1 A Puppy

I was walking by the streets. I am not sure where am I. I was walking among people, as there were buildings along both of my sides. The building looked old-fashioned, so do the people. People over here dress as it was the fifties' century. Women wearing hats, puff dresses, white gloves, together with umbrellas to avoid the hot sun that shines directly towards them. It seems that those are the rich ones. There are women who dress moderately, but they still are wearing those puff dresses, but it was not fancy ones. Men were wearing hats with suits while the ordinary ones wearing something that looks like a jumpsuit if it is compared to the modern ones. The English that they are speaking, clearly shows the accent and the way they are, that I am not in the modern world.

I tried to call out some people, but they did not react to my call. I was wondering do they really hear me out. I tried to stand in the middle of someone randomly. My eyes were widened. The woman just walk past me! She literally just walk right into me! It was as if there is nothing where she just pass into my body. I was blank for a moment. Am I dead? I was wondering that for now. If I am alive, I am sure the woman would dodge me, or maybe she would ask me to move away as she need to pass by. But, none of that happened! My heart was pumping hard. I was losing my mind. There is one more try for me to test about it. I went into a bread shop. I tried to hold the packet of buns that was on the rack. It was a surprise for me! I manage to hold the bread. I literally could feel it on my bare hands. But I wonder why did that incident happen. I took the bread and went to the counter. I felt more relaxed now. I am sure that I am lost in some weird place but at least I am still alive. Maybe what happened a moment ago, it might be my illusion. I placed the bread at the counter and wait for him to let me know the price.

"Next please…", a young man voice out.

"How much is the bread?", I asked him.

It was weird. He ignored me asking. I looked at the bread on the counter. Out of a sudden, a small girl passes right through me again.

"How much is this bread", as she placed a loaf of bread at the counter.

"Two sixty please", the young man smiled at her.

"Is this yours as well?", he asked as he took the bun that I had placed on the counter.

"Oh no….only this loaf is mine", she replied as she paid for the bread.

"Oh well, someone must have put it over here", as he shrugged.

"Thank you…come again", he wished the girl with a warm smile.

The girl just nod and walked past me again. My brain was frozen for a moment. I could touch the things but no one could see me?

"Jeremy! Would you please place this bun over the rack? It seems that someone had placed over the counter…", the young man from the counter was talking to the blonde hair guy who was placing all the loaves of bread over a specific rack.

"Oh sure sir", the blonde hair guy replied.

It looks like the young man over the counter is the owner of the shop. I realise it when the blonde guy called him sir.

I shook my head. I went out towards the shop. I was walking all by myself alone wandering off the streets. I was so confused. What is going on around me? Where am I? The last thing I remembered was that I was so tired of my work, and I slept off on my comfy bed. The next thing when I woke up, I was somewhere that I could not recognize by myself.

"Talutah …!!! Wait for me!!", a small girl shouted.

The girl almost made me jumped as she was right behind me. I looked at her. My burrows were frown. It seems that I had seen this little girl somewhere. I could not remember where….but she seems to be familiar to me. The little girl had long hair. Her hair was tied into two small braids and there were cute small hair clips on it. The beautiful light green lace dress was on her and she had pretty brown skin. She giggled as she skipped towards a young woman, who looked like a teenager. It seems that she was Kimimela, the name the little girl had called out. The teenage girl stopped and turned around when she heard the name which was called. I was wondering who is the little girl. I decide to follow them as it seems that none of them could feel my presence around here.

I walked beside them. The small girl was chuckling as she held Talutah's hand. Talutah looked so beautiful in her dusky skin. Her cheek was rosy even in that dusky skin. She had a pair of the beautiful deep blue sea mixed with brown eyes. I had not seen such eye color in my life! It was a rare one, and this made her special, for me, I guess, as I shrugged my shoulder out of curiosity. Her thick black as ebony hair was also tied the same as the little girl, it was two braids but Kimimela seems to have long hair till her waist. She was wearing a beautiful khaki-colored dress, which had beautiful abstracts on it. She was quite chubby as well, but still, she is beautiful in her own way. Her face was lite with shine and happiness. Even my heart was cherished when I saw her delightful face!

"What is the rush Aponi? You really shout out my name loud over there…", Talutah asked her out of curiosity.

It seems that the little girl's name was Aponi. I wonder what does that means. Even Talutah sounds weird to me. I have not heard such names these days, apart from my friends who belong where my Nana lives. There has the bloodline of Native Americans. I wonder that these names could belong to the tribe. It sounds like that.

"Unci told me that you are going to get a pet for you. So I was excited. Luckily I manage to find you…", Aponi giggled.

That little girl is so cute with her own accent. I feel like playing with her as well. Aponi is way cuter. The way she reacts tickles my heart!

"Ohhh….so you were in my house?", Talutah questioned her back.

"Yup….Mama says that she needs to pass out something to Unci. So I asked her where were you because I could not find you in the house. That is why I am here now", Aponi replied.

"Hmm….and mama let you out all by yourself to find me?", Talutah was concerned this time.

