PSLE: Helping a dog in distress

The late afternoon sky was coloured in a mixture of red grayish clouds, signalling the arrival of an imminent downpour. The thunder rumbled like the beating of the African drums. Kelvin hastened his steps, hoping not to end up a soaked duck in the coming heavy thunderstorm.

 

Running as fast as his legs could carry him, he cut through the quiet narrow alley behind some shophouses. Suddenly, a distinctively ferocious bark reverberated through the air. Kevin froze. Fear pulsated in him as his heart pounded rapidly against his protruding ribs. Was it a stray dog, trying to find his next meal? He craned his neck high and low to search for the source of the bark, his legs trembling like almond jelly.

At a corner outside a wooden door, he spied a Jack Russel pup, whining in pain. Blood stained its snow fur as his hind leg was stuck between the rusty drain cover which trapped it like a pair of metallic handcuffs. The poor dog was struggling hard to free himself but no matter how hard he tried, it was futile.

Kevin had a phobia for dogs. What if the pup bit him? However, he felt sorry for the poor dog and after some major dithering, he mustered his courage, flashed his most friendly smile and approached the puppy. Then, a brainwave hit him like a lightning bolut. He dug out his leftover sandwich and fed it with the mouthwatering ham. Immediately, the dog devoured the meat and his malicious snarl softened to a soft whine.

By this time, the rain had started pouring and heavy raindrops pelted from the sky onto both the boy and the dog. With a hard pull, Kevin finally freed the dog from the rusty blades. He yelped happily and licked Kevin all over his face. Kevin was immensely pleased with himself and even entertained the thought of keeping the pup as his pet. Gently, he wrapped the pup in his shirt and placed it in his gargantuan backpack.

Just then, a dark silhouette appeared at the mouth of the alley. It was a girl in tears. “Rus, come out! Stop hiding, boy,” she called out in earnest pleas. She spotted Kevin and asked, “Have you seen a little doggy? I have lost my dog.”

Kevin hesitated. He thought hard about having a new pet for he wanted to keep the dog badly. Then, he spied the big tears in the girl's eyes. He finally made the right decision. He flipped the bag cover and immediately, the pup's face popped out.

“There you are, Rus! You naughty doggy!” The girl broke into squeals of joy and beamed a wide smile.

Gingerly, Kevin returned the dog to her and explained its injury. The girl thanked Kevin copiously and he flashed a proud grin. He was glad to have saved the day!