• "Oh, what's wrong, sweetie?" I said, sitting down next to my collie, Ava, who was lying on the couch, crying.

    Gently, I stroked her back and she rested her head on my leg.

    I'd had Ava for thirteen years. She was my best friend. I loved her a lot, but now that she was getting old, I was pretty worried about her health, especially since she seemed to be crying all the time... And really, since my husband had passed away the previous year, Ava was all I had.

    I was an orphan, and I'd had to move away from all my family to a foster family. I liked it in the area so much that I'd never left.

    I leant down and gave her a kiss, before standing up off the couch and walking to my room to go to bed.

    * * *


    The next morning, the sky was dull and grey.

    I made breakfast for Ava - Weetbix with milk, honey, and special yoghurt - but she didn't go near it. Just like every morning and evening.

    Watching my best friend starve made tears well in my eyes. I couldn't bear it.

    So I put Ava in the front of the car and took her to the vet.

    * * *


    I was sitting in the waiting room of the vet, reading the magazine I had just read three times, waiting for the doctor to come out of the room.

    Finally, I heard the door open and the doctor came out.

    Straight away, I threw the magazine down on the small coffee table and hopped up from my chair, a hopeful expression on my face.

    But the doctor did not look happy. In fact, he looked pained.

    Any faith I had in him faded immediately as I realized that Ava was not going to be okay.

    My eyes filled with tears as he told me that Ava had a tumour of cancer in her stomach, that it had opened up and bled throughout her body.

    He told me that there was nothing they could do to help her; that the dog I'd had for thirteen years had to be put down.

    The tears spilled over and rolled down my cheeks and the doctor gave me a sympathetic look.

    I followed him into the room, where I said my last goodbyes to my best friend. When I was ready, I gave him permission to give Ava the injection.

    He pushed the needle into her skin. I cried hysterically as I watched her eyes slowly closing, as my best friend passed into death.

    I never forgot Ava.
    The first day I got her from the airport, how calm she was.
    How quickly we became friends.
    Her gorgeous colouring.
    Her beautiful nature.

    I loved Ava to death.