Sunny at the End of the Tunnel

It was a bleak and quiet morning, and I had just woken up from a deep sleep, half-conscious and just barely able to open my eyes. My daily routine consisted of; waking up, brushing my teeth, finishing schoolwork, and taking a few bites of food in between. However, today seemed peculiar, as if some colossal event had occurred. I was unable to distinguish what was causing me to feel this way, but I went on with my morning like any other. As I was walking down the stairs, I could hear my puppy, Sunny, barking in the distance. A week prior, my family met a breeder out of town, who ultimately granted us the opportunity of being Sunny's new family.

As new dog owners, we are highly focused on training Sunny and allowing her to adapt to this new environment as she continues to grow. Unfortunately, due to my parents being hyper focused on training, in addition to the loads of school work I am assigned, I have not had the chance to connect and spend time with Sunny as much as I would prefer. For years I have pondered what it would be like to have a pet, and finally, the day has come, as am I still eager to spend more time with my puppy.

As I approached the kitchen, the scent of french toast and cinnamon filled the air, but something still felt off. My mom approached me with tears in her eyes, opening her arms to hug me. "I have something I need to tell you, and it isn't easy, but I am here for you no matter what," she says. I am not used to her being maternal in this way, as she raised me to solve problems independently without having an individual to lean on. Finally, I asked her, "What's going on? You're scaring me." Moments after, the words that panned out of her mouth changed my life forever. "Reid had passed away last night. His mom called this morning. I am so sorry". At that moment, I felt my entire life shatter right before my eyes, as if everything that once was there was gone forever.

Reid has been my best friend for over four years and has become more like a brother to me above anything else. He was the first person I would go to when I felt uneasy and the last person I would text before I went to sleep. Yet, all I could think was, "Who will I call when I am stressed about a test? Who will I call to watch the next Avengers movie with me?" As my family gathered around me, I started to shake, the walls began to close on me, and my first instinct was to run. I ran to my room, locked the door, and hid under a pile of fuzzy blankets. The next few hours were torturous; I was completely restless and depressed, hoping this was all a bad dream.

With all the power and strength I had left in me, I tried to overcome this tragedy, but every time I glanced down at my phone, I would see messages in my phone saying, "I'm so sorry for your loss" or "Reid was such a great guy it is so unfortunate that this happened." This cycle of mourning continued for the next few days, as I was digging myself deeper and deeper into a dark tunnel of despair.

It has officially been a week since Reid's passing, and I was still hoping I could find that light at the end of the tunnel. When I finally escaped hibernation, there was not a sound in the house, so quiet you could hear a penny drop. For the first time in seven days, I came out of my room and stepped down to the living area where the puppy peacefully slept in her kennel.

I walked up to her and peeked inside, noticing her little eyes glance over at me. After feeling a storm of loneliness wash over me the past few days, I couldn't help but allow someone or something to be a part of my life again. I picked Sunny up and sat down on the couch with her lying beside me. As she rested her fluffy head on my lap, I felt a tear go down my face. However, this time, it wasn't a sad tear but rather a happy one. I thought to myself, "have I finally begun recovery?" It was almost as if Sunny could sense the pain and knew what I needed was the company of a loved one.

The clock had struck twelve, and the light was glaring through the curtains. I noticed Sunny seemed playful, and I did not want to keep her contained in the house, so I finally found the courage to step outside. Fortunately, my house is located right beside a park, about half a mile away, so I put Sunny's bright pink leash on and started to walk towards the playground. After taking a stroll through the park, I found a bench, picked Sunny up, and placed her on my lap. As she rubbed her head against me, I felt a smile begin to form on my face, and that's when I came to a realization; I have found the light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is Sunny.