Canid Undead: A Dog's Story

Epilogue

Myriad was settling in nicely. Some of the people of Myriad weren't settling in as well as some others were; Fellinground killed seven Regals, the Regals killed five of Fellinground. It'd been awhile since then, but that didn't ease their aggravation. A quarrel still stood.

Being united as one, many of the Regals were not very happy. Amanda and few others believed it was better this way, regardless of how the Regals felt.

Fellinground took down their (quite trashed) signs and markers that bordered Fellinground's territory, as they were now Myriad. The signs and markers were not renewed - Myriad made themselves harder to locate, but not entirely impossible to find.

As far as Tom could see, for the first time in a long time, his anxieties had vanquished. He was okay, and this "life" had become something worth living for. Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it was just good enough. To leave this world, Tom would feel content in doing so.

***

I feel a sense of euphoria, Amanda sleeping beside me. She tucked me in her weird human bedding. But, despite our reunion, I know one thing was for sure. I was dying. Finally, though, I truly feel that I can die happy.

I hope Amanda wouldn't be sad when I left. I know that she would be. She'd be devastated. At least we are together at last, even if it'd be for a time shorter than I'd expected.

I found another version of the antidote. Gunner showed me, one buried by a tree just inches away from Myriad's entrance. This one read "3B". The one that I'd found under that rubble was labeled "1A".

I worm my way out from under this strange, warm bedding. In the floorboard, I crack open a wiggly piece of the flooring, finding the antidote I'd hidden within the crevice.

With my teeth, firmly, I gripped the small tube, slipping it into Amanda's "backpack" (whatever that was).

Slowly, I walk to Amanda's nest, noticing how slow I was moving. I notice my movements, my paws lifting... touching the flooring after. Then lifting again, and forward again.

I take a deep breath in, another out. I struggle to get onto the nest, but I manage.

I curl up, resting my chin on Amanda's shoulder. I feel her chest rise and fall as she breathed, her heart beating rhythmically.

I close my eyes, the warmth of both the nest and Amanda allowing my body to feel that much less tense.

My pain eased as I lay there, taking some small breaths, in and out, out and in.

Tom takes his last breath as his heart slows, the dog drifting off into an eternal sleep.