The Stray Page #5

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do in case I die tonight.

Dad, come on.

Christian, I'm sorry, but that

lightning hit me in the heart,

and I don't know

how much damage it did.

I want you guys to be prepared in

case I don't wake up in the morning.

If that happens, I want you to

pack up all the food and water

and I want you to hike

back down to the car.

Stay together and wait at the

car until a ranger comes along.

But we were gonna

be gone all weekend.

No one's gonna come

looking for us.

That may be true, but eventually another

hiker or ranger is gonna come along.

Now, guys,

I want you to promise

that you will stay together

and wait at the car.

Christian?

I don't wanna

leave you here.

I know, Son. I know.

But I'm here now, okay?

And tomorrow's going to be

a big day no matter what,

so let's just rest up.

- Good night.

- I wouldn't say good.

[sighs]

Good night, boys.

Hey, listen, Christian.

We're gonna get through this.

How do you know?

Because...

we got stuff to do.

Like what?

Like, for starters, we gotta build that

tree fort you're so excited about.

[chuckles]

Trust me, Christian.

We've got...

We've got so much to do.

Buenas noches.

Good night, Dad.

[footsteps]

[footsteps continue]

[huffing]

[panting]

[low growl]

Hey, Mr. Bear.

You want a piece of me?

Huh?

- [growls]

- Come get it. I'm right here.

Come on in. I'm right here.

Bear!

Bear!

[sighs]

Thank you.

[exhales sharply]

Thank you.

So I guess you took the

brunt of it, huh, buddy?

I imagine you saved me.

Saved all of us.

Michelle was right.

I should have left you home.

I just thought

you'd have fun.

And you did.

You really did.

[chuckles]

I still remember the first day you

showed up at our house in California.

This mystery mutt...

who saw a boy in trouble

and decided to protect him.

And the way

you'd wait up at night

so that we could wrestle

and look at the stars

together.

There are so many stars

in Colorado, Pluto.

So many,

you can't even imagine.

Thank you...

for showing up out of nowhere

and saving our family.

For saving me.

All of us.

You were an all-right mutt,

Pluto.

You were an all-right mutt.

[sighs]

[snoring]

[snores, whining]

Five more minutes!

Shh!

Stop yelling, Clark.

Guys.

Wow. I forgot.

Do you think he's sleeping,

or, well, you know?

I think

he's still breathing.

- Boo!

- [gasps]

That wasn't funny.

I think Clark just made

another meadow muffin.

Shut up!

Hey, guys, good news. I got most of my

arms and legs back during the night.

I think I'm gonna be able

to hike out with you.

All right, get your gear

and let's get on the trail.

[groans]

- Christian, can you help me?

- Yeah, Dad.

Okay.

Okay, thank you, boys.

Yeah, let's start

packing up.

We can't just leave him here.

The animals will eat him.

I know, Son,

but... I'm so weak,

I don't know how we're going

to get him out of here.

Well, we could try

and come back for him tomorrow.

No, the animals

would've eaten him by then.

We could cover him with rocks,

like the Indians did.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Guys, go find some rocks.

Okay, can you guys carry

some of my stuff?

You got everything, boys?

Whoa!

[no audible dialogue]

[engine off,

brake sets]

[coin clatters]

[beeping]

[line ringing]

[ringing]

- Hello.

- Hey, Dave. Mitch Davis here.

Hey, Mitch.

What's going on?

Um, nothing really.

We ran into

some crazy weather,

and the boys

are a little freaked out,

so we decided to come home

a day early.

Yeah, storm was pretty bad down here.

I imagine it was worse up there.

Yeah, yeah. The lightning got a

little too close for comfort.

But, uh, anyway,

I'm just calling.

We're about an hour

and a half away.

And I wanna make sure somebody will

be there when we drop Smitty off.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

We'll be here.

Good. Oh, and I don't

have Clark's number.

Could you call his parents and let

them know we're gonna come home early?

Yeah, no problem.

Drive carefully.

[beeps]

[phone ringing]

Hello.

Hello.

Oh, no.

- Hello, darling.

- Mitch?

Where are you?

Honey, we got hit by

lightning, and Pluto's dead.

Juice, please!

Mitch,

that's not even funny.

Kinsey,

what do you need?

Mitch?

[sobbing]

Mitch, what happened?

We got hit by lightning,

and Pluto's dead.

I'm so sorry, honey.

I'm so sorry.

Where are you?

Is everyone okay?

No. Yeah, we're okay.

We're okay.

Where are you?

We're, uh...

We're at a gas station

about two hours away.

Honey, I don't know

what happened. He's just...

I'm so sorry.

Mitch, I want you to

take a deep breath for me.

[inhales, cries]

That's good.

Now take another one.

- [sighs]

- Are you okay to drive?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I'm okay.

Okay. Then you just

come home, okay?

You just...

You come home.

I will.

I will. I love you.

I love you too.

Mommy?

What's wrong?

Mommy crying?

Yes.

[door closes]

- Hey, Clark?

- Yeah?

I'm sorry.

Dad?

Yeah?

- Can I ask you something?

- Anything.

Did you have

your Cat Stevens moment?

I thought you were dead.

Yeah, I did too.

I said I was sorry

when you were... you know.

Yeah, I heard you.

So, uh,

I guess it was a little more

than just crazy weather, huh?

Yeah, it was.

Let me help you

with that.

I, uh,

thought it'd be nice

if we said a few words.

First, Rachel has a... poem

she wrote about Pluto.

"Pluto the Wonder Dog"

by Rachel Davis.

"P," protected me.

"L," loving.

"U," unafraid.

"T," talked to me

when I was sad.

"O," original.

Pluto.

- Come here, Rach.

- Thank you, Rachel. That was beautiful.

And now Kinsey

has a gift for Pluto.

You wanna hold

the flower?

- Say bye-bye.

- Bye-bye, Pluto.

[Michelle]

Bye-bye, Pluto.

[crying]

It's okay, Mommy.

I know, hon. I know.

We used to call Pluto

the Wonder Dog

because we never knew

where he came from.

But we all know

where he's headed now.

And until we join him

on the other side,

I'm sure he'll go on loving and

protecting us just the same.

Anyone else

want to say anything?

[sighs]

Pluto.

The first time I met Pluto was on... the

playground at my elementary school.

I was scared they were going

to take him to the pound,

so I went and tied him up in

some bushes across the street.

After school, I went to

untie him, but he was gone.

I thought I'd never

see him again.

Ten minutes later,

when I got off my bus,

there he was, sitting there,

waiting for me.

I think it'll be like that

for all of us someday.

We'll all wonder where Pluto

went until we get off the bus,

and he'll be there,

waiting to walk us home.

I love you, Pluto.

[shovel clatters]

Go ahead.

[man]

Some people say faith

Is a childish game

Play on, children

Like it's Christmas Day

Sing me a song

Sing me a melody

Sing out loud

You're a symphony

I want you

To live forever

Underneath

The sky so blue

I want you

To live forever

Underneath

The sky so blue

Whoo-ooh-ooh

Whoo-ooh-ooh

Laughter is the only thing

That'll keep you sane

In this world that's crying

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