The Nor'easter Rescue | Chapter 1

Salty sea air drifted between the cold brick buildings as the sunrise bloomed across the sky. Violet clouds floated overhead, blending into soft pillows of pink and orange as the morning light spread across Boston.

The salty scent tickled Ellie's nostrils, waking her from her morning nap.

Stretching her legs and flexing each nail, she fluffed up the top cushion of the couch before turning over her peanut butter bowl to uncover the leftovers from last night's dessert.

The couch was big, blue, and leather. Perfectly matching the height of the windowsill, it was Ellie's favorite napping spot in the entire condo.

Working her tongue deep into the grooves of her lick-bowl, Ellie enjoyed her morning snack while listening to the birds sing their wake-up songs.

Unlike her best friend, Clyde, a basset hound who lived on the fourth floor, Ellie's second-floor perch offered the perfect view of all the neighborhood wildlife.

From her window, she could watch birds, squirrels, bunnies, rats, cats, flying insects, the occasional chipmunk, and the many dogs who called the neighborhood home.

A gentle rumble from the opposite end of the couch comforted Ellie. Her humans were still asleep.

She loved her humans more than anything else in the entire world, and knowing they were safe and nearby filled her with warmth. But these early mornings, when she could rest unbothered in her window, were her favorite time of day.

In these moments, the outside world was hers. She could be truly free.

Being a dog, Ellie's nose was thousands of times more sensitive than a human's. Her sense of smell was her superpower, opening endless doorways to adventures beyond her wildest dreams, and she had some pretty wild dreams

Convinced there wasn't a speck of peanut butter left in her bowl, she carefully set it aside on her favorite blue pillow. Then she turned her attention to a black squirrel running up the maple tree just beyond the window.

The squirrel stopped on a branch and seemed to snicker at her.

Ellie let out a sharp bark of authority.

Startled, the silly squirrel slipped and tumbled onto a lower branch before scrambling away to a safer, more distant tree.

Satisfied with her superiority, Ellie huffed with approval. Then she gently craned her neck to make sure her barking hadn't woken her parents.

She studied their breathing and let out a heavy sigh of relief. They were both still dreaming.

Turning her nose back toward the park across the street, Ellie spotted a flock of birds.

Something was wrong.

Rather than frolicking in the crisp autumn air as they usually did, the birds were franticly flying west in a hurry. Ellie watched them disappear, wondering what had frightened them.

A moment later, the answer came blowing through the trees.

The familiar October smells of crunchy leaves, pumpkins, cinnamon from the neighborhood bakeries, and damp, decaying foliage were disappearing.

In their place came the sharp scents of sea salt, fish, wet wood, and something strange in the air.

Ellie knew these smells.

And she feared them.

A nor'easter was coming.

These powerful storms swept through Boston only a handful of times each year, usually during the colder months. Ellie certainly hadn't expected one in the middle of October.

Nothing good came from a Nor'easter, especially for a dog living in the heart of Boston.

Storms came with rules.

The worst rule of all? Every window had to stay shut.

Outdoor time was limited to quick potty trips, and playing outside was completely out of the question. Her humans were good wrestlers, but they were nothing compared to her golden retriever friends.

There was, however, one good thing about a Nor'easter.

Clyde would come down from the fourth floor for playdates. They could wrestle for hours until they were both too tired to move.

Ellie loved spending time with her best friend, but she longed for the freedom of the outside world.

Living in New England had taught Ellie that adventure could arrive at any moment. Through Nor'easters, snowstorms, and sweltering summer days, her nose had led her to places she never could have imagined.

And something told her that today would be no different.

And with the window sure to be closed soon, Ellie prepared herself for another extraordinary journey.

Resting her chin on the windowsill, she pressed the tip of her nose against the screen and waited.

Across the park, the trees swayed as the mist turned into raindrops.

The annoying squirrel who had taunted her earlier was now leaping from branch to branch, desperate to escape the storm.

The wind was growing stronger, and the animals knew it.

Luckily, Ellie had the protection of her cozy condo.

The animals outside weren't so lucky.

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind shook the entire building.

Ellie tumbled backward onto the couch, knocking her peanut butter bowl and favorite blue pillow to the floor.

Her parents stirred.

Ellie froze.

But they were heavy sleepers, and it was still much too early for them to wake up. Within moments, their gentle breathing returned.

Ellie climbed back to her perch and braced herself as the rain began pouring down.

Water rushed through the streets, splashing against parked cars. The colorful autumn leaves floated in muddy puddles, and the park was quickly turning into a swamp.

Ellie watched in amazement.

She loved to swim in just about any body of water, but she only enjoyed getting wet on her own terms. Baths were terrible, and muddy paws meant one thing.

The shower.

No, thank you.

For once, she was perfectly happy to be inside.

But as she watched the rising water, something caught her attention.

A scent.

A familiar scent.

Ellie sniffed hard, her nose twitching left to right as she searched for its source.

A bun bun!

She swung her head from side to side until her nose pointed toward the far end of the park.

What she saw sent a shiver through her golden fur.

There, stranded on a narrow piece of tree bark, was a baby cottontail bunny.

The soggy bark was being swept along by the rushing river, spinning out of control and bouncing against the rolling waves.

The bun bun clung to it desperately. Scared. Alone. Calling out to its family for help.

Ellie's heart ached. The storm was far too loud, and the water was moving too fast. There was no way his family could reach him.

Ellie followed the rushing water with her eyes.

Then she realized something terrible.

The bun bun was being carried toward Boston Harbor!

If the water kept rising, it wouldn't be long before the tiny piece of bark was swept out to sea.

Ellie's heart raced.

She was the neighborhood protector.

And neighborhood protectors didn't leave little bun buns behind.

She had to act.

Using a clever trick she'd developed during her time home alone, Ellie pushed her nose against the bottom of the window screen until it popped loose.

She wedged her snout beneath the screen and lifted her head, creating just enough room to squeeze through.

Then she spotted her chance.

A large black trash bin was hurtling down the flooded street, bobbing up and down in the rushing water.

Ellie watched it carefully.

She sniffed the air, judging how quickly it was moving and how far away it was.

One.

Two.

Three.

Now!

Crouching low, Ellie pushed off with all four paws and leaped from the window.

She flew through the cold, wet air, squinting against the rain and trusting her nose to guide her.

Seconds later, her paws slammed against the hard plastic.

She dug her nails into the slippery bin and struggled to keep her balance.

Then she lifted her head.

Where was the bun bun?

Rain whipped against her face as she searched the rushing water.

There!

The little piece of tree bark was moving faster now.

Ellie leaned forward, her golden fur soaked and her heart pounding.

Time was running out.

She had to hurry.

She had to save bun bun.