Another faithwriters story for the topic of “Salt & Pepper”. Hope you enjoy it!

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The shiny red raincoat glistened in the rain on the foggy street and the girl, almost lost inside it, hugged it around her for warmth. The girl sloshed up to a nearby telephone pole, pulled a stapler out of her coat pocket and stapled a piece of plastic-coated paper into the wood.

 

“Lost:” declared the smudged paper, “Black Lab, ‘Pepper’” followed by a picture of a smiley looking dog and a black haired girl hugging him. “Reward. Please call Rinna Salt with any information.” A phone number followed.

 

Rinna looked down at the few papers left in her hand, sighed and checked her phone. No one had called. A drop that wasn’t rain ran down Rinna’s cheek and she bowed her head to pray.

 

 

*

 

 

A black dog pulled himself out of the river and shook, though it did little to dry him off. He looked around, still not seeing his girl and whimpered. The rain poured down around him and he sat down in a puddle, wishing the girl would come and find him and pet his fur and call him “Pepper” again. Pepper slunk under the edge of a picnic table, tucked his tail and attempted to fall asleep, wanting to escape from the rain and a day without his girl.

 

Suddenly, he felt a warmth and saw a glow, even through his eyelids. Pepper opened his eyes and shied away from the glowing thing in front of him. It seemed to have a face like a person . . . and it was smiling, but what were thing things on it’s back? And why was it shining like that? It looked like lightning, and Pepper was scared of lightning. He whimpered.

 

“Come, Pepper,” said the glowing man with things on his back, “We’re going to go see Rinna.” Pepper perked up at the name of his girl and edged out a little bit. The man smiled and picked up Pepper. The things on his back unfurled and the man and dog rose into the air. Pepper yelped, but the people down below didn’t seem to take notice.

 

There was a flash of light and suddenly, Pepper was standing on a rainy street in town and a leash was around his neck. He looked up at the glowing man and though the face was the same and he was still glowing, he was dressed in regular clothes and the things on his back were hidden. He was looking at something down the street. Pepper followed his gaze.

 

On the steps of a run-down bowling alley sat a red raincoat. No, wait. It was a girl in a red raincoat. Her face was buried in her arms and two wet papers sat beside her. It was Rinna! Pepper jumped and whined and the man walked forward towards the bowling alley. They reached the steps, but Rinna didn’t look up, she just kept whispering like she was praying.

 

“Excuse me, Miss Salt?” the man asked softly, taking off the leash, “Is this Pepper?” Rinna’s head snapped up so fast it was a miracle she didn’t hurt her neck.

 

“Pepper?” She said unsteadily. Pepper barked and wagged his wet tail. “Pepper!” Rinna jumped forward so fast that her hood flew off. She hugged her wet dog and laughed as he licked her face.

 

“Oh, Pepper, I thought you got hit by a car or washed away in the river! Don’t ever leave me again!” She hugged him tighter and rubbed her hand through his fur.

“Thank you so much, Mister . . .” Rinna looked up and the man was gone. He had left as quickly as he came. Rinna stood,

 

“Sir, I have a reward for you!” she called, but there was no reply. After one last look down the street, Rinna turned and, with Pepper close behind, she headed for home.

 

One thing was for sure; there had never been such a happy, or miraculous, reunion between Salt and Pepper.

 

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Please comment!

~writefury