Fighting Dog

5

Two days had slipped by and Tom was yet to return, my hunger became painful. Even before he left Tom hadn't fed me for a few days, I think he forgets, I sniffed around the empty bowls, pawed at the dirt sniffing where Kobe had been set alight, her scent was almost gone. I looked to the un-emptied bin where both she and Russia were tossed. The thought of knocking it over and gnawing on their flesh entered my mind for a brief second, but the smell of their sweating bodies was pungent even being in a bag and a bin. I refused to fall to such low worth. I whimpered through mixture of boredom and hunger, I was wandering if I had been forgotten about when the handle to the door dropped and Tom stepped out noisily, in his hand was what looked like a plush toy. He kicked aside my kennel and regarded me with curious eyes before kneeling and calling me to him, I rushed over without hesitation, my body low and my tail between my legs, I had no idea what he wanted of me, until he showed me the fluffy plush toy in his hands. I sniffed it intrigued, and in response it's big ears twitched.

'Say hello to your dinner, boy.' Tom put the rabbit on the floor and it stood rigid, waiting for a moment to try run free. I looked at it for a moment, then back to Tom who nudged the rabbit forward. Something within me stirred when the rabbit moved, the way it's scent fumed up my nose and teased my hungry stomach, I lunged onto it gripping it tight in my jaws and shook it. Tom praised me as the rabbit fell limp in my jaws, he petted my head and I growled a warning that this was my food not his. He back handed me across the head and told me "No." Before heading indoors with a satisfied smile across his face.

Ripping into the rabbit was a mixture of odd and interesting feelings, like a plush toy the flesh was easy to open but the warmth and energy the blood gave me was like nothing I had ever eaten, the sweet sticky texture of the innards filled me contentedly and the only left overs remaining of the rabbit were the few bits of fluff and bone scattering across the blood tinged dirt. I sniffed the ground around me, before pulling my way in the house as far as I could without the kennel holding me back.

'Whoa!' Tom said getting off his chair and putting his cup on the table. 'You ain't allowed in here boy.' He petted my head for a few minutes and pulled me outside. Before leaving me with my kennel back in it's original place, he attached a heavy weight to my collar, it took all my strength to hold the heavy metal weight up. 'Bout time you beefed up a bit, need you fit for fighting.' Tom smiled at me, my tongue lolled out and I attempted a smile back. Tom must have found the expression amusing as he chuckled slightly before heading back in the house to do what ever he had been doing before I distracted him.

The weight around my collar was merciless, my neck began to ache at both sides and slowly my head began to slump. I decided the wisest thing to do would be to lie down, I lay with my head on the floor for a short time, Tom came out not long after and put me on the treadmill with the weight still around my neck, the pain was burning through my body as I tried with so much effort to run the treadmill, the thought of giving up was not an option, Tom watched me run for a while, his buff arms folded as he evaluated my worth before disappearing to the kitchen. I heard the familiar sound of the tin bowls rattling, first the sound of fast rushing water into one, and then the other the familiar found of food. Dog biscuits and whatever else Tom felt I must eat. When he came through and got me off the treadmill he ruffled my face in his warm hands then put me back outside with the weight still hanging round my neck. Back at my kennel I was greeted with the delicious smell of shredded cooked chicken, gravy, dog biscuits and beef in one bowl, in another was what was fed to me when I was a puppy often called porridge and the last bowl had fresh water, as I scoffed down the beef and chicken I wandered if this was the last meal I would get for another few days, and if Tom intended on leaving me once more in this dirt covered garden. I held back a shudder and looked back at Tom as he took the bins around the side of the house and out of a loud creaking gate. It was then that it occurred to me, I could escape. I whined at the thought of disowning my beloved Tom but, he seemed to be treating me poorly compared to how I had dreamed my life could be. My ears twitched as the sound of the gate clicked shut and Tom reappeared. I barked for his attention, he stopped and looked over at me, surprised that my call had worked I did nothing but stare at him for a second before jumping up and wagging my tail playful at him.

