The Emissary

By Ray Bradbury

Same exact book I've got.
Best present ever.

     Long time no see. Since I'm back to school I have read lots of stories I didn't read in vacations. Now that I don't have homework I can finally write something. Once again by my favorite author this is a small story that can be found in the book: "The October Country".

     Martin is a boy who has a dog. So far so good and nice except that Martin is very sickly so he always stays in bed. The only creature that works as an emissary between the outside world and him is his nameless dog who likes to dig in other neighbors' gardens. Dog in his walks brings him leaves, plants and many things for Martin to see and imagine. Martin also uses Dog to bring people to visit him as the dog corners, begs and guides people back home.

     One day Dog brings home the one who should have been his teacher if he went to school, Miss Haight. Martin really loves Miss Haight as she complements Dog as an emissary in ways Dog cannot do. He visits him everyday, brings him muffins, talks to him about many things and she loves Dog. So far a heartwarming story. That is until one Monday his mom tells him that she died a mile away from town. Martin couldn't believe it and asked where she was going. His mom told him they were going to bury her and Martin couldn't believe she could stay idle as Dog when he faked death couldn't stay that long still. Her mom warned him to stop talking like that and Martin had to deal with it. Miss Haight was never coming back.

It seems there's a 25 min movie of it.

     To boot one day Dog doesn't come back home after a week of whimpering and coming late. Martin stood absent in his room, now without his dog to connect him to the world. Just seeing life pass by and get bored in bed. One night his parents went outside, he stood there wishing Dog would come back. Suddenly, faraway he hears a bark. Martin glues himself to the window, waiting, hearing Dog coming closer and closer. He heard him barking at the door and whimpering. Martin couldn't get out of bed and hoped his mom would come back home early so she would open the door for him. The door opened, someone gentle enough had let dog in. Dog rushed upstairs and into Martin's bed. Martin cried how he missed him and hugged him. That is until he detected a strange smell on him. The smell of foul earth, putrified soil. He had been digging and deep.

 

Good dog! You can bring people back to life!

 "Dog was a bad dog digging where he shouldn't. Dog was a good dog, always making friends. Dog loved people. Dog brought them home."

     And now in the dark stairs he heard the sound of dragging feet coming closer and closer. The door whispered in. Martin had company.

     Yep, the loving and scary story of a boy and his nameless dog. I loved it. My favorite short story so far in this book. They've already won me over with the appearance of the dog. I'd love to have a dog like that although I wouldn't want him bringing dead people over. Happy ending, dog comes back, teacher comes back.

Happy reading!