Fighting Dog

12

The darkness that had come so instantaneous had knocked my senses, but the other dog did nothing to pity me. His jaws locked down as soon as the darkness arrived, and I found myself engaging in the most terrifying fight I had endured yet, both our bodies flinched as the sudden loud music was turned up to deafening frequency. But neither of us stopped, I took comfort from the vibration the music had made and locked away my pain. My teeth shredded at the flesh of my opponent, I had no idea where I was biting, his snarls rippled through me and as he latched his jaws around my leg I felt a disturbing crack, I yelped so loud I thought maybe Sam would have intervened, no rescue came. The heat within the so confined space dehydrated me, saliva flicked from both our lips, I shook my head as I took in a jaw full of the other dog, ever tightening my mouth, hoping to get him to surrender like in the pits.But this dog kept on going, no matter how much pain he endured he would not allow himself to stop, I felt his already fresh wound reopen and the pungent smell of infection blocked my senses. His sharp teeth bit savagely into me, I felt my ear rip and the weight of the dog loosen as he took my ear with him stumbling back to the wall of our morbid pit. Claws scratched at my face, my eye felt as though it was bulging from it's socket, he took in my lower jaw into his own teeth clashing and scraping against one another, he shook me as I weakened, sinking to the floor still vibrating from the noise. I felt another crunch and my jaw split out of place, I couldn't continue. My head fell to the floor, and the dog stepped back in the darkness.

'Get up!' He ordered mentally.His voice fierce and commanding. 'Fight me! Fight me for as long as you can!'

I whimpered, pain shook my body unable to move.

'You must get up!' He growled.'This is no place for pity, I have to fight you till death takes one of us. GET UP!'

I took strength in his words and wobbled to my feet.

'Now fight!' The dog snarled at me then came at me again, with more force than before. This time, I fought with my soul. I fought for my life, I ripped at his face with my sharpened teeth, his flesh that had looked burnt felt soft and wrinkled in my mouth but I never held back as his voice rang through me, I tore at his face and he pulled back, flesh hung from my jaws that hurt beyond how I could describe, as I snapped as best I could at him, the dog encouraged me. He even began to refuse to defend himself, I took his encouragement and ruthlessly ripped at him as though he were a carcass, his breathing coming in short snort like rasps, his body convulsed below mine and he spoke to me as I gripped his skull.

'Now, you can endure the life that I had. Now you have set me free.' His voice shook with his body as though he was cold, I hesitated but he bit into my neck still shaking and used the last fighting strength within him, his body shook furiously and his breathing became ragged, loud and I could see his face mentally. His eyes wide with fear, his face covered in blood as he lay having some sort of seizure, I saw as his face tried to comprehend why he couldn't breath properly, and as I collapsed beside his now still body, I felt a puddle of drool soak my fur, and I waited for what was to happen next. Adrenaline finally subsiding to sheer terror of what had happened, my legs screamed out in agonizing pain, furious spasms shot through them as though they were communicating through their pain, my eye felt as though it was seeping, I shook gently as I tried to shut out the pain without success. The Music that had become hollow noise had stopped. The vibrations disappearing with it. Seconds later Sam and the stranger lifted the lid, Sam stood staring at the mess in the car, his eyes wide with shock as the other cursed under his breath as he saw his dog had lost the battle.

I looked around the pit, what I thought was drool was a deep red puddle, the dog I had fought lay in shreds, his already attacked face was now unrecognizable, his eyes were bulging, his mouth still bleeding out like a drizzle from a tap.His throat torn open like he had been through a machine. I peered at his eyes. Open and unblinking, they had held the same bleak emptiness as the other dogs before he had died. Now I saw his release, his face relaxed as though he had found his form of peace.