'Wanna play Dog?' Tom shuffled across the dirt and avoided dog waste as he did. He got to me and began slapping at my cheeks quickly, yet not intending to hurt. I shook my face sideways at each hit my teeth showing playfully and my eyes squinting at his face. Occasionally he poked my tongue and I tried snapping on his finger though making sure always to be to slow, if anything I had learnt from Tom it was that animals were enemies but to bite a human was bad. Soon Tom had gave in fully to my need for fun and was rolling around with me on the dirt, digging his fists into my muscled ribs and growling at me as he tossed me around like a ball, I used my weight against him throwing my body into his, and sitting on him. Sometimes nibbling on his arm and drooling on his face. Eventually we stopped, Tom had checked his wrist time and decided he had enough. leaving me in the happy mood I had been longing for since I had seen my neighbour die. I yawned and was reminded once more of the weight around my neck. Somehow when we were playing I had completely forgotten about the weight around my neck and it had become one with me. Now as the evening drew in I bounded into my kennel and slumped down in a heap ready to sleep the night away feeling well fed and attended to. That night I dreamed, I dreamed of jumping the fence after slipping free from the weighted collar, beyond was darkness that I had yet to see, and as I travelled new smells greeted me. Soft grass below my feet tended to my hardened pads and as the darkness widened and I could see my surroundings, I saw people, peering down at me with love and care. Some smelling sweet and others of alcohol. I greeted them all with a wagging tail and friendly posture, and then this child approached me, he was not much taller than me and he reached out a tiny hand. I sniffed him curiously and as his had went to rest on my head I awoken to the sound of dogs barking not far away. My eyes had collected gunk and irritated my vision, I pawed at them for a few moments then sniffing the yucky gunk on my paw shook my head. The pain that shot down my neck alarmed me, I yowled in pain and I couldn't find the strength to get to my feet while lifting my head, it felt stiff and unable to move. My tongue slipped out the side of my mouth as I stood with my back legs up, and my front legs down. My head was tilted to the side as pains buzzed through me, I yowled louder hoping to get Tom's attention from within the house. My breaths came out short and snorted as I continued to yelp fearfully. The sound of Tom unlocking the door and padding across the dirt to my kennel was the most wonderful thing that I could ever hear at the time. He knelt by my kennel and dragged me out, the sun was rising into the sky and Tom looked slightly dazed at my posture. Still with my rear in the air and my head on the floor.

'What the fuck's going on here?' He pushed me aside gently and I hobbled, whimpering. Wishing he took the pain away.

He rubbed his neck for a few moments then it seemed to click in his head, he lifted my head in his hand and the pain seized my neck once again, I yelped in distress, until he dropped my head to the floor again.

'Shit.' He murmured to himself. Then he unclipped my collar and removed the weight. I stayed as I was daring not to move, unable to stand the pain it would cause.

'Sorry Dog.' Tom began rubbing the sides of my neck gently, the agonising throb pulsed as he did. I cried feebly, my tongue still hanging to one side.

Tom hushed me, as he continued to massage my neck 'It's cramp.' He told me quieting me again.

The pain slowly began to ease off, the muscle in my neck had loosened and Tom lifted my head once more, this time the sensation was more of a dull ache, more bearable than the agonizing grasp that it had on me moments before. I wagged my tail as Tom continued to rub my neck and with his magical touch, chasing away the pain that had attached itself to me. When I was able to move once more Tom stood for a moment and watched me as I moved tentatively behind my kennel to do my business, then he headed indoors and turning off the lights vanished once more.

I took only moments to notice that Tom had went indoors and left me alone, outside, and without a collar. I stared at it for a moment, feeling naked without it's weight around me. Then I took the freedom into my own paws, deciding to explore every corner of the garden. Marking my scent on the large tree in the back corner then sniffing at an old stool that a cat had left while nobody had been on guard. I looked down to the gate, from where I stood it looked high and impossible to jump, but I knew it was what I wanted to do. For Tom had put me through enough pain, all at once my dream flashed at me and I found myself on full sprint to the gate, and without hesitation I leapt. My long claws clattered noisily at the fencing as the power in my legs drove me up and over in seconds. I waited stunned by my own ability, looking back at the closed gate and second guessing myself into not leaving any further. Then the flash of the child's hand beckoned me to the darkness of my dream and without looking back I left the front garden of Tom's house and the street I had lived in, in hope of finding the place I called home.