The Pug Who Wanted to Be a Unicorn Read online

  “I’m not sure we’re ready for that yet,” said the mum.

  “Me look at doggies!” cried the little girl in the stroller.

  The family peered through the fence, and dogs clamored around them.

  “That one’s almost as big as Baxter was,” said the boy, pointing to the mastiff. The big dog growled menacingly.

  “But Baxter was gentle,” said the girl in the unicorn T-shirt, her eyes filling with tears.

  She really misses Baxter, thought Peggy. She stuck her nose through a gap in the fence and licked the girl’s hand, trying to cheer her up.

  “That tickles,” the girl said, giggling. She stroked Peggy’s head through the fence. Peggy was happy to see her smiling.

  “Would you consider fostering a dog?” asked Doreen. “We’re full to capacity at the moment. We don’t even have space for little Peggy here.”

  “Hmm. Maybe that’s not a bad idea,” said the dad. “It might help us decide whether we’re ready for another dog.”

  “If you took Peggy home over Christmas, it would really help us out,” said the lady. “You’re experienced dog owners, and she seems to have bonded with your daughter already.”

  “What do you think, kids?” asked the mum. “Ruby?”

  The little girl in the stroller kicked her legs and squealed, “Doggie!”

  “What about you, Chloe?”

  The girl in the unicorn T-shirt nodded.

  “Finn?” asked the mum.

  The teenage boy frowned. “Pugs are too small. They aren’t proper dogs.”

  “But she’s so cute,” said his sister Chloe.

  Please say yes, thought Peggy.

  Eventually, the boy shrugged. “I guess it’s okay—if it’s only for Christmas.”

  Yippee! thought Peggy, her corkscrew tail waggling.

  “This is your big chance,” said Mavis. “Don’t mess it up.”

  “I won’t!” barked Peggy.

  She had a new home for Christmas. And if she was a very good dog, maybe she’d be able to stay forever!

  Chapter Three

  “Welcome to our home, Peggy,” said Mum, setting Peggy down in the hallway.

  Peggy took a few steps forward and sniffed the air. Suzanne’s apartment had smelled of flowery perfume, cleaning fluid, and kitty litter. This house smelled like muddy sneakers, homemade soup, and crayons. Perfect! thought Peggy, inhaling deeply. It smelled exactly like a home should smell.

  It’s not your home yet, she reminded herself. It’s just for Christmas. She knew that if this family decided that they didn’t like her, she’d be going straight back to the dog shelter.

  “Right, we’d better get dinner started,” Dad said.

  “Can we have spaghetti tonight?” asked Finn.

  “If you kids help,” said Mum.

  The children followed their parents into the kitchen. Ruby sat in her high chair, coloring, while the two older children set about chopping vegetables. As Mum made a salad, Dad stirred a pot on the stove. Soon, the house started to smell even more delicious. Peggy sat on the kitchen floor, licking her lips as she watched them cook.

  “Don’t forget to add these, Dad!” said Chloe. She carried a chopping board over to her father and—WHOOPS!—tripped over Peggy. Sliced carrots spilled all over the floor.

  CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! As quick as a flash, Peggy gobbled up the pieces of carrot.

  “Thanks for cleaning up, Peggy,” said Dad, chuckling. “I can see you’re going to be a big help around here.”

  “Look, kids,” said Mum, laughing. “Peggy’s setting a good example by eating up her vegetables.”

  Finn made a face. “That’s about all she’s good for.”

  Mum opened the refrigerator and took out a carton of milk. “Remember the time we had a picnic and Baxter ate all the sandwiches?”

  “And when Baxter ate my whole birthday cake and we had to take him to the vet?” said Chloe.

  “Baxter was awesome,” said Finn. He looked down at Peggy, unimpressed. “Big dogs are way more fun than little dogs.”

  “Ignore him,” Chloe told Peggy. “Little dogs are fun, too.”

  Baxter was lucky to have had a family who loved him so much, thought Peggy. She gazed at the pictures stuck on the refrigerator. Baxter was in almost all of them. One showed Finn hugging an enormous St. Bernard. Another picture showed Chloe as a toddler, riding the huge dog like a horse. There was one of Ruby as a baby, napping on a blanket next to Baxter.

  Peggy wondered if they could ever love another dog as much as they had loved Baxter. Suddenly, she felt sad.

