Snow Day! A ShinerBockenheimer Adventure

“Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!”

“Ahhh,” groaned Shiner. It was 6:30am and Olivia’s alarm was going off. Shiner looked up and his best friend Olivia was still asleep. Groggy, Shiner padded downstairs to get some water and to take a look outside. As he slipped through the doggy door, something cold and wet fell on his nose. Shiner looked up and saw his favorite thing in the world!

SNOW! Snow days were his favorite because that meant no school. The kids get to stay home with him ALL DAY! He gave a little yip and bounded up the stairs and jumped on Olivia’s bed with his cold, wet feet. “Rfff! Rff! Rff! Olivia, it’s time to get up! Rff!”

“Go away, Shiner. I’m so tired. Go bother Gavin,” whispered Olivia as she turned to snuggle into her blanket.

“Arufff,” Shiner claimed in exasperation. He raced down the hall to Gavin’s room and landed with a big thump on the bed. “Rfff! Gavin, time to wake up! Rff!
Gavin smiled at Shiner and gave him a big hug. “Good morning Shiner, how are you boy? Why are you so excited this morning for school?”

“Come see! Come see!” Shiner barked. Gavin got up slowly and stretched as Shiner raced around in circles. Gavin loves when Shiner has the zoomies. “O.K. boy, let’s go downstairs and see what has you so excited.”

Shiner raced downstairs with Gavin sleepily following behind him.

“Rff! Look Gavin, It’s SNOW!”

Gavin looked out the big, french doors of their living room and saw the most beautiful sight. His backyard was covered in white, glorious snow! “Shiner, I can’t believe it! We finally have snow. You know what this means? It’s a snow day! NO SCHOOL!” Gavin was dancing in the kitchen while Shiner hopped all around him. “Let’s go wake up Olivia!” Gavin shouted.

Gavin and Shiner ran back upstairs as fast as they could and leapt onto Olivia’s bed. “Grr! What do you want? I am trying to sleep! What is going on?” Olivia said angrily.

“Olivia, c’mon, I have something important to show you,” Shiner said. Gavin started giggling. Olivia looked at him and then back at shiner. “It better not be another frog or lizard Shiner!” Olivia said hesitantly. SHiner and Gavin started giggling even more and raced downstairs. Olivia put on her robe and slippers and slowly made her way down the stairs. She was really afraid of lizards. As Olvia rounded the bottom of the stairs, she was blinded! The sun was shining so bright, which was really odd for December.

“What is going on? Why do i need sunglasses? Turn off the lights!”

“Olivia look!” Shiner barked at her. As Olivia focused outside, she finally saw what the excitement was about. SNOW! Perfect, wonderful SNOW!
“Hooray! It’s a snow day! Let’s do the dance!” Shiner, Gavin and Olivia were laughing and dancing in the kitchen when their parents woke up.

“Whoa!What's going on here? This is an awful lot of excitement for a school day,” their dad said.

“Look Dad! Look! It’s a snow day!”
“Can we go outside”
“Rfff! Let’s go! Rff! Rff! Rff!”
Everyone shouted at once.

“Ok, hold on,” their mom said. “Let’s have some breakfast and you can all go outside together.”

“YAY!!!”

After breakfast, Gavin, and Olivia bundled up in their coats, boots, gloves and scarves. Shiner had special winter dog boots that kept him from getting frost-bitten paws. “Bye Mom, Bye Dad!” Gavin, Olivia, and Shiner walked out the front door and headed outside to play. There were already several neighbors outside and they were having a big snowball fight.

“Olivia! Gavin! Let’s go playyyyyy!” Shiner cried. He LOVED snowball fights. It was like trying to catch a dozen tennis balls at the same time except he could chomp these! There was nothing better than chomping things. Gavin and Olivia joined in on the snowball fight. They hid behind cars, ducked behind bushes and trees and finally scurried over to an embankment to hide behind. They started making dozens of snowballs for the biggest snowball fight over their life.

Meanwhile, Shiner was in the middle of the snowball fight. He was jumping into the air as high as he could to catch the snowballs. It didn't matter that his fur was covered in snow flakes because he was having the time of his life. He was so busy jumping and chomping he didn’t notice where Gavin and Olivia had wandered off to.

After 10 minutes of playing, Shiner finally noticed his best pals were nowhere around. “Gavin? Olivia? Where are you guys?” SHiner started sniffing around to find their trail. He was very good at following trails. He finally caught their scent and started racing over to the hill next to the Douglas house.

I bet they are hiding over there, Shiner thought. Well I will surprise them. Shiner slowed his pace to a slow crawl and started sneaking around the Douglas house. He popped out from behind the house and barked but they weren’t there. He started sniffing again and saw some footprints leading to the field. He started heading to the field when all of a sudden snowballs came flying out fo nowhere.
“Ahhh! WHAT’S going on?” Shiner shouted in surprise.

“Surprise! It’s your very own snowball fight,” said Olivia. “We know how much you love catching snowballs,” laughed Gavin.

“Gavin, Olivia, you are the best! Launch those snowballs!”

After launching the best snowball fight they ever had, Gavin, Olivia and Shiner were exhausted, cold and wet. They tramped home and walked in the door laughing. “Mom! Dad! We had the best time!” Gavin and Olivia said at the same time. “Jinx! Gimme a coke!” Gavin and Olivia were doubled over laughing now.
“Rff! It was the best,” Shiner barked. Shiner shook off all the wet snow and everyone jumped.”Shiner! Now we’re all cold and wet!” Shiner grinned. It was the best snow day ever!






