I step out into the warm air of the summer day, my mother by my side. The sun shines over the mountains that surround Vramont Falls, casting just the right amount of shadow onto the ground below. There's not a single cloud in the sky as I look around before tugging on my mother's hand to tell her to start walking. We walk a little slow since mommy has my baby sister in her tummy. She's growing bigger and bigger like a balloon!

We head towards the local store where the man behind the counter greets us with a warm smile. He looked down at me, he glanced at mother and gave me that odd smirk that people used when they looked at a child who looked nothing like the parent, as if seeing me and my mother together surprised them. I grasped my mom's hand as she walked around, she talked to very few people.

Soon enough my mom led me out of the store and back into the beautiful sunshine. I breathed in the earthy scent that was blanketed over our town.

She led me into our house and I followed her staring at the plants and houses. I saw it every other day but was still so fascinated with it. My mom let go of my hand and mumbled something to me, I looked at her as she walked into the kitchen, she set down her groceries and began putting them away. I went and hopped onto our couch, a large window showed the woods that stood just shy of our house.

I stared at them longingly a few times my father took me out there but I've never gone alone. I glanced at my mother, she was still in the kitchen sorting through the items she bought. I quickly ran over to my door and quietly slipped on my coat and boots. I opened the door, so happy my daddy put the yellow stuff on the door to stop it's squeaking. I gently twisted the handle to close the door to not get caught. I looked at the door for a second before running into the woods.

I tread carefully, the plants left no path and I tried to stay in an area where I could still see my house, but I heard a rustle and turned away from the slight sight of my house. When I turned back, my house was nowhere in sight. I skipped around knowing eventually I'd find my house, I sat on a log to take a breath. From the other side of the trees I see eyes, deep blue ones. I look at the eyes, they aren't very human like, it must be an animal.

The animal steps out of the trees, it's a beautiful blonde-brown dog, he has the prettiest blue eyes.

"Hey puppy," I mumbled, the dog took that as a sign and he came and sat right in front of me. I hesitantly stuck a hand out and touched his soft fur, I let his head gently, making him smile. "You, you're a very cute puppy," I told him with a small smile. I looked around noticing it had almost gotten dark. "Oh no, I better get home," I said. The puppy stuck his cute wet nose out, he stood up dutifully and started walking forward. After a few steps he looked back and grunted at me, I stood up and followed him.

I followed the dog all the way till the edge of the woods, when I could see my house he nudged me with his snout. I smiled at him and walked to my house.

I opened the door and saw my Mom sitting at the table with the phone book. Had she even noticed I was gone?

"Oh Katria, there you are, I had been so worried. If your father had been home," My Mama said.

"I'm okay, Mama. See? I'm safe," I said, I hugged her and she smiled.

"That you are Katria, go ahead and get to bed your father and I will tuck you in soon." She told me, I nodded.

~

The next day, I snuck to the woods again. I saw the puppy again. He played with me and then led me home again. He was a very good puppy. I saw him again the next day, and the day after that.

"Bye, puppy," I said sadly as we reached the edge of the woods again, "Why can't you come with me?" I asked, he just wiggle his ears, his way of telling me no. "I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked, now he wagged his tail saying yes. I waved goodbye and entered my house again.

"Katria, If you sneak off again I won't wait for your usual time for you to return, I will send out a search party," My mother said sternly. I nodded at her walking to my room, she had said that yesterday and the day before.

~

"Hey Puppy!" I said, the next day. I sat on the same log and the puppy and returned. He wiggled his ears at me and started walking towards my house. "No, Puppy I want to play, I don't want to go home yet!" I said, he looked back and wiggled his ears furiously.

"Why do you want me to go home? Do you not like me anymore?" I asked sadly. He wiggled his ears again and came up to me and nudged me with his snout. "So you will play with me?" I asked him hopefully.

He wagged his tail nervously. I beamed at him and dragged him along. I played fetch with him, a game he didn't like much. We also played a game where I climbed up a tree and he barked at all the trees until he found me, he didn't seem to like that one much either.

I started letting him and we play wrestled, I was giggling and he was yipping happily. Suddenly he stopped, he stuck his nose out and stood protectively over my sitting form.

"Katria, are you there?" I heard my Daddy call. I frowned, my Daddy shouldn't be in the woods, he should be at work.

"Yeah, Daddy! I'm playing with my puppy," I said. Puppy nudged me so I stood and I pet his head to calm him down, he was tense. I heard rustling and my dad pushed through the trees and he was followed by other guys, they all looked relieved to see me.

"Get the mutt!" My Dad said to one of the guys. One guy stepped forward and he grabbed Puppy.

"No! Puppy good! Don't hurt him!" I said. My Daddy came and picked me up. I wiggled until I could see Puppy. The guy put a muzzle on Puppy and growled angrily. They put a pointy collar on him and I tried to get out of my daddy's arms. "No! Daddy, they are hurting Puppy!" I cried. My Dad pushed my head into his shoulder and shushed me.

"Come on, Katria. The mutt 'll be fine. Your Mamma is worried sick about you. I thought we told you to stop running off," My Daddy said. I frowned with tears falling from my eyes as I watched them shove Puppy into a basket. I tried to tell him sorry through my head but he just looked at me. His blue eyes are sad.

"Daddy, please don't hurt Puppy!" I begged, he just pat my head and kept walking out of the woods.

~

It had been 8 days since Daddy took Puppy. I was laying in my bed trying to sleep, Mama and Daddy already tucked me in but I wasn't sleepy.

I looked out the window, the stars were really bright, even though I didn't feel sleepy my eyes started dropping and I fell into a deep sleep.

