My attempt at an alternative ending - Stray by Cynthia Rylant.

Hello everyone!

Before we begin, I'd just like to say that I am going to follow every single one of you back either this week or next. Please leave a comment including your blog name and link if you'd like to be followed. (:

Moving on, I had to write an alternative ending for this short story we're reading in English, Stray by Cynthia Rylant. If you've never heard of it, its about a girl named Doris who finds a stray puppy that her family cannot keep because of their small budget. But, in the end, instead of taking it to the animal shelter, her father brings it home for Doris to keep.

Please leave your opinions, positive or negative, suggestions or even errors that I made. They're greatly appreciated. (:

Here it is - my alternative ending to Stray.

Doris made herself a glass of powdered milk and drank it all down. Then, she walked back up to her room so she could sulk some more.


She found herself wishing that the snow hadn't cleared up so she could have kept the dog for a longer period of time.


Doris sobbed and sobbed into her pillow, thinking about the dog and what he might be doing now. She knew the people running the animal shelter weren't very kind. She wanted to blame her parents for all of this, but then she remembered that they had a point, not keeping the dog.


"Why can't I be richer?" she wondered out loud. "Why can't we afford the dog? Why?"


"Doris, its dinner time, honey." her mother called out in that quiet, petite voice of hers. Doris wiped off her tears and went back to the kitchen.


After a silent and mildly awkward supper, Doris returned to her room. She grabbed her pillow and thought about the good times she and her almost-puppy shared, and the memories they could have shared if she had kept him.


Suddenly, she heard someone - or something - on the awning. Looking out of her window to see what the commotion was all about, Doris saw a shape that looked vaguely like a dog... As the shape got closer, Doris saw that it was her almost-puppy.


"Is it really you?" she asked in wonder.


Realizing that she wouldn't get a response, Doris slowly stuck out her hand so she could pet her dog. She wanted to feel his warm, soft fur again; oh, how much she missed him! But, as her hand touched the tip of his fur, everything disappeared.


It was only just a dream.