“Remember the last time you tried something new?” the wind seemed to whisper like a ghost. Bear, as he called himself, did not remember life before that mistake. He only knew this—the heat of the sun, the constant wait, the love he deserved but never got.

The memory of his mistake drifted in his mind, vivid and poignant like smoke in the breeze. He did remember. How could he forget? The day had started out fine, just like any other day. Bear found himself following his usual routine as if it had him on a leash. He wandered the streets, refreshed by the light, warm drizzle of the day, picking up tasty scraps as he went. He never considered himself a stray, not really anyway. He knew humans around the town, and he made friends daily. And when he came to the lonely house on the corner of the road, it's porch dusty and worn with time, he thought he’d make a new friend. That was the first mistake.

Suddenly, Bear jumped to his feet, tail hanging low like a limp rope. His folded ears perked up at the creaking wood of the back porch, but he wasn’t excited. There stood a human—his human.

It was a long story but it was his. And it would always be his.

Bear turned away. He tried to run, his paws pushing against the grass below him, but he knew there was nothing he could do. “You can’t run, dog,” the human snickered behind him bitterly. Bear didn’t care, he just wouldn’t stop. The human dropped something suddenly, Bear could hear the dull thud on the ground, but he didn’t turn back. “You stupid dog,” the man mumbled, then trudged back on the wooden porch and into his house, the door slamming behind him.

Once Bear turned, he found a small bone on the ground that the human left. He considered it a gift and gnawed on it well into the chilled night, until the warmth of sleep claimed him and he was able to forget everything.

In his dreams, Bear was free at last! He chased seagulls on the hot sands of the beach once again. He flopped down on the wet blades of grass at night, only to rise again in the morning and continue his adventures. He rolled in the mud and slid down the soft grassy hills on his back. He pursued the birds in the sky with wings of his own, until he fell. And when he opened his eyes, everything was wrong.

He rose to his feet, muscles sore and tired. Bear had tried to be a good dog, to be obedient and pleasing. But as the sun rose on the far, free horizon, he couldn't be a good dog any longer. He lifted his snout to the lightening sky and let out a low, long howl. The sound was a plea for freedom, but it went unanswered. Something deeper, angrier than frustration rose to his throat, and the growl that came out was nothing but menacing. He barked repeatedly, the sound echoing from rooftop to rooftop, reaching out to the heavens and beyond. But the silence that met him was suffocating.

Bear scented the still air, his nose cold and wet. He lay down with his head on his paws, body slumping in defeat. He had lived a good life, he thought as the sun climbed. He tried to remember his life before this mistake desperately, but there was only one thing he could remember: happiness. His tail wagged for the first time in a while, though it didn't last long. He lifted his ears for just a moment. But by now, the truth had become all too clear. No one was coming.

***

Bear played in his mind, reality slipping further and further away from him as he began to doze. The human had been away for days, but Bear had been resourceful. Therefore—in fact, by some miracle—he had managed to stay alive. He was just waiting now, waiting for something exciting to happen. He was just wasting his time.

Bear didn't want to stay alive, at least not for this, but his instincts veered him away from death any way they could. Now his instincts left him swimming in an ocean of loneliness, silence, and despair, only letting him sink. And little did he know, Bear dove deeper in his sleep.

Suddenly, he awoke to a familiar, tasty aroma. His eyes snapped open. He rose to the wind weekly, stumbling to his feet and attempted to pinpoint the smell. Straining against the chain around his neck, he stepped forward, but once he saw it, he jumped back. There was a human, but it wasn't familiar. Whimpering, Bear stepped back, but his nose twitched with curiosity.

The human was a skinny, pale young man. He had light brown hair, his chin bearing the start of a beard. His facial features were pleasant and kind: two round blue eyes, lips that curled upward gently to his cheeks, a small curved nose was what completed the look. There was bacon held carefully in his hand, hung high as if he were taunting Bear. Though, this human didn't come across as mean.

Bear popped up on his hind legs, the chain pulling him back while his own energy pushed him forward. His tail wagged without him knowing, wagging like he was a puppy. “Sit,” the human whispered. So Bear sat, ears perked and listening, tongue lolling somewhat happily, tail still wagging behind him unknowingly. “Good dog,” the human said, then dropped the sweet, greasy meat to the ground. Bear dove for the meal, eating it hurriedly and with abandon.

Meanwhile, the human rushed to the end of Bear’s chain. He toggled with the metal, seeing with his fingers. After a moment, Bear gulped down the last of the bacon and licked up the extra grease on the ground. He then padded over to the human, who kneeled next to the rusty chain, mumbling to themselves. Bear nuzzled the man, whining softly.

“Shhhh, stop buddy,” the man spoke, barely audible, fumbling, forever fumbling. Bear lowered himself to a lying position, staying silent. He couldn't help but think back to his mistake. He had trusted a human wholeheartedly, his usual friendly demeanor resulting in punishment. He had been kind; too kind, and now he knew what some humans are like. Fear drove a question into his heart. Was this a mistake too?

He looked into the human’s eyes, deeper and deeper until he understood his soul. No; this couldn't be a mistake. Because from the minute Bear heard the click, he was free. The human had set him free. And this time, he ran away.