Kindle Vella is here! What is Kindle Vella? Short stories that are produced an episode at a time. When one of our authors writes one, we’ll share the links with you.

The first three episodes are always free. After that, Imagine…Life on a Chain by Tamira Thayne will cost mere pennies per episode! A new episode will come out every Thursday until the short story is done. And it WILL have a happy ending…because Imagine deserves that.

There are currently six episodes, with the seventh due to come out tomorrow.

The story is written for adults, but could be read by ages 12 and up.

In the year 2020, the worst global disaster in our lifetimes forced humans into confinement against their wishes. They didn’t deal with it well. They fought wearing masks, proven to save lives. Fought any perceived restrictions on their freedom.

One could argue that for the first time ever, humans at large got a small taste of what life is like for a dog on a chain. Dogs like Imagine, who couldn’t speak for himself. If only the humans knew what he was capable of…

Here’s a small taste of Episode One:

Imagine…Life on a Chain

Episode One

In the year 2020, the worst global disaster in our lifetimes forced humans into confinement against their wishes.

They didn’t deal with it well.

Doctors and scientists tried to educate the people, convince them it was for the greater good, and yet—even when faced with the very real possibility of death for stepping outside their doors—humans still did so in large numbers.

They fought wearing masks, proven to save lives.

Fought any perceived restrictions on their freedom.

One could argue that for the first time ever, humans at large got a small taste of what is a daily reality for a dog on a chain.

Dogs like Imagine, who couldn’t speak for himself…

…had no voice to say “no more.”

Shame, too. If only the humans had known what he was capable of, they may not have cast him aside so casually…

Based on a true story, Imagine could be any dog living a confined existence in America today. Each of these dogs is worthy, capable, and deserving of a home and loving family of their own.

And, yes, dare we say, freedom.

A Weird Smell

The dog awoke, feeling more uncomfortable than usual—which was saying something, given that he was chained to a dilapidated box the size of a grocery cart.

The world seemed off, the neighborhood quiet, even the woods behind him hushed . . . like everything waited . . .

He shifted uneasily, sniffed the air.

It was warm for March; the sun was just peeking over the far-off mountains, and he shivered as he crawled out of his doghouse to meet the dawn, memory of the recent cold snap making his bones ache.

He supposed he should be grateful for the promise of a warm day. As he slid into middle age, the winter months seemed longer and more unbearable with each passing year.

He shook his fur out the best he could, hoping for a little more insulation until the temperatures rose a few degrees.

He was a mutt, like so many of the forgotten. His fur was thick but on the shorter side, and his black and tan markings made him unremarkable. His floppy ears bespoke a Labrador heritage, while his coloring hinted at shepherd in the mix.

His eyes were kind, smart, knowing.

And sad.

So very, very sad….Read MORE here!