The Calm Before the Storm

Sick as a dog?

My deep slumber was interrupted by something stepping on my chest, I jolted up with a start. I blinked back all my sleep and confusion, the world was blurry. I reached up on my shelf and grabbed my glasses. I put them onto my face and right there in front of my visions was my black cat Sadies.

"Did you have to wake me up?" I asked

Sadies meowed and butted her head against my face in response, trying to get my attention to pet her.

I petted her, silently stroking her silky fur for what seemed like hours. I grabbed my cell phone to check the time.

'10:15, ugh' I thought as I slowly got put of my bed. I pulled on my gray sweats, and a plain yellow shirt. I pulled on black socks and threw on my black running shoes. I went into the kitchen after getting dressed and grabbed a bottle of water. I pulled my short hair back into pigtails and threw my contacts into my still tired hazel eyes. Once I returned to my room, my cat sitting on my bed, watching me silently, meowing every now and then to let me know she was still in there.

I stared into my full body mirror and saw some stray hairs coming out every way, they were dealt with a pink hair band. I didnt look at my eyes though, I just couldnt see the pain I knew I felt.

I grabbed my Ipod and the running sleeve the Ipodgoes inside that attaches to my arm. I texted my mom that I Was going to go running, I grabbed my purse and my keys from the basket in the foyer as well a leather leash from the coat hanger attached to the wall next to the desk, and walked out the red door that squealed every time it opened.

I opened the door to my truck and threw my stuff across, into the passenger seat. I closed my door, leash in hand and headed to the fence right next to my house and attached to our garage.

I kicked open the gate after unlocking the number lock. Four dogs came running and barked their little hearts out at me, tails wagging.

"Guys! Shut up!" I yelled at them, their constant barking getting on my last nerve.

They all jumped at me, wanting attention. There was a little tan Chiworkie (Chihuahua, Dauchan (Weenie), and Yorkie all rolled into one little cute thing) named Huni, my moms dog. A white and brown basset hound names Marley, my sisters dog. A brown mutt that was clearly part German Shepard named Rockeo, also my sisters. Then there was my dog. She was HUGE, black with speckles of white, red, and brown, white on her paws and on her underbelly. She was CLEARLY part Lab and what we all knew to be Great Dane....or was it Mastiff?

This big horse of a dog ran funny, she kinda galloped and it was always a hilarious sight. She was dominant over all the other dogs, she loved me, she was Pepperika or Pepper for short, with the occasional Pepperanne from my parents.

I clipped her leash on and shut the gate after us, clicking the lock back in place. We jogged over to the truck, the other dogs depressingly wagging their tails in farewell, whining at us.

I loaded Pepper in the back of my truck, she willingly jumped into the back. I took off the leash and closed the tailgate behind her. I climbed into my big yellow truck, Pepper excitingly pressing her face against the window, fogging it up. I turned on the engine, startling Pepper. I yelled at her to move over so I could see as I was backing out.

The music from last night started right where I shut it off at. I turned off the C.D player and backed out of the driveway, drove forn the street, and belted down the highway.

It took a few measly minutes to get to the track. The track resided next to the high school and since I lived in town, I was a few minutes from everywhere and hours from anywhere.

We pulled into the school parking lot, Pepper was having trouble standing up on her long awkward legs, her tail wagging and she occasionally panted and slobbered as she tried to regain her balance. After I parked my truck in a space next in front of the track gate, I just sat there for a few minutes and placed my forehead onto the steering wheel. Everything crashed through my mind as my breathing got shorter. Tears fell out from my eyes and I started screaming, breaking down, flat out crying.

Pepper threw her head back and howled a long loney howl. It hit my heart and made me break down more, my own dog was crying for me. The sound of the howl was so heart breaking, it was so lonely, it cried compassion and pain; it reminded me of my own heart break and conflict.

When I finally stopped crying, her howling stopped, she panted and wagged her tail like normal. I whipped my tears off my face and chuckled a little that even my dog could see my pain.

"Come on Pepper" I said as I swung out of my truck, she laid down and growled when she saw the leash again, not wanting for it to back on her collar.

"Fine. I'll run by myself." I said bitterly, throwing the leash into my truck and locking the door.

I threw my headphone buds into my ears and let the songs play at random. As I ran I was forced to think, the last thing I wanted to do, the only reason I run is to be to tired to think, but....today I couldn't help it. Tears started to escape my eyes, I forced myself to hold them back as more runners started to come to the track.

"Pull it together....pull it together...pull it-' I started to think in my head, then a funny feeling hit my stomach, making me stop. I wobbled and doubled over, heaving out my stomach contents.

"Ugh....I need to go home". I unsteadily walked myself over to my truck, sweating and feeling that sick feeling in my stomach crawl up to my throat as I opened the passenger door and heaved out of it.

I pulled myself up and shook it off, rushing to get home to my bathroom and finish my stomach off there.

******************************

Ohhhhhh, Like it so far? I wasn't going to go this way with this story, but now that I think about it, it adds to the drama and makes it a better plot line.