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The Journey
It was on the 27th day of July, in the year 2006 that Zacky went gently into the night across Rainbow Bridge. Almost 10 years to the day he literally “jumped” into our lives with gusto, but also with much gentleness. With his passing, he left a very large void in our hearts that can never be filled. There will never be an equal to Zacky, there will be others, but not a Zacky. He was a good guy, and I know that he is North of Rainbow Bridge, and when I make there, I know he will be waiting for me on the other side of Rainbow Bridge, wagging his tail, waiting for his “bonies”.
Zacky was like many Huskies, stubborn, turn his back to you, “forget” his name at times, and in his younger days, loved to run free. But unlike other Huskies, he would “dance” his left paw would go up and down till he was satisfied he was sitting straight and beautiful.
Yes, Zacky is gone, he now wears the Silver Harness, but he will never be forgotten, replaced, and no other will ever take the place of Zacky. Why do the ones we love the most leave us so soon?
In the winter after the passing of Zacky, it was a cold and breezy night in the month of November and all of a sudden, a fog appeared, and within the fog, a voice called the name, "Dakota, Dakota." Our Siberian Husky said “Who is that?" The voice in the fog said “Zacky, it is me, Zacky." Dakota said “No, it cannot be Zacky, you went away a long time ago.” The voice from the fog said, “It is me, I have come to take you on a journey.” Dakota said, “But why can I not see you?” Zacky said “You will see me very soon.” Suddenly the fog started to disappear, and lo and behold it was Zacky, who lived with Dakota for 10 years. Dakota said “Why did you leave me? I have missed you so very much.” Zacky said ”I went on a journey that was very special, and I have come here to help you with your journey to the place that I now call home.” “Will Daddy, Mommy and Sailor be coming with us on the journey?" Dakota asked. Zacky said "No, they will not be on the journey with us, but one day they will meet us at a place called Rainbow Bridge.”
“Zacky, what is that you are wearing? I have never seen any thing so beautiful” "This is my Silver Harness, and you will soon have your own Silver Harness.” "What is the Silver Harness for?" asked Dakota and Zacky replied “This is for the sled that we will pull together with other Huskies." "But Zacky, I am old and can not even walk good anymore.", said Dakota. Zacky replied, “You will no longer be old, you will run like the wind, free as a young pup as I do and all of the other Huskies". "Zacky, I can not go with you, I am in the fenced-in yard, and I can not dig under the fence, or jump over the fence.” Then Zacky replied, “All you have to do is walk through the fence, it will not stop you.” "I do not think that can happen." said Dakota. "Come to me, and we will start the journey and you will feel your pain disappear, start to feel young again, you can do it Dakota, you can do it."
Dakota said, “Alright, I will try." and she took a step to the fence, and as her paw went through the fence, and it did not stop her, and all of a sudden, she started to feel the pain go away, "I feel so much better," as she walked further through the fence. All of a sudden, she was on the other side of the fence, feeling free of pain, like a young pup again just as Zacky had said. Suddenly she looked and she was wearing her Silver Harness.. "How did the Silver Harness get there?" asked Dakota. “When you cross the Rainbow Bridge, your Silver Harness appears, and it always fits perfectly.” said Zacky
As Dakota looked about, she saw no fences, and a light dusting of snow, “Zacky, can I try and run now?" Zacky said "yes, we will run together, we still have a journey to finish”
"You see Dakota, we are Huskies, and we go north of the Rainbow Bridge, where all Huskies call home." As they started their journey, the sky lit up, these were the moonbeams dancing from the reflection of the Silver Harness and the colors of the Husky coats lit up the sky, as the people would call it Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights.
"Do Daddy and Mommy know we are here?" Zacky replied, “They know I am here, and they will know soon that you are with me, and they will wish us well on our journey and our new home.” "But I will miss them," said Dakota, "How will I know if they miss me? They were very sad when you went away, and they cried for a long time, especially Daddy.” “Yes, I know," said Zacky, "because we can see them, but they cannot see us. When Daddy wanted to rescue another Husky, I said yes, I knew his pain, and that it would help him. I said to him, yes, help another Husky, rescue him like you did for me, Dakota, and our great friend Sailor. I know that there is a special place in Daddy’s and Mommy’s heart for me, you, and Sailor and all of the Huskies that they have rescued from a terrible life, and gave every one of them a great forever home."
Zacky and Dakota arrived North of the Rainbow Bridge, and Dakota was amazed, all of the dogs were Huskies. Dakota said, “I do not know how to pull a sled. How will I learn?” And Zacky said "You will not have to learn, you already know how, after all, you are a Husky." Suddenly, Dakota was part of the team, next to Zacky at the front of the team. They started to run, and run like the wind, through the woods, and the fields, and never getting tired. Dakota said "This is wonderful. I feel young again my legs are not stiff anymore."
