Contest entry 1

Kaitlin Vesico “Violet” Short Story Contest Submission 10/13/23

Violet I was on my way to school and saw a dog laying in the alleyway on a cut out box. I didn't know what to do so I just continued to walk to school, till I heard whining. I knew then that I had to stop walking and walk backwards to go see what's wrong with her.

I looked at her sadly.

“Hey little one how'd you end up here” I say as I pet her.

I keep petting her and see her name tag on the ground and a half sheet of paper next to her. I read the name tag and the name read “Violet” and then I read the note.

The note said “We don't want her anymore and the dog center didn't want her so we brought her here so whoever sees this note do something with her she is an annoying dog”. I cried when I read the note.

I looked at my watch and saw I was almost late for school so I pet Violet one more time and told her I'll be back after I was done with school, then I ran off to school. Violet was whining after I left.

After school I ran home and told mom and dad about Violet and they said to show them where she was. So we got in the car and drove off to the alleyway where Violet was. My parents saw her and saw all the cuts and saw how sad she was.

My parents looked at her.

Then my dad picked her up and put her in the car. I grabbed the note and her name tag. We went to the vet to make sure she was okay and didn't have any broken bones. We got to the vets office.

We waited in the waiting room for a veterinarian.

We got called in and the veterinarian took a look at Violet and saw a broken rib in her rib cage.

The veterinarian said that she was kicked and abused and we told her I found her in an alleyway. Then I asked about her health. I wanted Violet to be okay and not have broken bones and have a perfect health.

The veterinarian said her health was good. I was happy about that.

The veterinarian said to take her home and clean her up and give her a nice home. We took her home and cleaned her up.

Dad went out and got Violet everything she needed. We made her feel like home and she seemed a lot more happier. We even fed her too. I was so happy that we got to keep her.

Every night Violet would come in my room and come on my bed and cuddle with me even though she was hurt. Violet and I were best friends within a few months. Until one day when I came home mom and dad had a surprise for me.

I was getting scared but then my mom and dad gave me an envelope and told me to open it. I was scared at first to open it but then i finally opened it.

I saw adoption papers and I got excited.

“That's right, Violet is officially in the family. She's mainly yours since you found her, so she wouldn't have a home and a best friend if it wasn't for you Emily” Mom said as she got up and went to the kitchen.

I hugged Violet excitedly. I knew this was the best day of my life and nothing will change that. I went to my room and of course Violet followed and I grabbed a purple bow and put it on her head.

Mom called me down to eat dinner. I hurried to get to the kitchen table because I smelled meatballs. Violet lies by me because she feels safe with me. I started to eat my food and then dad started to talk.

“Emily, we need to get a collar color,” Dads says, taking a bite of his meatball.

“Yeah I know dad,” I say while eating a noodle.

“So what color do you want her collar?” Mom says forking a meatball then putting it in her mouth.

“I was thinking purple and black, could that work?” I say looking at both my parents.

They both nod their heads agreeing to the color I picked out.

The next day dad went out to the costume collar store to make the collar I wanted done for Violet. I was in school so I couldn't go with him and help him make it.

The costume collar store was like a pet store where you can get food, water, pets, collars and other things a dog needs. At the store if you don't see something you like, like a dish and water bowl or a collar, you can customize or make your collar yourself. It cost very little to do so, that was the good thing about it.

After hours and hours of learning dumb knowledge I rushed to the front of the school where my dad was waiting for me.

I got into the car.

“I got the collar and more dog food because Violet goes through a lot of it,” Dads says.

“Her last home must've not fed her right” I say putting my bag in the back seat.

“Do you have homework to do at all or no?” Dad says.

“Yes I do, can you help me with it?” i say.

He nods his head and we head home.

We get home and Violet comes running to me and I pick her up hugging her like a kid.

“Emily, shall we do that homework of yours?” dad says.

“After dinner yall can do it go on go clean up and come eat” Mom says finishing up the dinner table.

Me and dad go wash up and go to the dinner table.

We all began to eat.

It was pork chops and noodles with juice or milk on the side for dinner tonight. Everything looked great. We all began to eat and nobody said anything.

Violet lies by me again. She usually lays by me when everyone eats, she's such a good girl.

