Shownotes
In a brand new world filled with snow and wonder, hunters arrive for a day of sport and take the wolf pups’ mother away. One wolf pup bravely follows, clearly disobeying his mother’s oft spoken “rule of threes” that she used to save their lives.
Today’s story is Lyra by Pushcart Prize winner Laura Rodley.
Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.
thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.
https://thevoice.dog/episode/lyra-by-laura-rodley
Transcripts
You’re
listening
Speaker:to
Speaker:The
Speaker:Voice
Speaker:of
Speaker:Dog.
Speaker:This
Speaker:is
Speaker:Rob
Speaker:MacWolf,
Speaker:your
Speaker:fellow
Speaker:traveler,
Speaker:and
Speaker:Today’s
Speaker:story
Speaker:is
Speaker:Lyra
Speaker:by
Speaker:Pushcart
Speaker:Prize
Speaker:winner
Speaker:Laura
Speaker:Rodley.
Speaker:You
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:this,
Speaker:alongside
Speaker:other
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:stories,
Speaker:in
Speaker:Spirit
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:Wolf
Speaker:from
Speaker:Wolfsinger
Speaker:Publications,
Speaker:proceeds
Speaker:of
Speaker:which
Speaker:go to
Speaker:benefit
Speaker:a
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:sanctuary.
Please
enjoy
“Lyra”
by
Speaker:Laura
Speaker:Rodley
“I’m
only
Speaker:human.”
Speaker:I
Speaker:heard
Speaker:people
Speaker:say it
Speaker:inside
Speaker:the
Speaker:doorways
Speaker:of
Speaker:corner
Speaker:diners,
Speaker:outside
Speaker:the
Speaker:emergency
Speaker:room
Speaker:doors
Speaker:while
Speaker:they
Speaker:smoked
Speaker:their
Speaker:cigarettes. “I’m
Speaker:only
Speaker:human,”
Speaker:while
Speaker:waiting
Speaker:to
Speaker:hear
Speaker:how their
Speaker:friend
Speaker:or
Speaker:relative
Speaker:is
Speaker:faring.
It’s
a
Speaker:phrase
Speaker:that is
Speaker:supposed
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:helpful,
Speaker:I guess,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it
Speaker:does
Speaker:nothing
Speaker:for
Speaker:me. You
Speaker:see,
Speaker:I am
Speaker:a
Speaker:wolf. A
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:time,
Speaker:a
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:without a
Speaker:pack, a
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:inner
Speaker:city
Speaker:where
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:belong.
Speaker:Hunters
Speaker:killed
Speaker:my
Speaker:mother
Speaker:for
Speaker:her
Speaker:pelt and
Speaker:to
Speaker:stuff
Speaker:her
Speaker:head,
Speaker:and
Speaker:left
Speaker:me
Speaker:and
Speaker:my
Speaker:four
Speaker:other
Speaker:siblings.
Speaker:Only
Speaker:they
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:know
Speaker:we
Speaker:were
Speaker:there, or
Speaker:they
Speaker:might
Speaker:have
Speaker:stuffed
Speaker:us
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:bag
Speaker:and
Speaker:taken
Speaker:us
Speaker:along.
Speaker:My
Speaker:mother
Speaker:had
Speaker:taught
Speaker:us
Speaker:to
Speaker:hide,
Speaker:to
Speaker:hide
Speaker:even
Speaker:our
Speaker:breath,
Speaker:to
Speaker:hold
Speaker:our
Speaker:noses
Speaker:under
Speaker:our
Speaker:paws to
Speaker:stop
Speaker:the
Speaker:steam
Speaker:from
Speaker:rising
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:freezing
Speaker:cold,
Speaker:which
Speaker:is
Speaker:the
Speaker:weather
Speaker:in which we are born.
Speaker:Makes
Speaker:no
Speaker:sense
Speaker:to
Speaker:me,
Speaker:to
Speaker:be
Speaker:born
Speaker:when it is
Speaker:so
Speaker:cold,
Speaker:but
Speaker:it’s
Speaker:one
Speaker:more
Speaker:thing
Speaker:that
Speaker:isn’t
Speaker:up
Speaker:to
Speaker:me.
A
wolf
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:time,
Speaker:a
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:without
Speaker:a
Speaker:pack,
Speaker:a
Speaker:wolf
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:inner
Speaker:city.
Speaker:After
Speaker:we
Speaker:heard
Speaker:the
Speaker:engine
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:hunters’
Speaker:jeep
Speaker:roar,
Speaker:spin
Speaker:its
Speaker:tires
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:snow,
Speaker:rock
Speaker:its
Speaker:tires
Speaker:back
Speaker:and
Speaker:forth
Speaker:as
Speaker:their
Speaker:jeep’s
Speaker:hot
Speaker:wheels
Speaker:when
Speaker:they
Speaker:first
Speaker:parked
Speaker:had
Speaker:melted
Speaker:snow
Speaker:and
Speaker:become
Speaker:ice
Speaker:locked,
Speaker:and
Speaker:then
Speaker:gunned
Speaker:it
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:woods,
Speaker:we
Speaker:all
Speaker:dispersed.
Speaker:I
Speaker:don’t
Speaker:know
Speaker:how
Speaker:that
Speaker:happened.
Speaker:We
Speaker:were
Speaker:all so
Speaker:frightened.
Speaker:We
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:obey
Speaker:our
Speaker:mother’s
Speaker:failsafe “rule
Speaker:of
Speaker:threes” —stay
Speaker:out
Speaker:of
Speaker:sight,
Speaker:stay
Speaker:together,
Speaker:stay
Speaker:where
Speaker:I
Speaker:can
Speaker:find
Speaker:you.