It was not long after Dakota joined Zacky, that they had to return to Rainbow Bridge. A very dear friend for many years was afraid and confused. Zacky and Dakota arrived in the fog, and called out for Sailor. Together they said “Sailor, Sailor.” Sailor was old and very ill. In a very soft voice he asked, "Who is that calling me?" In a deep voice, “It is us, Zacky and Dakota” “I don’t believe you, Zacky and Dakota have been gone for so long.” said Sailor. “Why can I not see you? All I see is a fog and your voice within.” Zacky said, “When the fog has lifted, you will see us, and your pain will be gone, you will feel young again.” Sailor said,”I would like that. Mommy and Daddy try and make the pain go away, but it doesn’t." Dakota said, “You will go on a journey with us, and you will be able to run and play in the fields, be young again, and have no pain.” "But I am afraid, what is going to happen to me? I don’t want to leave Mommy especially, she has missed you so much. If I leave her she will be so very sad and upset." Suddenly, the fog starts to lift, and there was Zacky and Dakota, standing there and wearing their silver harnesses. Sailor said, “I can see you now, I feel so much better, I am young again.” What is that you are wearing?" asked Sailor. Zacky said, “These are Silver Harnesses, to show that we are Huskies. You are not a Husky, but you have lived with us for so long, the pack has decided that you will be an honorary Husky. You will help pull the sled, with your Silver Harness, through the fields, see the dancing night sky, as we run to North to Rainbow Bridge."
As time passes, they had glorious times in their new home. Then one day, Zacky Dakota and Sailor had a strange feeling that they needed to go back to the Rainbow Bridge, someone special was coming, and needed help in crossing the bridge. All of the Huskies formed a giant team howling in a chorus with a Golden Sled. The Golden Sled was a very special sled. As they started the trip to the bridge, Zacky and Dakota in the lead, the sky lit up, all the colors in the world danced across the sky, dazzling colors, sharp and crisp, lighting up the sky and guiding the team to the bridge.
When they arrived at the Rainbow Bridge, all was silent, there was a shadow of a man, in the fog, dressed all in white, and Dakota said, “I think I know who that is.” Zacky said, “Yes you do know who it is” "But why is he in white?" Zacky said “Only special people wear the robes of white. They are rescuers, and they ride only in the Golden Sled." As the man came close and the fog lifted, Zacky , Dakota and Sailor were amazed, It was Daddy, and he had come to be with his pack, in the land North of the Rainbow Bridge.
As time went by, the pack of rescued Huskies pulled the Golden Sled with Daddy driving the team, through the fields and meadows, and over the brooks and having great fun. One night Zacky, Dakota and Sailor came and woke up Daddy. Zacky said “We need to go, we are needed and you must guide us back to Rainbow Bridge." Daddy said nothing. All of the Huskies North of Rainbow Bridge were howling and ready to dash as fast as they can, through the valleys and meadows to get to Rainbow Bridge. Daddy got into the Golden Sled, and off they went, blazing through the fluffy snow, heading for Rainbow Bridge.
When they arrived at Rainbow Bridge, Zacky said, “Dakota and Sailor will go with me, and you daddy must stay here." As the fog rolled over the bridge, Daddy’s pack were gone.
There was an older woman that was very ill, and in a lot of pain. She was in the hospital in a private room. The fog rolled into the room. Sailor said “Mommy, Mommy.” The elderly lady said “who is that?” The voice in the fog said”It is me, Sailor.” The elderly woman said "This can not be, my Sailor left me many years ago, and broke my heart, with his passing." "I have returned with Dakota and Zacky to help you on your journey.” said Sailor. "But I am too ill to go on any journey," said the elderly lady. “Don’t worry, you will no longer be ill, and have no more pain, you will be young again,” said Sailor. "Rise up Mommy, and come with us on the journey and you will see someone special,” said Sailor. In the blink of an eye, the fog started to lift, and there stood Sailor, Dakota, and Zacky looking young again. All of a sudden, the lady said “I feel wonderful, like I was young again. I am so happy to see you all, I have missed you so much. How is it that I can see you now? You all look so beautiful and young.” "This is the start of our journey, come with us now we have a long way to go,” said Sailor.
“Where are we going?” said Mommy. Sailor said, “We are going North of Rainbow Bridge where we now call home.” "Well, if I am going on a journey, I must dress for the occasion.” But as she looked at her attire, she was in all white robes of silk, with pastel hues on the sleeves. “How did these get here?” said the Mommy. Dakota said “You are a special person, and not everyone wears the robes of silk.” Suddenly a dense fog appeared, and they were gone from the hospital. Just as suddenly as the fog appeared, it was gone, and they were on the other side of Rainbow Bridge.
As they walked past the team of Huskies that were all wearing their Silver Harnesses and howling Mommy saw a Golden Sled, with a shadow on the back of the sled. As they got closer to the Golden Sled, she could see that the shadow was her husband who had passed on years before. “Come my sweetie, ride in the Golden Sled reserved for us that have rescued Huskies, and gave them a much better life then they ever had,” Said the husband. She kissed her husband, and got into the Golden Sled. "UP,UP," said the husband, and all of the Huskies, with Zacky, Dakota in the lead, and the honorary Husky, Sailor, sitting in the Golden Sled next to Mommy, because Sailor was Mommy’s favorite although she never told the huskies whom she loved dearly also. But for her, Sailor was her favorite, only because he was her first and very special dog when she was alive. The sled began its rise and off they went. The sky lit up in dazzling colors of blue, green, yellow, red, orange, silver and gold. Mommy asked, “Why is the sky so beautiful with all of these lights?” "These are the reflections of the Silver Harnesses of the Huskies, dancing off the moon, and adding the color of the coats of the Huskies. Most people know that this is the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights. The people that are not Husky savvy think it is a natural thing, but they don’t know the real story like we do."
Through the fields, and meadows, and across the brooks, they sped to the land North of Rainbow Bridge. All were very happy, and on occasions, Mommy and Daddy would leave for a short time and go to heaven, and see other people they knew on earth, but they always returned to be with their beloved Huskies in the land North of Rainbow Bridge.
© Frank Way
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