Beyond the Pain

Beyond the Pain - Chapter Five.

Chapter five.

I have always loved dogs, ever since I was a child. I can remember when I was about five, walking home from school, I saw a Great Dane. I was frozen at the sight of such a magnificent animal. No one around me understood. My mother grabbed me by the hand and dragged me away. I hated her and tried to protest, kicking and screaming. By the time I'd released myself from her hand, we were too far down the road to catch up with the dog. I hated her for weeks afterwards. I didn't speak to her and I wouldn't let her pick me up from school anymore.

I walked home by myself every night, praying to catch a glimpse of that dog again. It was about three months later when I finally got the chance to meet him. I was playing on the beach with my sister, when the dog ran towards us, it's great legs lolloping along.

“It's that Great Dane,” I shouted, running towards him.

“Don't go near it,” said Jayne, “It could be vicious.”

I didn't listen. I ran towards him, then slowed down as I got closer. I carefully put my hand out for him to smell me and check he was safe. His nostrils widened and my hand felt as though it would be sucked right inside them. Once he'd smelt me, he licked along my arm, wagging his enormous tail. I patted his back and dug my hand into his fur, feeling my very first dog.

“Charlotte!” shouted Jayne, catching up with me, but too afraid to come near.

“It's fine,” I said, “this dog's safe.”

Charlotte slowly edged towards me as the dog's owner arrived.

“You like him?” she asked, “most kids run a mile when they see him.”

“He's amazing.”

“His name's Magnum,” she told me.

“I love it,” I answered, “they're my favourite ice creams.”

She laughed.

“Mine too,” she said, “do you fancy one now?”

I nodded enthusiastically, a smile forming on my face. She took me to the beach bar, where she bought me and Jayne ice cream and Magnum sat patiently, watching us. I stroked his face and gave him the drips, as my ice cream melted in the sun. I remember that being the point where I found my love for dogs.

I begged my mum for a dog for years, but when she kept saying no, I gave up hope. As soon as I left home, I bought Holly. She is the best thing I've ever invested in and I don't regret falling in love with her. Jayne soon came round to the fact that dogs were always going to be a part of me and now she loves them almost as much as me. Dogs give us affection, devotion, protection and companionship. They give us so much more than we're able to repay.

Nick didn't stay happy for long. After I'd cheered him up that night about work, I could see a difference. But once he'd been at work for another week, I could feel the stress again. I wanted so bad to uplift him. I wanted to make whatever was making him down, go away. I wanted him to switch off once he walked through the front door. But he didn't.

I tried talking to him, but there wasn't a response. He tried to sound cheery and stress-free, but I could see past the act. I massaged his shoulders, made him coffee, had his tea ready when he came home and always washed his clothes when he wanted. Nothing I did could lift him from the state he was in. He wasn't depressed or anything serious, but I knew there was something wrong and he wouldn't tell me. That hurt a lot.

After a while, I stopped speaking to him. His moods were beginning to latch onto me. I didn't want to feel like him and, if he wouldn't explain what was bothering him, there was nothing I could do.