Wild Calls: A Boy and His Dogs

Six years had passed since his parents’ divorce, and Bright Green had never seen his brothers again. Originally, there were three siblings in the family—Elliot Bennett, the eldest, and Theo Bennett, the second, had been given to their father. But the youngest, Bright, had followed their mother. Ever since they moved away, they had lost all contact. At first, they still spoke on the phone occasionally, but even that stopped after a while. A few years ago, Theo had heard that their little brother had even changed his last name, taking after their mother. He was no longer a “Green,” nor did he follow the family tradition of naming sons with “Elliot” and “Theo.” It was as if, apart from blood ties, they had no connection at all. Now, Theo had just finished his college entrance exams. After celebrating with friends, he returned home only to hear his father arguing on the phone. “Serena, our marriage is over, but Bright is still my son,” their father, Mr. Bennett, said firmly as he stood by the window, gripping his phone tightly. “Is there something wrong with me asking about my own child’s situation?” “He’s already eight years old, the right age to start elementary school, yet you’re still keeping him in your parents’ home? A remote mountain village can’t possibly compare to the education resources in A-City. Aren’t you working in A-City yourself?” On the other end of the line, Bright’s mother sounded just as frustrated. “Yes, I work in A-City, and you know very well that my job barely gives me any free time. I’m constantly traveling for business trips. Who would take care of him if he lived with me? Have you completely forgotten the reason we got divorced?” A career-focused father, a mother worn down by work and family responsibilities—an endless cycle of arguments that finally led to a divorce. Afterward, she welcomed an unexpected third child into her life. From then on, their marriage turned into a battlefield, filled with relentless blame and disputes. It only ended when they both signed the divorce papers. Serena took a deep breath and continued, “And let me remind you one last time, he is no longer ‘Bright Green.’ He took my last name and is now called Bright Lane.” “You don’t need to worry about his education. My parents were university professors. No matter how you look at it, keeping him with them is the best decision.” Mr. Bennett’s voice was cold. “The best decision would be putting him in a proper school. I don’t accept your excuse, and I can’t trust you to take care of him.” “Oh, let me guess. By ‘proper school,’ you mean throwing him into a boarding school or leaving him with a nanny?” Serena sneered. “I saw the news the other day—your company’s stock prices shot up. I forgot to congratulate you, Mr. CEO.” “I don’t want to argue with you anymore,” Mr. Bennett said, rubbing his temple in frustration. “I’m going to visit Bright soon. If his situation isn’t good, I’ll be taking him to B-City to attend school.” “Let’s just hope you actually go yourself this time. Last time, you were so busy you couldn’t even make it to his birth.” With that, she hung up. The call ended abruptly. Seeing his father’s dark expression, Theo poured a cup of tea and handed it over. “That was Mom on the phone, wasn’t it?” “Yes.” Mr. Bennett took a sip, his gaze still heavy with thought. “Tell your brother, Elliot, that we’re going to Evergreen Mountain in a few days to visit Bright.” “You still remember our little runt, don’t you?” “He must’ve grown a lot by now.” “But Elliot has exams coming up. He might not be able to take time off.” Theo glanced at the calendar. “His break isn’t for a while.” “We won’t wait for him. I’ll go see Bright first. In July, I have a major project coming up at the company, so I won’t have time later.” “Bright is old enough to start school. When we get there, try to convince Grandma and Grandpa to let him go. It’s important.” Theo knew their mother’s hometown was in Evergreen Mountain, a nationally protected forest reserve. It was a long and bumpy ride through the mountains. The road was rough, lined with endless trees. As Theo stared out the window, he started to understand why their father was so anxious. It was hard to imagine that anyone could receive a proper education in a place like this. After nearly five hours of driving, they finally reached their destination. Mr. Bennett checked his watch. It was almost 2 PM. He turned to Theo and said, “Take out the gift we brought for Bright. Get out first and give it to him—I’ll go park the car.” Theo nodded, grabbed the package, and stepped out. He had barely taken two steps when he heard a loud voice from inside the house. “Bright, get back here!” Grandma’s voice carried through the courtyard. “I told you we have guests today! You are NOT allowed to run off!” “Grandma, you said that yesterday too! But I already made plans with Alexander!” A child’s voice protested loudly. “And tonight’s dinner is fish, isn’t it? I’m going to the river to catch some!” “We already have a whole fish tank full! We don’t need more! You’re staying home to memorize The Ballad of a Long Song! I mean it!” From inside the house, the child’s voice didn’t stop. Instead, he started reciting loudly as he ran: “The green garden thrives, the morning dew lingers…” Then came a sharp whistle. “Alexander, let’s go!” “WOOF!” A massive shepherd dog dashed out of the garage, joining its small companion in a hasty retreat. Grandma, still at the door, was furious. “You LIED about not knowing the poem yesterday! Now tell me, who wrote it? What does it mean?” “I’ll tell you when I get back!” With that, the boy completely ignored the unfamiliar guests standing in the yard. Without looking back, he hopped onto the enormous dog’s back and disappeared into the mountains. Grandma was so mad she nearly fainted. By the time she recovered, Bright was long gone. Theo, still holding the unopened gift in his hands, hadn’t even gotten a good look at his brother’s face before he vanished. For a moment, Theo stood there in stunned silence. Then, he glanced down at the limited-edition LEGO set he had carefully chosen for Bright. He suddenly realized—he might have picked the wrong gift. In his imagination, his little brother was supposed to be cute and quiet, interested in puzzles and high-tech toys. Now, after seeing that wild figure galloping away on a fully-grown shepherd dog, he doubted Bright would ever sit still long enough to build anything out of LEGOs. Grandma sighed and turned to look at Theo. “Theo? Or is it Elliot?” “It’s Theo.” He smiled, setting down the gift and handing over the bag of supplements they brought for their grandparents. “Elliot has exams, so he’ll come later.” “I’m so happy you came.” Grandma patted his shoulder warmly. “You’ve grown so tall, just like your father.” “Bright looks a lot like his mom,” she added with a sigh. “But his personality… I have no idea who he takes after.” She waved them inside. “Come in, come in. It’s too hot outside. The house is much cooler. You must be tired after such a long trip.” As they entered, she glanced at Theo and asked, “So? Have you decided which university to attend?” The conversation about Bright’s education, however, would not be so easy.