The One and Only Pug: The Adventures of Zelda, #5 Read online

  The Adventures of Zelda: The One and Only Pug

  Kristen Otte

  Contents

  The Adventures of Zelda: The One and Only Pug

  1. The Creek

  2. The Dog Park

  3. The House Sitters

  4. The Cone of Shame

  5. The Race

  6. The Rain Storm

  7. The Tall Bowls

  8. The Rabbit

  9. The Hamburger

  10. The Final Chapter

  A Sneak Preview into Alien Kid

  Afterword

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Series By Kristen Otte

  Hi Peach!

  The Adventures of Zelda: The One and Only Pug

  * * *

  Kristen Otte

  The Adventures of Zelda: The One and Only Pug

  Copyright © 2016 by Kristen Otte. All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: 2016

  Editor: Candace Johnson

  Cover Design: Michael McFarland

  * * *

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons —living or dead— is entirely coincidental.

  * * *

  ISBN: 1530456622

  ISBN-13: 978-1530456628

  Created with Vellum

  This book is dedicated to the jelly bean.

  1

  The Creek

  The car veers to the right and shifts to a slow speed. I rise from Ben’s lap in the backseat of the car and look out the window. Ahead of the car, I see a large group of trees. The tops of the never-ending tall trees sway with the breeze. Peach groans from her seat in Hannah’s lap in the front of the car. I ignore her and turn to gaze at the trees. A blur of brown moves from branch to branch.

  Is that a squirrel?

  I press my face to the glass to get a better look. The car comes to a stop, and my face bangs against the glass. Ow. I take a step backward.

  “I have Zelda,” Ben says. With my leash in his hand, he opens the door. I jump to the ground and take a look around me. A few cars are lined up next to each other. In front of the rows of cars, I see an open field of grass. I pull Ben in that direction.

  “Hold on,” he says.

  I hear the jingle of Peach’s collar. She jumps from the car. Nate holds her leash. I pull a second time in the direction of the grass. Ben follows my lead this time.

  The grass is tall, rising to my head. I sneeze three times from the tickle of the grass against my nose.

  “Ben, the creek is this way,” Hannah says. I look back at my family. Peach is leading our family in the opposite direction across the parking lot.

  Wait a minute! I can’t be last!

  I engage my pug super speed and sprint forward, dragging Ben with me.

  As we catch up to the others, the parking lot ends, turning into a small patch of grass. Beyond the grass are the tall trees. The trees diverge from each other to create a dirt path. Peach and I lead the way on the path. The path reeks of interesting smells. Peach and I run from one side of the path to the other to investigate everything.

  A rustle in the trees diverts my attention from below. I look up to see a squirrel standing above me.

  Is that Squeaks? No, it couldn’t be.

  I take a few steps to one side so I’m not directly underneath the squirrel. I don’t want any acorns to drop on my head.

  Peach reacts in the opposite manner. She jumps and leaps at the tree. It looks like she is trying to climb the tree. Silly Peach.

  The path winds up a hill and then starts a descent. The sound of wind echoes, but I don’t feel a breeze in my fur. As we follow the trail down a steep dirt path, the sound grows louder. I stop and step on the edge of the path, looking below us. The sound isn’t wind. It is water! A small trail of water moves on the ground below us. I lick my lips.

  “Come on, Zelda. The creek is down the path.” Ben tugs on the leash. I glance ahead. The path leads right to the edge of the water. Peach is ahead of me again. I hurry forward to catch her.

  My pace slows when we approach the water. I don’t want to end up in it. I carefully step to the edge and bend my neck. The water is cool to the touch of my tongue. I take three big gulps.

  “Can we walk through the creek?” Ben asks.

  “Yeah! Let’s do it!” Lucy agrees. “Please, Mom?”

  “What about the dogs?” Hannah asks.

  “They can come with us,” Nate says.

  “They don’t like the water,” Hannah says. Nate shrugs his shoulders. “Okay. Lead the way, Ben. Be careful, some of the rocks may be slippery.”

  Ben steps forward on a rock, careful to not touch the water. He takes a few more steps to the middle of the water on a path of rocks.

  “Come on, Zelda,” he says.

  There’s no way I am going in there. One wrong step and I’m Zelda the soaking wet pug. No way.

  I hear a small splash and turn. Peach is in the water, taking one slow step at a time on her way to Ben. The water covers the white on her paws. Nate follows behind with her leash, sidestepping on the rocks.

  I can’t believe she is in the water!

  Peach doesn’t like the water and rain, except for the one time we stayed away from home for a week. Peach and I ran in the edge of the moving water every day. That was fun. Does Peach have the right idea? Maybe I should give this water a try.

  Ben looks at me from his spot on the rock a few steps away. The leash won’t go any farther. I look to Peach. The water was cold on my tongue, and the squirrels are in the trees. I think I’ll stay out of it for now. I turn to walk forward in the dirt on the side of the water.

  “Mom, can you take Zelda? I don’t think she will come in the water,” Ben says.