ALTERNATE ENDING:

Shiner followed the footprints into the field and looked around. There are only a few empty houses around and a small wooded area. Shiner knew they wouldn't go this far without a grown-up, so he started sniffing the air. He picked up the scent of cardinals, blue jays, and squirrels. He could also smell some old shoes and trash someone had dumped in the field, but no sign of Gavin and Olivia. Shiner wind really loudly and thought... Where could they be a?...

Meanwhile Gavin and Olivia had finally completed their snowbank filled with snowballs. “I can't wait until a Shiner sees this,” Gavin told his sister. “He's going to be so happy! Speaking of Shiner, where is he?” wondered Gavin. “I haven't seen him in a while. Do you know where you went?” Gavin and Olivia looked at each other and got worried. “It's not like Shiner to wander off by himself,”said Olivia. “Let's go look for him, he can't have traveled too far,'' said Gavin.

Gavin and Olivia left their snow bunker they had built and started to talk to the kids in the neighborhood. “Have you guys seen Shiner? Lindsey? Ellis? Have you seen him?”
“No we haven't,” replied Ellis.
“Olivia, where could he be?” wailed Gavin.
“let's keep looking” said Olivia

Gavin and Olivia started walking a little faster to find Shiner. They walked over to the Douglas house. “He's got to be here! I can see his footprints!” Gavin exclaimed. “Look,” said Olivia, “they're leading to the field, let's go.” Gavin and Olivia rushed off, following the footprints out to the field. ‘Why would Shiner wander off over here?” whispered Olivia “maybe he saw a squirrel or a lizard,” said Gavin. “Let's check it out.” Gavin started walking next to Shiner’s footprints and calling out his name. “Shiner? Shiner? Where are you, boy?” shouted Gavin.

While Gavin and Olivia were searching, Shiner had wandered far into the wooded area. He was really concerned about Gavin and Olivia. He knew that they wouldn't travel this far, but he had to check it out. “What if they're hurt?” He whispered to himself. he didn't really like the creepy Forest Area. There were a lot of smells he wasn't familiar with and there were snakes, spiders and other creatures that weren't so friendly to a dog detective.
Shiner sniffed the leaves and the snow but didn't catch a scent of his friends. “I knew they wouldn't be here.”

Shiner started to head back when all of a sudden he tripped and fell into a big hole in the ground. He landed with a thump. What is going on? What happened? Shiner started whining and crying. “How am I going to get out of this?” He thought Shiner laid down, closed his eyes and thought about his best friends and where they were. He was shivering from the cold and was really thirsty.
Suddenly, his ears perked up a bit. He could hear voices. He sat up and listened closely. I think someone is calling my name? Shiner heard a faint cry. “Shiner, where are you boy?” He started to whine and bark as loud as he could. “Rfff I'm down here!”

Gavin heard a faint barking noise. “Olivia did you hear that?”
“what?” Olivia said.
“listen.”
Gavin and Olivia listened closely and heard barking. “Shiner is that you? we’re coming! hurry Olivia hurry!”

Gavin and Olivia ran as fast as they could towards the barking noise. “Look over there! His footprints! I see them! Come on Olivia hurry.”
They ran to a stop and peered down into the big hole. “Shiner is that you?”
“Yes Gavin it's me rff rff. Help me! Help me!” Shiner yelled.
“We will get help for you, don't worry, we will find a way to help,'' shouted gavin.
“Olivia, stay with Shiner and I'll go get help!” Gavin ran off to find his mom and dad.

The snow made it difficult to run. He kept slipping and falling down. He finally made it home and burst through the front door. “Mom! Dad! help we need your help Shiner fell down in a big hole in the woods.”
“Gavin honey slow down. what's going on, what happened?”

Gavin struggled to catch his breath. “Shiner is stuck in a ditch in the forest. Olivia's with him right now we need to hurry.” Gavin's mom and dad started to gather supplies to help Shiner.

Back at the forest Olivia was trying to reassure Shiner. He was pacing back and forth and panting. “don't worry boy. it'll be okay. they'll be back soon,” Olivia shivered a bit. I hope they can get here soon. I'm so cold, she thought. Somewhere in the distance Shiner heard a honking noise. “Rff Rff, they're on their way.” Olivia looked around and didn't see anything. “ Shiner, there's no one here.”

“Yes I can hear them. I am saved!” A few minutes later Olivia saw her parents car and heard the honking. she jumped up and down for Joy
“Shiner help has arrived.”

“Rff Rff! I am down here! Help me get out!” Gavin and his parents climbed out of the car and looked down into the hole. “How are we going to get him out of there mom?” Gavin asked.
“Well, let’s see. I’ll just climb in there and haul him up to your mom. It shouldn't be too hard.” Their Dad had climbed down the hole and looked at Shiner. “Ok boy, you’re ok now. We’ve got you. I am gonna pick you up and haul you up outta here.” Shiner licked his hand and was so happy help had arrived. “Ok, here we go!” He picked Shiner up and lifted him in the air. Their mom grabbed him and hefted him out of the hole.

“Yay! Thanks Gavin! Thanks Olivia! THanks mom and dad!”
Shiner laid down on the ground and rolled around. “Alright, Shiner, let’s go home now! I think this is enough adventure for a snow day,” said Mom.

On the way back, Shiner sat between his best friends and thought to himself about how lucky he was. He snuggled on their lap and fell asleep. Gavin and Olivia looked at each other and smiled. Even though it was a little bit scary, they still loved a good SNOW day!