Willow's Tree

2

As I unlocked the front door of my house, I glanced down at the grocery bags hanging from my arms. In the end, I bought steak for Dog. While the pieces I bought for him weren't exactly top quality, I was sure he'd enjoy it. It was meat after all.

During the time it took to put my groceries away, Dog not once appeared before me. So after I finished, I went searching for him. It didn't take long though, since I found him where I left him—in my bedroom. He rested atop my bed, as if it belonged to him, and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his comfortable position.

I poked his nose a few times, but he didn't even twitch. Only after I called his name did he jolt awake. His eyes shot open, then quickly narrowed into lazy slits. It still amazed me how relaxed he was around me considering we just met this morning.

"I bought you something," I said and he continued to lay still. After a few seconds, he yawned, revealing his long, sharp teeth. Then, he finally got to his feet and hopped down my bed to stand beside me, ready to go.

On our way to the kitchen, I turned on the TV, leaving it on the weather channel and allowing it to fill the silence in my house about the upcoming days of my winter break. Both Christmas Eve and Christmas day—tomorrow and the day after—would be snow days.

For Dog, I pulled out one of the steaks and placed it onto a plate. It was raw and still had traces of blood, but Dog didn't mind and immediately dug into it. As he had his meal, I pulled out the spaghetti from the microwave and did the same. When Dog finished, he licked the plate clean of blood.

"Good?" I asked. He didn't reply. "You want any more?"

He turned his head away from me and walked out of the kitchen. I chuckled and washed the dishes before following him into the living room. He sat on my couch and watched the TV, as if he knew what was going on.

"I have to shovel the snow outside," I said and he looked at me as I put on my coat and boots again. "Do you want to go with me?"

Since there was going to be a blizzard for the next two days, I thought it was best to get some of the snow out of the way before too much piled up for me to handle on my own. Dog tilted his head and slid off the couch to walk towards the front door. He raised his front left paw and clapped it against the door.

I blinked. "Outside?"

He answered by once again, repeating the same action.

"Are you really a stray?" He stared at me with the same innocent, oblivious look. "I don't think normal dogs know how to do that. Someone must have trained you or something."

He growled, but it wasn't towards me. Or at least that was what I assumed since Dog wasn't even looking at me. Instead, his head was turned to the side and he growled to the floor. Of course, I had no idea what was going through his head, but decided to dismiss it. I opened the front door and we stepped out into the white land before us.

Dog remained by the doorstep as I opened the garage and took out the snow blower. He didn't move from his spot as I got to work, and I glanced at him on occasion to make sure he was still there and hadn't run off.

When I was about a quarter done, a car pulled up behind mine on the street and I didn't even have to look to know who it was.

Out of the car came my friends, Rebecca, Olly, and Isaac—the driver.

Each of them held a bag in their hands. Before they reached me though, Isaac handed his bag to Olly and took over my snow blower.

"I'll be doing that, thank you very much."

Then, without another word, he began plowing my driveway.

I turned to the other two and gave them flat looks. "I should've known you guys were coming."