The Unfortunate Dog Life of Maxwell Foxhound (Proof Copy for Review)

Chapter Four: When Tangerine Gave Up

Apricot backed away and raced back into the shack, leaving Maxwell outside in the spring morning. The roads were busy and the sidewalks were full of people.

Everyone's working today, Maxwell thought. Of course, they are. It's a workday today. Monday, April third, 1967. Oh, it's already my birthday.

Maxwell was finally turning nine years old, but he felt as if he were older. His shaggy, matted fur was extremely dirty and drenched in water still. His eyes were constantly closing without him wanting them to.

"Maxwell?" Apricot shouted in an apologetic tone.

"What do you want?" Maxwell questioned.

Apricot walked up to poor Maxwell, who lay down in the dry dirt path, and sat next to him.

"I apologize for last night; I didn't mean what I said."

"Just because you apologized doesn't mean that I will forgive you."

"Look, I know that you've gone through a lot, especially with your parents and family."

Maxwell's eyes widened as he flashed back to that moment. Apricot's voice still spoke, but it was faint. He could hear his father's screams and cries and barks as the coyote chased him down until his father stumbled and fell, leaving himself to die. He had been hunting, and Maxwell was following him as his father taught him about hunting. The river beside the house and farm was rushing, and the coyote was crossing it when he smelled Maxwell's father.

"Go, son. Before you get hurt. I'll do it for you," his father said.

"No!" Maxwell screamed-cried.

His father nudged him with his head.

"I love you, Maxwell."

"Please, I can't go without you. I love you."

"You have to go. Run out of the ditch. Hurry!"

Maxwell ran off just seconds before his father was bitten to death.

Then came his mother, who was depressed and was constantly visiting the ditch where Maxwell's father was buried. She was visiting one day when she let herself be killed by the coyote. Maxwell watched from afar with tears in his eyes.

"Don't remind me!" present Maxwell yelled at Apricot. "It's all Tangerine's stupid fault that everything has gotten so bad for me. And you—"

"I'm trying to get rid of him, he's trying to 'be mine' as he says. I only want you," Apricot replied.

"And why would I love someone who betrayed me and made fun of me for my family?"

"I—"
"Apricot, you do not know how I feel. You do not know how it feels to be hurt so much," Maxwell snapped.

"Actually, I do," Apricot replied calmly. "My father died when I was three."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"But you see, now that you said all of that, apologizing doesn't make me want to forgive you."

"Guys?" Tangerine interjected.

"Stay out of this, Tangerine," Apricot mumbled, snarling at Maxwell. "You've already done enough."

"Apricot, Apricot. We've talked about this before," Tangerine said. "Breathe in"—he inhaled—"breathe out"—he exhaled—"Just like that." He separated the junction of Maxwell and Apricot's noses and their furious glares at each other. Then he looked into Apricot's eyes.

"Tangerine, I said, stay out of this," Apricot snarled.

"GO AWAY, TANGERINE!" Maxwell screamed at him.

"What makes you think that you can tell me what to do, stupid?" Tangerine retorted.

"The fact that I was taught how to hunt and that this Keeshond is mine."

"Maxwell—"

"Apricot, sweetie, go over there while Maxwell and I have a little talk." Tangerine stared creepily into Maxwell's eyes, smirking a vile smirk.

"No, Apricot. Stay here," Maxwell demanded.

"I will, Maxwell. And also, Tangerine, I hate you. You just used your tactic of guilt to get me to let you into my heart," Apricot said.

"Apricot, I thought—" Tangerine murmured.

"No. We are done. Shoo. Out."

Maxwell's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe it! Tangerine was finally gone after two months!

"Apricot, are you sure?" Maxwell inquired, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, Apricot, are you sure that you will let a poor, stray dog die?" Tangerine asked, mocking Maxwell in a way.

"Yes, if it's in the name of love and safety," Apricot retorted.

Tangerine backed away sadly, running and jumping over the fence. His fur swayed in the breeze and his ears drooped in melancholy.

"Apricot, I am so profoundly sorry," Maxwell apologized.

"It's alright. It's not your fault that he had to go; it's his fault," Apricot replied to Maxwell with a grin.

"You sure?"

"Of course, partner."

Maxwell's tail stuck straight up and wagged vivaciously, and his ears went up with excitement. His smile was large and he jumped around.

"Really!?" he exclaimed.

"Yes!" Apricot squealed.

Maxwell jumped around, landing on a rock, though he didn't seem to notice it quite yet.