Ellie's Story Read Online Free Page B

on,” Jakob said, and he clipped something onto my back. Then he stepped away.
    I looked at him, confused. What was about to happen?
    Something pulled on my back. I twitched with surprise and tried to twist my head around. But I couldn’t see. The pull got stronger and stronger, and I was lifted right off my feet!
    â€œEllie, it’s okay. Ellie, it’s fine. You’re all right,” Jakob said firmly. “Sometimes a rescue dog needs to be hoisted.”
    I was not at all sure about any of this. My paws were off the ground! I wanted to run away, but how could I do that when all I could touch was air? I didn’t panic, though. Jakob’s voice was steady and reassuring. He was watching me with that look he only had when we were Working. So this must be part of Work, and that meant I should accept it, no matter how strange it might feel.
    In a minute or two, I had been hauled up to a platform a few feet above the ground. Jakob quickly climbed up beside me and unclipped the cable from my harness. “Good girl, Ellie. Good dog! You’re brave, aren’t you, girl?” I was still shaking a little, and he ran his hands through my fur until I felt calm. We practiced the harness on other days, and I learned that it never took long before I was back on my feet.
    Another time Jakob took something out of a special pocket at his side. He showed it to me.
    â€œGood girl, Ellie. This is a gun. See?”
    I saw it and I sniffed at it, but I was glad when he didn’t throw it for me to fetch. It didn’t look like it would fly far, and it smelled odd. I didn’t think I wanted it in my mouth.
    Jakob pointed the thing in the air and it made a horrible bang that hurt my ears. I jumped and whined. But when he did it a few more times, I decided that it was simply noise. I didn’t like it, but it wasn’t going to hurt me.
    â€œNo reason to be afraid,” Jakob promised. “It’s a gun, Ellie. A gun. It makes a loud noise, but you’re not afraid, are you, girl?”
    I wasn’t afraid. Guns, it seemed, were part of Work. And Work was nothing to be scared of.

 
    4
    A few days after Jakob had shown me the gun, he took me to a new park. There were several people—most of them men, a few women—sitting at long tables, and I noticed that a lot of them had guns as well. They called out to us.
    â€œSit down, Jakob!”
    â€œThis the new dog?”
    â€œHaven’t seen you in a while!”
    â€œHey, Jakob made it! Somebody take a picture!”
    This didn’t seem to be Work. The people at the table were talking and laughing and eating. I found a potato chip on the ground—delicious!—and went to lie down near Jakob, hoping for more.
    Jakob was eating and someone had given him a brown bottle to drink from, but he wasn’t talking or laughing, like the rest of them.
    â€œIsn’t that right, Jakob?” someone said.
    Jakob didn’t answer. I sat up and nuzzled his hand. He petted me, but I could sense he wasn’t really thinking about me.
    â€œI said, ‘Isn’t that right, Jakob?’”
    Jakob turned and looked at everyone watching him, and I sensed his embarrassment. “What?”
    â€œIf there’s ever a riot in the city, we’re going to need every K-9 unit we can get.”
    â€œEllie’s not that kind of dog,” Jakob said coldly, not looking at anyone in particular. “She doesn’t attack people.”
    I straightened up at the sound of my name, in case this was Work after all and a command was coming next. It didn’t. But everyone was looking at me now. I moved a little closer to Jakob. When the rest of them started talking again, it was to each other. No one spoke to Jakob. I nuzzled his hand again, and this time he scratched my ears.
    â€œGood dog, Ellie,” he said softly. “Let’s go for a walk, huh?”
    Walk? That was a word I knew and one I liked. I wagged my