First part of a children's story.

Hi everyone, here is the first instalment of a children's story, which I hope they will enjoy. To be continued later.

Murphy.

 

Charlie walked along the row of cages with his mother inspecting each animal, then passing on stopping at the last one to curiously stare inside.

Murphy was the most dejected dog you ever saw with over-large ears, sad eyes and huge paws. He never even looked up when the boy said, "I want him, please Mum."

"Perhaps we ought to look at the rest first, before you make up your mind," his mother answered uncertainly. The truth was she did not think that this animal was at all suitable; he looked so scruffy and was not what she really had in mind.

"Oh please Mum, I really like him," Charlie pleaded.

Murphy was tired of people not wanting to choose him and had tried his hardest to appear more interesting, but decided he would put his best effort into finding a new home just one more time. Hauling himself up he walked over to the cage door, looking up at the boy with appealing brown eyes.

"Just look at him Mum, he only needs someone to love and give him some attention," Charlie said, squeezing his fingers through the wire netting to touch the dog's head. Murphy rewarded him with a wet sloppy kiss.

And so it came about that Murphy was taken to his new home, a small terraced house at number 34, Grinstead Street, on the outskirts of the town.

At first Murphy was shut up in the kitchen every night, but after a while he rebelled against this and made such a noise that he was allowed into Charlie's bedroom where he lay on the bottom of the bed feeling quietly content.

It was still quite dark when Murphy was woken up by the sound of sobbing, so he went to investigate. Stretching out a large paw he touched Charlie's shoulder, saying, "What is the matter, are you ill?"

Immediately the sobs stopped. "Murphy, is that you talking?" Charlie asked, filled with surprise.

"Of course it is, but I don't normally let on that I can understand what you humans are saying."

"I didn't know that dogs could talk."

"Well, what's the matter, you can tell me all about it," Murphy comforted, understanding what it was like to have problems. His last master had put him in the dogs home when he had got tired of having to look after him and take him for a walk. He had felt lost, alone and unwanted. However, now he belonged and was fiercely loyal to this boy who had chosen him above all  the rest of the animals.

"It's this boy at school, who is always bullying me and I can't stop him," Charlie answered, giving in to tears again.

Murphy considered this problem carefully. "Leave it to me, I know all about that sort of thing."

"But what can you do?"

Murphy laid his head on Charlie's chest, "You'll see." Slowly they drifted off to sleep curled up together.

Augustine Nash.