Sisterhood

Dog Days

"Monika calm down we'll find him," Lili reassured, Julia wasted no time as she jumped from the couch and ran off Monika following behind. Julia and Monika ran into the backyard calling Berlitz's name. Julia's focus broke when she saw the neighbor's daughter looking over the fence.

"Is everything okay?" She mumbled.

"Have you seen our dog Berlitz?" Julia asked

"Big dog with black fur?" The girl asked, Julia nodded. She pointed right, "I think I saw him go into the woods."

Julia looked behind her to see the large set of woods behind the house. Monika didn't waste any time as she dashed off towards the woods. "Ah, thank you," Julia said then chased after Monika.

Julia's soreness didn't reach her until she started running, she was still tired from the ceremony and her knees still hurt from prom night, but she continued on. Julia was finally able to catch up with Monika when Julia caught her standing in the middle of the woods looking around panicking. Julia stopped behind Monika to catch her breath, before she get a word in she heard whining. Julia looked up to see Monika heard it to, it was Berlitz.

"Berlitz!" Monika shouted as she ran off again, with a groan Julia ran off too. Monika gasped "there!" Monika yelled as she took a sharp turn.

Monika and Julia stopped to see Berlitz sitting under a tree. Monika ran over to Berlitz wrapping her arms around him. Monika sat back up, Berlitz rested his head on her lap.

Monika smile petting Berlitz's head, "come on let's go home." Monika stood up waited for Berlitz to stand back up then began to walk back home. Julia was relieved but still felt uneasy about it.

Lili watched relieved as Monika and Julia returned home with Berlitz. Monika and Berlitz continued inside going as Julia stopped at the back door. Lili and Julia watched as Monika and Berlitz walked upstairs.

"I heard that when dogs know they don't have much time left they'll go somewhere their owner can't find them, and well," Lili trailed off.

Julia nodded, "Monika's going to be devastated."

"She knows it coming she always did," Lili responded.

"Doesn't mean she'll take it any better, she's not exactly going to be happy. Aware of it or not," Julia added. Lili nodded they both dreaded the day they would have to experience that.

A few weeks later Julia held her graduation party full of all of her friends and family, okay most. It wasn't till hours later after the party was over that there was finally some peace and quiet. Sofia, who was staying the night, was helping Lili clean up as Julia sat at a table counting the money she had received from everybody. By the smile on Julia's face Lili could tell that it was a large amount.

"What are you going to collage for?" Sofia asked, Julia only shrugged her shoulders. Sofia smirked, "maybe you go and learn about birds you seem to have an obsession with them."

"ha ha ha," Julia faked a laugh, "I still want one!" Julia said looking at her grandmother.

"When you get your own place you can have all the birds you want," Lili said

"And they'll all have awesome names!" Julia exclaimed laughing at her own joke.

The laughter was broken when the back door swung open with a bang, as Monika ran out of the house startling everybody. It didn't take long for everyone to realize what was going on when the notice Monika was heading towards the woods. Julia dropped everything jumping out of her chair chasing after Monika.

Julia had to stop to catch her breath in the middle of the woods. She lost Monika, Julia cursed at how much faster Monika was than her. Julia held her breath when she heard whining, she soon realized that it wasn't whining it was crying, and it was Monika. Julia set off again following the sound that made her heart sink.

Julia stopped in a clearing in the woods where she saw Monika leaning over Berlitz. Julia approached slowly, "Monika?"

Monika lifted her head off of Berlitz, "h-he, I can't hear anything," Monika stammered as she pressed her ear against Berlitz again.

Julia slowly walked up, kneeling down she watched Berlitz, no movement. Julia pressed her ear to his chest and waited, every second of silence made Julia's chest ache more and more. Julia placed two fingers on the neck and waited, the pain in her chest increased.

Julia slowly lifted her head, her hair falling in front of her face. She pushed her hair behind her ears, turning to Monika who looked at her in anticipation. Without even saying a word Monika began to cry. Julia pulled Monika close, holding Monika as she cried.

Sofia and Lili had finished cleaning, now all they could do was wait. Once they saw Julia and Monika their hopes raised to only drop faster when they saw only the two girls both carrying depressed expressions. Julia was holding Monika's hand until they reached the house where Julia released her hand as Monika went in the house. Julia stood at the back door watching Monika. Monika dragged he feet as she walked, she didn't even go to her room she just threw self on the couch.

Lili sighed, "poor thing, I'm going to talk to her." Julia nodded as Lili walking into the living room.

"Where is he?" Sofia asked, "I mean, I know, but where did you find him?"

"In a clearing in the woods, tomorrow I'm going to called Daniel to see if he can get and bury Berlitz for us. I know Monika could do it but I don't think that wouldn't be best for her." Julia glanced at Sofia, and sighed, "Sofia do you think that maybe, you could stay a little longer tomorrow? Like instead of leaving early in the morning at least stay till Berlitz grave is made, for Monika of course!" Julia asked. Sofia smiled and nodded.

Monika carried her depression for days, and Lili and Julia were at a lost on what to do. The both found her mood reasonable, but knew it wasn't healthy for her. Most of the day Monika would lock herself up in her room only coming down occasionally. Sometimes when Monika came downstairs she would wonder around silently to only go back upstairs, as if she was lost.

One early weekend morning Julia came into the house after getting the mail she walked into the kitchen, Julia looked out the window to see Monika sitting outside in front of Berlitz's grave. Monika was staring down at her hands which held Berlitz's collar, Monika's short hair prevented her from hiding her tears.

Julia sighed looking back down at the mail, dividing it between her and Lili. Julia stopped when so found a handwritten letter for her. She opened it, it contained money and a letter saying how they were sorry that they missed her graduation party. Julia immediately remembered who they were, they were Julia and Monika's cousins from out in the country. There was a sudden spark in Julia's mind, these were the family that lived on a farm, a farm full of animals. Julia spared no time she dropped the letter and picked up her phone.