The snow was white and the wind was cold and sharp on my cheek. I was dressed for the weather, with a coat, snowpants, a hat and gloves. Then, the snow stopped. The wind turned gentle, and soft, like a warm summer breeze. It was December! What was going on? I looked around, and I was in another world.

There wasn’t a cloud in the purple sky. The sun was redder than the fires of California. I shed my outdoor clothes to my jeans and t-shirt. It was at least 70 degrees. I was in a town square. The ground was paved with gold. It was slick, but I didn’t fall. I looked to my left and I saw a tall, steel building. When I looked to my right, I saw a pink building. The pink building didn’t have doors. Instead, it had a giant doggie door. Then, a Cairn Terrier the size of me strolled out. It looked at me, then spoke. “Why aren’t you in the mines?” Then it barked. This was a bark of alarm.

Ten German Shepherds at least seven feet tall came over in a matter of seconds. The Cairn barked, and pointed at me with her paw. One of the German Shepherds stepped up.

“Why aren’t you in the mines?” it asked. I was terrified. The Shepherd took my coat with his paw.

“Why do you have a coat?” a Shepherd in the back of the group said.

“Because it is cold where I come from.” I answered.

The dogs laughed. The Cairn barked and the Shepherd nodded.

Then the Shepherd turned to me and nudged me with his nose. I fell over. The dogs laughed again, a low, rumbling laugh. I got up and the Shephered nudged me again. I did not fall, but I walked.

The mines were terrifying. Hundreds of humans, with pick-axes, sweating in their work. A cart full of silver and gold came rumbling up the track. I knew that I had to escape, or I would be worked like a horse.

The head Shepherd nudged me until I grabbed a pick-ax. I started hitting the wall, and it nodded. It leaned over and I realized that it had a collar. “Why do you have a collar?” I asked.
“My name tag.” it replied.
“Aah.” I said. I read the name tag. It said, “Head Police Officer Maximum Coco Izzyson.”

I kept hitting the wall. Maximum left.

I hit the wall for hours. Finally, a bell rang. All of the humans exhaled and put their axes away. I followed them to the mess hall. There, I got a tray. I went over to the table where food was. I looked at the glop on the plate. I was hungry, so I ate it.

This went on for days. Mining, eating. Mining, eating. I was sick of it.

Then, three weeks or so after I entered this land, Maximum returned. He took me from mining and locked me in a room. There was a mirror and a table. There were no windows, and the door was locked and barred. I knew this.

I looked in the mirror.

I saw what I saw.

I took the saw.

I cut the table in half.

Then I put the two halves together.

Two halves make a whole.


I jumped through and closed my eyes.

When I opened them, I saw white. My mom looked at me and started screaming and running toward me. So did just about everyone else I know. I was cold. I looked at a telephone pole and I saw the sign.
Anne Marr.
Missing for Three Weeks.
Reward.

A reward, just like a dog. My Cairn ran up to me. She looked me in the eyes. Her eyes told me what I already knew. No one will know about the world of the dogs, other than you, Journal.