Nobody's Hero

The following short story is one I recently submitted for my English composition class. Amanda liked it so much, she encouraged me to post it here, so here it is:

     She lies on the floor, her nose tucked in between her two front paws. She has her tail wrapped around on her left side, just sitting on the floor like a coiled up snake ready to bite. Sadie is a five year old German Sheppard. She’s a light silver color, with a black saddle over her back and a small black diamond right in the middle of her forehead. As she lies there, you can see the small downward curve of her snout that is so typical of most American Sheppard’s. Her ears are perked up, with the black tips pointing straight up to the ceiling. Like two little radar antenna’s, they are constantly swinging left to right and back again, neither one of them moving together, taking in all of the sounds in the house, as if waiting for someone to call her name. Her dark brown eyes have certain sadness in them. Sadie is a working dog, and loves to play, but right now there is no one to play with, as everyone is off doing their own thing. Using her two little radars, she can hear the children playing just outside of the office door, Mom is in the far end of the house, maybe doing laundry, or possibly changing clothes, it sounds the same at this distance. She hears a distinct clicking noise coming from somewhere in the room with her. She rolls her big brown eyes up, just ever so slightly, and can see Dad, sitting at his computer, typing away. It’s just another lazy afternoon for Sadie.

            Just then a new sound catches her attention, and she picks her head to look toward the office door. “Footsteps! Maybe Mom is coming to play!” she thinks to herself, already unable to control her excitement as her thick tail starts swinging back and forth, creating a slight breeze and sending shedding hair flying up, leaving even more white hair embedded in the carpet to be vacuumed up later. As Mom walks into the room, Sadie’s excitement is just brimming. Her tail wagging even harder, she starts to breathe heavy, panting, with an almost distinct smile forming as she looks up at Mom, who is walking right towards her. She watches anxiously for some sign that Mom wants to play, but her excitement and smile is replaced once again with the dark sadness in her eyes. Mom walked right past to give Dad something, and as fast as she came in, she walks out again, the footsteps going back towards the far end of the house.

            Sadie lowers her head once again, resting it between her paws, letting her tail settle back down, tucked alongside her. She almost didn’t notice Dad stand up, almost. Lying in between him and the door, he would have to walk past her; surely he’ll play with her. She looks up at him as he casually steps over her, like he didn’t even notice. He disappears around the corner. As he rounds the corner, Sadie notices what it is Mom had given him. It’s her toy! She starts to get excited again, but realizes he didn’t even seem to notice her. Just then, at that moment when it seems nobody wants to play, she hears dad. “Sadie! Come here!” he yells. Sadie jumps up and runs into the next room, her tail wagging as hard as it can go, smacking into the doorjamb with a loud thump, the sadness has been replaced with beaming excitement, as the smile returns to her. She disappears around the corner, happy to have someone to play with.