Streets paved with gold.

By: Wolfie Steel.

Chapter 1

The snow lies thick on the ground, as I trudge through the cold, white substance, my memories drift back to better times, times where I had not a care in the world, times where I wanted and needed for nothing, it’s amazing how life changing and life ending a house fire can be, a house fire that had been caused by a forgotten candle after a storm caused a power blackout.

I had just returned to bed after visiting the bathroom, my St Bernard nose suddenly picking up a strong smell of smoke. I instantly run into my parents’ bedroom and alert them to the smell, by the time we make it to the top of the stairs most of the downstairs area is engulfed in fire.

I make my way down the stairs and to the front door which I open to give us all a means of escape, I stand by the door and watch as my parents begin their journey down the staircase. They get about half way down and then I hear the noise that I will hear for the rest of my life, it is the sound of the wooden staircase collapsing and being ravaged by the flames. I lose sight of my parents as they are consumed by the flames.

I scream at the top of my lungs and then fall to my knees, by now the neighbours are dragging me out of the burning house and the sound of sirens draws closer, I try to break free from the neighbours and run back to the house but two strong arms hold me back.

Suddenly there is a huge explosion as the gas main ruptures and ignites, I watch helpless as most of the house collapses into rubble and flames. It is fortunate that the house that I once called home is not connected to any others for now it is just me that has nowhere to go.

In the explosion I manage to break free from my saviour and I run like hell, tears streaming down my face as I run, how long I am running no one knows. Time returns to the present and that is where this story began, so now unable to run anymore because of tiredness I slowly trudge through the snow.

It is just two weeks before Christmas and I am a seventeen year old St Bernard with no home, no money, no family and no help. I find myself in an alleyway between two shops, the trash dumpsters are at the far end, I walk to the dumpsters and open the lid of one, inside I see many loaves of bread that have been thrown out, probably because they are out of date today, no one will purchase these loaves, but for a starving and homeless seventeen year old they are the bread of life.

I open a second dumpster inside I find several packs of soda, the multi-packs, eight or ten cans in each pack, thrown out because some of the cans are dented and not fit for sale, I find a large plastic bag and begin to fill it with cans of soda and loaves of bread.

The first light of the morning is just breaking through the clouds; I am so engrossed in my foraging that I don’t see the figure standing in one of the shops rear doorways. The figure approaches me and puts a strong paw on my shoulder; I instantly drop the bag that I am filling. I slowly turn to face my captor and I am met by the facial features of a Husky.

“Son, you must be really down on your luck if you are going through the dumpsters of my store”

I give out a small whimper as I feel that I am about to soil myself, but my belly comes to my rescue as it growls and grumbles loudly.

“P...Please sir, I’m hungry and homeless and to someone like me, what is in that bag is a banquet fit for a king”

The Husky nods his head a little and then collects the bag and continues to fill it, once it is full he then takes it back inside the shop and motions for me to follow. At first I hesitate but again my hunger wins out and I follow the Husky into the store.

He leads me upstairs to a room which seems as though it was once an apartment, he flips on the light and I see a couple of fold away chairs as well as some boxes that probably hold more stock, the Husky sets up the two seats and then sits in one of them.

“Now my young friend, take a seat and you can tell me your story while you tuck into your royal meal”

To say that I am still so very nervous of the Husky is something of an understatement, but I’m getting hungrier by the second and so I take a seat and begin to rifle through the bag of goodies. I tell the Husky of my night and he closes his eyes in sorrow.

“Well my young friend that changes everything, you see I thought that you were just a guy who couldn’t be bothered to get a job and found himself homeless, that is why I allowed you to retrieve the stuff from my dumpster, but now that I know the real reason, I now don’t want you to eat or drink anything from that bag”

My heart instantly sinks and again tears start to stream from my eyes.

“Oh now come on, don’t cry, I don’t mean it in a nasty way my friend, no, what I have in mind is a proper meal and a roof over your head. I will even give you a job if you are willing to take it?”

My ears instantly perk up and I dry my eyes on the back of my paw.

“Sir, last night I lost everything, money, home, family, my possessions, everything, so now I know that I have to earn what I eat, drink and use, so if your offer of a job is still good then I will take it without question”

The Husky gives a decisive nod and then stands from his seat.

“Okay my young friend, first things first, what is your name?”

I too stand from my seat and make my reply.

