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I am new here. I don't even know how or where to post this short story. You are free to comment or rate. Enjoy!!!



THE HAIRY DOG

A girl was standing on a street-corner. She leaned with her back relaxing on the wall and her legs crossed like a policeman patiently waiting for potential customer.
Sunshine beat upon the girl’s head, and a dusty wind raised yellow dust which trailed in clouds down the avenue. Clattering trucks moved with indistinctness through it. The girl stood dreamily gazing at the sky.
After some time, a beautiful white hairy dog came trotting with a dark brown bangle around its neck. A short rope was attached to the bangle occasionally it trod upon the end of the rope and stumbled.
It stopped opposite the girl and the two regarded each other. The dog hesitated for a moment, but it made little advances with its tail. The girl puts out her hand and called it. In an apologetic manner the dog came close, and the two had an exchange of friendly touches. By this time, the dog became eager to play with her new found friend. The girl as if knowing what’s on the dog’s mind, stretched out her hand to grab the dog. The out-stretched hand to lift the dog was unsuccessful as the dog slid and fell, hitting its little face on the ground. The dog thought for a second what it had done to be treated unfairly but when it looked at the girl’s face, seeing the remorse in the girl’s eyes, it decides to give her a second chance. This time she succeeded in lifting it. She patted it back gently and imagined a life with this delicate creature. She gazed into the eyes of the creature and saw a feeling she is familiar with. “This beautiful thing must be lonely” she thought.
The girl touched the dog repeatedly; she touched its ear, patted it neck, tried to find tick or lice on its skin. While this process was going on, the dog closed it eyes, enjoying the warm massage from its august friend. He imagined being with this gentle and caring being. The dog made a silent prayer asking God to never separate him from the gentle-hand girl. Also through the checking process, it wriggled contritely and showed his joy in every way possible. He offered more prayers to God for a bond.
At last the girl noticed that its getting late and she turned towards home. She dropped the dog on the ground and started heading home. The dog was praying at that time. He lay on his back and turned his eyes upon the retreating form.
It struggled to its feet and started after the girl. The later wandered in a perfunctory way toward her home, stopping from time to time to investigate her surroundings. During one of these investigations, she discovered the little dog was following her with the air of a footpad.
The girl threw stone at her pursuer. The dog always turned when a stone is being thrown to give its chaser the impression that it won’t follow her. Once the chaser turns facing home, the dog resumes its following. On the way to her house, the girl turned many times to throw stone at the dog. Instead of keeping off, the dog thought it was a game and dodged to stone skilfully.
When the girl reached her door-step, the dog was industriously ambling a few yards in the rear. He forgot about the rope on its neck and mistakenly came closer to the girl. The girl grabbed the rope and dragged the dog inside her house. The dog did not make any effort to fight it will out. Perhaps it has surrendered to its faith or it is willing to spend its sordid existence with its gentle friend. In it mind, it was been drag to heaven, a place of peace and comfort. In it eyes you could see satisfaction. The dog was at peace. It wriggles it tail and began to run round like a fish returning to water having been away from water in a long time.
When the girl’s uncle and aunt came in, they were astonished to see the dog. “Oh my God! I can’t believe that Jolie is here” her aunt exclaimed. At this moment, the girl was confused. She demanded to know what was going on. “Who is Jolie?” the girl asked. The aunt was busy caressing the dog’s neck. “Well the dog was given to us by my colleague at work three days ago. It got missing the same day that was why you did not see it when you came back” her uncle answered with his gaze fixed at the dog. “I did not boarder looking for it because destroys everything on its path” her uncle added.
That night, the house was tensed. There was a great debate whether or not to keep the dog. After series of argument for and against the motion, the head of the father as well as chairman of the debate committee agreed that the dog will stay. Though the girl won the debate but keeping the dog came with its own consequences. She is to clean the dog. In fact, the dog is her personal affair; she is to carter for the entire dog’s need.
The dog and the girl were associated together at all times except when the girl is asleep. The girl became all it had. When neighbours complain about the noise the dog makes at night, the girl defended her friend gallantly. The two seemed unstoppable and inseparable. Their bond grew stronger each day that passes by. The girl grew so fond of the dog that she brushed it teeth every day, dressed it up with some of her clothes, use her make up on it. On a sunny day, they would go for a walk. They became the perfect couple that everyone envied.
The relationship between them got so strong that they represent same thing to each other. The girl a guardian and protector to the dog and the dog a friend and companion to the girl. Their love knew no bounds. At night, the love birds cuddle each other to sleep. During the day, they would watch their favourite movie (breaking Bad) and would also go for a walk. The dog could not imagine life without its soul-mate.
On a certain night when the girl was not around, the dog went to the veranda and saw well-cooked fried rice. It took the delicious meal to the back of the house so as to avoid sharing the food with its roommates. The food was delicious so it thought after licking the last scrum. The dog stayed outside till its friend return.
On seeing the dog, the girl knew something was wrong. The dog looked weak, it could not stand properly and it eyes was yellowish. It eyes was just fixed on it bosom friend. The girl confused, took her friend inside the house. Her uncle inspected the dog like a police officer inspecting a car on the high-way. “I think this dog has eaten a poisoned food” the uncle lamented looking the dog’s mouth disgustingly. On hearing these words, the girl sunk into the sofa. Her mind went to the good time she spent with her friend, the happy hours, the laughter they shared, the unforgettable memories. Her mind came back to reality: A life time without her companion. She lamented silently, praying to God to save her friend. She tried her best to stop tears from coming out of her eye because her friend’s eyes were fixed on her. She needs to be the strong one she said to herself. Her friend depended on her. She needs to be strong for the both of them.
She opened her eyes and saw her friend stretching its hand to hold her for the last time. She carried her friend, looking deep into its eyes, singing it a lullaby. The dog gave a smile of contempt and closed its eyes.
It could hear the sound of her voice from a distant gradually fading away…
THE END!!!

DemiKOL:
but why did you quote the whole chapter na??
I even thought it was an update....

me sef no no o

brighteze008@gmail.com Zaria, Kaduna State