More than anything, Jared wanted to see the red disc go sailing over the grass so he could bound across the lawn on paws, rejoicing in the eternal chase. Sitting on his haunches, the teenager raised a hand and scratched as an itch behind his left ear.
Shaggy barked, repeating his question. "How about it?" His own dog enticed him. "You would have so much more fun."
Jared knew he shouldn't listen. He needed to get home to his brother, who was hard at work...
Shaggy grabbed the frisbee in his jaws and waved the red object back and forth. Jared's eyes locked onto the frisbee, thoughts of Kev, Wepwawet, and even baseball forgotten for the moment. He gave an enthusiastic "woof" to show his agreement when Shaggy asked him again.
An instant later, the green of the trees and blue of the overhead sky faded into a monotone gray for Jared. Even the frisbee, now back in his mouth where it belonged, no longer looked as vibrant.
"Give it to me, Shaggy." A hand reached down and grasped the edge of the frisbee. His nostrils sniffed a familiar scent and he looked up and saw his former self. The hand wrenched the prize from him just as two other humans caught up to them.
"Can I have that back now?" Billy, visibly upset at his friend's strange behavior.
"Yeah, what got into you?" Greg asked as he caught his breath after their dash through the park to catch up with their buddy who seemed to have lost his mind and his dignity when he absconded with their frisbee.
"I apologize," their friend said, tentative as he weighed words for response. "I am myself now."
On all four paws and given no attention, Jared whimpered at them. He recognized his friends, but they took no notice of him.
"I should take Shaggy home," the "new" Jared announced.
"Guess I'll see you at school Monday," Billy said.
"Yes, I will see you at the school."
Greg laughed, but Billy just shook his head. "Let's go," he told Greg.
The "new" Shaggy watched his buddies leave with the frisbee, which had been the whole point of agreeing to the swap. He knew he had been tricked, but his mind felt too foggy to ferret out how it had happened. While he tried to make sense of the unfair reversal, Jared reached down and re-attached the leash to the dog collar. "Time to go home, Shaggy," he said.
"Wait!" Shaggy barked in protest. "I've changed my mind. Switch us back."
Jared listened patiently and sighed before he spoke. "No take backs, boy," he replied, imitating something he had overheard a young boy telling another as he had wandered through the park earlier.
The childish response to his request floored the now reluctant sheepdog. Taking the stunned silence as acceptance, Jared tugged on the leash. "Let's go, boy," he said firmly.
With little choice, the sheepdog fell into line and followed Jared home.
He knew at home his young master waited for him and could help him. No, that wasn't right. Kev was his brother, not his master. He needed to keep everything straight in his brain, but it was so hard. Why had he listened to his deceitful, shifty dog? Man's best friend! Ha!