Annie, years later

Once upon a time there was a little blonde dog named Annie. The people with whom she lived were not nice, but she loved them and tried to be a good dog. She could not please them, though, and she never knew why.

The man in the house especially frightened her. She often hid under the bed when he came home wearing a suit because she knew he might yell at her for something. He always found her when he was angry, though, and punished her by hitting her with a fly swatter. It got so Annie would shake with fear if he just snapped his fingers.

The little blonde dog did not understand and she was very unhappy. She wanted nothing more than to love and be loved by her people. She wanted to feel a part of a family, but it wasn't working out. Annie did her part, but the people didn't hold her or pet her or talk nice to her. They didn't notice her unless they were mad and never even bothered to get her a collar to show they cared.

One day the man in the suit came home and yelled at Annie for something she must have done. When he grabbed the fly swatter, Annie tried to get under the bed, but he was too fast and he hit her. It made Annie cry and she licked his hand to say she was sorry for whatever she did. The man was still mad at her though, and tossed her outside.

Annie didn't like to be put outside and waited by the door for a long time, but it did not open. After a while, Annie got hungry and thirsty, and she cried at the door, but still they did not let her in. What else could she do? She wandered off in search of something to drink. She didn't find it, though, and went further and further from home until at last she saw a bowl of water at a house that belonged to another dog. She barely had time to get a drink when the big dog chased her away.

When it began to get dark, Annie tried to find her way back home, but it was no use -- she was lost. She ended up sleeping under a holly bush, shivering while a thunderstorm roared in the sky. Annie was wet and terrified and wished she were home. She even missed her people.

When morning came, Annie set out to look for her home again, but she didn't recognize any of the houses or streets. She thought her home must be on the other side of the highway and she had to get there. Annie would try harder to please her people and then maybe they would give her another chance. Maybe they would finally love her.

The speeding cars and trucks were very scary, but Annie tried to cross the six-lane highway. She heard honking and screeching sounds as cars stopped before hitting her. She got so frightened that she forgot which way she was going. Several people got out of the cars to watch but it only confused Annie more. Her heart almost stopped with fear when a huge truck passed right over her but the big wheels missed her.

The people started yelling at her and some even chased Annie. She didn't know which way to run because the people were as scary as the cars. One of them scooped her up in her arms. Annie bit her on the hand in panic before she thought about it. But she could tell almost immediately that the lady did not mean her any harm, so she licked the hand that she had bit a moment earlier. The lady stroked her and talked sweet words to her and held her to her breast. It felt good there -- it felt safe.

Annie lived with the lady and her husband for the rest of her days. At first she was afraid of the husband when he put on a suit or swatted a fly. She hid under the bed many times before she learned that he was a nice man and would never hurt her.

Things were very different with her new people. They got her a collar and tag because they didn't wanted to lose her, and they talked sweet to her and noticed when she did something clever or cute. They especially paid attention to her when she just wanted to be held and petted. Annie never quite got over reacting to snapping sounds, but then she would remember that her new people didn't expect anything of her except to be herself. They loved her just the way she was.

The best part of it all is that Annie finally had found people who needed the love she had to give. She became a member of a family.

THE END (but, really, just the beginning)