I think I wrote a story about dogs for the Dog Star. Because it is the dog day of Summer, in case you didn’t know. Wow. That’s Sirius. (I’m sorry). Do you see how these Jungian methods for writing, like Flash Fiction, kind of evoke things? Pretty weird. And fun. Day 7 of Flash August Fiction (look into it). I’m releasing this at a different time of day, just to see what it does in terms of downloads and all that.
A pack of displaced dogs have escaped a kill shelter, and are winding their way through a sleepy, bedroom town, just before sunrise.
“This is awesome!” One of them shouts.
“What are we going to do with our newly found freedom, we can’t waste it by getting caught again!” Yells another.
“I can tell you right now, I’m dumping the name those people gave me! My new name is Wolf!” Says a dog formerly known as Bunny, and they all bark and howl in approval.
“My name is now King!” Proclaims a dog formerly known as Teddy Bear.
“I’m Zena!” shouts one of the three dogs formerly known as Daisy.
“I’m Hungry!” says another, and they all howl with laughter and agreement.
They have to determine how they are going to eat. They huddle in the alley of a nearly abandoned industrial area.
“I can smell stuff in some cans back here. I think we can get to it.” Says King.
Zena responds, “That will do for now, but if we get used to this easy stuff, around the people, we’re going to get caught again.”
“It’s definitely a double-edged sword, if we are going to stay free, we are going to have to use these strategies as a last resort, and in the dark.” Wolf says.
“You know there are bunnies and birds and other stuff out there, just over that hill, and there are the campsites, away from all these houses, where they hate us.” Says Hungry.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Says Wolf. “Bunnies.”
“There are coyotes out there too, they know what they’re doing, and they see us as food.” King reminds them.
“Well, we can watch them, work as a team, learn from them, and also protect ourselves that way.” Zena asserts. “For now, though, before the sun finishes rising, we should knock over these cans and see what we can find, get some energy, and then get out into those woods during daylight.”
They get some nourishment from leftover sandwich parts, a couple of roast chicken carcasses, and fast food remnants. Then they head out over the local hill for their first foray into the wild.
They settle for a rest on the other side of the hill. Some immediately begin digging boroughs, as their genetic instruct them. Some are sniffing around, catching the scent of rodents.
“Oh yeah.” Says Hungry, “We’ll have meat when we need it, for sure.”
“Smells good.” Says Zena.
They spend the day getting oriented, determining the routes of the local coyotes, and marking their territory. Hopefully, enough of the strong ones can survive to make a go of a decent life.
As night falls, they cuddle together in their boroughs, in groups. There is some anxiety in the smaller dogs, while King and Zena keep watch as long as they can, before drifting off to sleep.
The End478 Words
