Chapter 1

A high pitched scream pierced through the night’s silence. I could hear the terrified yips of the other females and the men barking orders at each other. The smell of burning oak trees lingered through the forest, making my hackles raise in alarm. The men were probably having another one of their ‘buzz parties’, as they called them. They have a huge bonfire and get horribly drunk in the middle of nowhere. It doesn’t make me anymore relieved. Sometimes they would leave us alone, get so drunk that they would just pass out and return the next day with killer hangovers and sleep the whole day. Most of the time, they would walk around and pick one of us out and beat us senseless, you’d be lucky if you survived. I’ve seen it happen once before. They reeked of beer and their own vomit. Just the thought of it made me sick to my stomach.

Then I saw the men running through the trees, a blazing fire being held in their hands by torches. The smell of gasoline lingered on their clothes, making my snout burn.They started lighting the trees on fire. One man approached the small copper wolf, dumped a gasoline ring around her, and lit the ground ablaze. Her whines and painful yelps were heard through the crackling fire. I saw her hopelessly yanking at her chain, but she was overtaken by the flames.

Then I felt a burning sensation as someone poured gasoline on my back, seeping into my fresh wounds. A man then approached from behind me. He had a wicked sneer on his face and a deep, long scar running from his forehead to his neck. I snarled as he tried to approach me. He grinned, his eye sparkling like a wild animal when the fire’s light hit his face. The gas ran down my face and into my eyes, making them feel on fire. I whimpered as my vision blurred. I heard the man laugh.

“Sorry sweetheart.” He threw the torch at me, but I knocked it out. It hit the tree I was chained to and was set ablaze. I watched his blurry figure walk away as I heard him snickering. The smoke filled my lungs, making me cough. I yank vigorously against the chain, the silver collar cutting off my air. The smoke and the gas in my eyes made them water. The fire spread along the ground, melting the snow and burning the dead, yellow grass beneath it, turning it to ashes and charcoal. It approached me at a rapid rate. I could feel the burning heat, a drastic change from the cold. The tree was groaning against my constant pulling and becoming weak, consumed and destroyed by the flames. The old oak finally gave out with a loud ‘SNAP’ and I ran. I ran and I ran hard. My vision was still burry but I had to keep running. I knew that if they found me, I’d be dead. I could hear the other whimpering and whining in pain, calling me for help, but I couldn’t. Their sorrow filled voices will forever haunt me.I could feel my heart pounder against my chest. My legs were screaming at me in effort, but I kept pushing myself even harder.

I ran for almost half a day before I collapsed in complete exhaustion. My body was weak from being kept in such poor conditions, but I was finally free. Then the darkness from sleep overtook my deprived body. I wasn’t safe, but at least I was finally free.