Cody's Last Wish

The sound of the shelter is cold, dark, and dank. The cement floor wasn't comfortable no matter where he laid. In the last row of kennel cages there weren't anymore dogs, but him. This dog had brown pointy ears, a dark brown face, white fur with brown spots around his neck, down his front legs, and all underneath his belly. His back was brindled with brown and light brown. The tip of his tail had a speck of white. His eyes were an amber brown. Those amber eyes showed fear. He was absolutely terrified. On his kennel was a card that had a number on it, it read 'Dog: A-19645'. That was his name.

Well he had another name before, but no one had ever asked him what his name was. The last set of humans he ever trusted let him out of the car to fend for himself. The big city was terrifying to him and this place in this kennel wasn't any better than trying to survive on the streets.

As A-19645 laid in his kennel trying to avoid contact with the other humans that tried to see him, he became aware that he wasn't alone in his kennel anymore. He lifted his little head and he saw a big white dog standing in his kennel. Immediately, 19645 growled deeply. "Easy there, killer. I'm not here to hurt you," the big white dog said.

"Why are you here? How did you get in here?" 19645 demanded.

"Kennel doors are the easiest thing to go through," the big white dog replied, "And my name is Cody."

"Well, Cody, you're in my room, can you do me a favor and leave me alone?"

19645 laid back down in his kennel with his back facing Cody. "I would, but I'm here on an important mission. You see, I am no longer in a physical form and I have been searching shelter to shelter for the last six months to find someone special," Cody replied.

"Special for what?" 19645 demanded.

"To take care of my mommy," Cody replied.

Now 19645 was curious and he looked back at Cody. "Your mommy?" He asked.

"Yeah, my mommy, you see, I had been very sick for a long time, and my mommy did everything she could in her power to try to save me. She's been very sad since I left my body, she's been angry towards everyone around her because you know, for a long time I was all she had. My heart hurts for mommy so because she's been a good mommy I have been going to shelters far and wide to find someone who can take care of her for me," Cody explained.

"What makes you think she is going to even come here?" 19645 asked.

"I have been coming to her dreams, leading her the way," Cody replied. 19645 was silent as Cody sat next to him. "I know you have been hurt because your human family left you behind because they didn't want you anymore. I can tell you, mommy loves with all her heart and all her soul."

"What makes you think she'll pick me?" 19645 asked.

"You're unique, mommy likes unique it's how I met her. When I was a pup, my brothers ran to play with other dogs in the yard, but I liked her shoes so she took me home," Cody replied. Suddenly, Cody lifted his big head and he took in a big breath as though he could breathe again. His big tail swished back and forth with excitement. "Mommy's here!" he said.

19645 stood up and rushed to the front of his kennel. "How do I know which one is her?" he asked.

"She's smaller than most humans, but she has dark eyes that are so kind and soft," Cody replied.

"How do I get her attention?" 19645 asked.

"Stick one of your ears out of the kennel," Cody replied.

"Wh--What?" 19645 asked.

"Just trust me," Cody replied.

19645 thought it was ridiculous but he did what Cody had instructed and put his ear outside of his kennel bars. "Can you do me one favor though?" Cody asked.

"What is that?" 19645 asked.

"Can you give her a hug for me every once in a while?" Cody asked.

"A hug? Why? How do I hug?" 19645 asked.

"You just put your head on her shoulder. That's what she and I used to do all the time was hug. So...if you can hug her for me every once in a while, then she'll know that I'm always around," Cody replied.

Before 19645 could answer, they heard talking. 19645 tried to see if he could spot the human this big white dog was talking about but she was too far away. "How will I..." 19645 asked as he went to look at Cody, but he was gone. 19645 could hear footsteps make their way over to him and he quickly put his ear back outside of his kennel.

"Oh hey, Aly, there's some more dogs down here," a voice said. 19645's amber eyes were wide when he saw two human women stand in front of him. One of them crouched in front of his kennel. "Aw, you have the cutest ears," she said, "And look at your eyes!"

"See? And you didn't even want to come," the second woman said.

The human woman in front of him put her hand against the kennel door and 19645 lifted his head and licked her palm through the bars.

Then everything was a whirlwind! The same human kept coming back for a visit. Then one day, when he thought maybe she wasn't going to pick him, she was back. She had one of the small leads in her hands and she smiled brightly at him. "You ready to go boy?" she asked. 19645 jumped to his feet and he clawed at the door. She put the lead around his neck and she led him away from all the cages and the noise.

He was able to spend time with her and she even slept downstairs on the couch with him instead of sleeping in her bed. That first night he felt her hand scratch his ears and she was talking to him. He wasn't paying a lot of attention, because he was enjoying his soft new bed. "Your name is Barton now, you will never be a number again," she said.

Barton---Barton---At least it's better than a number. 19645 now Barton turned around and he saw a collar hanging up on the wall behind them. She saw the collar and she looked at Barton with a sad smile. "That was your big brother's, Cody. He would've loved you," she said. Barton saw the sadness in her eyes and everything the big white dog had said came back to him. Then the gentle giant's final request came back and immediately, Barton moved in closer. He buried his head into his new Mommy's neck.

It took a second but when his new Mommy hugged him back, he knew now what Cody had meant. He was going to take it from there and he hoped that Cody was enjoying that big rainbow bridge, because he had everything handled here on Earth.