Caught in the Web (15 page)

“Why don’t you guys go to Chicago?” Aimee asked.

“Mom’s work.” Madison sighed again. “Some project she has to do. I wish I were you or Fiona. She gets to go all the way to California for Thanksgiving.”

Fiona Waters was Madison and Aimee’s brand-new seventh-grade best friend. She’d moved to Far Hills from California over the summer with her twin brother, Chet.

“Fiona said her gramps has a great big swimming pool out there.” Aimee giggled. “They’ll be swimming on Thanksgiving! Now
that’s
weird.”

Aimee twirled around. She danced when she wanted to cheer her friends up, and Madison looked like she could use some cheering.

Madison cracked a smile.

“So are you gonna do that extra-credit project in social studies?” Aimee asked, waving her arms in a circle over her head.

Social studies was the one class Madison, Aimee, and Fiona had together. Their teacher, Mrs. Belden, had a reputation for being one of the toughest teachers in junior high—but she always gave kids a chance to do extra-credit projects. She said hard work was good, but it was just as important to have fun.

“I don’t get why she calls it extra credit when
everyone
has to do it,” Madison moaned. “And why do we all have to pair up?”

“I don’t know. But we could do our project together. We can make a turkey or something.”

“A turkey?” Madison exclaimed. “Like what? A turkey sandwich?”

Aimee laughed. “Sure. Let’s make a mini-replica of the first Thanksgiving dinner with little drumsticks and corn on the cobs. …”

“Hey, what time is it?” Madison asked all of a sudden.

Outside, the sun was dipping down in the sky. It cast the entire room in an orange glow.

Aimee looked at her yellow wristwatch. She had watch bands to color-coordinate with each outfit, including her new parka. “Wow, it’s almost five o’clock. Already four-thirty.”

“It’s getting late. Let’s take the dogs out,” Madison squealed. “Blossom! Phin!”

Blossom came running with Phin. They were panting like crazy.

“Wanna go OUT?” Madison said. Aimee laughed and grabbed the leashes.

It was fun to walk the dogs together. Madison and Aimee liked to think that their dogs were best friends, just like them.

When Madison returned home. Mom was perched on the sofa, watching edited reels from one of her documentary films.

“I’m going up to my room,” Madison announced.

Mom didn’t flinch.

“I’m going up to my room,” Madison announced again, louder this time.

“Okay. Dinner’s in an hour,” Mom said, waving her off. “And clean that mess. And finish your homework.”

Madison made a face, only Mom didn’t see it. Mom sounded like a recorded message: do this, clean that.

Once upstairs, Madison consciously decided not to pick
anything
up. She crawled over her enormous pile of clothes and pile of files and collapsed into her purple chair. There were much better things to do than clean her room! She powered up her laptop.

Madison had only intended to log on, send an e-mail back to Gramma, and log off. But once online, she got
way
distracted from those tasks. She surfed around and went to the home page for TweenBlurt.com. There was a new feature advertised on a flashing yellow banner across the top.

Just Fishing Around! The Ultimate Search Engine!

Madison typed in the word
dog
for fun, just to see what a search on her favorite subject might turn up. Madison was overwhelmed to see more than 1 billion possible matches. Links were underlined.

Dog
Owner’s Guide: Welcome to
Dog
Owner’s Guide


If you have a
dog
, want a
dog
, or love
dog
s, you’ve come to the right place for all kinds of information about living with and loving
dog
s. Includes
Dog
Screen Saver, more.


Dog
Emporium Online


Flea collars, heartworm pills, soft beds, chew toys, rawhide … everything discounted for your family
dog
.


Dog of the Day—Sign Yours Up Now


Tell us about your special
dog
. Is your bichon frise funny? Does your weimaraner whine? Winners daily!


Madison added a few more words to the search to find dog links closer to home. She typed in DOG, FAR HILLS, NEW YORK—separated by the required commas. A familiar name popped up.

Madison knew this vet!

