A heartfelt pet story about childhood grief, and the healing power of cherished memories between an 11-year-old girl and her beloved border collie.
Scene 1: Lizaโs bedroom – Early morning
Eleven-year-old Liza Montgomery wakes up in her bedroom in Oakridge, a small midwestern town where everyone knows each other. Her hand reaches down to the empty dog bed – a habit she hasn’t broken yet. It’s been three days since Martha, her brown and white border collie, went to the vet and didn’t come home.
The room feels too quiet without Martha’s soft breathing. On Liza’s nightstand sits a framed photo of her and Martha from last summer, both smiling at the camera, Martha’s tongue hanging happily to one side. Liza turns the frame facedown. It hurts too much to look at it.
Scene 2: The Empty House
Liza goes through her morning routine, but everything feels wrong. No Martha waiting by her bedroom door. No Martha dancing excitedly by the back door for her morning walk. No Martha sitting patiently while Liza eats breakfast, hoping for a dropped crumb.
Mom and Dad exchange worried glances across the kitchen table. They’ve tried to talk to Liza about Martha, but she keeps shutting down the conversation. Today, Mom announces that Grandma is coming for a visit this weekend. Normally this would excite Liza, but she just nods and pushes her cereal around in her bowl.
At school, Liza goes through the motions. Her teacher, Ms. Rivera, notices her sadness and gives Liza’s shoulder a gentle squeeze during reading time. “I’m here if you want to talk,” she whispers, but Liza just shakes her head.
Scene 3: Flashback – Six years ago – the day they met
Five-year-old Liza is visiting the animal shelter with her parents. They walk past many dogs, but then Liza spots a small brown and white puppy with bright eyes. “That one,” she says without hesitation.
When they put the puppy in Liza’s arms, the little border collie licks her face and snuggles against her chest. “She picked me,” Liza tells her parents with absolute certainty.
Dad asks what she wants to name her new friend. Liza thinks of her favorite book character, Martha from “Martha Speaks,” and the name feels perfect. On the drive home, puppy Martha falls asleep in Liza’s lap, and Liza promises to love her forever.
Scene 4: the backyard tree – After school
After school, Liza wanders into the backyard and sits under the big oak tree where she and Martha used to play. Her hand absently strokes the grass where Martha would lie beside her during summer reading sessions.
Dad comes outside and sits next to Liza. Instead of trying to make her talk, he just sits quietly with her. Finally, Liza speaks.
“I miss her so much it hurts inside.”
Dad puts his arm around her. “I know, sweetheart. That pain is real. It’s all the love you have for Martha that doesn’t know where to go now.”
“Will it always hurt this much?”
“No,” Dad says gently. “It won’t always feel this sharp. But Martha will always be important.”
As they sit there, Liza remembers something special about Martha.
Scene 5: Flashback – Two years ago – The Thunderstorm Protection
A terrible thunderstorm hits Oakridge. Nine-year-old Liza is terrified of the booming thunder and the way lightning makes shadows dance on her walls.
Martha, usually afraid of storms herself, jumps onto Liza’s bed and curls beside her. Each time thunder crashes, Martha presses closer to Liza, as if saying, “I’m scared too, but we’re braver together.”
By morning, the storm has passed, and Liza realizes she slept through most of it with Martha as her guardian. From that night on, storms aren’t so scary anymore – Martha taught her about being brave even when you’re afraid.
Scene 6: the Memory Box – Evening
When Grandma arrives for her visit, she brings something special – a wooden box with paw prints carved on the lid. “A memory box,” she explains to Liza. “For keeping Martha’s special things.”
Liza is hesitant at first, but Grandma doesn’t push. She leaves the box on Liza’s desk. That night, Liza opens the box and touches its smooth interior. Slowly, she places Martha’s collar inside. It still has the heart-shaped tag with Martha’s name and their phone number.
As she holds the collar, another memory surfaces.
Scene 7: Flashback – Last summer – The Creek Rescue
Liza and her friends are exploring the creek behind their neighborhood. Liza slips on a mossy rock and falls into the water. The current isn’t strong, but the surprise of falling makes Liza panic and splash wildly.
Martha, who has been running along the bank, immediately jumps in. She swims to Liza and nudges her toward the shore, giving Liza something to hold onto. With Martha’s help, Liza makes it back to land.
That night, Martha gets extra treats and endless pets. “My hero,” Liza tells her, and Martha’s tail wags like she understands every word.
Scene 8: Lizaโs bedroom – Night
After putting the collar in the memory box, Liza finds herself taking out her sketchbook. She hasn’t drawn anything since Martha got sick, but now her pencil moves across the paper, drawing Martha’s expressive face from memory.
As she draws, tears fall onto the paper, but she doesn’t stop. She draws Martha running through the backyard, Martha catching frisbees, Martha sleeping in a patch of sunlight. Each drawing brings back another moment they shared.
While drawing, Liza remembers her final memory with Martha.
Scene 9: Flashback – One week ago – The Last Day
Martha hasn’t been feeling well and her steps are slower. She hasn’t been eating well either, and Mom and Dad exchange worried looks when they think Liza isn’t watching.
On this day, Martha seems especially tired. Liza sits on the floor beside her dog bed, gently stroking Martha’s fur. “Remember when you taught me how to be brave during storms?” she whispers. “I’ll try to be brave like you.”
Martha musters the energy to lick Liza’s hand and puts her head in Liza’s lap. They sit together for hours, Liza telling Martha stories about their adventures together.
The next morning, Dad carries Martha to the car for their vet appointment. Martha gives Liza one last look, and somehow, Liza knows it’s goodbye. “I love you, Martha,” she says, her voice breaking.
Scene 10: Backyard – The Memorial
The family gathers in the backyard under the oak tree. Liza has decided she wants to plant flowers for Martha – bright, colorful ones that will come back every spring. Grandma brings special seeds that attract butterflies.
As they dig in the soft earth, Liza shares her memories of Martha with her family. Each story makes her smile a little more, even through her tears. Dad brings out Martha’s paw prints that Liza made in second grade, set in clay and dried. They place it in the center of the flower garden.
Mom gives Liza a small garden stone they had made, with Martha’s name and “Forever Loved” engraved on it. Liza places it carefully beside the paw prints.
Closing scene: Lizaโs bedroom – That night
Back in her room, Liza adds her drawings to the memory box, along with Martha’s favorite squeaky toy and a tuft of fur Mom had saved from Martha’s brush. The box isn’t to hide away the pain but to keep Martha’s memory safe.
She puts the photo back up on her nightstand, looking at Martha’s happy face and remembering her dad’s words about the pain being love with nowhere to go. But now she understands – her love for Martha has somewhere to go. It goes into memories, into stories, into the flowers that will bloom in spring.
As she falls asleep, Liza imagines Martha running free in a beautiful meadow, young and healthy again. For the first time since losing Martha, her heart feels a little lighter.
“Goodnight, Martha,” she whispers. “I’ll always remember you.”
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