On this warm, sunny morning in July, Mason woke up to the birds chirping and the sun shining through the windows. There was a sweet smell of coffee lingering through the air, so he knew his mom was awake.

Jumping out of bed, Mason rushed to ask if he could go to the park today. This summer was the first summer he was allowed to walk to the park on his own, and over the last month of doing it, he'd became a pro. 

After getting permission from his mom, Mason quickly got himself ready and went into the kitchen to gather food for his trip. He decided on a bottle of water, a ham and cheese sub, an orange, and a cupcake for dessert.

Mason gave his mom a big hug and kiss before grabbing his lunchbox. He slipped his favorite shoes on and skipped out the door with a wide smile. He was now ready for the journey ahead!

The walk to the park was easy, and Mason really enjoyed it. He followed a strict routine while on the path; he kicked every pebble in his way, made sure not to step on any cracks, and hummed his favorite song.

On today's adventure, something unexpected happened. A small, gray puppy emerged from the bushes and approached Mason with caution and curiosity. The puppy sniffed the air around Mason's lunchbox, so Mason thought it might be hungry. He decided to offer the puppy water and half of his sub.

As Mason watched the puppy eat it's meal, he noticed it didn't have a collar. Realizing this means the puppy also didn't have a name, Mason decided to call him Bowser. The puppy wagged his tail and jumped up onto Mason's leg, clearly happy with his new name. 

Alongside his new friend, Mason continued his journey to the park. He thought about all the fun things they would do at the park together. Going down the slides, chasing butterflies in the field, and playing tag were a few of the many ideas he had. 

Suddenly, all of Mason's thoughts came to a halt. Nailed to a tree was a poster talking about a missing dog. On the poster was a photo of a puppy that looked very similar to Bowser. Mason knew Bowser was with the missing puppy, but he had only just met him and was excited for their time at the park. Deciding to ignore the poster, Mason continued on the path, Bowser following behind.