I ran
too,
Speaker:no
Speaker:one’s
Speaker:fault
Speaker:but
Speaker:my
Speaker:own.
Speaker:I
Speaker:didn’t
Speaker:stay
Speaker:where
Speaker:she
Speaker:could
Speaker:find
Speaker:me
Speaker:because
Speaker:I
Speaker:knew
Speaker:she
Speaker:was
Speaker:gone.
Speaker:I
Speaker:saw
Speaker:the
Speaker:spirit
Speaker:rise from her
Speaker:breath
Speaker:and
Speaker:enter
Speaker:the
Speaker:frigid
Speaker:air
Speaker:as
Speaker:the
Speaker:hunters
Speaker:bent
Speaker:to
Speaker:sling her
Speaker:roughly
Speaker:over
Speaker:their
Speaker:backs.
Speaker:She
Speaker:had
Speaker:no
Speaker:time
Speaker:to
Speaker:say
Speaker:goodbye.
Speaker:I
Speaker:was
Speaker:under
Speaker:thick
Speaker:brush
Speaker:three
Speaker:yards
Speaker:from
Speaker:the
Speaker:hunters,
Speaker:hiding
Speaker:my
Speaker:nose
Speaker:under
Speaker:my
Speaker:paws, like my brothers beside me. The hunters
Speaker:made
Speaker:so
Speaker:much
Speaker:noise
Speaker:slapping
Speaker:each
Speaker:other
Speaker:on
Speaker:their
Speaker:backs,
Speaker:their
Speaker:boots
Speaker:scrunching
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:icy
Speaker:snow
Speaker:they
Speaker:failed
Speaker:to
Speaker:hear our whimpers.
Speaker:Our
Speaker:whimpers which came uninvited. Which
Speaker:we
Speaker:bit
Speaker:our
Speaker:tongues
Speaker:to
Speaker:keep
Speaker:quiet.
Then
we
Speaker:all
Speaker:ran
Speaker:in
Speaker:different
Speaker:directions.
Speaker:Only
Speaker:three months
Speaker:old,
Speaker:our
Speaker:fur
Speaker:was
Speaker:thick
Speaker:but
Speaker:not
Speaker:thick
Speaker:enough.
Speaker:I ran
Speaker:after
Speaker:the
Speaker:jeep,
Speaker:howling,
Speaker:as
Speaker:they
Speaker:took
Speaker:the
Speaker:turn
Speaker:towards
Speaker:the
Speaker:highway.
Speaker:Grief
Speaker:must
Speaker:have
Speaker:slowed
Speaker:me
Speaker:down,
Speaker:because
Speaker:I
Speaker:could
Speaker:not
Speaker:catch
Speaker:it.
Speaker:I wanted to bite
Speaker:the
Speaker:tires of
Speaker:the
Speaker:jeep.
Speaker:Bring
Speaker:her
Speaker:back,
Speaker:return
Speaker:my
Speaker:mother
Speaker:to
Speaker:the
Speaker:forest.
I
followed
Speaker:the
Speaker:jeep’s
Speaker:exhaust
Speaker:fumes
Speaker:to the
Speaker:gas
Speaker:station
Speaker:where
Speaker:they
Speaker:must
Speaker:have
Speaker:pumped
Speaker:gas
Speaker:to
Speaker:keep
Speaker:their
Speaker:vehicle
Speaker:running
Speaker:on
Speaker:the
Speaker:road,
Speaker:no
Speaker:pads
Speaker:on
Speaker:paws
Speaker:to
Speaker:become
Speaker:encrusted with
Speaker:ice,
Speaker:no
Speaker:need
Speaker:to
Speaker:stop
Speaker:and
Speaker:pick
Speaker:the
Speaker:ice
Speaker:that forms between the pads out. Which is what stopped me from catching up with them; I had to stop and gnaw the ice away from
Speaker:between
Speaker:the
Speaker:pads of
Speaker:my
Speaker:paws.
Speaker:And
Speaker:lick
Speaker:the
Speaker:icicles from
Speaker:my
Speaker:nose that
Speaker:formed
Speaker:from
Speaker:my
Speaker:breath.
Speaker:No
Speaker:hiding
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:bushes
Speaker:to
Speaker:stealthily
Speaker:keep
Speaker:my
Speaker:breath
Speaker:warmer,
Speaker:stop
Speaker:it
Speaker:from
Speaker:freezing.
Speaker:The
Speaker:jeep’s
Speaker:exhaust
Speaker:burned
Speaker:my
Speaker:nose,
Speaker:but
Speaker:I
Speaker:kept
Speaker:running.
Speaker:Until
Speaker:I
Speaker:stopped.
Speaker:I
Speaker:stopped
Speaker:in
Speaker:a
Speaker:city
Speaker:near a hospital where the men had
Speaker:parked
Speaker:and taken
Speaker:off
Speaker:again.
Speaker:I
Speaker:couldn’t
Speaker:find
Speaker:their
Speaker:jeep.
But
I
Speaker:found
Speaker:one
Speaker:of
Speaker:the
Speaker:men’s scent
Speaker:wafting
Speaker:out
Speaker:the
Speaker:tall
Speaker:clear
Speaker:sheets
Speaker:of
Speaker:ice
Speaker:called
Speaker:windows
Speaker:that
Speaker:opened
Speaker:sideways
Speaker:as
Speaker:doors at
Speaker:the
Speaker:emergency
Speaker:room
Speaker:entrance.