Aponi shook her head hard. "No….Unci told me that you just left the house. It seems that you might not be far. That is why I decide to shout out your name so that you will stop when you hear it out", she continued

Talutah giggled.

"What?", Aponi muzzled her mouth.

"Nothing. Come here you little brat. Let me carry you", Talutah chuckled as she carried Aponi.

I was walking beside them. The relationship between them was so close. I could say that Aponi looks around the age of four, but I could not guess Talutah's age. She looked around sixteen, but I am not sure about it. I followed them until they reach a store. I looked at the sign and it reads 'Happy Pet Shop'. I raised my eyebrow. It sure looks like a happy shop when I went to it. I could not imagine that there were pet shops during these ages.

I realize that there are not any exotic animals in the pet shops like in moderns days. There are only pet animals in the shop, like birds, dogs, cats, and fish. Pets like hamsters, sea fish, and other reptiles are not in here. Only the basic pets are here.

"Welcome Talutah ….ohhh!! It seems that little Aponi is with you as well", an old guy cheerfully invited them once they were in the shop.

"Hye uncle Cochise. I was looking for a pet as a reward for myself", Talutah replied as she let Aponi down.

"Try not to break anything around or disturb the pets okay", as she pats Aponi's head.

"Sure", Aponi nods as she wanders around the shop, looking at the pets around.

"Ohhh….what are you into Talutah ?", he asked in a happy tone.

"I am not really sure yet. I have to look around first", she replied.

Talutah was looking around the shop. I was near Aponi. I need to take a closer look at her. I was still having the feeling that I am familiar with her. The moment I saw a mark on her hand, it looks like a small butterfly shape, near her arms. I was frozen for a moment when I saw that mark. I remembered Nana! She had the same small butterfly shape birthmark on her arm, which is her right arm. The little girl had the same.

It is Nana! The little girl that I am looking at is Nana! I remember when I saw the childhood picture that she had shown me once, a very long time ago. The picture was so old and Nana told me that she only had one during her childhood. No wonder I felt familiar when I saw this little girl. I was not sure of Nana's name, because I was used to calling her Nana since I was small, so I did not bother to know her real name.

The thing is, why am I here? What is really going on? I am confused on that actually. I walked around as I head towards Talutah. I wonder that I could find some clue where am I and what am I doing here. She was looking at an adorable husky. The husky was mixed with white and black color. It had deep green eyes. It was looking straight into Talutah's eyes. It was different from the other dogs over there. I could see that there are many huskies but this one seems to be interested in Talutah. It was wagging its tail but do not dare to come near her. Other puppies were just playing among themselves.

"This is not a puppy anymore. It is quite big than the others. We found it wandering alone in the streets and it was bad in shape, abandoned as well. So we took him in and cleaned him up. He is not in the sale actually. We simply put it here because it will be a great company to the other puppies. But it was all alone even surrounded by the other puppies. I wonder what is wrong with him….", Cochise sighed deeply.

"Oh….it is a he?", Talutah almost muttered.

"Yup…it's a he", the old man replied.

I was looking at her. Talutah was looking deeply, right into the husky breed eyes. So does it. it seems that something had been connected between them.

"What is the price uncle…if I am going to take him?", Talutah stood up.

"What? Do you want him? It is not a puppy you know. It looks like it was almost four to five months..", he replied.

"It is still considered as a puppy I guess…", Talutah chuckled

"How much is the price uncle?", she asked again.

"It seems that you want him badly huh? Hmmm…since I took him off the streets, I would not charge you much. It is only ten dollars. I will give you his lace as well as his feeding bowl", Cochise chuckled.

"Alright then. It seems like a great deal as well huh. Together with a free lace and a food bowl....", as she went near to the Husky and pats its head.

It was weird when I looked at the dog. It did not look like an ordinary dog. It did not wag its tail or jumped happily like the others. Instead, it was staring right into her eyes. As if the dog was patronized by something. It was quiet and that was very unusual for a husky breed. I wonder whether it was abused by its previous owner as Cochise told that he took the dog from the streets. I wonder what had happened to this poor dog.

Talutah paid and Cochise gave the husky towards her. Talutah puts on a red collar together with a small bell on the husky. She smiled as she placed it on the husky. It was tied in grey lace and Talutah went out from the shop. The husky just followed her. It did not rebel nor it was seemed to be happy. I guess the dog needs some time to adapt to its new family.

"Aponi…let us go. I have done getting me one…", Talutah calls her out.

"Ehhh….the doggie is so cute", she giggled as she ran towards Kimimela.

Aponi was squishing the dog, as it had fluffy furs.

"We can play once at home..come on now.." Talutah walked out of the shop holding Aponi's hand in her left and the husky in the lace on her right hand.

Aponi just nods her head and follows her.

"Come again girls", as Cochise closed the shop door.

Talutah just nods with a smile. As she and Aponi were walking on the streets, I was just watching over them. I still do not know why am I looking at this. I hope I am not dead!