What more does one need but a friend or two to chat and a dog to love us back?

Holding Bushy's tail in my hands made me cry. I realized this when a small tear escaped my eye and followed the nose to reach my lips. Salty! But, I am also very happy. His tail is here, preserved and it can mean only one thing. Bushy too is here somewhere and alive. I shall cry no more. I shall do what dad always told me to. I shall get up and I shall try.

Woof! Woof!

What's that? Is that Bushy. I look around. It's only me all around reflecting in the mirror. Which way did it come from, the familiar bark? I am looking all around for a hint of sound, a slight noise.

Woof! Woof!

I saw something move to my right. Was it my reflection? Only one way to find out. I close the box and holding Bushy's tail, I make a run to my right. There, I saw something again. I am frantically looking left and right with ears alert to the slightest sound. I reach the end of the hall. There is nothing here. I am sure there was something here. But, I am facing a mirror again.

Wait! Something is wrong. I look at my image. It's me holding Bushy's tail in my right hand. I look at my own right hand. Bushy's tail is in my right hand alright. But, this mirror isn't showing a reflection else I would see the tail in my left hand - an inverted image. I slowly raise my left hand and index finger pointing in front, touch the mirror. My image is doing the exact same, raising her left hand with finger-pointing. As soon as I touch the mirror, I realize, it's not solid glass. It is some form of liquid - like mercury which we saw in the school lab.

I push my finger and it goes through. I feel cold at my fingertip and immediately pull it back.

What is beyond this mirror? There is only one thing left for me to do. I raise my hand and push through the liquid mirror. I close my eyes and take a step. It felt like walking through a waterfall except I don't feel wet. I feel cold. I open my eyes.

Ah! What place is this? It's a big, really big dog house - exactly the same as Bushy's but much, much bigger. And it's snowing here, it's cold here. My hands automatically fold in front of my chest. I am shivering - I don't have any warm clothes. And that smell, it smells like earth - the fresh smell of earth after the year's first rain. I look above - but there is no sky - I see only black as far as I can see - above and all around; except for the big wooden dog house.

I hear footsteps - I look around. Someone just ran past me and is running hard towards the dog house. Hey, wait!

Is that Lizzie? Hey, Lizzie, wait! wait for me!

I start running after. It is surely Lizzie. Did she see me? Why is she running? I chase after her, Bushy's Tail in my hand. I am closing in. She is at the Dog house's entrance. I must catch up. She suddenly stops and turns towards me.

She is Lizzie. But, she is looking at me as if she doesn't recognize me.

"Lizzie! it's me - Pixie. Where's Kevin? Please stop, I am really scared."

She is staring at me. And suddenly, she just turns and starts running inside the Dog house. I can't let her get out of sight. I chase after her and as soon as I enter the dog house, I just freeze. This cannot be true.

Bushy is in front of me. But why is he sitting on this huge chair which looks like a throne?

He looks at me. Did he just smile?

"Hello Pixie, I am glad you made it here!"

I haven't ever seen a dog talk. I suddenly see the hall slowly moving in a circle and it's getting dark, very slowly.

I fall on the floor. I think, I just fainted and it didn't hurt.