Speaker:I
Speaker:heard
Speaker:his
Speaker:voice
Speaker:screeching
Speaker:for
Speaker:someone
Speaker:to
Speaker:help
Speaker:him
Speaker:stop
Speaker:the
Speaker:bleeding,
Speaker:something
Speaker:about
Speaker:how
Speaker:he’d
Speaker:shot
Speaker:himself
Speaker:while
Speaker:changing
Speaker:shells
Speaker:in
Speaker:the
Speaker:rifle,
Speaker:how
Speaker:the
Speaker:she-wolf
Speaker:had
Speaker:moved
Speaker:and
Speaker:banged
Speaker:his
Speaker:arm, and
Speaker:that’s
Speaker:how
Speaker:he
Speaker:shot
Speaker:himself.
Speaker:It
Speaker:wasn’t
Speaker:his
Speaker:fault.
Speaker:The
Speaker:she-wolf
Speaker:was
Speaker:dead,
Speaker:but
Speaker:she had
Speaker:moved
Speaker:her
Speaker:head,
Speaker:banged
Speaker:his
Speaker:arm,
Speaker:then
Speaker:stared
Speaker:at
Speaker:him.
Speaker:I
Speaker:looked
Speaker:through
Speaker:the
Speaker:sheets-of-
Speaker:ice
Speaker:windows.
Speaker:They
Speaker:slid
Speaker:open
sideways:sideways:
my
sideways:wish
sideways:to
sideways:enter
sideways:must
sideways:have
sideways:opened
sideways:them.
sideways:I
sideways:walked
sideways:in
sideways:as
sideways:though
sideways:I
sideways:belonged
sideways:there,
sideways:and
sideways:stared
sideways:at
sideways:this
sideways:screaming
sideways:man,
sideways:by
sideways:lowering
sideways:my nose
sideways:and
sideways:looking
sideways:at
sideways:him
sideways:sideways.
When
he
sideways:saw
sideways:me,
sideways:he
sideways:started
sideways:screeching, “She’s
sideways:alive,
sideways:she’s
sideways:come
sideways:back,
sideways:she’s
sideways:after
sideways:me!
sideways:See
sideways:her
sideways:yellow
sideways:eyes!
sideways:Help!”
Two men
dressed in white
sideways:grabbed
sideways:his
sideways:arms,
sideways:and
sideways:eased
sideways:him
sideways:into
sideways:a
sideways:wheelchair, “Come
sideways:with
sideways:us,
sideways:buddy,
sideways:we’ll
sideways:fix
sideways:you right up.
sideways:Not
sideways:the
sideways:first
sideways:time
sideways:you’ve
sideways:shot
sideways:yourself, or
sideways:had
sideways:the
sideways:DTs.
sideways:Everyone
sideways:knows
sideways:there’s
sideways:no
sideways:wolves
sideways:around
sideways:here.
sideways:No
sideways:mountain
sideways:lions,
sideways:either.”
Then
someone
sideways:else
sideways:turned and
sideways:noticed
sideways:me,
sideways:eyes
sideways:wide in
sideways:surprise,
sideways:too
sideways:surprised
sideways:to
sideways:talk.
I
turned,
sideways:walked
sideways:towards
sideways:the
sideways:door. The
sideways:sliding
sideways:door
sideways:opened
sideways:by
sideways:itself
sideways:and
sideways:I
sideways:walked
sideways:out
sideways:into
sideways:the
sideways:bitter
sideways:biting
sideways:wind.
*********
Wolves
aren’t
sideways:supposed
sideways:to
sideways:eat
sideways:pizza
sideways:but
sideways:that’s
sideways:all
sideways:I
sideways:found
sideways:the
sideways:first
sideways:night.
sideways:Alberto’s
sideways:Pizzeria
sideways:had
sideways:thrown
sideways:away
sideways:slices
sideways:of
sideways:pizza
sideways:into
sideways:their
sideways:metal
sideways:dumpster and
sideways:not
sideways:closed
sideways:the
sideways:lid.
sideways:It
sideways:smelled
sideways:like
sideways:my
sideways:mother’s
sideways:milk
sideways:and a
sideways:vegetable
sideways:garden,
sideways:not
sideways:that
sideways:I
sideways:knew
sideways:what
sideways:a
sideways:vegetable
sideways:was
sideways:then.
sideways:The
sideways:doughy
sideways:crust
sideways:was
sideways:chewy,
sideways:and
sideways:filled
sideways:my
sideways:stomach.
sideways:I
sideways:lay
sideways:down
sideways:briefly
sideways:in
sideways:the
sideways:dark
sideways:near
sideways:a
sideways:fan
sideways:that
sideways:was
sideways:blowing
sideways:out
sideways:and
sideways:warmed
sideways:me.
sideways:My
sideways:fur
sideways:was
sideways:still
sideways:not
sideways:thick
sideways:enough
sideways:to
sideways:handle
sideways:twenty -below-degree
sideways:weather
sideways:without
sideways:my
sideways:brothers
sideways:and
sideways:mother
sideways:curled
sideways:around
sideways:me.
sideways:Luckily
sideways:it
sideways:was
sideways:only
sideways:about
sideways:ten
sideways:degrees.
I
smelled
sideways:the
sideways:girl
sideways:before
sideways:I
sideways:heard
sideways:her,
sideways:the
sideways:noise of
sideways:the
sideways:exhaust
sideways:fan was
sideways:so
sideways:loud. I
sideways:must have
sideways:fallen
sideways:asleep
sideways:so
sideways:deeply
sideways:due
sideways:to
sideways:exhaustion,
sideways:or
sideways:the
sideways:exhaust
sideways:fan
sideways:might
sideways:have
sideways:been
sideways:from
sideways:a
sideways:gas
sideways:stove
sideways:emitting
sideways:some
sideways:sleep-inducing
sideways:vapors.
