1 A Dog named Jupiter

"Today a Young Husky known as Jupiter kidnapped a toddler, rode a skateboard, and gave the police quite a chase. The reason, to save his homeless owner, who was left bleeding in an alleyway. This is Ericka Castaneda with breaking news. The toddler is physically and emotionally all right and is now in the custody of his mother. The dog, on the other hand, no one knows if he will be put down. Multiple protesters are standing outside the kill shelter trying to save the young husky."

"Oh no... Jupiter! So, that is what all of that fuss was downtown." Megumi looked away from the television with watering eyes. She took a deep breath tilting her head down. She brushed a piece of black hair out of her face.

A male coworker noticed her vivid green eyes watering. "Megumi is there something wrong." He asked her while spinning the soup ladle in her direction.

"Something happened to Boris, and his dog is being held responsible for creating a ruckus."

"You mean that old guy with two front teeth missing and his big dog. That thing is a terror."

"No, Jupiter was a good intelligent dog. He doesn't deserve this, Arron." Megumi nearly collapsed after speaking. "I'm going down there."

"We have work Megumi a dog can wait. There are homeless men, women, and children who need food!" Arron turned his attention to the large metal pot on the stove.

"Cover me for this moment." Megumi bolted toward the back door.

"Megumi, Megumi!" Arron screamed at her, only catching sight of the back of her floral-patterned dress.

Megumi went out the back door and down a set of stone steps. Right outside the building, her red Nissan sat. She pulled out her keys from a pocket in her dress. Megumi breathed in and out unlocking the vehicle. She then proceeded to enter the car. Once she was seated, she drove away.

Down at the protest, a straight line formed with three homeless men front and center. A surge of protesters pushed forward into a stretch of yellow caution tape. The protesters nearly had the three homeless men pushing pass the tape. The homeless men managed to catch and prevent themselves from falling.

Police guarded the entrance of the kill shelter.

"Damn Bernie we aren't going to get any closer."

"Back at you Mack. We gotta rescue him no matter what. That dog had our back many times, and what he did for Boris. I ain't never gonna forget." Bernie pulled his hat down over his forehead.

The silent of the three twiddled his thumbs glaring at the door.

"Bernie, maybe we need faith. Maybe they haven't killed Jupiter yet. Maybe that rascal will get out of there."

"I don't know if he is considered a risk, they will put him down."

"Look around us Bernie... He is a hero."

Inside the kill shelter

  'All of these creatures here are terrified. I can feel it. All of their life, their hope is slowly draining away. Do you think I fear you? I will find my owner.' Jupiter thought while he nipped at his bars on the inside of the compound.

The kill Shelter had a thick layer of dust covering everything. Cages of animals were stacked on top and against each other. Stale food spilled into each of the pens. Water dishes laid half full or with barely any water in them.

Two employees stood around watching Jupiter.

The meows, whimpers, and barks of fear caused Jupiter to press his ears down. 'These creatures.' Jupiter's eyes snapped to the two employees as the words played in his mind. 'What did you do to them? What gave you the right to decide you could do this? We do not understand.'

A woman suddenly approached the two employees of the kill shelter. The woman's white lab coat bellowed behind her. It clashed with her tight button up purple shirt and knee-length black skirt. A name tag was placed professionally on the left breast pocket.

"Reba," one of the employees spoke relieved.

Reba could hear the shouting and chanting from the outside world. She sighed pushing her glasses further sliding them up her nose.

"The situation is getting out of hand. Get the dog into the gas chamber, or a shot, something. Just get him out of my hair."

"Ma'am wouldn't that make it worse." One of Reba's two on-duty workers spoke out.

"It does not matter what the public thinks. The only thing that matters is we do our duty." She replied with vigor. " Now then I leave it to you." Reba headed back to her office.

He nipped at the bars viciously until he pulled away. Jupiter ran his tongue over them. A numbness taunted his mouth.

A sudden feeling caused his fur to raise. A sensation coursed throughout him. 'I need to hurry up. I need to get out of here.' He could smell it, taste it the air. He turned around, and around in his cage only to be met with bars on all sides.

The employees went toward one of the back rooms. They changed into safety gear. One of them before exciting grabbed a control pole. While wearing safety gear, they moved closer to Jupiter. The one without the control pole quickly opened the cage, and the circle of rope went around Jupiter's neck.

Jupiter tugged, yanked, and growled. 'What do you think you are doing!?' His thoughts kept repeating as he snarled pushing himself back into his cage.

They continued to fight with the husky hoping to tire it out. The employees yanked Jupiter out who slid across the concrete floors hitting a wall. The pole left the employee's hands. The employees gaped with wide eyes.

Jupiter yelped shaking his head. 'Come on move body. They are coming this way!' He told himself while mentally forcing his body to Move. He took this moment as a sign of freedom. Jupiter somehow slid his head out of the loop and ran. He ran as the smell of pee, poop, death, and terror assaulted his senses. 'This place is horrible.' He let loose a howl that agreed with his thoughts. He found a backdoor through one of the long and narrow hallways.

The employees chased after Jupiter cornering him. He backed up letting loose a threatening snarl. One of the employees stood before Jupiter with their legs spread wide open. The employee held his arms in a catching manner.

He darted between the employee's legs. Another employee was coming through the front door, and Jupiter bolted out. He broke through the lines of police toward the hoard of people.

Jupiter spotted Bernie and Mack. He ran over to them. When he reached them, he leaned on Bernie's legs.

Bernie bent down to pet the gray and white husky. "Jupiter is that you."

In response, Jupiter gave Bernie a quick lick.

"I will be, darn it is you, Jupiter," he bent down and hugged the husky.

Mack smiled, but then his eyes caught sight of the employees coming out of the shelter. "Run boy, Run boy. "

Jupiter darted away barking.

Bernie stood up. "Mack why did you tell him to do a thing like that."

"Look," Mack pointed at the employees.

Megumi had just pulled up in her Nissan when she spotted a husky in the parking lot running away from the kill shelter. So she opened her car door calling out, "Jupiter, Jupiter."

Jupiter's ear's twitched, and he stopped running. He glanced at her. His tail was between his legs swishing. 'What do you want? Should I respond to you?' Jupiter glanced around unsure of how to handle the situation.

"Jupiter," she called his name again. This time the cautious husky trotted slowly over to Megumi and hopped in the front seat.

One of the shelter employees informed the police about Jupiter's escape, after another employee called animal control.

'It's you,' Jupiter thought happily giving her kisses as she shut him in.

"Alright, alright Jupiter enough," she giggled. Megumi drove back to the soup kitchen. She parked out behind the building and left Jupiter out of her vehicle.