Buster recognized something in his tone, and in his expression—Tonio was calm, but it wasn’t all a good calm. He had a little bit of that face Buster had seen before, after talking to his dad, and when Mia got upset with him. A kind of nothing, an absence in his expression. Not sad, not worried … just nothing.
He wanted to find out why but couldn’t calm his own mind down. No living thing should ever be this high up, especially in a giant machine they weren’t even controlling. The Ferris wheel stopped moving when they were all the way at the top—unable to leave, no way to get down even if they could open the door.
After a while of shivering, with Tonio silently petting him, Buster started to relax. But he felt so tired. Head resting in Tonio’s lap, fingers running through his fur … and he’d been up all night, too. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if he just … took a nap.
“That’s better,” Tonio whispered. He patted Buster’s stomach and watched his breathing relax. Tonio tilted his head back and rested it on the bench along the cart’s side. “We’ll talk when you wake up.”
Buster jolted awake suddenly and set the cart swinging as he frantically tried to remember where he was. The angle of the sun meant it was past noon, and the angle of the ground meant they were way past the height he was comfortable with!!! Buster barked in surprise and jumped away from the edge. Tonio caught him and pushed him down to a sitting position gently.
“We’re okay. It’s okay. Look at me.” Buster’s reddish-brown eyes stared into Tonio’s just-brown ones. “Take a deep breath.” Buster mimicked Tonio’s long breath, held his lungs full for a few moments, then mirrored Tonio’s slow release. “Good. Nothing’s going to happen to you up here, okay? I’ve got you.”
Buster did start to relax at Tonio’s words, and got his bearings enough to underspeak a thank you.
“You’re welcome.” Tonio relaxed, too, when Buster didn’t seem to be in crisis mode. “I’m sorry I messed this up so bad, Buster.”
You?
“I thought I could save you, or something. I don’t know. I thought I’d show up and be a hero. But of course I couldn’t do that. I can’t do anything that matters.”
How did you even get here?
“I asked some dogs!” He threw his arms up. “Because that’s a normal thing I can do now, I guess. I knew you were gone immediately, and everybody at the tournament was asking about you. I just said you knew your way home and were tired of the crowd. Like I was. Mozart didn’t know where you were, but I went to visit Jpeg. She …” He shook his head, not believing what he’d seen. “She printed out directions for me from the internet. And then I asked Skyler to drive me here. I didn’t even have to tell anyone why! Mia didn’t really pay attention when I was talking to Mozart, and when I told Skyler where I was going, she just said I was ‘the coolest kid ever’ for going to a place that was ‘so definitely, absolutely haunted’ and didn’t ask any other questions.”
That’s amazing! Buster headbutted Tonio’s chest. You got here all on your own!
“I didn’t do anything. Oh, and—” He pulled a small plastic bag of dog food and another bag of trail mix out of his cargo pockets. “Devon gave me some snacks to bring. Or he just gave me some snacks for no reason. I’m not sure.”
I couldn’t resist the snacks but underspoke while I chewed.
You did an adventure! You talked to people. Asked questions. Came all the way out here with no idea what you’d find. That’s brave. You wouldn’t have done that a month ago.
“Yeah, but it doesn’t matter. They caught me, and now we’re both just locked up. What is happening? What do they want? I know you’re in trouble for telling me you’re smart, but—”
They decided I’m a Bad Dog. They’re going to send me to The Farm.
“I don’t know that thing you did with your paw. Send you where?”
I tried to figure out a way to tell him. Place … like … the Lins’ shelter.
“A farm?”
Yes. THE Farm.
“What’s that?”
It’s supposed to be a place humans have never gone. It’s where Bad Dogs go, and where Dog Court is based. I don’t know where it is, but I would be there forever. No more humans. You get all the food you need, and it’s supposed to be pretty, but there’s nothing to do. Just sitting around for the rest of your life.
“Sounds kind of nice,” Tonio mumbled.
Buster bared his teeth. No. I want to be here, with you.
Tonio’s eyes filled with tears almost immediately. “Why? You’re only in trouble because of me.”
I’m in trouble because I broke the rules. You didn’t do that.
“Still. You were trying to help me.”
And I would do it again!
Tonio buried his face in Buster’s fur. “You’re a good friend.” His voice came out muffled, but Buster understood.
So are you.
Buster heard someone down at the base of the Ferris wheel. He stepped to the edge—but then thought better of it and stayed in the middle. The cart jerked back into motion suddenly, swinging them toward the ground.
“Am I in trouble, too? What will they do to me?” Tonio asked.
Buster tilted his tail into an unsure pose. I don’t know. I’ve never heard of what happens when a human finds out. He didn’t want to tell Tonio that he was scared, too. They couldn’t do anything terrible to him … right? He was a human!
Tonio stared out of the cart and rubbed at Buster’s head absentmindedly. “If it wasn’t for my anxiety, you wouldn’t be