  “Sure.” The leash sails through the air to Hannah. Lucy follows her dad to the middle of the water. Ben, Lucy, Nate, and Peach wander forward through the water and rocks.

  Hannah and I skip along the side of the water. I sniff some trees, looking for squirrel traces, until Hannah yanks me forward. We walk for a few minutes. I keep my head on a swivel, glancing at my family in the middle of the water. Peach hasn’t left the water. Her paws are soaked, but her tongue hangs out of her mouth as she trots forward with the rest of the family.

  I turn back to my path along the side of the river. I take a step, and my paws sink into warm, moist dirt.

  Mud!

  My tail bounces on my back, and I step again.

  “Zelda, get out of there,” Hannah says.

  I take another step. All four of my paws are in the patch of warm mud. It feels wonderful.

  “Zelda, go,” Hannah says. The leash tugs my harness. I turn to Hannah and give her my best sad pug eyes.

  “ARRFF!”

  My ears perk up at the sound of Peach’s bark. She is sprinting in circles through the water. The water trail has transformed into a big open space with mud and rocks in the center. On the side opposite from me, water falls from the side of the tall rock.

  I look at Peach with her tongue hanging out and her ears straight in the air. She is having a blast. Ben chases her through the water, splashing water in every direction. Lucy lets out a loud laugh.

/>   They can’t have fun without me!

  I look at the path to them. The rocks are scattered, but I can make it without getting in the water. I leap to the first rock, and my paws slide, but I dig my nails in and stop. The rest of the rocks are smaller. To make it, I have to make one big series of jumps on the small rocks until the mud patch in the middle. I take a deep breath, sneeze, and let my tongue hang out. If I make this without falling, it will be legendary.

  Ready. Set. Go.

  I make the first leap and then the next. Before I know it, I have jumped four times. The path to the mud is the best game I have ever played. I bounce from one rock to the next over the water, listening to my family’s laughs and shouts of glee. I hop and skip and jump.

  I am the jumping pug! Only four more jumps.

  I sail in the air and land on a rock. I quickly leap to the next.

  This rock is slick. Uh oh. I’m sliding. I push off the rock to make the next leap, but something isn’t right. My paws flail as I fly through the air, and I hit the water with a big splash.

  The splash sends water flying in all directions, but the water doesn’t even reach my belly. I shake off the water and look at my family. They smile. I realize that Hannah has let go of my leash.

  Peach bounds over to me, and I stand on my hind legs to greet her.

  “Zelda, wait,” Nate says. I freeze, and Nate unhooks the leash from my harness. Peach is already unhooked. I look at her. Her eyes widen, and I run, forgetting the water. She chases after me, and we run in circles through the water. When I am breathing too hard to continue, I stop and plop in the water. My body sinks into the combination of water and mud.

  This is great.

  “I think they like the creek,” Ben says.

  “Come on, let’s keep walking,” Nate says. Nate and Ben walk out of the water and up a dirt path. Peach is already out of the water, trailing behind them. I scamper to catch up. Lucy and Hannah walk behind me. Nate leads us to the top of the small hill, and when we get there, I see another water trail.

  This time, I run straight into the water, not afraid to get wet. Water doesn’t scare me anymore. In fact, I don’t think anything scares me anymore. I feel invincible. I sprint ahead, leaping from a rock into the water.

  Nothing can stop this pug!

  We leave the water trail later in the day. My paws are cold, and my legs are exhausted. I jump into the back of the car. When I land, a drop of water trickles from my ear. The feeling sends me into a head shake.

  “Zelda! No!” Hannah shouts, but I ignore her scream. My head shake transforms into a full body shake, sending sprinkles of water from my fur in every direction. When I stop, Ben glares at me.

  “Dad, the car is soaked,” he says.

  “It’s not a long drive. You will be fine.”

  “You don’t have to sit with a sopping wet pug on you,” Ben murmurs.

  I move to the middle of the car to allow Ben to sit. Lucy steps in the car on the other side. Peach jumps in on top of her.

  “Peach isn’t that wet,” Lucy says.

  “Lucky,” Ben says. Ben sets a blanket on his lap, and I curl up in it. The water trapped in my fur sends a chill through me. Ben wraps me up in the blanket, and moments later I am dreaming of squirrels and steak.

  I jerk awake when the car comes to a stop. I hear Peach snoring on the other side of the car. I open my eyes and stand to look out the window.

  Home.

  I’m relieved. I had a blast today, but I am ready to eat a good meal and sleep the rest of the day away.

  “Ben, keep Zelda and Peach outside until I get the water ready.”

  Huh?

  I wander around in the front yard until the door opens.

  “Okay. Bring them here, but don’t take them off their leash.”

  Peach and I jog to Hannah, excited to get inside. When I cross through the doorway, I freeze. I hear the sound. Oh no. Not now. My tail sinks, and I try to hide behind Ben.

  “Come on, Zelda. It’s okay,” Hannah says. Ben hands the leash to his mom and wanders up the stairs. I look to Peach. Her eyes are open wide, and I can tell she has checked into her happy place.