Far Hills
Animal Shelter, Clinic,
Dog
Boarding


Welcome from Bryan Wing, DVM, and staff. Full service, referrals,
dog
boarding, Tales of Homeless Pets, Breed Tips,
dog
grooming care. Volunteers needed!


Dr. Wing was married to Madison’s computer teacher, Mrs. Wing. This was the direct link for Dr. Wing’s Web site.

On the site’s home page there was a photograph of a basset hound that looked just like Aimee’s dog, Blossom. That dissolved slowly into a photo of a yellow Labrador retriever (who was really more cream colored than yellow) and a teeny dachshund named Rosebud. More flashing type at the bottom of the screen read:
Come and visit our offices!
There was a teeny photograph of Dr. Wing and a short letter underneath that.

Welcome to Far Hills Animal Shelter and Clinic! We’re glad you’ve stopped into the section of our “virtual” animal shelter. For ten years, my team has been dedicated to pet rescue and care in Far Hills. Working with shelters, veterinarians, and other concerned businesses, we hope to eliminate our homeless pet problem and care for sick and abandoned animals in our area. Won’t you please become a volunteer and help out?


“Rooooowowf!” Phin barked. He was curled up into a ball by the base of Madison’s purple chair. Madison scratched Phin’s head.

The idea of helping out at the animal shelter seemed so exciting. Maybe this year’s Thanksgiving didn’t have to be for the turkeys after all? Maybe this Thanksgiving could be for the
dogs
instead?

Phin would
definitely
love that.

Animals


Mom thinks I should still be taking flute lessons, but I am soooo over the musical instrument thing. I am going to be an animal volunteer. That makes more sense, since I have loved animals my entire life.


Here is a list of all the pets that I have had:


1. Sea monkeys in a plastic jar.


2. Goldfish named Peanut Butter and Jelly because one was yellow and the other was sort of purple.


3. Ick, my cat. I named him that because he threw up fur balls a lot.


4. Phinnie, the best dog ever. I love, my pug better than any pet!


My biggest wish in life would be to live on a farm or near a zoo or in the apartment over Wink’s pet shop in Far Hills so I could see more animals all the time and Phin would have more animals to play with. I wonder what the shelter will be like? Dr. Wing’s Web site says they take care of sick animals and do “animal rescue.” I wonder if that’s some kind of animal SWAT team?


Rude Awakening:
It’s a dog-meet-dog world and I want to be part of it RIGHT NOW.


“What a wonderful idea, Maddie,” Mom said when Madison told her about the Far Hills Animal Shelter. “I’m happy that you want to volunteer—especially at Thanksgiving time. And it’s only a short ride over there. We can drive over today to check it out.”

As Mom drove them to the clinic downtown, Madison could feel her entire body humming.
Would the animals at the clinic like her? Would she like the animals? What would Dr. Wing say when he saw her?

Madison fussed and twisted in the car’s front seat. The belt felt so snug. She couldn’t stay still. This ride was taking forever!

“Well, there’s the clinic,” Mom announced. “At last!”

She pointed to a squat-looking, pink cement building with an iron gate and planters filled with mums out front. A teeny neon sign blinked
HOSPITAL
under a bigger, painted, wood sign that bore the clinic’s name:
FAR HILLS ANIMAL SHELTER.

“Maddie, are you going to just sit there or are we going inside?” Mom teased. Madison led the way as they got out of the car.

“It looks nice from the outside, right. Mom?” Madison said as she approached the clinic slowly. Each stepping-stone was shaped like a dog bone.

“Doggies everywhere,” Mom said, pointing out photos of different dog breeds on a poster in the clinic window. “Phin sure would be jealous.”

“Hiya!” chirped a blond woman wearing a white lab coat and a purple T-shirt. The shirt read
I’M FOR FUR-FREE.
She introduced herself as Eileen and stood behind the front desk like she guarded the place.