We all finish eating and me and my dad do my homework together.

Me and dad usually do my homework together. After forty-five minutes of doing homework we were finally finished.

Violet wasn't by me and we all called her and searched for her but didn't hear or see her.

Finally we looked in the basement and saw her barely breathing and laying flat on the floor. We rushed her to the car.

Then we rushed to the vet and I was crying on the way there not knowing what was going on with her.

The veterinarian said her rib was better and healed but I didn't care about that. I wanted to know what was going on with her now. Why is she barely breathing?.

I was crying so much.

The veterinarian came in and said she was dying. I screamed and cried when I heard the news. My dad asked if there was a cure and the veterinarian said that we had to put her down.

“Honey it's only for the best she’ll be happy in doggy heaven” my dad says patting me on the back.

“But i need Violet i'm not going to have a best friend or a cuddle bear or anything, i'll be nothing without her'' i say crying.

“It's for the best, you have her food bowl and collar and her name tag and her bow, plus we'll have a funeral for her,” my mom says.

“Can I get a few minutes alone with her first?” I say shedding tears out cuddling with Violet.

Everyone leaves the room and I look at Violet shedding tears, holding and hugging her tight.

“Violet, I don't want you to leave me, I'm going to be lost without you, your best friend, my everything”. I say holding her.

“I hope you’ll be good in doggy heaven” I hug her to pieces and the veterinarian and my parents come back to the room.

“I want to do ashes, i want her ashes” i say looking at Violet, shedding in tears.

“We can do that honey, you ready to do this?” my dad says.

I nod my head and the veterinarians take Violet to the other room and me and my parents stay behind watching her go.

After fifteen minutes the veterinarian comes in and gives me her name tag and her bow and collar.

“She's gone to doggy heaven,” the veterinarian says.

Then she leaves once again.

“Come on lets go home” my dad says.

We go to the car and i sigh when i get to the door trying to hold my tears back.

My mom pats my back, comforting me like she always does when im down for the count.

“Maybe school isn't best for you right now” my parents say.

I nod my head and get in the car.

We drive home, Dad scheduled a funeral for Violet online asking for her to be in ashes and then he hit the “Done” button.

Two months later.

It was Violet's funeral and everyone walked me in trying to comfort me from the passing of Violet.

I went to the box that was full of Violet's ashes, but it was closed shut so we couldn't open it.

After the funeral everyone gave me a poster full of pictures of me and Violet having a blast and being happy. I grabbed the ashes and we all went home. The funeral only lasted about three hours.

Two years later.

My grandma and grandpa came over for Christmas from my moms side. My dads parents passed away when I was twelve and now I'm sixteen.

It was christmas and my parents gave me a box that you could open up easily i didn't want to open because it gave me memories of Violet when i found her laying on a cardboard box.

I opened it and saw a puppy inside.

“What are you going to name her?” my mom says.

“I'll name her…..Hazel” I say.

“Mom, can I talk to you please?” i say.

Everyone leaves the room.

“What's up honey, don't you love her? '' Mom says.

“Yes I do but I don't wanna go through the same thing I did with Violet, where she dies on me” I say.

“Trust me you wont honey” my mom says walking to the kitchen to get dinner.

“How do you know that you aint me?” i say.

“Emily we're done talking about this, go wash up and come eat dinner” mom says putting all the food on the table.

“I think ill skip dinner tonight” i say going to my room and Hazel follows.

I headed straight to bed and Hazel followed, she got into my bed waiting for me.

I hear a knock on my door.

“Come in” I say.

“Here, you have to eat honey,” my dad says.

I take the plate.

“I heard what happened and you're right she isn't you so how would she know your pain” dad says.

I nod and he kisses my forehead.

“Now eat up and go to sleep. We'll go get ice cream tomorrow in the morning before mom wakes up” dad says.

I nod my head and hea leaves.

I ate and then got into my pjs and looked at Violet's ashes telling her goodnight, then I got into my bed.

Hazel came on my and we cuddled.

We fell fast asleep waiting for a new morning and a new day hoping that it wouldn't be the same. That all the pain would go away and leave me my poor life, but i know that it wouldn't so im gonna have to deal with it. But I hope I don't go through the same thing with Hazel as I went through with Violet, at least not again.