  “Nate, can you help me with Peach?”

  “Sure, honey.” Nate comes around the corner and lifts Peach in the air.

  Hannah bends down to scoop me up, and I go limp in her arms. They take us into the small room. The rushing sound is loud, and I hate it. It’s not the sound, but what it means. The sound stops. Nate lifts Peach into the giant bowl. Hannah drops me beside her. The water rises to my stomach. I expect a chill to rise through me, but it doesn’t. Instead, the water warms my body.

  I know what is coming next, and I want to get out of this big bowl. I don’t care if the water feels good this time. I hate being trapped. I grunt and think about going for a leap over the edge. I’ve made the jump before, but it’s always risky. I don’t want to end up falling under the water. Before I decide what to do, Hannah puts a glob of something on my back and runs her hands over my body. She massages it through my body, giving me a not-pug smell. I don’t like it. I never like it. I have to get out of here, but her hands are all over me.

  She takes a break for a second, and I ready myself, but before I can move, her hands steady me again. I look at Peach. Peach is staring off into space. She is trapped in a faraway place in her head.

  Water pours over me, and Hannah runs her hands through my fur again, steadying me, not letting me move. I close my eyes and wait for the water to stop. When her hands leave my body, I am sopping wet again. I feel the water dropping from all over me.

  “Zelda, wait,” Hannah says.

  I can’t wait.

  I go for it.

  I leap out of the bowl and land on solid ground. I shake my hardest, freeing my fur from all the water on me.

  “Zelda,” Nate moans, but I shake more. When I stop, I check my surroundings.

  The door is closed!

  I scurry to the door, but Hannah lifts me into a blanket. The blanket rubs against my fur. I squirm, but she has a firm grip. Finally, she sets me on the ground and opens the door.

  I sprint out the door and through the house. I run from room to room shaking off the water and getting as far away from what just happened until I hear the sound of Peach’s paws and breath behind me. She catches me, and we tumble on the ground. We wrestle until I topple over, out of breath, the memory of the washing far from my little head.

  I head to the living room and find Lucy on the couch. I snuggle up to her, and she covers me up. Today was another exhausting day, but a good day as Zelda pug.

  2

  The Dog Park

  The next day, I wait by the front door in expectation of another car ride. When my family leaves during the bright hours without us, I realize we aren’t returning to the water trail today.

  Gradually, I return to a normal routine and stop waiting by the door. We haven’t returned to the water trail. I hope it wasn’t a one-time outing, but I have enough adventures awaiting me in my neighborhood to fill my time. I spend the mornings and evenings in the backyard. I think of exploring beyond the fence, but I don’t have a good reason to risk it.

  The days fade into one another, but when I hear the word “park” one day, my ears perk up.

  I scamper to Nate and Ben to listen to their conversation. I don’t understand many of the words, but the words “dog” and “park” are enough to make my tail bounce. When I hear Nate say, “Let’s go,” I know it’s time for another adventure. I follow Ben to the front of the house. He takes the harnesses off the shelf.

  Yes!

  I pug sprint in circles through the room. With the commotion, Peach wanders into the room. I run around her. She nips at me and then grabs a toy. I reach for the toy and grab it with my mouth. As we play tug-of-war, I forget why I am excited.

  “Peach, come,” Nate says. Peach drops the toy and walks to Nate. I grab the toy and watch Nate put on her harness.

  Oh, yeah! Park!
r />   I dart to Ben. He grabs me and places the harness around my body.

  The car ride is short. We park in a large grassy area. I jump out of the car, and the smells attack my nose.

  So many dogs!

  Peach and I, sniffing and tracking, scamper from one smell to the next. Ben and Nate try to keep us moving forward. As we approach a fence, the smells grow more potent. A dog barks. Ben and Nate let us in the fence.

  When I enter the fence, I realize that I have been to this park. My family brought us here for my fourth birthday. The park was filled with pugs. I ran with them for an hour. It was amazing. My nose tells me the pugs aren’t here today, but that’s okay. I’ll run with any dog!

  Hannah and Nate take off our leashes and let us through another gate. I see two small dogs chasing each other through the open grass. Peach takes off for the dogs, catching them in an instant.

  Geez. She is fast.

  I investigate a few smells along the fence, and I spot another dog on the other side of the fence. The dog reminds me of Norman with its gigantic head and wrinkles. Norman and I love playing, even though he is much bigger than me. I bark at the dog, trying to get its attention. The dog races to the fence and barks at me. The bark is playful, so I take off running next to the fence. He races with me on the other side of the fence. We run back and forth for a few minutes, but then another dog enters his side. He takes off running with it. I stop.

  Peach stands near Ben and Nate. I jog to them. A water bowl rests next to Ben, so I take a drink. When the Norman look-alike barks, I jog back to the fence with Peach beside me. The other side of the fence is filled with dogs. The dogs are bigger than we are, but they are running and playing all over the grass.