project human [luke hemmings]

one

chapter one : i'm a golden retriever

luke

My face felt wet, but not exactly sticky. I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids were sticking to each other. The wet sensation continued, until I realised that my face was being licked.

And I do not remember owning a dog. I hate dogs, especially the ones that lick.

My eyes shot open, without any difficulty this time, only to be bewildered by the sight before me.
It was a dog— thrice, or even four times my size right before my face, it's breath fanning my face, smelling of dog food, and litter. I opened my mouth to scream, but all I heard were shrill howls.

The monster before me, ducked it's head to give me another hysteric lick, and I tried to move my limbs, intending to escape.

Unfortunately, my limbs felt weary and I could barely move them an inch. Every time I tried to scream for help; all my larynx emitted was this queer mewling sound, that could belong to no human.

Was I dreaming? Was I dead? Is this a nightmare?

My legs felt wobbly, and gave away every time I tried to stand up on them. My gaze shifted down, and to my horror, my legs were furry.

Like the actual, animal-like furry. My heart thumped like an 808 drum, against my ribcage at the very sight of it.

"Oh look, we've got puppies!" A humanly voice reverberated in the room, before a giant– a really, giant girl, appeared before us.

I immediately recognised her as Yasmin, Charlie's cousin, I have Chemistry with her- but the last time I saw her, she wasn't this monstrous in size.

"Puppies?" Another feminine voice sounded, as a lady, who looked like she was in her mid-forties appeared before us. She too, was gigantic. Did I shrink myself?

"Yeah, look mum! Sophie has given birth to five puppies!" Yasmin chirped, before she leaned in, closer and closer– and her hands wrapped around my body, that felt frail as ever. She picked me up like as if, I were weightless, and brought me closer to her face. I kept attempting to break loose, wriggling my limbs constantly, but to no avail.

"This one is the cutest," she stated, cradling me in her arms. That's when all my efforts seized.

Sophie has given birth to five puppies. This one is the cutest.

Realisation had finally dawned upon me– more like rammed into me, like the Express truck would have, the other day.

I wasn't Luke Hemmings anymore.

Screw that. I wasn't human anymore. Luke was dead. I'm now a puppy, and I've reincarnated.

I could feel the tears sting, that had welled up in my eyes– my puppy eyes, in a literal sense. I looked down at the rest of the dogs – my kind. My breed, my species, my genus, my family. We were all fucking golden retrievers.

Sophie, my 'mother' was gaping at me, waiting for Yasmin to put me down. Her tongue hung out, as she panted aloud, and I presumed she wanted to give me another one of those sloppy licks.

"Put it down, Mina," The lady said, with a smile plastered across her face.

"Look at it, mum–" she awed. My tears happened to make me look rather cute and needy, than troubled.

She stationed me down on the floor, and a few of the other puppies scooted closer, snuggling into me. As much as I hated being a dog, myself- their cuddles actually made me feel better. Nevertheless, I wasn't ready to live as a golden retriever. I felt trapped, desperate and depressed, and there was no way out of this.

Both Yasmin and the lady exited the room, leaving me alone, with the creatures of my new kind. My beady eyes scanned the little box that we were placed in, the empty, overwhelming feeling starting to consume me, bit by bit.

I felt forlorn, although I was with five others who looked exactly like me. I had nobody to talk to– nobody to share my humanly feelings with. And the worst of all– I missed Charlie. I needed her– I needed to get to her. But how? Who would even understand me?

I felt a nudge on my shoulder, that almost sent me tumbling down. It was Sophie, the big dog.

"What's bothering you?" An unfamiliar voice interrogated.

I whimpered at the question, answering in a low, squeaky tone. "I feel lonely. I-"

I paused, my eyes immediately darting up to Sophie's profile. Wait, did she just talk? Did we really just start a conversation?

Much to my amusement, yes.

It didn't surprise me, how I was able to decipher what she was... saying. I lay there quietly for a moment or two, a strange feeling of elation and exhilaration crawling up my gut.

"Why are you sad?"

I blinked. This dog, right before me, I understood everything she said. She wasn't speaking English– neither any other human-engineered language; but the little groans, and noises that she made, or even her gestures were so comprehensible. I gawked at her, in disbelief, lost in thoughts.

"Are you hungry?"

I snapped out of my trance on hearing the third question. Yes, it was really happening.

"I'm not," I lied, answering in a similar manner, wondering if she'd interpret it. First off, she needed to quit addressing me as son. Secondly– I needed her help to get out of here.

"Then why are you crying?" She ducked her head, nudging me once again.

Thirdly, she needed to stop butting me.

What was I supposed to answer? That I need to become human again? Why– or rather, how would she even help me?

"I am not human anymore," was what I finally answered with. "I am not supposed to be here."

"What do you mean?" Dogs certainly had no idea about rebirth, did they?

I suddenly felt a jolt, that sent me descending down to the ground. It was one of my many brothers, or sisters – I wasn't really able to differentiate, who was attempting to convince me, to play with him.

Play, as in lunging at each other, and trying to bite our ears off, with teeth that barely even exist.

A whine automatically escaped from my throat, on realising that it wasn't just one puppy that had attacked my frail body, which could barely withstand a poke.

I lay flat, helpless, not even making the least effort to defend myself– allowing them to crush me beneath their little bodies, that now felt so huge and heavy.

"Get off, kids!" Sophie let out a low growl; picking them one by one, with her motherly grip, and tossing them aside. "You'll hurt him."

I was tempted to say thank you, but I felt the need to answer her question first.
"Rebirth- do you know what that is?" I asked, finally picking myself up, to stand on my unstable feet– all four of them.

She, in return, with her two, big, brown, beady eyes gaped at me blankly, possibly hearing the word for the first time in her lifetime.

God blimey, I had a lot to explain.