Just One Bite

Casey was about to bite into the juicy, untouched hamburger he had found in the trash can when he noticed a scraggly dog staring at him.

“Wh...what are you looking at?” Casey whispered shakily, the parchment paper that enveloped the hamburger crackling as he clutched it close to his heart. The dog wagged his tail and tiny droplets of water sprinkled across Casey’s bare calves. Pebbles of sand were nestled deep into the animals off-white fur, and his stiff left ear had a hole through the middle. Two yellow stained fangs fell over the dog’s lower lips. Casey felt his heart pace as the animal’s floppy tongue rolled around and the two almond shaped eyes remained fixated on the burger. The young man cleared his throat, and straightened his posture.

“This is my burger, so don’t you even think about it.” Casey hissed. “I spent a lot of time digging through the trash, so go find your own food!” The waves of the beach roared as a sharp, hot wind tousled the animal’s fur, yet the dog did not take his attention off of the hamburger. The hard metal bench Casey sat on became uncomfortably firm. The dog inched closer and pitifully laid his head on the young man’s plaid, faded shorts. A soft blanket of warmth poured into his right thigh from the dog’s matted fur, and a tingling sensation slowly cascaded through his body like a gentle wave. His eyes felt as though they were being glued shut, as his mind drifted.

Casey remembered his mother.

Fluffy, mountainous rolls and bulges of fat that hung off his mother’s frame pillowed his crying head. Long crispy hair would fall onto his head and mop up the tears which fell into the young creases on his cheeks. Her intermingling, methodical hum of vibrations snaked into his ears which provided a backdrop to his sailing dreams. She smelled like the hot, unbearable flames of a fire, yet the cool, sinking air of a freezer lined in powdered ice.  “Baby, baby, baby,” his mother would sing, “don’t be afraid of nothing, cause you’re my precious baby.” His mother would talk of pirates, monstrous sea waves, and buried treasure. One day, they would move right next to the beach, and let the waves tickle their bare feet every morning. But for now they would rock, back and forth, back and forth, until his limbs grew numb and a fog of nothingness filled his mind. “It will all be okay my precious baby boy,” the voice repeated continuously, “Momma’s here forever”.

How long is forever? Exactly seven years. At the end of seven years his mother’s body was frozen and stiff. Her usual bubbling, blue eyes were ice cold, fixated to a tiny stain on the celling. Casey shivered every time he touched her. She was sleeping, right? Yes, mothers are always cold when they sleep. She didn’t want to be woken up, so he walked. The sky morphed from blue to black numerous times before Casey noticed the crunchy sand beneath his feet. It was morning, and the dark, night sky was slowly being pushed away by the blazing orange sun. He had quickly disposed of his holey, rubber sneakers and allowed the cool waves to lick his feet.

A soft whining broke Casey’s thoughts, and the dog’s almond-colored eyes seemed to be begging for forgiveness.

“Don’t touch me!” Casey shouted and he quickly pushed the monster’s oblong head off of his legs. “You think that you can just put your head on anyone you please?” The dog’s head cocked to the right in confusion. The young man felt an innate smile crawl across his cheeks.

“Well,” he chuckled, “I guess you’re kinda cute.” Casey shakily reached towards the animal and rubbed his ear through the moist matted fur. The dog closed his eyes and opened his mouth, imitating a smile.

“You can have a little piece of my hamburger,” Casey decided out loud. He paused and warned the dog with his pointer finger. “But don’t think that you can just come here and take my food every day. This is a one time only deal.” The dog stood up and yelped in agreement, pacing in excitement. Casey carefully tore the hamburger in half, and dangled the meat right above the animal’s nose.

“Hey, Casey!” the loud, deep voice caused Casey to stop breathing. He stuffed both pieces of the burger into his short pockets. He stood up quickly, and the Dog threaded in and out of the young man’s legs, pushing his nose into the large indentations in his pants where the burger was hidden. Casey swatted at the animal and his teeth began to chatter. Down the boardwalk a group of five men were walking quickly towards him, their eyebrows knitted in anger. The tallest one named Ricky, with a bright red scar scratched deep across his eyelid, approached him first. Ricky hovered over Casey for a few seconds, breathing heavily onto his hair. The smell of rotting teeth and salt water nauseated Casey, and he felt dizzy.  

“Casey,” Ricky said with regret, “Casey, Casey, Casey....” The other boys created a circle around the young man. “Where is my money that you promised?”

“Im...Im...Im sorry Ricky,” his voice crackled, as he stared at Ricky’s leather boots, “I don’t have it.”

“Hey boys,” Ricky called out, “This guy says he don’t have my money, isn’t that funny?” A wave of snickering circled Casey, and for a quick moment the knot in the young man’s chest disappeared. Casey smiled and knew everything was going to be okay. Ricky grabbed Casey’s long hair and twisted it so the pain imitated a million sharp needles piercing his skull. Acid filled his stomach, and a burning sensation rose into the back of his throat.

