Trust Noone | Tales of the Domain

Chapter 2

A man with dyed brown hair, presumably to cover the graying, takes the hostesses' place on the balcony. He looks like he'd give me a snack. The speeches continue for half an hour before it gets to Dari and I. As the holder of the most property in Domain four, we were given an opportunity to present a speech ourselves. Dari chose to use this chance to bring awareness to the animals stuck inside the domes and talk about the importance of making sure everyone can live in the Ten Domains comfortably.

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Being at the top of the balcony is so different from looking at it from below. If the lights weren't dimmed, I would be horribly frightened to look at the crowd below. I sit obediently next to my girl and stare out into the darkness. Dari starts the speech about the small but still existent housing problem in the domes. When the topic switches to the 'forgotten pets of the underworld', Dari gives a quick introduction before giving me a chance to speak. She picks me up and holds me up to the microphone.

"Hello. My name is Kier." I say calmly. Gasps echo around the room and everyone goes quiet. I don't think anyone expected a dog to talk. Dari grins broadly behind me. "I am a labrador-retriever and I spent three and a half years of my life in the underworld of Domain four, living off the scraps of humans. There are hundreds of abandoned pets who were left behind when the domes were built. Humans think they have the survival instincts needed to thrive in the wild, but many like me were born in a civilization where we never learned how to hunt, how to react to a predator or how to survive in rotating seasons." The room is very quiet and I feel a bit nervous with so much attention. I begin to pause but Dari senses it before I do and pats my back and scruff. Why did I write such a long script?

"However, unlike me, those cats, dogs, and hamsters that you think are rats can't communicate their struggles to you humans, and in the end they are condemned to death. They are all just scared, starving and probably alone. We need to help them." I finish happily and lightly wagging my tail so as to not hit my bestie in the face. That was a nerve-wracking experience. I really hate these large gatherings and this itchy leash. Who invented these?

Dari closes up the speech and both of us are met with thunderous applause. I duck my head down between her black heels to protect my ears from the noise. I stick by Dari as we swiftly walk back to our seats. Mr. and Mrs. Moor clap aggressively in support.

"That was incredible! Ms. Dari, did you teach him to speak?" Mrs. Moor asks with wide eyes.

"He mostly taught himself, actually. I just helped." Dari says with a shy smile.

"Oh, don't be modest, dear." Mr. Moor chuckles. The pattern on my fur that makes me look like I have eyebrows really helped to communicate my judging look. Mr. Moor glances at me and immediately looks down. The woman in the light gray dress has moved over to sit right next to me and now seems to be either very confused or curious about me. Still, I find her weird.

Another few speakers go up onto the balcony before the speeches part of the anniversary gathering is over. Finally I can get some food. I wait for Dari to get back with a plastic plate piled high with steak because if I go over and get the food myself, the humans at the gathering will probably kick me out for being an animal.

The steak is tender but a bit overcooked for my taste. Mrs. Moor gives me a leg of chicken from her plate and smiles with an adoring gaze. I wonder why she's so nice to me. Soon enough the pile is depleted to a slightly oily surface and I feel satisfied and comfortable. I do make sure to keep up my 'civilized' act of sitting straight in my chair.

The woman who is sitting daringly close to me introduces herself as Mrs. Alda Rich, a part of the Alexandra family by marriage. The Alexandras have been with the Domain Project since its beginning in 2018. She knows a lot about the project, almost more than me. Her hobbies are sewing and fashion, she even made the gray dress she wore tonight, and she finds it fascinating that I can speak. I find we would make good friends as we share an interest in language and history. Alda leaves to go to the bathroom for a moment which gives me some time to talk to Dari about my inner thoughts.