"Mummy? Can me and Ross stay up to watch the fireworks?"
"I don't know, kids, midnight is pretty late for you..."
"Pleeeeaaase?"
I scratch myself. I'm losing more fur by the minute! It comes out in clumps! I'll be bald soon! I don't feel biting fleas but I do feel rather itchy. I roll around on the carpet for a bit. Oh yeah, that's the stuff.
"We'll go to bed right after they're over!"
"I think I might need to talk with your daddy first."
How long have I been smelling this way? I lift my leg and sniff around a bit and I'm almost appalled. I'm really not in the mood for a bath but something is making me stink. I wonder if the humans notice.
"Whew, Charlie, you stink!"
I pant and let my slobber dribble onto the floor. It's hot! It must be a million degrees! There's a fan blowing but I've been laying around it all day. I want to get up and do something. I'm still memorizing the layout of the house. I use walls to guide me in the right direction. If I hit something, I slowly walk around it and keep going. So far it's been going well. I feel footsteps through the floor to know when someone is coming. And no one has tripped over me! I leave a trail of my fur behind me as I walk into the kitchen to find my food.
"I'm home!"
"Daddy! Mummy wants to ask you something!"
"Ask me somethin?"
There's so much hustle and bustle around here! I can barely concentrate on tasting my food! It's a lot softer than it used to be. After choking and gagging on dry kibble my owners have taken to soaking my food in water so it's nice and soft. It doesn't hurt my teeth! But it doesn't taste as good....oh well. Take the good with the bad, I guess...
"They just wanted to know if they.....what's that?"
"What's what?"
"That box."
"What box?"
Mmmm.....I chew on a piece of particularly nice tasting kibble and lick my chops. The humans are missing out big time!
"Malcolm Mitchell Young, what are you smiling for?"
"Jus' got us a little somethin'....to celebrate the new year...."
"You didn't..."
I burp. The kibble tastes even better the second time!
**********
I'm hooked to something. My rope is hooked on to something and I can't go any farther than it lets me. It's dark outside and I really can't see. I sniff as best as I can. I smell wet grass and dirt and the mess the humans haven't cleaned up yet. We're all outside. I think we're out front. I smell stray cats and smoke.
"Alright, ready?"
"You're crazy, Mal!"
I smell more smoke! What's going on? I can't see very well, someone tell me! I tug on my rope! I'm stuck! Help! I can see flashes of light! It looks like fire! Bright shimmering sparks! I hear faint crackling!
"Stand back kids, don't want ya' gettin' hurt..."
What's going on?? Stop the ride, I want to get off!
"Can I light one?"
"Uh....in a couple of years, Ross...."
More sparkling! More crackling! We're under attack! I tug and pull! It must be that time of the year! Booming in the sky! Bright flashes of light, piercing whistles! Take me back inside! Have fun without me!
"Daddy? What's the difference between fireworks and firecrackers?"
"One wears a tie an' the other goes good with fire cheese."
I feel someone petting me. It's the woman. I smell her fur and fancy spray. I calm down. I feel her soft hands. "You're alright, Charlie. We won't let them hurt you."
"Here, Cara, hold the sparkler....hold it like this so it won't burn ya'...there ya'go."
The booming isn't as loud as it used to be. It must not be the peak time yet. That's when it gets really scary. I hope the woman stays with me all night. Her pets comfort me. "Mummy, look!"
"That's great, love!"
I can just make out a tiny figure holding something. It's sparking and burning! It's the little girl! It's my little girl! The fire is so close to her! I must get her to safety! But she's too far away, the rope won't give!
"Here, Linda, ya' want to try?"
The woman is leaving! No! Stay with me, please! I can't bear to be alone! I hang my head and whine. More sparking, more fire, more whizzing noises. More laughter. "Mal, you're the best."
"Second best after you an' the kids. An' Charlie of course. Doin' alright, boy?"
I can faintly pick up the noise of laughter and squealing. The humans don't seem to be afraid of anything. The humans never have seemed afraid of the flashing and booming. How can they not be? Every dog in the world cowers at the sight! Including yours truly. But as long as the humans are here....maybe I'll be okay...
"Cara, you've had three now, let Ross have a go."
"Don't hold it too close to your face!"
"Can we please stay up tonight?"
I sigh. I close my eyes and try to relax. I still don't see why they brought me out here. There's nothing here for a dog to do. I can't play with them and I certainly don't want to play that kind of game. But I enjoy being around them. Maybe they just don't want me to miss anything. I feel the man's hand petting me as he sits down next to me. "Listen to your mum, kids! Hi, Charlie, how's my boy doin'?" His rough but soft hands stroke my back. I sniff him. His hands are extra warm. "Hangin' in there? I'll take you in in a minute. Jus'...wanted to have ya' around, ya' know?"
I feel like he's staring at me. Why does it feel like he's staring at me? Is there something in my fur? Is it fleas? If it's fleas I blame the neighbors entirely. They were always shady looking to me. The man pets my head and rubs my ears. More patches of fur fall out. My hips ache a bit. My owners continue to feed me bits of meat and it keeps the pain at bay. It must be magical meat. I wag my tail at the thought.
"Love ya', Charlie."
"Daddy, look at me!"
"You're doin' great, Cara, go show your Mum!"
**********
We're all sitting on the couch inside. Both humans are holding a child on their lap. And both children are asleep. Once in a while I hear a faint boom but it hasn't reached the crazy point yet. "It's too bad the kids fell asleep...should we wake them?"
"I dunno...I mean, what really happens on New Year? There's no presents to open, no candles to blow out..."
"I hate to wake them up...they're still so young, they need their sleep."
I yawn and stretch. This couch feels so much better than the ground outside. My bones need comfy cushions, not hard earth! I can smell the little boy sleeping on the woman's lap and the little girl is sleeping on the man's lap. Everyone smells warm and smoky. Even me.
"Remember ten years ago? When ya' told me you were havin' Cara?"
"I do."
I yawn again. My tongue feels almost too long for my mouth. It's kind of dry. I got some water when we came in but I wish I had more. I'd get some but...I'm comfy right here....
"I love you, Linda."
"I love you too, Mal."
I sit up once I hear booming. It's as clear as can be. Several of them, hundreds or thousands. I can't leave the couch and I feel I'm safer here than leaving my humans. So I stay put. But I'm still scared. "Happy nineteen ninety, love."