“You’re
so
sideways:pretty,”
sideways:the
sideways:girl
sideways:said,
sideways:leaning
sideways:down
sideways:near
sideways:me. “You
sideways:look
sideways:like
sideways:my
sideways:old
sideways:dog
sideways:Raven.”
I
froze
sideways:in
sideways:place,
sideways:hoping
sideways:she’d
sideways:forget
sideways:she’d
sideways:seen
sideways:me,
sideways:go
sideways:on
sideways:with
sideways:her
sideways:business.
sideways:Remember,
sideways:I’m
sideways:only
sideways:a
sideways:young
sideways:wolf,
sideways:three
sideways:months
sideways:old,
sideways:not
sideways:so
sideways:big.
sideways:Yet.
But
she
sideways:kept
sideways:walking
sideways:forward.
sideways:I
sideways:slink
sideways:up
sideways:the
sideways:way
sideways:my
sideways:mother
sideways:taught
sideways:us,
sideways:encase
sideways:myself
sideways:in
sideways:a
sideways:cloak
sideways:of
sideways:invisibility,
sideways:rise
sideways:like
sideways:the
sideways:wind,
sideways:a
sideways:raven
sideways:feather,
sideways:and
sideways:swallow
sideways:the
sideways:fear
sideways:inside
sideways:my
sideways:mouth. It
sideways:doesn’t
sideways:work.
sideways:She
sideways:still
sideways:sees
sideways:me.
sideways:I
sideways:jumped
sideways:away,
sideways:loping
sideways:down the
sideways:side
sideways:street.
“You’re
so
sideways:big!
sideways:You
sideways:could
sideways:be
sideways:my
sideways:new
sideways:dog.
sideways:Don’t
sideways:go.
sideways:Come
sideways:back.”
Believe
me,
sideways:it
sideways:was
sideways:tempting.
sideways:I
sideways:would
sideways:have
sideways:liked
sideways:to stay and
sideways:make
sideways:that
sideways:little
sideways:girl
sideways:happy,
sideways:but
sideways:wolves
sideways:are
sideways:not
sideways:pets,
sideways:and
sideways:they are
sideways:definitely
sideways:not
sideways:friends
sideways:of
sideways:humans.
I
loped
sideways:through
sideways:long
sideways:and
sideways:short
sideways:expanses
sideways:of
sideways:forests which I
sideways:later learned
sideways:were
sideways:called
sideways:lawns.
sideways:I
sideways:stopped
sideways:on
sideways:the
sideways:snow-covered
sideways:black
sideways:asphalt,
sideways:deciding on
sideways:which
sideways:direction
sideways:to
sideways:go,
sideways:and
sideways:the
sideways:horns
sideways:of
sideways:cars
sideways:beeped
sideways:at
sideways:me.
sideways:I
sideways:lunged
sideways:across
sideways:the
sideways:road,
sideways:horns
sideways:still
sideways:beeping,
sideways:sliding
sideways:on
sideways:the
sideways:ice,
sideways:and
sideways:leapt
sideways:up
sideways:the
sideways:hill
sideways:that
sideways:had a
sideways:brick
sideways:tower
sideways:like
sideways:a
sideways:castle.
sideways:I
sideways:cowered
sideways:in
sideways:the
sideways:brush
sideways:by the side
sideways:of
sideways:the tower where the winter’s meager sun had warmed the
sideways:bricks,
sideways:and
sideways:licked
sideways:my
sideways:paws.
sideways:Yes,
sideways:I cowered, I am
sideways:ashamed
sideways:to say.
sideways:The
sideways:horns
sideways:had
sideways:hurt
sideways:my
sideways:ears,
sideways:similar
sideways:to
sideways:the
sideways:earlier
sideways:gunshots
sideways:that
sideways:killed
sideways:my
sideways:mother, but
sideways:not
sideways:so
sideways:tinny.
sideways:I
sideways:was
sideways:used
sideways:to
sideways:the
sideways:breathing
sideways:of
sideways:my
sideways:brothers
sideways:and
sideways:my
sideways:mother, the
sideways:sound
sideways:of
sideways:the
sideways:wind,
sideways:crashing
sideways:branches
sideways:of
sideways:snow-weighted
sideways:trees.
sideways:My
sideways:ears
sideways:were
sideways:still
sideways:hurting
sideways:from
sideways:being
sideways:so
sideways:close
sideways:when
sideways:the
sideways:guns
sideways:went
sideways:off.
I
huddled,
sideways:curled
sideways:as
sideways:tight
sideways:as
sideways:I
sideways:could,
sideways:soaking the
sideways:heat
sideways:out
sideways:of
sideways:the
sideways:sun-warmed
sideways:bricks.
sideways:I
sideways:should
sideways:start
sideways:moving
sideways:but
sideways:I
sideways:was
sideways:afraid,
sideways:trying
sideways:to
sideways:hide,
sideways:away
sideways:from
sideways:the
sideways:horns,
sideways:the
sideways:guns.
sideways:My
sideways:paws
sideways:were
sideways:so
sideways:cold,
sideways:the
sideways:pads
sideways:so
sideways:sore,
sideways:my
sideways:ears
sideways:flat
sideways:against
sideways:me,
sideways:it
sideways:was
sideways:hard
sideways:to
sideways:breath. It was
sideways:a
sideways:miracle
sideways:when
sideways:it
sideways:started
sideways:to
sideways:snow.
sideways:The
sideways:snow
sideways:saved
sideways:me,
sideways:its
sideways:warm
sideways:cover.
sideways:Without
sideways:it,
sideways:I may have
sideways:frozen
sideways:to death.
sideways:It
sideways:covered
sideways:me
sideways:and
sideways:warmed me.
sideways:I let it
sideways:lay
sideways:on
sideways:top
sideways:of
sideways:me,
sideways:my
sideways:nose
sideways:stretched
sideways:out
sideways:one
sideways:side
sideways:as
sideways:the
sideways:snow
sideways:formed a
sideways:blanket.