“My name is Trent Hobson sir”

The Husky’s eyes suddenly go as wide as saucers.

“Your mother and father owned the internet retailer by the name of “Hobson’s Choice” am I right?”

I nod my head a little in reply.

“Well Trent, my name is Bradley Marshall, I knew your father and mother by trade, and they did very well for themselves. Maybe then you would like to take over the business that is left behind by your father and mothers sad demise?”

I shake my head a little.

“Unfortunately my parent’s business brain did not get inherited by their offspring; I wouldn’t have the first clue about running a business”

Bradley seems to think for a while and is only brought back to the here and now by the sound of my still growling belly.

“Right Trent, my deputy store manager should be here now so I will go and tell him that I am taking the day off, and then you and I are heading out for breakfast”

The Husky quickly leaves the room and heads into the main shop. Five minutes later and I’m sitting in the passenger seat of the Huskies car and being driven to the local fast food restaurant that is open for early breakfasts.

We arrive at the restaurant and we walk up to the counter, the Husky places his order and then allows me to order what I would like, with the orders complete we both head over to a booth to wait for our meals.

“Now then Trent, to the job that I have for you, I am a lone parent, I have a fourteen year old son called Max, well the thing is with me being at the store all hours god sends it means that Max has to take care of himself, unfortunately he is a little clumsy at times and sometimes is late for school, I would like you to look after my son while I am at the store, you know make sure he doesn’t do anything clumsy, and make sure that he gets to school on time, for this I will pay you handsomely, plus you will get all of your meals provided for you and a warm and dry roof over your head”

It’s a strange thing to think about at a time like this, but it is usually us St Bernard’s who come to the rescue of stricken travellers, and yet, here I am relying on a Husky for my salvation, a stranger no less. Our food and drinks arrive and I hurriedly begin to dig into my meal, I then remember my manners and the fact that I am in polite company and so I stop my hungry forage.

“Trent, why have you stopped eating?”

I swallow the last bit of food in my muzzle and make my reply.

“My father and mother raised me to be respectful of those around me, and yet here I am bolting the food into my muzzle as though somebody will take it away from me”

Bradley smiles weakly and makes his reply.

“And a mighty fine job they did too, but you are hungry and upset, after all you have just lost everything that is dear to you, so I think a little lapse in manners is only to be expected”

We both continue to eat our meals, once the meals are over and the trash has been put into the litter bins, we head back out to the car, as we get close to the car I hear a voice that I recognise oh so well, it is the voice of the neighbour that held me so tightly just over thirty six hours ago.

“Trent, oh for the love of god it is you, I was so worried when you ran off”

I hang my head a little as I turn to face the Wolf who used to be my neighbour, the Wolf then turns to Bradley.

“I take it that you found Trent somewhere and looked after him?”

The Husky gently nods his head.

“My name is Bradley Marshall, and yes I found Trent rummaging through the trash dumpsters next to my store in town, he was hungry and very upset, and now that I know why he was dumpster diving and so upset I decided to try and keep him safe”

I now find my voice again.

“I’m sorry for running away Mr. Wilson, I just needed to get away from....from the rubble of my life, and before you ask, no I can’t go back there, there is nothing for me to go back to”

The Wolf approaches me slowly and then takes me in a gentle hug; he then pulls away from me and addresses Bradley again.

“Well Mr. Marshall, if Trent is staying with you, could I please get your phone number so that the authorities can get in contact with Trent so that he can deal with his parents estate?”

The Husky quickly covers my ears with his paws.

“Sir, have you no respect, the boy has just lost everything that he holds dear and you are talking about him sorting out his family affairs”

Bradley gently uncovers my ears and then writes his number down on a scrap of paper and thrusts it into the Wolf’s paw, the Husky then quickly gets me seated in the car and then speeds us away from the restaurant. A few moments later Bradley speaks again.

“I’m sorry that you had to hear that, the guy should have engaged his brain before his mouth”

I shake my head a little.

“No Mr Marshall, Mr. Wilson is right, sometime soon I am going to have to face the harsh reality that I am all alone in the world”

The Husky places a gentle paw on my knee.

“No son, you are not alone, I know he needs a personality transplant but you have Mr. Wilson looking out for you, and I will also be there for you too”

We arrive at the three storey house that belongs to the Husky and his son, as yet I don’t know his son and I have no idea what I will say when I first meet him, but I’m sure I’ll think of something.