Begin at the Begining

What can you do when you walk outside and your whole world is turned upside down?

     Mom, dad, and Seth were gone for the day so I had the whole house to myself. These were the days I lived for, what any 17 year old girl lives for. An empty house, and plenty of things to do with it. I had invited Evan, my boyfriend, to hang out, but he wouldnt be here till later this afternoon so I had to find something to do with myself until then.

     I slipped some shorts and a tank top on over my bikini and went to sit out by the pool. Dad liked to hunt, but mom liked to swim. So in compromise we had a small arsenal in our basement and a pool out back. Though i was good with a gun, i preferred to spend my down time like my mother. In the water. I put my sunglasses on and pulled my long black hair into a pony tail and stepped outside. Squinting at the sudden brightness, i walked to the nearest lawn chair and sat down.

     I set my cell down on the concrete beside me, and my hand came back wet. I figured it was water from the pool and wiped the warm substance on my tank top. Sighing i laid back to enjoy the sun. I awoke to the sound of my phone vibrating beside me. I had set an alarm to wake me in time to get ready for Evan. I reached over to grab it and saw that what i had laid it in was, in fact, not water at all. I looked at my tank where i saw a red hand print from when i wiped my hand off. It handnt been water, but blood. Trying not to panic I snatched my cell up and lept to my feet.

     I looked down at the red stained concrete at my feet, my breath comming in short gasps. There was a small pool of blood beside my chair and looking i saw that there were drops and drag marks here and there leading toward the side yard. Gathering up my courage i followed them. I turned the corner of the house and entered the shade it offered. The only thing in the yard that i could see were the yellow flowered bushes my mom had planted last summer. They were as tall as my waist and i couldnt see around them. Holding my breath i walked toward them.

     I had to go ahead and look or i wasn't ever going to. Comming all the way around the bush the sent hit me. The body had already began decomposing in the heat and the smell was gut wrenching. I gagged but managed to keep my breakfast down, and looked closer. At first it just looked like a red mass of meat, but on closer inspection i could see golden brown fur, matted and blood stained, but reconizable.  The neighbor's golden retriever Jack. 

     It looked like someone had eviscerated him, poor thing. Tendon and muscle were exposed in his legs, like someone had done a very bad job of skinning him. Alive. The nausea tried to force its way back up. I couldn't stay here any longer. I stumbled back inside the house, locking all the doors behind me. I took the deep cleansing breaths that the cool house offered me. I took my bloody cell out of my pocket and dialed my dad. Straight to voice mail, not a shock he didn't keep his phone on much. Next i called mom it rang, and rang, and rang, she didnt pick up. Seth wasn't yet old enough for a phone so i couldn't call him. They were at the mall, maybe mom just didnt hear it ringing.

     Next i dailed the police. No answer. We lived in a relativly small town so they could just be out on patrol or something. Yeah right i was lying to myself. I dialed the neighbor nada. I called Evan nothing. Fighting a panic attack I began pacing. No one was answering and there was a mutliated, dead dog in my yard. Lovely. I kept hearing strange noises that i knew were my imaginiation but frightening none the less. To calm my wired nerves i flipped the switch to the basement and desended down the stairs. i breathed in the damp air and felt under the fake potted plant for the keys to the gun cases. When i say cases I mean cases. Altogether we have about twenty-five different guns, give or take a few knives, smoke bombs, and tear gas. We also have a cross bow.

     The reason for all the weaponry would be my father, ex military general, was a little bit of a weapon fanatic. He loved his haven down here in the basement, and cared for his weapons about as well as he cared for Seth and I. His favorite thing to say was "I won't have no kids of mine growing up to be pansies!" This he would say after we were disciplined, maybe a smack to the back of the head or a few licks with his belt. He would say it in a more loving tone, when he was teaching us about his guns. Seth and I could load, fire, hit our target spot on, and clean any gun dad had down here, with familiarity and a quick percesion.

     I unlocked the case and took out a .12 gage pump action shot gun and a box full of ammo. Standing there holding the gun i knew i was being silly but it made me feel safer, and i didnt put it away. I locked the gun case behind me and went back up the stairs, flipping the switch and closing the door i froze. A deep inhuman growl had come from outside. The gun didnt seem so silly after all.     

Author's Note

Reviews and constructive critisim welcome.