  “Dinner’s ready!” announced Dad, carrying a big bowl of spaghetti to the table.

  “What’s Peggy going to eat?” asked Chloe.

  “I cooked some hamburger for her,” said Mum. She set down an enormous dog bowl filled with tasty meat. Peggy ran over and started gobbling it up.

  “We’ll need to get her a new bowl,” said Chloe, giggling. “Baxter’s old one is too big for her.”

  “We can pick one up when we go shopping tomorrow,” said Mum.

  “Are we getting our Christmas tree?” asked Chloe.

  “Yes,” said Dad. “And maybe we can visit Santa Claus, too.”

  “Santa!” cried Ruby, banging her spoon on her tray.

  “I’ve still got some Christmas gifts to buy,” said Finn.

  “Are you getting one for your girlfriend?” Chloe teased Finn.

  “Jasmine’s NOT my girlfriend,” Finn said, his cheeks turning red. “She’s just the singer in my band.” He flicked a forkful of spaghetti at his sister, but it missed and landed on Peggy’s head.

  Chloe giggled. “It looks like Peggy’s wearing a wig.”

  Everyone laughed—except Finn.

  SLURP! The spaghetti slid off Peggy’s head and into her mouth. There was a little bathtub in the kitchen so Peggy waded in to clean herself off. She paddled about in the water, splashing it everywhere.

  “Peggy’s having a bath!” said Chloe, smiling.

  “In Baxter’s water bowl!” Dad chuckled.

  “Silly doggie!” laughed Ruby.

  Finn just rolled his eyes.

  “I guess we need to get her a new water bowl, too,” said Chloe.

  “Speaking of baths…,” said Mum, giving Ruby’s sauce-smeared face a wipe with a napkin. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

  Mum carried Ruby upstairs, followed by Finn, who said he wanted to work on a new song.

  “Where’s Peggy going to sleep tonight?” asked Chloe as she helped her father clear the table.

  “We should let her decide,” said Dad.

  “Come on,” Chloe said, picking Peggy up. “Let’s give you the grand tour.” She carried Peggy upstairs and set her down on the landing. Peggy peeked into a room with posters of rock bands plastered on the walls and piles of dirty clothes scattered all over the floor.

  “Who said you and that mutt could come into my room?” demanded Finn, glaring at Chloe and Peggy.

  “I’m just showing Peggy around,” Chloe said. She wrinkled her nose. “Not that she’d want to sleep in your stinky old room.”

  “Baxter liked it in here,” said Finn, scowling.

  Peggy sniffed at the clothes on the floor, wondering if they might make a cozy bed. There was even a half-eaten pizza under the bed! Perfect for a midnight snack, thought Peggy.

  She saw a wooden stick on the floor and started chewing it.

  “Oi! That’s my drumstick!” said Finn, snatching it away from Peggy. Then—

  BOOM! CRASH! BOOM!

  He started pounding on a drum kit.

  Maybe not! thought Peggy, her ears ringing. She darted out of Finn’s bedroom. She was pretty sure he didn’t want her sleeping in his room, anyway.

  Ah! Peggy thought, going into the next room along. This was much better. There were toys everywhere—hard, plastic ones and soft, cuddly ones. All just perfect for a puppy to chew on! Peggy started to gnaw on a teddy bear. But then—
/>   “Peggy!” shrieked Ruby, running into her bedroom in her pajamas. The toddler picked Peggy up and squeezed her so tight, she could barely breathe.

  Yikes, thought Peggy, wriggling free of Ruby’s grasp. She thinks I’m a cuddly toy.

  “And this is my room,” said Chloe, opening the next door along.

  Wow! thought Peggy, gazing around in awe. The lamp had a Sparkalina lampshade. The walls were covered with pictures of flying unicorns. And there was a fluffy rug right by a bed with a bright pink Sparkalina duvet cover.

  “Story?” asked Ruby, toddling into her sister’s room holding a picture book.

  “Okay,” said Chloe. She and Ruby snuggled up together. “Come and join us, Peggy,” called Chloe, patting the bed.

  Really? thought Peggy, amazed. Suzanne had never let Peggy on her bed. She didn’t want to get dog hair on her expensive sheets.