It was
dark,
sideways:dark
sideways:enough
sideways:that
sideways:fewer
sideways:cars
sideways:were
sideways:driving
sideways:on
sideways:the
sideways:snow-covered
sideways:roads.
sideways:Time
sideways:to
sideways:eat
sideways:again.
sideways:I
sideways:had
sideways:not
sideways:seen
sideways:one
sideways:animal
sideways:on
sideways:my
sideways:trek
sideways:here.
sideways:I
sideways:shook
sideways:the
sideways:snow
sideways:off,
sideways:chomped
sideways:some
sideways:for
sideways:water,
sideways:licked
sideways:my
sideways:mouth,
sideways:and
sideways:headed
sideways:for
sideways:the
sideways:pizzeria.
The
lights
sideways:were
sideways:on
sideways:in
sideways:the
sideways:building, and
sideways:warmth
sideways:flowed
sideways:through
sideways:the
sideways:air
sideways:from
sideways:the
sideways:vents
sideways:as
sideways:I
sideways:scrounged
sideways:in
sideways:the
sideways:dumpster.
sideways:A
sideways:spicy
sideways:meat
sideways:this
sideways:time,
sideways:from
sideways:some
sideways:unknown
sideways:animal,
sideways:and
sideways:a
sideways:wide
sideways:green-leafed
sideways:grass
sideways:called
sideways:lettuce.
sideways:I
sideways:swallowed
sideways:it
sideways:all,
sideways:barely
sideways:taking
sideways:time
sideways:to
sideways:chew.
sideways:I
sideways:was
sideways:used
sideways:to
sideways:fighting
sideways:with my
sideways:brothers
sideways:to
sideways:get
sideways:my
sideways:share,
sideways:so
sideways:I
sideways:growled
sideways:and
sideways:tossed
sideways:my
sideways:head
sideways:back
sideways:and
sideways:forth
sideways:sideways
sideways:but
sideways:no
sideways:one
sideways:was
sideways:hassling
sideways:me.
sideways:As
sideways:a
sideways:result, I
sideways:ate
sideways:more
sideways:than
sideways:I
sideways:ever
sideways:have
sideways:in
sideways:my
sideways:entire
sideways:life.
sideways:Comfortable
sideways:and
sideways:warm,
sideways:I
sideways:did
sideways:not
sideways:forget
sideways:the
sideways:rules
sideways:of
sideways:three,
sideways:but
sideways:I
sideways:admit
sideways:I
sideways:ignored
sideways:them
sideways:by
sideways:promptly
sideways:falling
sideways:asleep,
sideways:no
sideways:mother
sideways:nipping
sideways:at
sideways:my
sideways:flanks
sideways:to
sideways:keep
sideways:me
sideways:moving,
sideways:no
sideways:siblings to
sideways:jostle
sideways:me.
Besides,
the
sideways:last
sideways:two rules
sideways:of
sideways:the
sideways:rules of
sideways:three
sideways:were
sideways:obsolete
now:now:
there
now:was
now:no
now:staying
now:together as
now:everyone
now:had
now:dispersed
now:and
now:my
now:mother
now:was
now:not
now:coming
now:back
now:to
now:find
now:me.
now:There
now:remained
now:only
now:one
now:rule—stay
now:out
now:of
now:sight—which
now:I
now:ignored
now:when
now:I
now:decided
now:to
now:return
now:to
now:the
now:hospital
now:with the
now:ice-window
now:sliding
now:doors of
now:the
now:emergency
now:room, to
now:see
now:if
now:the
now:hunter
now:came
now:out.
now:I’d
now:follow
now:him
now:to
now:have
now:him
now:take
now:me
now:to
now:my
now:mother.
now:That
now:could
now:wait
now:till
now:dawn
now:arose.
now:Meanwhile,
now:I
now:curled
now:up,
now:rested
now:my
now:head
now:against
now:my
now:shoulder,
now:and
now:tried
now:to
now:forget.
**********
The
ground
now:rumbles
now:beneath
now:me
now:and
now:water
now:bubbles
now:out.
now:Inside,
now:I
now:hear
now:a man
now:yelling
now:something
now:that
now:sounds
now:like, “The
now:pipes
now:burst,”
now:then
now:a
now:large
now:clank-clunk as
now:something
now:falls,
now:and
now:a
now:hissing
now:noise
now:starts
now:droning
now:over
now:my
now:head,
now:like
now:a
now:snake
now:that
now:smells
now:bad,
now:not
now:like
now:a
now:copperhead
now:that
now:smells
now:like
now:cucumber
now:but
now:something
now:else,
now:like
now:sulfur.
I
remember
now:I had
now:eaten
now:some
now:cucumbers
now:from
now:the
now:dumpster.
I
try
now:to
now:stand
now:but can’t.
now:I
now:can’t
now:make
now:my
now:legs
now:move
now:and
now:a
now:bad
now:taste
now:envelops
now:my
now:tongue.
Then there
is
now:a
now:roaring
now:sound
now:and
now:a
now:sheet
now:of
now:hardened
now:snow
now:falls
now:off
now:the
now:roof,
now:straight
now:onto
now:me
now:and
now:tumbles
now:me
now:upside
now:down,
now:crushing
now:me
now:in
now:my
now:newfound
now:state
now:of
now:weakness.
I
dig
now:myself
now:out
now:from the
now:crusty
now:snow, while
now:it
now:seems
now:to
now:be
now:raining
now:as
now:well
now:as
now:snowing.
