Adventure isn’t always something that must be searched for. Sometimes, you barely need to step outside of your door for the craziest of things to start happen, for you to find yourself drawn into a journey that seems fit only for your dreams.
That’s how it happens for Fala, at least.
The young Scottish Terrier enjoys his life. He lives in the White House with his Master, and he’s fed scraps by the kitchen staff. This isn’t really allowed, of course.
Only the President is supposed to feed Fala.
The kitchen staff just have an awful hard time resisting Fala’s big, brown eyes. This is something that Fala often takes advantage of. Today is no different; the Scotty dog is curled up on a large, black pillow. His stomach is full of chicken scraps and bits of toasted bread crusts. There are still crumbs clinging to the thick, black beard that hangs off his muzzle.
Fala is drifting in and out of awareness when the bright light fills the room. At first, he’s sure that it’s just part of his dream. But, as the light grows brighter, it takes on a more familiar shape. A doggie door forms in the wall under the window. The sleek silver is ringed by a pale blue light. The same light appears around the leather and silver collar that Fala wears.
He sighs. “Really? Already?”
The light around the doggie door crackles. Fala pushes himself to his paws. Grumbling and grousing, the Scotty dog pushes his way into the doggie door. The air around it is cold as winter, and the blue glow that surrounds it seems blinding. He has to close his eyes when he ducks down his head, stepping through the hatch.
The presidential pets, as they call themselves, meet on both the first day of the month and the last day of the month. They cross through time and space itself to get in touch with each other, making sure that their respective homes are kept in order and that the humans don’t get too out of line.
Sometimes, though, like today, Presidential Pets will be called into the Room for a special job. Fala gets these jobs a lot, and they always exhaust him.
The Scottish Terrier pads through the tunnel of shadows, tail tucked between his hind legs. The tunnel is very small. Fala’s black tufted ears brush against the top of the tunnel. Every time someone passes through the tunnel, it’s a different length. The passage changes depending on what time period the Council is being held in.
Like always, though, the tunnel eventually leads to another doggie door. Instead of a ring of blue, there is a green light surrounding the silver. Fala pauses just inside of the new doggie door. For a brief moment, he debates on just not going inside.
Fala sighs again. “Bother, oh bother! This better not take me long!”
With one last snort, Fala steps through the doggie door.
Katelynn E Koontz – Author
