Super Shorties

Hi... I Mean... Woof

My habits usually aren't along the lines of normal. That includes jogging around the park at dusk and being generally antisocial. Or as I like to say, anti-idiot. But again, I don't really give a damn about what the general population thinks about me. I'm an author, I can afford to be crotchety.

As per my usual I locked my front door and stepped off my porch as the sun began to set. Breathing deep I raised my arms above my head and stretched cracking my back. I needed to visit a chiropractor. I shook out my hands and started off at a light jog around the lake towards the park a mile away. Gravel crunched underfoot and my breath came in little puffs. The setting sun shone off the lake making it look like liquid gold. I had two hours until it was dark but I really only needed an hour and a half.

There were still a few people hanging around by the time I got there. A few teens cuddling on a blanket, a couple of dog owners, a family walking after dinner. Not much else besides ducks. Humming I began my round counter clockwise around the gravel path. There's always a song going through my head, its sort of annoying at times but it keeps me entertained. I'm going to need to start wearing a jacket. Its starting to get cold in the evenings. The family brought out a Frisbee and began to throw it around in the golden light. The teens had left. The winding gravel path lead me into a wooded area so familiar to me now that I hardly thought about what lived in it. Paranoid though I am, I know better than to freak myself out over nothing. Its not the dark we fear but what hides in it. Gold splattered through browning leaves. Up ahead there was a small break in the trees and the light of the setting sun shown upon what looked like an animal kill. Except it was breathing. I slowed to a walk and then stopped five feet away wary of what it might be. The fur was matted with blood and neglect and one leg stuck out at a funny angle. It was a dog of medium size skinny beyond belief. It opened one pale blue eye and let out a pitiful whine as if to say "either kill me or help me but don't stand there staring." I wanted to help it but ever since an accident involving a pet with poor training I was skittish around dogs. I licked my lips and swallowed then slowly approached the decrepit animal.

"Hey there, I'm not going to hurt you okay? I'm going to take care of you." I glanced at my watch to confirm that the veterinarian was closed for the evening. I took a deep breath and slowly extended my hand to the dog. It lifted its head weakly and licked my hand then let its head drop back down to the ground. Okay so far so good. Gingerly I felt along the dog's side. The wounds weren't deep but there was a lot of blood and the front left leg was definitely broken. "Okay puppy I'm going to take you home with me. Its only about a mile. Can you hold on for that long?" The dog whined again. Ever so carefully I slid my arms under the dog doing my best to not cause more injury. In full health this dog must have been beautiful. Though matted, the fur looked to be mostly grey with splotches of black, white, and gold. It was long and looked like it had once been sleek and very soft. "Come on puppy you're going to be alright." Holding the dog to my chest I began the walk home as quick as I dared. All of my focus was on speed and not jostling the poor dog in my arms more than necessary. I didn't care that my shirt was becoming wet and sticky with the dog's hot blood.

The dog maintained consciousness all the way home and didn't protest when I had to put it down to open the door. "I'm going to put you down in the bathroom okay puppy? I need to boil some water and get some rags to clean you off." I sent a mental thank you to my interior designer for insisting upon a tiled bathroom. I unlocked the door, popped it open, and knelt to pick the dog up again. It let out a small growl when I accidentally jolted the broken leg and I flinched. "Sorry." I flicked on the light with my arm and closed the door with my foot heading straight for the bathroom flicking on lights however I could as I went along.

Warm light spilled across pale marble tiles illuminating the mangled body in my arms. "What happened to you?" I whispered setting the dog down gently. It whined sadly wrenching my heartstrings. "Hang in there puppy. I'm going to do my best to fix you up." Dashing from the room I filled a pot with salt water and set it to boil while I frantically rooted around my my laundry room for clean rags. I managed to find six rags of decent quality. The water wasn't hot enough so I went back the the bathroom and dug out my first aid kit setting it beside the broken limb. "As soon as you're fixed up I'll find you something to eat. How does that sound?" I kept talking in soothing tones while I found the break in the bone. It wasn't terrible but the bones had slipped and needed to be set.