Adventure in San Francisco: chapter 6

Mid afternoon came as everyone wandered the streets together. They were looking for Canary Square.

"Which way is to Canary Square?" David asked.

"Um, just follow your nose." Charlie replied.

"I bet you tried to run away from home when you were my age." David looked at Cherry.

"David, when I was your age, I was too worried about when my next meal was coming," Cherry sighed. "I was an orphan nobody wanted. Most of the time I wouldn't get too many meals, the best clothes and often lost chances to get a family. You should count your blessings you have a family."

"I told you, I'm not coming back."

Suddenly, they all heard a clank and turned to see Charlie lying down beside Sasha.

"Charlie, are you okay?" Itchy asked as Charlie looked slightly conscious.

"Boy, my ears are ringing..." Charlie babbled.

"He's okay." Cherry smiled.

"Yeah, you're right." Suddenly Itchy's ears perked up with Charlie's. "Wait a minute!"

"What is it, Itchy?" Cherry asked.

"Look Charlie, there it is!" Itchy turned his head as they all saw a guard walking with the golden heavenly horn.

"Go get it Itch, I'll stay here with Sasha." Charlie got up next to Sasha.

"Uh-uh," Itchy disagreed. "That's your job. I'll stay here with Sasha."

"Okay, I'll be back before you can say 'hallelujah'." Charlie took off his collar and handed it to Cherry. Everybody stayed behind while Charlie made his way into the police station.

"You were an orphan growing up, Cherry?" Sasha looked up at the young adult.

"Yeah," Cherry smiled sadly. "I was fine though, when I was 15 I met a great friend. And a few months later, that friend became my adoptive sister."

"Why wouldn't anybody want you?" David asked.

"I don't wanna talk about that." Cherry sharply exhaled.

The group then noticed Charlie was taking a rather long time. Charlie and Itchy couldn't tell anyone why they were really on Earth, it puzzled Cherry and Sasha.

"Itchy, where is he?" Sasha asked, growing impatient.

"Yeah, what's this all about?" Cherry added with her hands on her hips.

"Sorry, can't." Itchy replied. "My lips, see these lips right here? Well, mine are sealed."

"Itchy..." Sasha growled.

Suddenly Charlie appeared like magic. By now, everyone was used to it and wasn't too surprised anymore.

"Charlie!" Itchy cried and bit on Charlie's collar, pulling him away from Sasha, Cherry and David. "So, where's the horn?"

"Minor setback, Itch." Charlie replied. "We're just gonna have to bust it out."

"It? What it?" Cherry asked.

"Charlie! No!" Itchy's eyes widened, knowing that Charlie of all dogs would reveal a big top-secret such as this.

"Well..." Charlie began, but then Itchy bit him hard right on the tail.

"Charlie! Don't blow it!" Itchy growled as Charlie swiped his tail right back from his jaws.

"Sasha, there's this thing from Heaven called Gabriel's Horn," Cherry raked her fingers through her hair, looking at the Irish setter.

"CHERRY!" Itchy growled.

"Okay, here's the plan." Charlie gathered the group together.

The group entered the San Francisco Police Department. Charlie, Itchy and Sasha were on collars and leashes while Cherry and David posed as a blind couple. The disguise secret made Cherry feel a hint of déjà vu, remembering the days of the horse track with Anne-Marie and tricking people with bets and money.

"I don't think this is gonna work." Sasha said quietly as she and the others passed through some people.

"Charlie, this is stupid!" Cherry grunted under her breath. "I'm just gonna wind up getting hurt or humiliated, I know it."

"Just trust me, Squeaker the First." Charlie told her. "Nothing will go wrong."

The group entered the police station and there was a big scary black dog with a muzzle on his mouth, growling deathly at Itchy. Poor Itchy jumped up in fright and ran all around, even at an officer's desk which made him very angry. Cherry had Charlie's leash which was tied around her arm and Charlie ran while Cherry spiraled unwillingly and nearly got injured.

"Uh oh!" Charlie cried as Cherry growled at him and unhooked the leash. "Plan B, guys!"

David opened the door to a bunch of officers at their cubicles and offices. "Donuts! Fresh off the truck!" he called out.

All of the previously busy police officers snapped to attention and rushed out to get their 'donuts'. Cherry rolled her eyes as most of them vanished quickly. There was one officer still at her desk though and she had a framed picture at her desk as she watched everyone else leave. Charlie, Itchy, Sasha, Cherry and David rushed quickly by the water cooler and a tubby cop was angered and ready to capture the stray dogs. He had the keys to the gate where Gabriel's Horn was in.

Itchy got the cop to slam against the water cooler and it landed on top of his head and appeared to be stuck. Cherry couldn't help but laugh, even though his downfall caused the fire alarm to go off. Sasha bit his pants, tossed the keys to Cherry and Cherry tossed the keys to David.

David grabbed the keys as he ran and knocked another cop down by the doors. "Oops! Sorry officer!" David smiled, looking completely not sorry.

"Aha! We got you!" an older, skinny cop pointed to David.

"Alright kid, give us the keys." the tubby cop with the water cooler over his head demanded with his hand out.

"Nothing up my sleeve, sir." David said slyly, then slammed handcuffs on the cops together. "Officer! What's that behind your ear?" David took the keys from "behind the cop's ear" and bowed like a loyal magician. "Thank you! You've been a great audience!" David ran as the cops chased him and they fell right down.

Cherry rushed off to meet the others, but then the cop woman she had seen earlier, accidentally knocked down over her.

"Sorry miss." Cherry apologized.

"That's alright..." the cop woman got up and organized her papers.

Cherry then took her framed picture and saw that it was a picture of David. Cherry's eyes widened as she helped herself up and was in shock.

"Ma'am?" the cop woman asked her. "Do you recognize that little boy?"

"Ummm..." Cherry hesitated as David rushed by.

"David?" the cop woman noticed him as he ran with Charlie, Itchy and Sasha. "Oh my gosh! David!"

"David, come back! That woman's looking for you! Your family probably called her!" Cherry rushed with him.

"I'm not going back to Dad and that lady!" David snarled.

"Move! Move!" Charlie cried.

They all made it out of the Police Department and they spotted a scooter. David jumped on to control it and everyone else got on. Itchy was scampering by and Cherry carried him tight and securely.

"Stop that kid!" the cop woman yelled.

"Kick it, Charlie!" David yelled.

Charlie somehow started the scooter on his own as everyone rode on. They all rode and this was a seriously crazy police chase. Cherry had to admit, ever since she knew Charlie and Itchy her life had been better in the past, but now in the present and future it was mass chaos.

"I'm gonna barf!" Itchy moaned.

"WHOOHOO!" Charlie laughed wildly.

"I assume somebody's having fun around here." Cherry narrowed her eyes at Charlie.

Carface was on skateboard and chasing everyone. Cherry felt a hint of déjà vu once again, seeing Carface being vengeful after Charlie and Itchy. This was a seemingly normal business trip for Cherry, but it became a life changing adventure with her childhood friends. There was a lot of swerving and madness.

"I thought guardian angels were supposed to protect people!" Sasha cried.

"Hey!" Charlie sneered at her. "It's my first day on the job!"

Eventually it was all over. The cop woman had hit a fire hydrant and an air bag blew up on her. Poor woman. Charlie, Itchy, Sasha, David and Cherry were free and on their way out of sight with the horn.

"Finally got a vacation from work, huh Cherry?" Charlie joked.

"I'm gonna get you for this Charlie Barkin." Cherry hissed.