Snow Dog (5 page)

Nicky couldn’t believe it. She was
inside
the dome and just a bit bigger than Harry. Grandad had said the clay might be magic. Nicky looked around. What a beautiful place! Somewhere, far off in the distance, lights
twinkled
just like fairy lights on a Christmas tree.

And here and there were fir and pine trees, swaying to and fro in the wind as if they were waving at Nicky to welcome her. And the air smelt crisp and clean.

Nicky took a delighted deep breath. There was just one thing wrong.

“Brrrr! It’s freezing in here!”

“Put on your jumper then,” Harry suggested.

Nicky had completely forgotten about the jumper tied around her waist. She untied it and quickly pulled it on. Much, much better! She wasn’t the least bit cold now. Funny it should be so cold when the snow was only plastic. Nicky put out her hand.

Snow fell on it, melting away just like real snowflakes.

From the outside, the dome looked like plastic and clay and glass, but on the inside everything was real. What a weird, wonderful place!

“So what’re we going to play first?”

“Play?”

“Well, that is why you made me, isn’t it? So we can play together?” said Harry.

Nicky nodded. She wasn’t sure how to play with a snow dog but she was certainly willing to learn.

“Throw a snowball and I’ll fetch it!” said Harry.

“But it’ll melt in your mouth,” Nicky laughed.

“Try it,” Harry insisted.

So Nicky picked up a handful of snow and squeezed it together until it was ball-shaped, then she threw it as hard as she could.

In a flash, Harry was off chasing after it. And to Nicky’s surprise, he came trotting back to her with the snowball still intact in his mouth.

“This is a funny, fantastic place,” Nicky laughed.

“Woof-onderful!” Harry agreed.

Nicky and Harry spent the afternoon playing together. First they played fetch with snowballs, then they chased each other and Nicky didn’t get cold once. She didn’t even get the slightest bit chilly, even though the snow kept falling
and
she was only wearing a jumper and shorts and her trainers. And it didn’t matter how far or how fast they ran, they never ran into the sides of the dome. In fact, Nicky couldn’t even see the sides of the dome.

I must be very, very small, Nicky thought to herself. Funny, but I don’t feel small. In fact, just the opposite. Now she had a friend, she felt like a giant!

After that, they made angels in the snow. Nicky lay on her back and moved her arms up and down at her sides so she could make the pattern of wings and Harry lay on his front and moved his front paws up and down. Nicky couldn’t remember when she’d had so much fun. Having a dog was just as she’d imagined it.

“Nicky, you’d better think about getting back. Your grandad will be wondering where you are,” Harry pointed out.

Nicky couldn’t bear it. “Oh, Harry! I can come back and play with you again, can’t I?”

“Of course you can.” Harry wagged his tail. “And I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

Nicky picked up Harry and cuddled him. “Oh, it’s not fair. I wish you could come out of this dome and be with me.”

Oh dear! The snow began to whirl around them faster and faster and it began to snow
upwards
instead of downwards.

“What’s going on?” Nicky called out.

And before she could say another word, she was back in her garden with the snow dome on the grass at her feet and the sun blazing down on her back. And Harry had grown to the size of a real dog and he was standing right in front of her, his golden brown fur and silver paws gleaming in the sun.