It felt as if it was only a few minutes later, I woke up. I smelled smoke, I sat up in my bed and saw lots of smoke in the sky. Where was it coming from? I thought. I jumped out of bed and shuffled to my door, I touched the knob and yelped. It was burning hot. I sucked in a breath, was my house on fire? I thought, terrified.

I went up to my window and looked out, it was on the second floor, I could climb down, but it'd be scary. I wiggled my window open and started coughing at the smoke that filled my lungs. I was breathing too much smoke, my vision was blurring, I saw a sudden flash of blondish fur and blue eyes stared at me.

In a rush I felt myself being lifted and it felt like I had only blinked but when I opened my eyes I was on the ground outside my house. I heard yelling and I looked around and saw my Mama and Daddy. There were policemen and the fireman with their firetrucks and the ambulance.

"No! You did this! My daughter could be hurt because of you!" My Mama yelled.

"Your daughter?!? It was you who started this!! Don't blame me!! Katria would be hurt because of your ignorance, not mine!!" My Daddy yelled back at her. My Mama frowned and her voice was shaky when she yelled back.

"I DON'T CARE WHO'S IGNORANCE MADE HER ET HURT!! JUST THAT SHE IS HURT AND YOU DON'T CARE! YOU JUST SIT HERE AND DEFEND YOURSELF!!" Her voice so loud, I jumped back, scared.

"What did you say woman?!? I DON'T CARE ABOUT MY DAUGHTER?!? THATS BULL! YOU KNOW WELL THAT I LOVE AND CARE ABOUT HER I JUST HATE THAT YOU BLAME ME FOR THIS!! I'M ALWAYS THE ONE MESSING UP! YOU ARE PERFECT THOUGH AREN'T YOU?" My Daddy yelled back. I started crying, why are they so angry I'm okay I'm right here. I stood up crying and ran for my parents.

"No! Mama, Daddy! See I'm fine! Don't yell I'm okay!" I said, I wasn't sure who to hug, I didn't want to hurt their feelings, my Daddy stared at me and I went and hugged him, Mama would come and hug us both, she always did.

"Oh my God Katria, you're okay." My daddy said hugging me. Mama didn't come hug us though, she came and pulled me out of his arms, she pulled me close.

"You shouldn't have heard that Katria. Let's get you out of here." She said, pulling me away. I looked back at my daddy who looked really sad.

"But Daddy ..." I said. My mama just shook her head.

"He'll be okay Katria, how did you even get out of the house?" She asked me. I tried remembering but all my mind remembered was being stuck in my room and then being outside.

"I- I don't know Mama." I said. She shook her head slightly.

"That's silly, how do you not know? Oh well as long as you're okay." My Mama told me.

She set me in the back of the ambulance and the doctors looked at me. They put a funny mask on my face and looked at my body. I felt it tingle all over now. My chest hurt too. Mama takes her hand and rubs my face. She holds my hand. The ambulance drives away. I laid my head on her shoulder and fell into a rough sleep.

~

A few days later my Mama led me to town. I hadn't seen my Daddy since the fire. She put me in a fancy dress today. My skin still hurts and is wrapped in bandages. Momma put a sweater on me to cover them up. She wore a fancy dress too. It fit funny now with her big tummy, but it was a pretty dress. When we got to a big fancy building she stopped.

"Katria, you are going to see your Daddy. But, you have to stay with me. Your Daddy and I are getting a divorce and you will stay with me. And your little sister when she comes," My mama said, I nodded even though I don't know what a divorce is.

She opened the big door and I saw my Daddy. I forgot what my Mama said and I ran up to him, I hugged him tightly, I missed him so much.

"Hi Katria." He said quietly. He had tears in his eyes, I frowned.

"Hi Daddy, I missed you a lot. Why are you so sad? We're together again, yeah?" I asked him but he shook his head slightly.

"No baby, your Mama wants you to stay with her. I have to say goodbye to you, I'm not sure when I will see you again," He tried explaining but I was still confused.

"Is that what a divorce is? When I only see Mama and not you?" I asked, he smiled at me and shook his head.

"No, a divorce is when your Mama and I aren't married anymore. Almost an un-married. But because we are getting a divorce you will say with your Mama," He told me. I frowned at him. My heart started to hurt and I wanted to cry.

"But I don't want you to go, Daddy! I love you! I don't want to leave you, Daddy!" I cry and stamp my feet. I fold my arms and cry. My Daddy wraps his arms around me and hugs me.

Momma comes back and takes my hand. I try to get her to let me go to be with Daddy again.

"Katria, stop this. You are making a scene," Momma says sternly.

"I don't want to go! I want to be with Daddy! Don't make me go! I hate you, Mommy! I hate you!" I cried.

Momma sat me down in the big room. Daddy was on the other side of it. There was a man in a big chair in the front of the room. I didn't get what they were saying. Why are they not going to be together? I want my Daddy and my Mommy. I thought. My heart hurt and all I wanted to do was go home. To see Puppy.

The meeting ended and the funny man on the big chair gave me a teddy bear after it. Mommy and Daddy had me sit down in the cold hallway. I hugged my teddy bear and cried more. Mommy and Daddy came back and both gave me a hug. Mommy took my hand and we walked out to the car again. Mommy buckled up my car seat then went to drive. Daddy came back before we left. He gave me the jacket he always wears when we go to the woods.

"Kat, keep this with you, okay? Know that Daddy loves you and will miss you. I'll see you soon, okay? I love you so much, baby girl," He says.

"Don't let me go, Daddy!" I cried. I tried to hold onto him to never let him go. "I don't want to go! I love you, Daddy!"

He let me go and closed the door. Momma drove the car away. I held onto my teddy bear and my Daddy's jacket and cried. This was a very bad day. I hate this day. I hate my Mommy. I hate my Daddy. I hate everyone.