At the End of The Rainbow

It was unusually bright that morning outside of Charlotte’s cottage window in Puzzlewood, just outside the small town of Cedarwood Springs. She stepped outside of her home which leans to one side. The windows foggy of age. However she likes it there. In the house. Small and cozy. Safe from the world. Charlotte breathes in the smell of pine trees, dirt, and plants. The smell of fresh rainfall. As she looked up to the trees, something colorful caught her eye. The rain that had been pounding at her door last night now turned into a stunning rainbow. The colors strook against the pale blue sky. She began to think of change. A rainbow, something new amongst the old. It seemed as if it was calling her name. A memory that had been tucked away was suddenly unlocked.

One evening, many years ago, Charlotte lay quietly in her bed with her young pup beside me. She did not rustle the sheets. Breathing slowly and silently. Snuggled up against her father’s warm body, she was listening to the sound of him read to her. A sound – the sound of his sweet words delicately pouring out his mouth and onto the page. A story of a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

“Let’s find a pot of gold!” So they set off, just her and her dog. To find the end of a rainbow and a pot of gold. She opened the door a vigorous gust of wind sprinted into their small cottage. Luckily, Charlotte had clothing over clothing and did not feel a thing.
They had began their journey once again by entering the slushy like forest. When walking past the beginning part of the forest, Charlotte had felt confident in finding this pot of gold in fact that was all she was talking about.

¨Can you believe it Shortcake, we´re going to find a pot of gold!¨ cried Charlotte in disbelief for the third time

*whimper, whimper* creaked the old tree

¨Whats wro-¨ before Charlotte could finish her sentence she noticed that her dog was missing.

Charlotte was so caught up in thinking about the pot of gold that she didn't realize that Shortcake wasn´t with her. This entire time Charlotte had been talking to herself. In fact she was in a forest that was so quiet, that the cricket chirps are like tiger roars. Charlotte was full of embarrassment. How could I have not noticed shortcake was lost? Charlotte questioned herself over and over.

“Shortcake, Shortcake! Are you there?¨ Charlotte repeated every time with more hope in her voice.

¨cheep cheep,¨ cried the birds
"chirp chirp,¨ yelled the crickets

But still no response from Shortcake. Charlotte felt her stomach do a flip.

She felt small drops of sweat start to build up her forehead and her knees began to shake. Her heart started pounding, almost booming inside her. I've got to do something about this and not just stand around. But how? Charlotte started walking, jumping at the slightest shadows in the trees. She didn’t feel as safe without Shortcake beside her. Her companion for as long as she can remember. WHOOSH! A gust of wind stirred a familiar looking item in the air. A bright pink ball ran past her. Charlotte raced after it to see what it is. Shortcake’s ball.

“But she didn’t bring it with her when we left,” Charlotte thought aloud. She stuck it into her pocket and began to wonder. How did this end up here?

Charlotte began walking again wondering where did it came from.
Again she called out. And then again. After each call Charlotte was silent and for a moment and she listened. But there was no answer. She grew more worried after each time reciting those words. Them echoing across the lonely forest. Charlotte was in shock. As she looked down she noticed a trail of dog treats carelessly thrown on the ground. However, the treats Shortcake’s special ones. As if hey were looking up at her. The trail was leading her somewhere, but where? To my precious dog perhaps? Thought Charlotte. She followed the trail wondering where it´d lead her.

When she reached the end of the trail she saw a shadow in the fog.
¨Shortcake is that you?¨ asked Charlotte

What she had hoped was Shortcake was not, the shadow was the bag of treats sealed shut.

She went deeper into the woods. The shadows were the blackest things Charlotte had ever seen. She walked even further as they swallowed me whole. Her body was wet and hot as the beads of sweat on my forehead scurried down. She didn’t want to know what kinds of things hide behind black trees of this thick forest. All she wanted is to see her dog again. When you are faced with a problem you have to be brave. How? Calling for her dog repeatedly till she felt her throut hurting

¨WHERE DID YOU GO, SHORTCAKE, WHERE are you¨ croaked Charlotte. Tears began falling down her cheeks that were numb because of the coldness.

As Charlotte kept crying she found a chew toy. And it was Shortcake’s toy.

¨What the, What is this doing here.¨ Charlotte said with confusion in her voice, while wiping her nose. In fact, Charlotte distinctly remembered that she had put away that chew toy last night.¨Did shortcake take it out in the morning before we left?¨ Charlotte questioned herself. ¨No, I would've notice if she did.¨She answered herself

Charlotte felt so lost and confused. She felt as if it all of this was her fault. There was a sensation in her as if she wanted to throw up. She felt guilt.

¨What if I never find Shortcake again,what if she's lost forever.¨ Whispered Charlotte under her breath.