

  “Well, I guess Peach is riding with us,” Nate says. We start gliding on the water again.

  Peach and I sit next to each other in the middle of the boat with our tongues hanging out.

  After gliding for a while, Nate calls us over and takes off the coats. Without the weight of the coat, the warm sun dries my fur. We greet other boats with barks. The family members talk with each other, and we race down the river.

  Nate leads our boat close to the land. Ahead I see a green patch of grass sticking out. I could use an exploration break. I look at Peach. She is panting in the middle of the boat. I don’t think she wants to go with me.

  I put my front paws on the side of the boat. The grass is approaching quickly. If I want a break, now is the time. I leap for the grass.

  Oh no.

  The grass isn’t what I thought it was. It’s not the ground. I sink into the water. My paws start moving to keep me afloat, but I’m starting to sink this time. Oh no. I manage to keep my head above the water. The canoe is moving away, but I see a big splash. I keep my legs going with all my pug strength. I’m beginning to panic when I feel strong arms pull me up out of the water.

  “I’ve got you,” Nate says. He keeps my body out of the water as he moves us to the boat. Nate places me in the boat before he pulls himself inside.

  “Zelda, why did you jump out?” Lucy asks. Peach licks my face a few times. I sit stunned.

  “What happened?” Hannah asks.

  “Zelda jumped out. She thought the weeds was the shore,” Nate says.

  “Of course she did,” Hannah says.

  “I’m glad you are okay,” Lucy says. She pets my head, and I instantly feel better. The rest of the ride is quiet. I stay in the boat. I don’t want to make any more waves.

  While we glide along the water, I think about the adventures of the last four seasons. I got stuck in a tree, jumped in a truck, and was chased by geese again. It’s been a crazy year of pug adventures!

  “I can’t believe Zelda jumped out!” Hannah says.

  “You know Zelda. It’s always an adventure with her,” Nate says. Hannah shook her head.

  “And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Hannah says. “She makes our life more interesting and more fun.”

 

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