"Come here, Charlie!"

I run towards the little girl. She's holding my favorite toy rope. When I get closer to her, she takes off and I follow her. It's great fun. Now that she doesn't poke my nose or grab my tail, she's pretty fun to have around! I have someone to play with! She's getting bigger though. But I'm still fast enough to catch her! 

"Love, how would you feel about takin' a holiday?"

"Where?"

"Brian's jus' invited us to the beach an' I thought we'd take the kids."

"What about Charlie?"

I jump for the rope and latch onto it with my teeth! The little girl giggles and tries pulling it away. I know she's not as strong as I am so I make sure to go easy on her. I raise my rump and wag my tail back and forth, sneezing. 

"Of course we'd take Charlie, he's my boy."

I let the rope go and the little girl takes off with it, leaving me no choice but to trot after her. My right leg hurts a little. It's a bit harder to run on it than it used to be. But I can still run! I'll get you! I'll get that toy!!

**********

The water is back. The roaring water and the soft dirt that makes me sink. But it's much warmer. I'm not shivering like I was before. There's a man with us. It's the man with the hat! I know him! He kneels down to pet me and I lick his face! "How've ya' been, wee bugger?"

"Brian, this is Cara and Ross."

"Aw, they're angels!" 

The little girl seems to make herself right at home. She's not scared of the water. If someone as little as her isn't afraid, why should I be afraid? I can take that water! I drink water all the time! I'll drink it all up! I trot to the water and start lapping! 

And I immediately spit it back out. It's the saltiest water I've ever tasted in my life. That's it, I'm not going near that salt bath. It's too loud anyway and I can't hear myself bark!

**********

The woman sits with the baby boy in the soft dirt. The little girl is putting the dirt in little boxes and turning them upside down. The dirt holds its shape! I sniff it and it's wet on my nose. I sneeze. 

"Hold the shovel, Ross. There you go."

"Mummy, what's Ross doing?"

"Well...he's helping you dig the sand."

I lay on the towel the woman set out and close my eyes. The water won't get me from here. The sun is warm and comforting. The roar makes me sleepy. Maybe this place isn't so bad. There isn't enough grass, though. I'd have grass everywhere here if I could. But this soft dirt is great for digging. I've already dug three holes since we got here and my owners couldn't be prouder. After my nap, I think I'll chase those birds....

**********

There's a huge fire. The humans all sit around it and talk. I sit next to the man. He pets me with one hand. There's a wet drink in his other hand. The sun is leaving. It's much darker and much colder. But the fire is hot and bright. The little girl hands something to the man with the hat.

"That's a good shell, me lass. Might be the best one here."

The baby boy babbles and tugs on the woman's fur. I'm glad he can't tug on my fur from here. I scratch my ear and lick my paw. It's grainy and wet. The man has some wet food he gives me in a metal bowl. I snack on it and lick my chops. "Hey, Cara, you ate your dinner, that's the puppy's dinner."

I smell sugar. I see little yellow balls on sticks the humans place into the fire. I watch them burn and turn dark. I smell hot sugar. I remember the sugar I ate from the rubbish bin and I turn away from the sight. It's enough to make any dog sick. 

"Want a cracker, Ross?"

"So, Brian, ya' have any Christmas plans?"

"Nah, jus' takin' it easy. Cliff invited me for fishin' an' that sounds good enough for me."

I notice other fires scattered around. Those fires all have people around them. I can hear talking and laughing. I see other children. I like the children we have. Even if they do take too long looking in my ears. I smell something. The woman stands up with the baby. 

"Duty calls..."

I follow her. I can't let her have all the fun!