Joanna - Dog Fight
It had been three years. Three years since I was taken away from my family, three years since I’ve felt love. I soon found out that the man was Hank and the lady was Madge. Madge wasn’t so bad, but Hank was dreadful. If I did something wrong he would either kick or hit me in the ribs or face. It was awful, never knowing when the pain would come. That first day, they took me to their house. It was a long drive. At some point Hank had turned onto a dirt road. There was a car ahead of us, and its tires were kicking up dust. There was dirt everywhere, a little too dry if you ask me. Finally Hank pulled into a driveway. Their house was the only one around, except for one right across the street, but other than that, we were alone. They took me into the house and showed me a bed made from old towels. They were pilled up in a corner of the main room.
One day I tried to jump on the couch, but I was shoved off, apparently I’m not allowed on the couch, ever. I learned quickly that licking or cuddling up to Hank would earn me a hit to the head. I never tried to lick Madge, for fear of what might happen. Most of the day I just lay on my bed, wishing they would play with me. Hank always left early in the morning and Madge would get up soon after. She would pet and brush me, but there was something missing. I felt she didn’t love me, in fact I sensed sorrow. Hank gave off a feeling of hatred, so I tried to avoid him as much as possible. Most nights he came home acting weird, he smelled horrific, and was always slamming into things, as if his legs didn’t work. This became routine after the first year.
It was just like any other day. I woke up to the rich smell of crackling bacon. My mouth instantly began to water at the smell of the greasy, salty bacon. I stood up and stretched out my legs. Even though I knew I’d be kicked and ordered away, I couldn’t help myself. Slowly, I wandered into the kitchen. The smell was overwhelming, I couldn’t hold in a little whimper. Hank spun around and glared down at me. Maybe, just maybe he would give me some today.
“Get out of here! You know better, you mutt!” Hank shouted, with a swift kick to the side, I ran out of the room. Madge comes stumbling into the room, probably woken up by the shouting. I looked up at her, whimpering. She had forgotten to feed me last night, and my stomach felt as hollow as a tree. She had been forgetting to feed me more often lately. I could usually get some sympathy from her, but not that day. She walked past me and went into the kitchen. I heard her begin to fight and argue with Hank.
“Why do you do that Hank!? She never did anything to you!” yells Madge.
“She knows not to come in here. How else is she going to learn, except with discipline!” Hank shouted back.
“That’s not discipline. It’s called abuse, and it stops now.” she replies
I sneaked into the kitchen. Madge’s face was hard and unyielding. I didn’t understand what they were talking about, but her face was enough to tell me that she was mad at Hank.
“No, she is my dog and I will do with her as I please. Today is her first day in the ring. So you can either deal with it or leave.” Hank tells her.
I quietly walked back over to my bed and slumped down, I hated it there. I never got to go on walks or play fetch. Even my brushing time was getting shorter and shorter. I had thought of running away, but I didn’t know where to go, I had no idea where we were. The only time I had been outside was when they let me go into the backyard. All of a sudden, Madge came running out of the kitchen. She ran over to me and hugged me around the neck. It was weird. She hardly ever showed such affection. She let go, and looked me in the eye. There were tears in her eyes. What was going on? She stood up and ran to her room. Hank walked out of the kitchen.
“Come on Brandy, were going on a trip.” he told me. He pulled my leash out of his pocket and hooked it onto my collar. We headed out the door and toward the car. It smelled like manure out there. He opened up the passenger door and motioned for me to jump, I didn’t hesitate. The door closed with a bang, and Hank climbed in. The engine started, and we were on our way. The window rolled down beside me, so I stuck my head out and let my tongue fly. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all. Millions of smells flooded my nose ,spicy pepperoni, sweet sugar, and clean grass, everything invading my nose at once. It was amazing.
The ride was over all too soon, we pulled up by the curb of a building. It’s windows were all black, as if someone had painted over them. The building itself was a maroon color. It said something on a sign. Hank opened up my door and lead me out by my leash. As we walked towards the building, I got a sickening feeling in my stomach. I still hadn’t eaten since yesterday. Hank knocked on the door and it slowly opened with a creaking noise.
We slowly moved into an incredibly big room. The sound was what hit me first, there were tons of people everywhere, and all of them were shouting and screaming. My tail quickly went between my legs. All the people looked to be surrounding a square in the middle of the room. The square was somewhat off the ground. The room was very dark and musty, I could see the dust floating in the air, going into my nose. I felt the sudden urge to sneeze. It was so loud in there, all the people were yelling and screaming. Hank seemed taken aback too, but only for a second, he walked me forward toward the square. We were right at the edge of the square, but I couldn’t see over the edge. I felt my leash being taken off. All of a sudden, Hank picked me up and set me inside the square. I looked around scared to death. My senses were going crazy. Everyone was yelling, I smelled something gross and overpowering. I was in a one of the corners. On the other side of me was another dog. He wasn’t much taller than me, but I could see his muscles rippling along his legs and chest. His legs and paws were a golden brown, reminding me of Steven’s ears, but they were covered in a red paste. His fur, shiny and black, seemed to glow. His teeth were barred, each tooth a pearly white, ready to bite. Whatever we were doing here, I could tell he had done it before. I was petrified to that spot. I heard a loud bell ring and before I could run, the massive dog lunged at me.
