Lucas | Larry Stylinson Short Story

1

Louis

Ever since I was young I have loved animals. There was something about the way that they would give unconditional love no matter what that made me be the kid who always wanted to go to the dog park. Whenever I would be out with anyone I would drag them to go watch the puppies, because I wanted one so bad.

However I lived in a family of fish people, so I never got a dog. My family wanted a pet that they only had to feed and I seriously think that they would have had a pet rock if it wasn't frowned upon.

Needless to say my childhood was filled with me sliding pictures of dogs and cats under my parents door as they desperately tried to hide from me. They figured that if they hid long enough I would eventually get distracted by something else, but I never did.

Sure I would get distracted by other animals, but getting a pet of my own meant more to me than anything else. hence why the moment I turned 16 I started volunteering at the local animal shelter.

Now that sounds sweet and all, but I wasn't doing it for service hours of any sort, I just want all of the animals to love me. I'm turning them one by one until I have a small army of cats and dogs that will give me love and support.

That small army all started with one kitten named Chip, the first animal that I named and helped get adopted. She was a small brown and white American Wirehair that fit in the palm of my hand. I loved her so much and wanted to kidnap her so we could be together forever.

Alas I did not kidnap her, one: that would be wrong and two: I hadn't even begun to build my army. Chip was pretty cool, but she was only one cat and I wanted at least five others.

So my mission had kicked off, but it shortly came to a screeching halt when I met a little girl who wanted a cat more than anything. She loves animals just as much as I do and I knew that she would treat Chip right.

It was in that moment that I realized I needed to help the animals instead of just hold them hostage. Since that moment I have helped 30 dogs and 20 cats get adopted into loving homes. Not only that but I also became shift manager and a paid employee.

Despite the fact that I didn't have a college degree they still gave me a real job. They knew that I had a passion and my adviser, Christopher, started me off with a minimum wage job. He always is the one fighting for me to get raises and learn new things.

Honestly if it wasn't for him I would have had to quit about three years ago. I had a pact with my parents that if I didn't start getting paid by the time I turned eighteen I would have to quit and go to a community college.

Luckily the day before my eighteenth birthday I got hired as a full time employee and have since then fallen in love with several more animals.

My current favorite is a two year old German Shepard named Lucas who I helped nurse back to health. He came in when he was eight months old and was one of twelve from a puppy farm. He was the runt of the litter and didn't stop shaking until he was in my arms.

I literally fed him with a bottle and for the first time in my entire life I sat still for more than two minutes. I impressed everyone in the room and myself. Normally my ADHD acts up and I have to keep moving, but for some reason I stayed still for Lucas.

I think that part of me that I normally can't control switched off for that brief period in time. That was honestly the whole reason that I started clinging to Lucas. When we're together we're both calm.

Lucas has bad anxiety because of his past experiences and he needs someone who will take care of him. The whole reason I've been able to spend time with him so long is because he has trouble getting adopted. No family wants a dog that is scared of the children to the point it hides in a corner, which sucks.