“Hi,” Madison said. “I’m looking for Dr. Wing—”

“Pet problems?” Eileen interrupted. “Well, we can help you. We got all sorts of pets here. In all shapes and sizes.”

“We’re not looking for a pet or bringing in a pet,” Mom said. “My daughter would like to volunteer. She goes to Far Hills Junior High, and she says she saw your Web—”

“Volunteer? Well, sure!” Eileen said. “Why don’t you have a seat and I can help you both in just a sec.” She stepped into a back room.

The front door of the clinic opened with a gust of air, and a bearded bald man came inside with a parrot on his shoulder. He took a seat by the door across from a woman who was holding an empty leash. Madison saw little animal hairs all over the woman’s clothes.

Pets always leave their mark on people, Madison thought. She looked down at the chew marks at the edge of her own sneaker.

“Heeere’s Gidget!” Eileen reappeared in the waiting room holding a teeny, yipping white dog. The animal made a jump for its owner, trembling and shedding more onto her black sweater.

“Come here, Gidgie-widgie, come here,” the owner cooed. The white dog looked happier than happy.

Next Eileen turned to the bearded man. “So, Mr. Walsh, it looks like Rose is losing some feathers again.”

Eileen stroked the top of the parrot’s head, and it nipped at her fingers. But she didn’t seem to mind.

“Rosie is losing as many feathers as I’m losing hair,” the old man said. “And I swear I’ve been feeding her that special seed you told me about.”

Rose squawked as Eileen took her back into the examining room. “We’ll have you all fixed up in a jiffy, Rosie. Not to worry. And you shouldn’t worry, either, Mr. Walsh.”

Madison wondered what was behind the door that everyone seemed to disappear behind. As usual, questions streamed into her mind like floodwater.

Were there several different kinds of examining rooms?

Did the clinic have an operating room, too?

Where did the animals live and stay?

Were there cages and fish tanks and fenced-in pens?

And where was Dr. Wing?

Madison stood up and craned her neck to see if she could catch a look in back. Eileen was taking longer than she said.

Meanwhile Mom was hardly noticing any of the dog or parrot activity in the waiting room. Ever since she’d begun development of her latest film project, she did work every chance she got—even in the middle of a veterinarian’s waiting room. She was busy checking work messages on her cell phone.

Madison counted red linoleum squares on the floor. She could see where dog paws and cat pads and other pet footprints had left their mark.

Eileen returned in a flurry. “So, here are the forms to fill out,” she said.

Being only twelve, Madison needed special parental permission to volunteer. Mom adjusted her cell phone on her ear and scanned the forms for a place to sign. She put her name on the line under Madison’s own signature.

Finally Madison handed the pages to Eileen. “Are you a doctor too, like Dr. Wing?” Madison asked.

Eileen winked. “More like an animal nurse. I help Dr. Wing with almost everything. And I run this place on weekends. We’re open mostly for emergencies and walk-ins.”

“If I volunteer, will I be helping you with animal rescue?” Madison asked.

“Oh,” Eileen gasped. “You’ll be helping in all sorts of ways around here.”

Eileen glanced over the pages to make sure everything was signed. Suddenly she looked up and smiled. “Well, I’ll be. You’re Madison. Madison Finn?”

“Yeah.” Madison smiled nervously. She thought something was filled out wrong. Why was Eileen saying her name that way?

“From Far Hills Junior High—you said that, didn’t you? I get the connection.” Eileen slapped her forehead. “You see, my son is also—”

Suddenly a boy walked into the waiting room.

“Madison?”

“Dan?” Madison wrinkled her brow. It was Dan Ginsburg from school. He hung around with Madison’s guy friends. Egg Diaz, Drew Maxwell, Chet Waters, and even Hart Jones. Dan was the guy who ate everyone’s dessert at lunch when they didn’t want it. In fifth grade, all the kids in middle school called him Pork-O, but they stopped doing it when he got way bigger than them. He was taller and wider than anyone in seventh grade.