I
hear
now:moaning,
now:similar
now:to
now:the
now:sound
now:my
now:mother
now:made
now:when
now:the
now:bullets
now:first
now:hit
now:her.
now:I
now:dig
now:my
now:claws
now:in
now:the
now:hard
now:litter
now:of
now:ice-crusted
now:snow,
now:and
now:slither
now:to
now:the
now:door
now:on
now:my
now:belly,
now:still
now:don’t
now:have
now:enough
now:energy
now:to
now:stand
now:upright.
A
now:man
now:lies
now:on
now:the
now:floor with
now:what
now:looks
now:like
now:blood
now:on
now:his
now:legs
now:but it
now:doesn’t
now:smell
now:right;
now:it
now:smells
now:like
now:the
now:sauce
now:in
now:the
now:pizza. The
now:hissing
now:sound
now:is
now:less
now:here,
now:but
now:the
now:smell
now:of
now:sulfur
now:is
now:stronger.
now:I
now:push
now:on
now:the
now:door
now:with
now:my
now:shoulder
now:and
now:it
now:swings
now:open
now:easily,
now:on
now:a
now:well-oiled
now:hinge. The
now:man
now:is
now:a
now:funny
now:color,
now:turning
now:pink
now:and
now:blue,
now:mottled.
now:I
now:lick
now:his
now:face
now:to
now:wake
now:him
now:up,
now:the
now:way
now:I
now:would
now:lick
now:my
now:mother
now:or siblings.
now:I
now:lick his
now:mouth,
now:growl in
now:his
now:ear,
now:shake
now:his
now:shoulder
now:with
now:my
now:teeth.
“Hey,
who
now:are
now:you?”
now:he
now:asks,
now:opening
now:his
now:eyes. “Jeez,
now:we
now:better
now:get
now:out
now:of
now:here,
now:smell that gas? Lucky I’m not dead.
now:You
now:saved
now:me,
now:boy,
now:good
now:dog.”
now:He
now:pats
now:my
now:paws
now:as
now:I
now:pull
now:on
now:his
now:arm
now:to
now:get
now:him up with my teeth.
“Whoa, my head’s
a
now:freight
now:train,
now:can’t stand.
now:Okay,
now:dog,
now:you
now:get
now:the
now:picture,
now:get
now:me
now:out
now:of
now:here.”
now:The
now:man
now:crawls
now:on
now:his
now:hands
now:and
now:knees as
now:I
now:pull
now:on
now:his
now:shoulder,
now:bracing
now:my
now:paws,
now:walking
now:backwards.
now:Getting him
now:out
now:the
now:door
now:is
now:hard
now:as
now:the
now:door
now:swings
now:shut
now:on
now:me. “I
now:got
now:it,”
now:he
now:holds
now:it
now:open
now:with
now:one
now:hand,
now:pulling
now:himself
now:along
now:on
now:the
now:other
now:hand,
now:letting
now:me
now:help
now:pull
now:him.
“Great
job,
now:thanks.”
now:He
now:promptly
now:falls
now:flat
now:on
now:his
now:face
now:in
now:the snow. It isn’t on gritty and hard pieces of ice like what
now:had
now:fallen
now:on
now:me
now:on the side of
now:the
now:building
now:or
now:he
now:would
now:have
now:slashed
now:his
now:face
now:open.
I
don’t
now:know
now:what
now:else
now:to
now:do
now:as
now:weariness overtakes me,
now:so
now:I
now:curl
now:up
now:beside
now:him
now:for
now:warmth,
now:the
now:sulfur
now:smell
now:still
now:strong.
“Dad,
there’s
now:dirty
now:water
now:coming
now:through
now:the
now:pipes
now:in
now:the
now:bath room.
now:I
now:came
now:down
now:to
now:see
now:if
now:you
now:were
now:alright.”
now:The
now:girl
now:is
now:walking
now:with her
now:head
now:down
now:to
now:keep
now:the
now:snow
now:off
now:her,
now:then lifts
now:her
now:head. “Hey, what happened?
now:What’s
now:wrong?
now:It’s
now:you
now:again,
now:silver
now:dog.”
I
can’t
now:move
now:my
now:legs
now:again,
now:the
now:sulfur
now:smell
now:overpowering.
“I’m
calling
now:an
now:ambulance.
now:Oh
now:no,
now:that’s
now:gas, Dad,
now:I
now:gotta
now:pull
now:you
now:further
now:away.”
now:She
now:tugs
now:on
now:his
now:shirt
now:and the
now:apron. “You’re
now:too
now:heavy,
now:I can’t
now:do
now:it.
“Here,
silver
now:dog,
now:you’re
now:passed
now:out
now:too.”
now:She
now:gently
now:lifts
now:me
now:up
now:and
now:carries
now:me
now:about
now:twenty
now:feet
now:towards
now:the
now:street.
She
returns
now:to
now:her
now:father
now:and
now:commences
now:trying
now:to
now:pull
now:him. “Hey,
now:where
now:you
now:were
now:laying is
now:still
now:warm,
now:you
now:must
now:have
now:helped
now:keep
now:my
now:father
now:warm.
now:Thanks,
now:silver
now:dog.”
now:She
now:struggles
now:and
now:gives
now:up.
I
feel
now:energy
now:returning
now:to
now:my
now:limbs,
now:and
now:stand
now:up.
now:I
now:edge
now:over
now:and
now:pull
now:his
now:other
now:arm.
now:Together
now:we
now:move
now:him
now:about
now:a
now:foot,
now:then
now:another
now:foot,
now:and
now:again,
now:one
now:more
now:foot.
