It was a typical Thursday.It was bright and sunny, and only a few clouds dotted the sky. I had a typical life family and non typical pet. I had five chickens: Tina, Luna, Snooki, Vicky,and Sadie. There was nothing more important to me than them. Feeding them, warming them, keeping them entertained, and keeping them secure was all part of my job as their caretaker. I had finished my day at school, when I ran off the bus to complete my daily check on them. There was nothing there but feathers. An enormous hole was stabbed through the metal bars that normally protected them. I felt as if that same hole was through my heart. My head reeled, and nausea seemed to overcome me. “Matan!” my father shouted to me. I ran to him at top speed. “What happened?” I demanded. “There were two dogs…”he mumbled. He didn’t need to say more. “Are they alright?” I asked. “Vicky, Tina, and Sadie are okay. But Luna and Snooki are hurt. They’re at the vet with mom.”

 

I immediately went to the garage to see how the three were holding up. They were on the table in the middle of the garage. They refused to move, and seemed to be in shock. I began moving them around, carrying them to the floor, where food and water awaited them. None of them ate at first, but I continued insisting, until Vicky downed a gulp of water. The minute Tina saw that Vicky could do it, she also ran to the water and drank some water. Sadie stayed behind, building a nest in the haystack. I could see that she wanted to stay there.

I eventually resigned, and went to sit next to my father. No word were exchanged, and no tears fell. After 30 min, I heard my mother’s car roll into the driveway, and I sprinted outside. Only when I had seen my mother and grandmother did I begin to cry. My tears fell like a summer storm, never showing a sign of stopping. I gave my grandmother a ferocious hug, and asked my mother how they were. Snooki was doing well, and was conscious. Unfortunately, Luna was dim eyed, and showed small signs of survival. Luna had definitely taken the worst of the catastrophe.

I went to begin my homework, and I spoke to no one. That night, I fell asleep at 5:00, and I didn’t wake up until 7:00. For the rest of the day, I spoke only when spoken to. That day, we went to get a new medication for Luna, hoping it would make her want to eat or drink. That night, we had a family meeting. Neither of my parents believed Luna would make it through the night. The next morning, I awoke with little hope in my heart. I went downstairs to check on the two. I could see Snooki rubbing against Luna, trying to wake her up. She never would wake up again. We decided to bury her in the garden, where she loved to spend her time as a chick. I learned again that life was cruel, and cared little how much you cared. Nature has, and always will reclaim life.