  Peggy climbed up onto the bed and squeezed in between the two girls. Chloe opened the book and began to read a story about Sparkalina while Ruby stroked Peggy’s back. Peggy hadn’t felt this comfy since she’d left her mum.

  “ ‘You can be anything you want to be,’ ” read Chloe, “ ‘as long as you believe in yourself.’ ” She shut the book. “ ‘The end.’ ”

  “Me want a noonicorn,” said Ruby, yawning and rubbing her eyes sleepily.

  “Me too,” said Chloe, kissing her little sister’s head. “That would be so amazing.”

  Oh dear, thought Peggy sadly. It wasn’t just Finn who didn’t want Peggy for a pet. The girls didn’t want a pug, either. They wanted a unicorn!

  Suddenly, she remembered what Sparkalina had said in the story. I can be anything I want to be, thought Peggy, so I’ll be a unicorn!

  If she could find a way to become like Sparkalina, she could stay with Chloe and her family forever!

  Chapter Four

  “Walkies, Peggy!” called Chloe the next morning, holding up a lead.

  Peggy hung back, eyeing the lead suspiciously. She didn’t want to get her hopes up. The last time she’d thought she was going on a walk, she had ended up at the dog shelter!

  But Chloe smiled and clipped on the lead. “It will be fun. We’re going shopping.”

  Mum buckled Ruby into her stroller. Then the family headed out, bundled up in coats, scarves, and woolly hats. The winter air was crisp, but Peggy’s fur kept her toasty warm as she trotted obediently at Chloe’s heel.

  In the town center, the sidewalks were crowded with people doing their Christmas shopping. Big, clompy feet hurried past Peggy, narrowly missing her little paws. Frightened, Peggy huddled close to Chloe’s legs. She didn’t want to get trodden on!

  “Peggy’s scared,” said Chloe. She picked Peggy up and plopped her onto her little sister’s lap.

  This is more like it! thought Peggy as she sat on Ruby’s lap, watching the crowds of shoppers whizz past.

  “Let’s go in here first,” said Mum, entering the pet shop.

  Cool! thought Peggy, gazing longingly at the shelves of squeaky toys and tasty-looking bones. The shop sold everything a pet owner could possibly need—from birdseed and bones, to brushes and beds.

  While Mum chose packets of dog food, Chloe held up a small red food bowl and a matching water bowl. “What do you think, Peggy?”

  Peggy wagged her curly tail. They were just the right size for her!

  “We’ve got to get this,” said Chloe, holding up a squeaky toy shaped like a turkey leg.

  “Why?” asked Mum.

  “Because it’s a drumstick,” said Chloe. “Get it?”

  The rest of the family groaned at Chloe’s cheesy joke, but Mum popped the toy into the basket.

  Peggy felt so happy, she thought her heart might burst. It was so nice to feel like part of a family. I could get used to this.…

  When they stepped out of the pet shop, Chloe pointed to the clothing store across the street. A girl with long, dark hair was coming out of it, holding a shopping bag. “Look, Finn,” said Chloe. “It’s Jasmine.”

  “Stop pointing,” hissed Finn, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

  “Finn has a crush on Jasmine,” Chloe whispered loudly.

  “No, I don’t!” said Finn, turning even redder.

  The girl caught sight of them and waved. She crossed the street to join them.

  “Is this your dog?” she asked Finn.

  “No,” said Finn. “I mean, sort of. Just for Christmas.”

  “OMG,” cooed Jasmine. She crouched down to stroke Peggy. “She’s, like, the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  Peggy licked Jasmine’s face. She could see why Finn liked her.

  “I guess so,” said Finn, shrugging. “If you like little dogs with squashed faces.”

  Finn and Jasmine went to get hot chocolates, and Dad rushed off to buy some Christmas tree lights.

  “I’m just going to buy some wrapping paper,” Mum told Chloe. “You wait here with Ruby and Peggy.”

  Chloe pushed the stroller to the toyshop window. Peggy’s eyes widened as she saw the display. It was full of Sparkalina toys! There was a unicorn with wings that really flapped, Sparkalina’s pink plastic play stable, and a styling head with a horn that lit up and a long, glittery mane to plait.

  “Noonicorns!” cried Ruby.

  Wow, thought Peggy, pressing her damp black nose against the window.

  “I want one exactly like that,” said Chloe, pointing to the toy with wings.

