Apollo

The story of a recurring dream I have had about my late best friend and faithful companion Apollo the German Shepherd

     I open the door to the backyard and he runs over to me: a German Shepherd with a golden mane of fur and a dorky grin that tells me how much he loves me. His tail, fluffier than any shepherd I have seen, wags as if he has never been this happy in his life. I cry his name: sob his name. He is back. I can have this chance to say good-bye, to hug him and hold him close, to thank him for all of my tears his fur absorbed. I can stroke his beautiful fur and brush him so he is sleek and gorgeous and, most importantly, more comfortable. I kneel on the floor and call him close.

     “Baby Apollo, come here sweetie potato man,” I say to him between tears. I never got to say good-bye, but here I am; calling my best companion to my side once again.

     Apollo runs over to me and licks my faces, slobbering my glasses but I don't care. It's him, it's my nosy-rosy funny-face piggly-wiggly fluffy tail. I bury my head in his chest as he nuzzles his warm snout into my neck. I breath in deeply, inhaling the comforting smell of dog: not the wet dog smell or the nasty dog breath smell, but the smell of a best friend, of comfort and familiarity.

     Emotions overwhelm me and I can't help but to break down, cradling him as close as I possibly can. I sob his name over and over, heaving with overflowing love, happiness, and regret. “I'm sorry I left you Apollo. You never did any wrong and I abandoned you. I know I had to leave home, but you couldn't understand that. Please still love me. Please love me. Please love me...”

     I trail off, unable to say anymore. But it is clear he understands: his nose sniffs my face and licks the tears away. I look him in the eyes, and I know he does not blame me for anything. His love" beautiful, undying, unconditional love"seeps through his eyes and into my soul. This is my best friend, my companion, my brother.

     A door opens down the hall and I hear footsteps coming to where Apollo and I sit on the floor, as close to each other as we can be. My mother comes around the corner, and almost immediately a look of concern crosses her face.

     “What are you doing on the floor? Have you been crying? What's wrong?” she asks, crossing the kitchen to where I am.

     “Can't you see? He's back! Our baby bear is back! He's right here!” I look to her and back to Apollo, holding him tighter.

     “Honey, there's nothing there. You need to snap out of this. Do we need to go see someone?”

     “No. NO. You don't understand he's right here!” I sob, desperately grabbing at Apollos scruff of soft fur. “Why can't you see him? He's here, he's here! My Apollo, my baby! He's right here, why can't you see him!”

     I feel Apollo pull away from my embrace, bowing his head and backing up a few steps. He sits down and lifts up one of his paws which I grasp in my hand. He vanishes before my eyes, the good-bye I never had.

     Collapsing on the floor, the tears are uncontrollable. He's gone, again.

Author's Note

Written at 1 am, first attempt at prose (I usually only write poetry)
Please don't be mean