Then
the
now:blaring
now:siren
now:of
now:an
now:ambulance
now:vibrates through
now:the
now:air
now:and
now:red
now:lights
now:flicker
now:on
now:the
now:door. “Thank
now:you
now:silver
now:dog.”
I
turn
now:to
now:race
now:away
now:from
now:the
now:sounds
now:of
now:the
now:sirens
now:but
now:I
now:collapse,
now:semi-conscious.
Through
a moving
now:haze
now:of
now:sound that
now:sparkles
now:colors
now:of
now:blue,
now:pink,
now:and
now:red,
now:I can
now:hear
now:but
now:am
now:unable
now:to
now:move.
As
the EMT
now:approaches,
now:he
now:asks, “What’s
now:the
now:problem,
now:young
now:lady?”
now:Quickly,
now:he
now:completely
now:changes
now:gear. “Gas
now:leak,
now:move
now:away,
now:young
now:lady,
now:don’t
now:tap
now:on
now:your
now:phone
now:or it
now:could
now:ignite
now:an
now:explosion.
now:Ernie,
now:let’s
now:get
now:him
now:out
now:of
now:here.
now:Roll him on that
now:stretcher,
now:one,
now:two,
now:three,
now:move
now:it.”
The
girl
now:picks
now:me
now:up
now:and
now:carries
now:me
now:to
now:the
now:ambulance.
“We
can’t
now:bring
now:a
now:dog.”
“But
he
now:helped
now:save
now:my
now:Dad.
now:And
now:he’s
now:unconscious
now:too.
now:Can’t
now:you
now:help
now:him?”
“We
can’t
now:carry
now:animals
now:in
now:an
now:ambulance.
now:Unless
now:he is
now:a
now:service
now:dog.
now:Only
now:then.”
“Then
he’s
now:a
now:service
now:dog.”
“Good
try.
now:Ernie,
now:call police to
now:secure
now:the building, gas company to switch off the
now:gas
now:main,”
now:the EMT
now:said
now:as
now:he
now:strings a
now:nasal
now:canula
now:around
now:her
now:father’s
now:nose. “I
now:can’t
now:turn
now:the
now:oxygen
now:on
now:until
now:we are
now:away
now:from
now:the
now:source
now:of the
now:gas,
now:so
now:move
now:it,
now:put
now:the
now:dog
now:down,
now:get
now:in
now:here.”
“He
saved
now:my
now:Dad’s
now:life.”
“We
are
now:leaving
now:now
now:for
now:the
now:emergency
now:room,
now:have
now:to
now:leave
now:to
now:be
now:able
now:to
now:give
now:your Dad
now:oxygen.
now:We’re
now:already
now:severely
now:at
now:risk
now:having
now:the
now:engine
now:running but
now:we
now:can’t
now:turn
now:it
now:off
now:and
now:turn
now:it
now:on
now:again
now:without
now:risking
now:a
now:spark
now:and
now:then
now:explosion.”
“I’m
not
now:leaving
now:without
now:the
now:dog.”
“Have
to
now:evacuate
now:immediately.
now:The gas
now:leak could
now:ignite—get
now:in
now:the
now:ambulance.”
I
can
now:feel
now:the
now:sky
now:brighten
now:through
now:my
now:closed
now:eyelids
now:as
now:the
now:girl
now:carries
now:me
now:up
now:the
now:steep
now:metal
now:ambulance
now:steps.
now:A
now:tornado
now:of
now:smells
now:and
now:sound,
now:singing
now:and
now:harsh
now:announcements
now:crackling
now:over
now:a
now:radio
now:greets
now:us.
She
holds
now:me
now:in
now:her
now:arms, then
now:lays
now:me
now:on
now:a
now:pillow
now:filled
now:with
now:feathers,
now:a
now:bed
now:of
now:geese.
now:I
now:can
now:smell
now:their
now:feathers
now:but
now:there
now:are
now:no
now:hearts
now:beating,
now:no
now:live
now:geese. It
now:feels
now:like
now:I am
now:with
now:my
now:siblings
now:again,
now:the
now:overall “fluffy-ness.”
I
want
now:to
now:tell
now:her
now:I
now:have
now:to
now:find
now:where
now:they
now:took
now:my
now:mother,
now:and
now:I’m
now:never
now:supposed
now:to
now:be
now:inside
now:a
now:car,
now:ever,
now:I am
now:supposed
now:to
now:hide
now:from
now:them.
now:But
now:I am
now:still
now:unable
now:to
now:move.
She
lays
now:her
now:hand
now:on
now:my
now:side,
now:bends
now:her
now:head
now:forward,
now:holds
now:back
now:her
now:long
now:black
now:hair
now:as it
now:begins
now:to
now:fall
now:on
now:my
now:shoulders,
now:and
now:whispers, “Thank
now:you
now:for
now:saving
now:my
now:Dad.
now:I
now:know
now:you
now:helped
now:him
now:get
now:out.
now:I
now:saw
now:the
now:teeth
now:marks
now:and
now:holes
now:on his
now:shirt and apron.
now:Don’t know how you didn’t break his skin. You did a good
now:job. I’m going
now:to
now:call
now:you
now:Lyra
now:after
now:the
now:silver
now:feathers
now:on
now:the
now:lyrebird,
now:silver
now:dog.
now:I’ve
now:just
now:been
now:learning
now:about
now:them.
“I
forgot
now:to
now:tell
now:you,
now:my
now:name’s
now:Sylvia.
now:I’ve
now:been
now:wanting
now:a
now:dog
now:like
now:you.”
The
shrill
now:ambulance
now:siren
now:hurts
now:my
now:ears.
now:I
now:whimper.
now:Sylvia
now:gathers
now:me
now:up.