“It’s not funny, you little f****t,” Rick spat, his jaw clenched.

“I’m sorry,” Casey gasped for breath and attempted to loosen his hair from Ricky’s grip. The dog barked and ran around The young man’s heart sank when the older boy’s scarred face turned towards the animal.

“Is this your dog?” Ricky asked.

“Um....”

“I said,” He yelled and tightened his grip, “Is this your dog?” Casey felt himself wince and he nodded slowly. Ricky laughed and exposed his mustard colored teeth.

“What a pretty dog, don’t you guys think?” Ricky sarcastically said. A murmur of agreement rustle around the circle, as Casey moaned in pain. The dog growled and nipped at Ricky’s ankles.

“What the f**k?” he shouted and dropped Casey on the crunchy sand. “How dare you f*****g touch me, you stupid f****r!” Ricky drew his leg back in preparation for a kick. Casey wanted to grab the dog and run towards the ocean. The dog and him could become pirates and forever be lost at sea. But instead he looked away. Casey glared towards the sunny, endless beach as he heard repeated thumps of foot against flesh and the loud, abrasive whimpers of the dog. Finally, only the rapid breath of Ricky could be heard over the scratchy wind. He pulled a rusty knife out of his pocket and threw it on the sand beside Casey.

“Kill him.” Ricky said plainly.  

“What? Kill him?” Casey repeated in disbelief, as his head pounded in pain. “ I can’t....really I can’t just...” Ricky grabbed Casey’s shirt collar and pulled him close.

Listen Casey, it’s pretty simple.” He said, “If you kill the dog, I’ll forget you owe me money. If you don’t kill the dog, you might find that knife in your chest.” Casey’s eyes drifted to the dog who whined softly in pain. The deep glistening eyeballs stared un-blinking at Casey and begged for help. Casey bit his lip so hard he tasted metal on his tongue.

“Understand?” Ricky whispered.

Casey nodded.

Casey’s fingers slowly circled the plastic handle, and he walked to where the Dog heaved slowly. As his shadow fell over the body, the dog looked up at his hamburger friend and wagged his tail. Tears stung his eyes as Casey slowly raised the knife above his head.

It’s just a dog, he reassured himself, It’s just an animal. My life is more important. I’m important.

“Do it Casey!” Ricky shouted, “Or I swear to mother f*****g God, I’ll kill you!” The young man looked away and imagined he was deep within his mother’s fat folds. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.

And with one sharp thrust, Casey ended a life.

Ten thousand raspy screams seemed to escape from the dog’s mouth as the blunted blade burrowed deep into his chest. A trickle of scarlet blood escaped from the animal’s mouth like a tiny, curvy river. Two sharp, convulsions shook the dog’s ribs, and his tail which before imitated a metronome slowed and stopped. Casey did not inhale a single breath as he slowly turned towards the dog. The animal’s eyes remained open, fixated on Casey. Thick blood covered his fingers and hands like snowflakes, and Casey’s eyes grew fuzzy as he tried to remember what just happened.

“Oh my God,” one of the boys said, “He did it. He actually killed him.” A dizzying buzz filled Casey’s head and made his knees buckle. He fell to the crunchy sand, but felt nothing.

“You’re sick Casey,” Ricky laughed. “I can’t believe you did it.” An invasive, screaming siren filled Casey’s ears, as the fog parted and he saw the dead animal in front of him.

“The cops!” One of the blond boys shouted, “Run!” They yelled and laughed, their voices disappeared into the harsh wind like dust.

“I’m so sorry,” Casey sobbed, clutching the animal’s warm, limp body. “I couldn’t help it.” He stumbled in his pocket, pulled out the hamburger and shoved it against the Dog’s wet nose.

“Please wake up,” He pleaded as his tears fell into the sand-colored fur, “you can’t leave me. Don’t go to sleep. Stay awake, stay awake.” The siren noises grew closer and closer, the thick sound of chained tires scratching small pebbles surrounded the young man. Casey buried his face into the dog’s neck.

“I can’t live without you! Don’t do this to me!” He shouted. The dog didn’t move. Something bubbled deep within the young man’s mind and stomach. “You a*****e!” Casey smacked the animal across the face and began hitting the limp body.

“How dare you leave me? I’m just a baby.” He sobbed and pulled on the fur. “How am I gonna live now? How am I gonna eat? Where am I gonna sleep? HUH?” A sudden wave of exhaustion filled his arms as he collapsed face first on the dog’s bloody chest. From behind Casey heard indistinguishable voices, and rough footsteps.  He looked up at the dog, and rubbed his cold ears.

“If you wake up, I’ll let you eat the whole hamburger,” Casey tiredly promised, “Not just a bite, but the whole thing.”

Darkness surrounded the young boy, and his mind began flying towards dreams where a freshly washed and well fed boy and his dog were captains of a pirate ship floating straight towards heaven.