MY DOG

A NEW PET

I have a new dog named Charley.

I found him wandering the streets, looking slightly disoriented and frail. I took  him back to my basement apartment. For a week I have taken good care of him. Sometimes Charley is a very bad dog, always trying to runaway, making noise at night. I keep him in a cage as punishment and for his own protection. I have to keep him a secret, my Landlady doesn't allow pets.

The other day, the woman next door knocked on my door.

“I'm looking for my husband Charley. He went out for cigarettes and is now missing. Have you seen him?”

I told her I hadn't seen him. I shut my door, looked at Charley. He was whimpering,cowering in the corner of the cage, his naked body broken and bruised.

“She's not getting you back,” I told him.

Reviews

[Raven Starhawk]

T__T I am actually...not sure what to type here. This story has a twist that wrenches the heart and yet it clearly shows how well you deliver a story. I surely didn't expect that ending although...honestly after I read this it did remind me of my step-father who is now dead and how he use to treat animals. I will spare you the details, but anyways...great story. ^^

[mark slade]

Thanks for the review, Raven.

[Chuck Briggs]

Ha ha. Well, I didn't see THAT coming. Looking over it again, I liked the subtle foreshadowing of "I keep him in a cage as punishment." Punishment is the giveaway, of course, because I don't know a lot of dog owners who do that. Swat with a rolled up newspaper, maybe, turn their backs if they don't "perform," but not locked in a cage. Just enough to let you know something isn't right.

Well done, natch - and with the barest, minimum of wordage!

[mark slade]

Thanks for the review, Chuck.