Shade Strong

Chapter Two: Grim Circumstance

"If we ever get home, I'm giving you a bath," Zillah announced to the dog lopping next to her. She had expected it to turn off and following someone or something else by now, but it kept pace with her, not once uttering a single whine. She had decided to name the dog Grim because of its complexion and severe face. She believed, from a glimpse she had not tested again, that it was a he. He stood as tall as her waist on all fours, and she imagined Grim would surpass her in height on his hind legs. He was almost as big as a miniature horse, and as soon as she got over her fear of him, she thought about how much she had wanted a dog like him when she was a kid. A dog big enough to ride like a pony. Grim huffed loudly, and Zillah looked over to see his head hanging low, his tongue almost dragging on the concrete sidewalk. Long tangled fur covered him, and he radiated heat. Not for the first time she wished she had stopped by the drink machine inside the mall for a bottled water before beginning this trek. The heat and humidity would only get higher as the sun rose in the sky. By two in the afternoon the sun would be overhead, and anyone not smart enough to be indoors would be in danger of heat stroke. Taking a right on St. Augustine, they crossed over the I-75 overpass when Zillah saw two men holding up cardboard signs just off the exit ramp. The men looked her over, but didn't speak as they passed. Zillah was grateful that Grim was with her as the men leered at her. She didn't want to think what might have happened if she hadn't been so clearly protected. "Not much farther now, Grim," Zillah encouraged noticing the clumsy labor of the dog's movements. The fast food restaurants and gas stations had given way to an overgrown wooded area to the left and fields to the right. There were no other pedestrians this far out, and the sidewalk ended at the last Raceway. Stepping high to avoid getting tangled in the increasing grass and weeds, Zillah gave a silent pray of thanks for the protection of her long pants, even if they increased the heat and her own sweat.

As she high-stepped forward she noticed Grim was no longer at her side. Turning back to see if he had finally left her for more profitable ventures, she saw that he had stopped a couple yards back from her and was now looking to the left into the woods. She thought about leaving him; the heat was getting to her, and she wanted nothing more than to peel off her sticky clothes and take a long, cool shower. "Is this where we part ways?" Zillah asked a half-smiling playing on her lips. "I've got food and water for you if you want to come home with me," she urged, leaning a hand on her hip. Grim shifted his head to look at her, then back to the left without moving any closer to her. When she began to turn, he whined at her. Sighing, she walked back to him, grumbling about the heat and annoying dogs. Reaching Grim, she noticed a path into the woods off to the left. Taking a moment to sort out the curve of the path and its general direction, she decided it should end near her rental house, assuming there was a way out on the other side. They would be able to shave a good distance off their journey. She'd been so focused on her steps, she'd missed it. "Well done, Grim," she said, beginning down the path with her furry companion falling into step behind her.

The heat did not lessen in the shade as much as she thought it would. With no breeze to cool the air, the extra vegetation seemed to hold the humidity. She was grateful yet again for her long pants as she stomped down vines threatening to overtake the trail, but with each step they grew heavier. Grim followed her slowly, looking everywhere and sniffing the air. "I take it back," she said running into her third spider web, "this was a terrible idea." As Zillah looked back to glare at Grim she lost her footing, dropped her purse, and fell into a large tree.

"Ouch!" she said, checking her arm and shoulder for scratches. Seeing none, she knelt to survey the ground for the root she must have stumbled over. Grim closed in on her, sniffing the ground and aiding in her search. Under decaying leaves and bendy twigs, her fingers brushed something smooth and cool. Gathering it into her hand, she realized it was a stone. She'd never quite see a stone like this. It was shiny black with the center section hollowed out like an egg missing its yolk or a strangely off-centered donut. She ran her fingers over it tracing the edges of the hollowed out center, then along the outside rim. It stretched the length of her hand, but was lighter than she would have expected. After a nudge from Grim, she held it out for his inspection. He sniffed it, huffed, and pushed it towards her. She couldn't help but smile at his mannerisms. He was such an odd dog. Rising, she placed the stone in her pocket. After retrieving her purse, she turned and began down the path again.

