My First Brush with Danger

I was at the friends of the library store within the Mountain View library at the beginning of the summer. I saw a small book called The Writer's Block 186 Ideas to Jump Start your Imagination. I thought that it would be a good experience to write something on each of the topics so I could become a better writer. Below is my first writing from the book. It is the only one I've done so far, but I think that it will be a good thing to get me jump started whenever I can't think of anything to write on this blog.
Sometimes my life is not really that interesting.

My First Brush with Danger

My family was visiting my aunt and uncle and their two children. Along were my younger sister and my parents. I was maybe 9 years old. My cousin Alena was close to my age, a few years younger. Her sister Dora was close to the age of my younger sister, about 4 years old at the time.
Alena's family lived in a somewhat rural area of New Jersey. Their house had a big yard around it and neighbored other houses with large lots and one with lots of animals. We stared over the fence at the neighbor's yard and the horses and caged various types of animals. It reminded me of a documentary I saw once with animals having to be removed from a living situation because of neglect and abuse. I tried to look carefully to see if any of the animals looked thin or hungry or bruised. But couldn't see anything. Other than the cages. It seemed unnatural for animals to be in cages, when they have legs for running. The cages seemed small and the floors dirty. Maybe the animals looked sad and that made me think of the documentary.
I borrowed a bike of Alana's and she and I would bike on the gravel roads that comprised her neighborhood. She gave me warning one time before we started that there was a large barking dog that lived in a house that we would be passing. She said that if it started chasing us, make sure that she was okay and don't leave her behind.
I believe I have always been afraid of dogs. My mom said that once when I was twoish a large dog ran up to me and licked my entire face and I cried. Whenever I heard the jingling of a dog's collar, I would give a start and check my surroundings. My heart would race and my eyes widen as I got ready to run if necessary.
On this fateful bike ride, Alana and I were flying along the gravel road enjoying the breeze in our hair. I heard a barking noise and then it continued to get louder. I checked and saw a raggedy fence surrounding the lot and even though I saw no dog, I knew instinctively that if there were a dog it could jump that scrawny fence and overtake my small bicycle and myself with no problem. I panicked. I felt my legs going as fast as they could, my heart beating in my ears and my body sweating. Out of the corner of my fear I heard Alana, from far behind, calling my name. She was struggling to keep up with me. I completely ignored her and kept going as fast as I could to get by that house.
Later, she asked me why I left her. I am still ashamed, but realize that I would put my own safety in front of my companion's.