One day I tried to jump on the couch, but I was shoved off, apparently I’m not allowed on the couch, ever. I learned quickly that licking or cuddling up to Hank would earn me a hit to the head. I never tried to lick Madge, for fear of what might happen. Most of the day I just lay on my bed, wishing they would play with me. Hank always left early in the morning and Madge would get up soon after. She would pet and brush me, but there was something missing. I felt she didn’t love me, in fact I sensed sorrow. Hank gave off a feeling of hatred, so I tried to avoid him as much as possible. Most nights he came home acting weird, he smelled horrific, and was always slamming into things, as if his legs didn’t work. This became routine after the first year.
It was just like any other day. I woke up to the rich smell of crackling bacon. My mouth instantly began to water at the smell of the greasy, salty bacon. I stood up and stretched out my legs. Even though I knew I’d be kicked and ordered away, I couldn’t help myself. Slowly, I wandered into the kitchen. The smell was overwhelming, I couldn’t hold in a little whimper. Hank spun around and glared down at me. Maybe, just maybe he would give me some today.
“Get out of here! You know better, you mutt!” Hank shouted, with a swift kick to the side, I ran out of the room. Madge comes stumbling into the room, probably woken up by the shouting. I looked up at her, whimpering. She had forgotten to feed me last night, and my stomach felt as hollow as a tree. She had been forgetting to feed me more often lately. I could usually get some sympathy from her, but not that day. She walked past me and went into the kitchen. I heard her begin to fight and argue with Hank.
“Why do you do that Hank!? She never did anything to you!” yells Madge.
“She knows not to come in here. How else is she going to learn, except with discipline!” Hank shouted back.
“That’s not discipline. It’s called abuse, and it stops now.” she replies
I sneaked into the kitchen. Madge’s face was hard and unyielding. I didn’t understand what they were talking about, but her face was enough to tell me that she was mad at Hank.
“No, she is my dog and I will do with her as I please. Today is her first day in the ring. So you can either deal with it or leave.” Hank tells her.
I quietly walked back over to my bed and slumped down, I hated it there. I never got to go on walks or play fetch. Even my brushing time was getting shorter and shorter. I had thought of running away, but I didn’t know where to go, I had no idea where we were. The only time I had been outside was when they let me go into the backyard. All of a sudden, Madge came running out of the kitchen. She ran over to me and hugged me around the neck. It was weird. She hardly ever showed such affection. She let go, and looked me in the eye. There were tears in her eyes. What was going on? She stood up and ran to her room. Hank walked out of the kitchen.
“Come on Brandy, were going on a trip.” he told me. He pulled my leash out of his pocket and hooked it onto my collar. We headed out the door and toward the car. It smelled like manure out there. He opened up the passenger door and motioned for me to jump, I didn’t hesitate. The door closed with a bang, and Hank climbed in. The engine started, and we were on our way. The window rolled down beside me, so I stuck my head out and let my tongue fly. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all. Millions of smells flooded my nose ,spicy pepperoni, sweet sugar, and clean grass, everything invading my nose at once. It was amazing.
The ride was over all too soon, we pulled up by the curb of a building. It’s windows were all black, as if someone had painted over them. The building itself was a maroon color. It said something on a sign. Hank opened up my door and lead me out by my leash. As we walked towards the building, I got a sickening feeling in my stomach. I still hadn’t eaten since yesterday. Hank knocked on the door and it slowly opened with a creaking noise.
We slowly moved into an incredibly big room. The sound was what hit me first, there were tons of people everywhere, and all of them were shouting and screaming. My tail quickly went between my legs. All the people looked to be surrounding a square in the middle of the room. The square was somewhat off the ground. The room was very dark and musty, I could see the dust floating in the air, going into my nose. I felt the sudden urge to sneeze. It was so loud in there, all the people were yelling and screaming. Hank seemed taken aback too, but only for a second, he walked me forward toward the square. We were right at the edge of the square, but I couldn’t see over the edge. I felt my leash being taken off. All of a sudden, Hank picked me up and set me inside the square. I looked around scared to death. My senses were going crazy. Everyone was yelling, I smelled something gross and overpowering. I was in a one of the corners. On the other side of me was another dog. He wasn’t much taller than me, but I could see his muscles rippling along his legs and chest. His legs and paws were a golden brown, reminding me of Steven’s ears, but they were covered in a red paste. His fur, shiny and black, seemed to glow. His teeth were barred, each tooth a pearly white, ready to bite. Whatever we were doing here, I could tell he had done it before. I was petrified to that spot. I heard a loud bell ring and before I could run, the massive dog lunged at me.
Little Red by Joanna on Storybird