Dog Days

Dog Days

My mother, the woman who’d rescued me, she lay breathing heavily. I nuzzled my nose under her arm, my tongue lapping at her face. I always knew how to make her smile, she laughed pushing me away to look into my eyes. Her hands were wet and smelt of copper.

“You’re a good boy.” She said, her voice weak and rasping. I could see tears, I did my job and starting licking her face again. She laughed – success – she looked into my eyes, hers a pale blue, mine a deep brown. “Listen to me, I need you to find your sister, ok, find Sarah.” I stared at her eyes, barking once so she knew I understood.

She finished writing a note and placed it into her heart shaped locket, the one she always wore. “I need you to find Sarah, give her this locket.” The locket had a photo of the two of them, all they had in the world, except for me of course. She tightly folded the note and locked it away, then placed the locket around my neck. The thin gold chain sat comfortably in my thick shaggy fur. She pulled out a strip of cloth and tied it around my neck. “This is hers, use its scent to find her.”

Her hand stroked my muzzle once more, it was growing weak, the smell of copper was growing stronger. “Go, find your sister, don’t lose that locket.” She said. Her hand stopped stroking me, limply falling to the floor, I knew this trick, she was asleep, but I wasn’t done talking. I licked her face, she didn’t move, I nuzzled my nose into her neck and sighed, still nothing. I barked, she didn’t move, looking around, the world was empty, I think she needed help! I barked again, desperate, pleading, wake up mom! She didn’t even move, I whined and cried, curling into a ball on her lap.

Time passed us by, there was nothing in the world without my mother, not hunger, nor thirst, she would wake soon and I would be there for her when she did. Get to Sarah, she can help, the thought struck me, find Sarah she’d said. If anyone could help my mother it was my sister Sarah! I looked back at her, pale blue eyes stared vacantly through me, I kissed her on the cheek barking once, I will find help I promise.

We had sheltered in a collapsed building when the loud bangs started, I never liked those noises or the smells that followed, copper and something more acrid, it burned my nose. My mother was always quick to shelter me from it. The loose bricks shifted under my paws as I walked out into the street, humans lay scattered about, sleeping in the sun light, I almost wanted to join them but I had a job to do. I sniffed deeply into the cloth, drinking in the scent, letting it consume my sense, all other smells faded, I had it, she wasn’t too far away, but accompanying her scent was the loud bangs echoing down the street.

I ran, as fast as my paws could take me, over the burnt wreckages of cars, through the crumbled remains of buildings and around the old military check points, the bangs grew louder, shouting echoed with them. New smells tried to force Sarah’s scent from my mind but I wouldn’t let her go. I reached the park, my favourite place, long flat grass lands with more trees than a dog could ever use.

They were there, the monsters. Their skin pale, almost melting from their bones, Bodies misshapen, twisted and deformed. Arms sprouted from backs, second heads from shoulders, third legs from hips, mutants my mother called them. They held bangers, every second they fired it, the noise piercing the air, the burning smell intensifying, their growls and cheers echoing through the street.

I stalked up to a small bush, laying down and surveying the park. Sarah’s scent was coming from the park, I didn’t know what these mutants were doing with these bangers but Sarah always hid when the noise came. I had to find her, I had to comfort her against the noise.

The bangs grew louder, echoing from the other side of the park, the mutants roared, the copper smell grew, the sound of feet rushing towards me. I curled into a ball, as small as I could and hid in the bush, I began to shake I didn’t know what was happening but it was to much, a low whine escaped my throat.

Humans! They rushed forward, the mutants fell groaning, the humans stopped above the bodies, my tail began to wag. I could see her, Sarah was there, she was pointing and shouting, the rest of the humans charged away while she searched the mutants. I stayed curled in my ball, I was safe in a ball under this bush but my tail wagged fiercely. I’d found her, mother will be so pleased with me, maybe she’d even give me a treat, or even a bone! My mouth watered and my tail rustled the bushes with its excitement.

A roar, loud and desperate! Sarah fell back as a mutant leaped up pushing her to the ground, the monster was on her in a second, jaws snapping at her faces claws reaching for her throat. I barked once, a pathetic sound, my body ridged.

She fought back, something metal in her hand slashing wildly, the mutant didn’t even notice, its jaws inching closer to her face, its claws scratching at her chest. I barked again, GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER! The bark echoed through the world.

I was on my paws and charging, I’d never fought anything in my life, I didn’t even know what to do but Sarah needed me! I jumped, flying through the air, turning my body sideways I hit the mutant side on, our bodies collided. I couldn’t breath, I hit the ground and struggled for breath whimpering. The mutant toppled off Sarah, she was on it in a heart beat, her hands slashing through the air, the smell of copper and the struggle for breath were all I knew.

She swept me up in her arms and stared into my brown eyes, I stared back into her blue eyes, blue like her mothers. “You really are a good boy!” she said and pulled me in tight, my world was filled with her scent, I barked happily and licked her face.

“What is this?” she asked pulling the heart shaped locket from my head. She opened the locket, frowning and reading the note within. The other humans came back, they all wore the same clothing with a strange pattern and colour scheme, it made them kind of look like leaves. “Are you ok captain?”

“Yes, look who came back to me.” Sarah said with a smile. I was quickly swarmed by humans, cuddling me, stroking me and loving me.

“Where’s the commander boy? Where’s your mom?” a young man asked, I barked back at him, she’s sleeping in a broken house, I knew he wouldn’t understand me but maybe Sarah would.

Sarah shook her head “radio.” She said. A woman moved up beside her and handed her the talking box. “Resistance HQ, this is forward patrol, come in, over.”

“Go ahead.” The box said.

“Commander is down.” Sarah said, her eyes brimming with tears, the other humans gasped around her. I didn’t know what was happening but I knew how to help I licked her face, licking away the tears. She laughed and pushed me away – success – I made her happy again!

“Mutant ambush, she lead the main body away so we could escape.” Sarah continued.

“Do you still have the vaccine?” The box asked.

“Yes we’re still approximately two days hike from the lab.”

“It’s your call captain, you’re in charge now, deliver the vaccine or return to HQ and recover.” the box said. Sarah looked at the group with her, they all nodded solemnly,

“We’ll continue on HQ, the world needs this, I wont let my mother’s sacrifice be in vain, forward patrol out.” She handed the talking box back to the woman and sighed deeply.

“I’m sorry.” Someone said, Sarah shook her head.

“she died for a cause that she believed in, that’s a better death than most.”

“Should we go back for her body, bury it?”

“No, we can’t, if we head her way her distraction will be pointless, she lead a lot of mutants away. We can’t afford to have their attention again.” She placed the locket around her neck and checked a leather pouch that clinked together like glass. “Let’s get moving.” The humans all stood, Sarah looked to me, running a hand through my fur.

“What do you say boy, wanna go walkies?” she asked. My tail wagged, I barked excitedly, I wasn’t sure what was happening or where we were going, the human world was collapsing around me but my world felt whole.