  A television screen inside the shop was playing an advertisement. A little girl sang a jingle as she brushed a Sparkalina toy’s tail:

  I can brush her mane and braid her hair,

  Flap her wings and she flies through the air.

  Her magic horn really glows with light,

  Never has a unicorn shone so bright!

  No wonder Chloe wants a unicorn, thought Peggy. Unicorns could fly and do magic. Pugs couldn’t do anything cool like that.

  Mum hurried back holding several rolls of wrapping paper. “Shall we go and see Santa Claus now?” she said. “The line’s not too long.”

  Chloe wheeled her little sister—and Peggy—to Santa’s place. It was a wooden hut in the middle of the shopping center, decorated with sparkly fake snow. Inside it, a man with a white beard and a red suit sat on a big armchair with a sack of toys next to him. Peggy recognized him instantly.

  “That’s the man from the newspaper!” she barked excitedly.

  “Aw,” said Chloe. “Peggy wants to visit Santa, too.”

  First Ruby went to see Santa, holding her mum’s hand. She came back grinning and clutching a gingerbread man. When it was Chloe’s turn, she picked Peggy up and went inside the hut.

  “Ho, ho, ho!” chuckled Santa. “Have you been good this year?”

  “Yes,” said Chloe. “Well, mostly.”

  “And what do you want for Christmas?” Santa asked her.

  “A unicorn with wings that can fly,” said Chloe. “And…” She hesitated, then whispered something into Santa’s ear.

  “And what do you want, little doggie?” asked Santa, smiling.

  “I want to be a unicorn with wings,” barked Peggy. “So I can stay with Chloe forever.”

  “I think the puppy wants a bone,” said Santa, patting Peggy on the head.

  “No!” yelped Peggy. “That’s not what I said!”

  “Happy Christmas,” said Santa, giving Chloe a gingerbread man.

  “Can we get our Christmas tree now?” Chloe asked her mum when they were back outside.

  Leaving the shopping center, they walked to a place selling Christmas trees and wreaths. Dad and Finn were waiting for them there.

  “Out!” cried Ruby, kicking her legs. Mum unclipped the harness and let Ruby out of the stroller.

  Peggy sniffed the pine-scented air. It smelled just like being in the woods! There were rows and rows of trees, but no one could decide which one was best.

  “I want this one,” said Finn, pointing to an enormous tree.


  “Too tall,” said Mum, shaking her head. “Our ceilings aren’t high enough.”

  “This one’s pretty,” said Chloe.

  “Hmm,” said Dad, scratching his chin. “I think the trunk is a bit crooked.”

  “Which one do you like, Ruby?” asked Mum. There was no answer. “Ruby!” Mum called, looking around in alarm.

  Ruby had vanished!

  Mum and Dad sprinted off in opposite directions. Finn crawled around on the ground, searching for Ruby under the trees. Chloe dropped Peggy’s lead and ran off, calling her sister’s name.

  Nobody noticed the trail of gingerbread crumbs on the ground. Nobody, that is, except for Peggy.…

  Gobbling up the tasty crumbs, Peggy followed the trail until she found Ruby. The little girl was happily munching her gingerbread man under a Christmas tree.

  WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

  Peggy barked as loud as she could to alert the others.

  Everyone ran over. “Oh my goodness,” Mum gasped, hugging Ruby. “You gave us all such a fright.”

  “You mustn’t wander off like that,” Dad scolded her.

  “Peggy’s a star!” said Chloe, picking her up.

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” said Finn. “But at least she found us a Christmas tree.”

  Everyone looked at the tree Ruby had been sitting underneath. It was tall, but not too tall. It was straight and full, its pine needles glossy and dark green.

  “It’s perfect,” said Mum, smiling.

  “Just like you!” said Chloe, kissing the top of Peggy’s head.

  They paid for the Christmas tree at a little wooden hut, and a man wrapped it up in plastic netting. Then Dad and Finn hoisted the tree onto their shoulders.

  “Me help too!” cried Ruby.

  “You can help by holding Peggy,” said Mum, buckling Ruby into her stroller.

  Chloe carefully placed Peggy on her little sister’s lap, and they began to walk home for lunch.

  Dad started whistling a Christmas carol, and soon the whole family was singing along. Peggy let out a happy yip.