There is never so great a motivator for someone than a glimpse of what they desire. After a seemingly endless trek through the jungle of vegetation, Zillah caught sight of a light up ahead. "We're almost there, buddy. Almost there." Her steps quickened and behind her she heard Grim's heavy footfalls increase in pace. At the forest edge she surveyed the area to discover they were a mere block away from her house. "Finally!" she exclaimed, crossing the street at a jog. Grim fell into step beside her, and they made short work of the last leg of their journey. Nearing her house, Zillah felt exhilarated. Home, Zillah thought, enjoying the sense of comfort. This house was her home. Well, it was more of a cottage than a house. Actually it was a mother-in-law cottage attached to a larger home.

In a bit of very good luck her junior year of college, Zillah had agreed to house sit for a friend doing a semester abroad in South Korea. The friend had landed this adorable mother-in-law cottage when her parents' friends had moved to Valdosta to work at the university. At first Zillah was only going to stay three months while the girl was overseas so the place wouldn't be left empty, but she'd lucked out when her friend decided to stay in Korea taking a tutoring job leaving the rental available. The owners seemed to like Zillah. She didn't really talk to them much, but she knew they didn't like parties or loud gatherings. She almost never had anyone over, and she hadn't broken anything or trashed the place in any way. They had let her stay on even after she graduated, and she was grateful to have an affordable place that didn't feel like a college apartment. She hoped they'd be okay with her having a dog. They had two, so she knew they weren't against pets.

"Stay, Grim. You can't come in until you've seen the vet. Anyway, you stink," Zillah teased, opening the door. She stopped just inside the door, letting the air conditioning cool her. Then she changed into shorts, found some chicken in the fridge, got a large bowl, and grabbed some shampoo and towels on her way back out the door. She was afraid Grim had wandered off when she didn't see him at first, but she found him sitting by the water hose attached to the back of the cottage. She laughed. "You are quite an intuitive dog, Grim," she decided, setting down the chicken. She turned on the hose and let the hot water run out, spraying the plants with it. Then she filled the large bowl with cool water and set it next to where the chicken had been a moment ago. Grim had already eaten it. "Someone was hungry," she remarked, sitting down next to him. Once he drank his fill, she held him by the scruff and turned the water back on. He was surprisingly well-behaved while she washed him, allowing her to scrub him and check for fleas. Apparently the cool water made the bath worth the trouble.

* * * * *

After lunch outside, Zillah spent most of the afternoon playing with Grim, trying not to think about her future. By evening she'd placed some of her old blankets and towels out in her carport for Grim to sleep on. He was cuddled up, well fed and clean, and she was inside making a to do list for the next day. She would need to get a jumpstart for her car and maybe a new battery. She decided if Grim was still there in the morning she would buy a collar and call the vet after she'd gotten her car situation sorted out. Her landlords would need to know about him. Then she would see about getting a job. She could check with Carren about being her reference instead of Britt, who would obviously keep her from getting hired anywhere. How depressing to be 25 without a career. Why had she bothered with an embarrassing five years of college for a history degree that qualified her to do precisely nothing? That should be in the college brochures; Come spend thousands of dollars you don't have on a degree that won't get you anywhere.

After dinner Zillah refreshed Grim's water bowl. So far he seemed content to stay with her, so she bid him goodnight and turned off the carport light. Inside she began cleaning up, trying to visualize an interview outfit for tomorrow. When she grabbed her pants off the floor something fell out of a pocket and rolled across her floor. It was the stone from that afternoon. In the living room light she could see it was a dark garnet color, not the black she had originally seen in the shade cover of the tree path. It had a unique beauty that reminded her of her sister, and she wondered if she could make it into something special for Genevieve's birthday. After throwing her pants in the laundry hamper, she set the stone down on her night stand. Tomorrow will be a long day, she thought, plugging her phone into its charger. But maybe it will be better than today, she countered, hoping she wasn't jinxing herself.