“We’re
almost
now:there,”
now:the
now:EMT said. “Even though it
now:snowed,
now:the
now:earlier
now:freezing
now:temperatures
now:created
now:frost
now:heaves, a
now:freak occurrence, and
now:burst
now:water
now:pipes
now:and at
now:your
now:place,
now:the
now:gas
now:main.
now:You’re
now:both
now:lucky
now:to
now:be
now:alive.”
“Like
I
now:said,
now:this
now:dog
now:saved
now:my
now:Dad’s
now:life.
now:His
now:name is
now:Lyra.”
The
brakes of
now:the
now:ambulance
now:screech,
now:there’s
now:more
now:movement
now:in
now:front
now:of
now:me,
now:the
now:clanging
now:of
now:the
now:gurney
now:with
now:Sylvia’s
now:father.
now:They
now:carry
now:him
now:out.
**********
There
are
now:fireflies
now:of
now:light
now:dancing
now:over
now:my
now:head,
now:and
now:inside
now:my
now:head. “Gas
now:exposure
now:and
now:carbon
now:monoxide
now:poisoning,
now:just
now:like
now:your
now:Dad,
now:very
now:dangerous,
now:lethal
now:combination.
now:They are
now:lucky
now:they
now:made
now:it.”
now:the
now:doctor
now:informs
now:Sylvia. “But
now:we
now:don’t
now:diagnose
now:or
now:treat
now:dogs.”
“Of
course
now:not,”
now:Sylvia
now:said,
now:holding
now:me
now:in
now:her
now:lap.
Through
the
now:fireflies’
now:flittering,
now:I
now:smell
now:one
now:of
now:the
now:hunters
now:and
now:pick
now:up
now:my
now:mother’s
now:scent.
now:I
now:ease
now:myself
now:off
now:Sylvia’s
now:lap
now:and
now:scramble
now:out
now:the
now:door,
now:down
now:the
now:hall.
“Lyra,
come
now:back!”
Lying
on
now:a
now:bed
now:with
now:tubes
now:in
now:his
now:nose
now:and
now:an
now:IV
now:bag of
now:intravenous
now:blood
now:draining
now:into
now:his
now:veins,
now:lays
now:the
now:first
now:hunter
now:I
now:followed.
now:Before
now:him
now:is
now:the
now:other
now:hunter
now:with
now:red
now:hair
now:and
now:dried
now:blood
now:on
now:the
now:shoulder
now:of
now:his
now:jacket,
now:and
now:thick
now:hobnailed
now:boots.
Has
he
now:no
now:shame?
I
growl.
“She’s
come
now:back,
now:I
now:told
now:you,”
now:the
now:man
now:on
now:the
now:bed
now:said.
now:The
now:other
now:one
now:jumps
now:up,
now:slings
now:his
now:foot
now:back
now:to
now:kick
now:me,
now:then
now:the
now:door
now:opens,
now:blocking
now:my
now:view,
now:as
now:a
now:nurse
now:walks
now:in.
“She’s
disappeared;
now:told
now:you
now:I
now:was
now:haunted.”
“We’re
both
now:seeing
now:things.
now:I’m
now:going
now:home,”
now:the
now:hunter
now:with
now:my
now:mother’s
now:dried
now:blood
now:on
now:his
now:jacket
now:said,
now:rushing
now:past
now:the
now:nurse,
now:out
now:the
now:doorway,
now:down
now:the
now:hall,
now:and
now:down
now:the
now:stairs
now:towards
now:the
now:emergency
now:room
now:entrance
now:door.
He
starts
now:running
now:and he
now:looks
now:behind
now:him
now:as
now:the
now:ice-window
now:doors
now:slide
now:open
now:and
now:cold
now:air
now:rushes
now:in.
now:He’s
now:still
now:looking
now:backwards
now:as
now:something
now:slams
now:into
now:him—a
now:black
now:SUV,
now:whose
now:driver
now:is
now:also
now:not
now:looking
now:where
now:he
now:is
now:going,
now:and
now:flings
now:him
now:up
now:into
now:the
now:air.
I
step
now:outside
now:and
now:stand
now:beside him, lift my head and howl. I’ll never find my
now:mother
now:now.
now:I
now:also
now:will
now:not
now:ever
now:bite
now:a
now:man,
now:especially
now:one who
now:is
now:down.
Emergency
room
now:personnel
now:rush
now:by
now:on
now:their
now:way
now:to
now:pick
now:up
now:the
now:man.
“Can’t
someone
now:shut
now:that
now:dog
now:up?”
Then the
door swishes
now:open again
now:and
now:running
now:steps
now:stop
now:abruptly. “Lyra,
now:you’re
now:helping
now:someone
now:again!
now:My
now:hero.
now:My
now:Dad is
now:going
now:to
now:be
now:alright
now:and
now:I
now:can’t
now:keep
now:you
now:here.
now:My
now:brother’s
now:coming
now:to
now:pick
now:us
now:up.
now:We
now:can
now:stay
now:with
now:him
now:until
now:the
now:house is
now:fixed.
now:Come
now:on,
now:you’re
now:coming
now:home
now:with
now:me.”
This
was “Lyra”
now:by
now:Laura
now:Rodley,
now:read for you
now:by
now:Rob MacWolf, Werewolf
now:Hitchhiker.
now:You
now:can
now:find
now:more
now:stories
now:on
now:the
now:web
now:at
now:thevoice.dog,
now:or
now:find
now:the
now:show
now:wherever
now:you
now:get
now:your
now:podcasts.
now:Thank
now:you
now:for
now:listening
now:to
now:The
now:Voice
now:of
now:Dog.