Kyle Hertz
50 Shades of Grey
	Two years ago they took me in. The house smelled strange. It didn’t smell like feces anymore. It smelled like clean things. I couldn’t help but shake my tail back and forth with such excitement that I thought I would actually lose balance. I sniffed around the house. Every nook and cranny was greeted by my cold, wet nose. Every scent was so interesting and foreign.
	They fed me great food the same day. I couldn’t believe how delicious it was! I was in paradise. No: Heaven! I ate so much I danced to a carpeted room where everyone was sitting on furniture. I sat on the ground and looked up at the man who brought me home. His hair was black and parted. His skin was starting to get a little wrinkly like the old man who owned me before. But this man wasn’t as scary or mean. He smiled at me and pat my head. “Good boy.” I heard him say. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it must have been something good. I barked in excitement and he laughed. He appreciated me.
	A few days later they took me to a very white building. The ride there was terrifying. I didn’t like moving when I wasn’t on my own feet. I howled and cried but the man who was taking me there only said “Don’t worry, boy. It’ll be alright.” I don’t know what ‘alright’ is but I felt relieved to hear his voice so I stopped and gained a little confidence. As I got into the white building they took me to a white room and touched me in strange places I didn’t like being touched. The man with the dark hair and slight wrinkles, the man who smiled at me a few days before, smiled again at me as he exchanged some words with the woman who touched me. They seemed very pleased and I went home with extra treats from the woman. Maybe the place wasn’t as bad as I thought.
	A few more days went by and I learned that the man who owned me had two smaller versions of him. They must have been his puppies with the same black hair and grey skin. They were very happy to see me and gave me a lot of love. They hugged me and pet me and kissed me and played with me. I had never had so much fun before this day. They laughed while I barked and caught frisbees and balls. That night, they let me on top of their bed and I slept between the two of them. They giggled and laughed the whole night and it was amazing.
	I became accustomed to this life. I noticed my owner left for a certain amount of time but always came back and I always greeted him as he came back. Oh, I was always so excited to see him! He laughed and would pat my head then give me food. It was always a happy time. I would sit with him and his pups and watch the magic box as it showed cool grey images of other people who are similar to him. Sometimes I’d see another one of me and bark at the screen, greeting him. But they never responded. It always put me off a little. I was not fond of the magic box. 
	One year ago, I started to feel a little heavy on the left side of my stomach. I didn’t tell my owner or his pups. I didn’t want to scare them. I loved their smiling faces too much. They’d laugh with their white teeth out and their grey eyes sparkling. I wanted to keep that. So I kept wagging my tail and barking gleefully and being exuberant just for them. I couldn’t get it off my mind though, this strange weight on me that I couldn’t shake off as hard as I tried. It hurt a little when I slept on that side, so I had to change positions. I was worried that they would notice, but they never did. I was thankful for that.
	This weight only grew. I could feel it starting to suck up my energy. It became hard just to stand up on my legs. My owner started to notice. He looked worried. I didn’t want him to worry so I wagged my tail and barked happily and he smiled again but within his grey eyes I saw doubt. I didn’t like it. I didn’t want it. “Please master, be happy!” I wanted to bark at him. But that was no use. He never understood when I said things, and this would be no different. Instead, I ran into his legs and let him pet me. I didn’t want to look at his eyes anymore.
	The parasite eating at my side grew even more. It was on fire. It hurt and I didn’t want it on me anymore. Master took me to the white room again. This time he appeared so sad. They stuck something on my nose and I fell asleep. When I woke up, my master looked dead while the woman said something about ‘cancer’, whatever that was. He appeared as if someone just ripped his heart out. He smiled at me and nodded, but the blank expression in his eyes screamed in denial. I wagged my tail as much as I could and barked and tried to be as happy as I could for him. I wanted him to be happy.
	His pups didn’t act like him. They still cheered me on as I played with them and we had great times together. I wanted to know why master was so sad, but I didn’t think they knew either. I was glad the pups were happy, but I wanted master to be happy as well. I spent the whole night trying to bring back that same glint in his eyes he had when we first locked eyes. I wanted that face back. I fell asleep next to him and I never saw that face again after that day.
	A few days ago I was so weak I couldn’t get up. Master had to muster up his strength and pull me up. The weight on my side was so heavy and was seeping out the rest of the strength out of my body. I was so tired, but I tried wagging my tail at him. It was a lot of work but I managed. He didn’t smile. He was so hurt about something. But what? I wanted to know. I wanted to help. I was so worn out but I wanted Master to be as happy as possible. I tried everything. I barked and sat next to him and rubbed against him. Nothing made him smile. I tried rolling over but couldn’t do it. That’s when I knew what was wrong. I wasn’t the same as before. Did Master hate me? I didn’t want him to hate me. Was it because of ‘cancer’? What was ‘cancer’? Did it have something to do with the weight on my side? 
	Today, Master took me to the white room again. Water was falling down his face as he carried me to his vehicle. I was too weak to move now. I tried to lick up the water but it kept falling. He was moaning and groaning the whole ride there. “No master! Stop! Be happy!” I barked. But as always, he didn’t listen. He looked back at me with an expression of such despair and disbelief. He shook his head and looked back in front of him. “It’s okay, be a good boy.” I loved that name. He always used it. ‘Good boy’. It was me. It was my name. And I would be happy as long as he called me that name. As long as he smiled. But he wouldn’t smile and tiny rivers kept falling down his chin. When we got to the white room they laid me on a cold bed and my Master looked at me. The little droplets fell even faster now. He could barely speak. He hugged me and pet me like he did when he first got me. He was screaming something I couldn’t understand. “Don’t go!” and “Please!” and “You were such a good boy.” What was wrong with him? I couldn’t bark but I patted him with my paw. He held it in his hands and smiled at me again. The same smile he gave me when we first met. The same sparkling eyes he had when we first met. He kissed my paw, his lips wet with tears. I felt a small sting and my vision started to get dark. Fifty shades of grey began mixing together and turning black. “Good boy…” I heard him speak one last time as the bright lights and sounds faded into nothingness. Yes, I was a good boy. I was his good boy. And I made him happy.