The Dog Knows--a short story

[Branflakes]

I thought I'd post one of my short stories on my own board, for once. This is one I wrote back in 1993 and recently revised.

(10:38pm)
The shadows feel strange tonight. I can?t put my finger on how, but I?ve been walking Ranger for the past ten minutes and the shadows feel strange. Ranger even knows it. There?s not enough street lights out here. There never is. I think I?m going to bring this up at the next association meeting.

(11:43 pm)
Ranger continues to shift in the night. I listen to him, wondering what?s wrong. By now, he should be lying still, chewing on that rawhide bone he likes to drag around the house. Neither one of us has been right since that walk. Ranger keeps getting up and walking to the bedroom door. I keep it shut at night, especially since that Dateline show a few years ago said keeping your doors shut would keep out a lot of smoke during a fire. Ranger is still pacing, but I don?t hear anything, which is weird. I should hear the crickets and frogs that invade my lawn just outside my window. Everything is silent tonight.

(12:12 am)
I?m getting nervous. Ranger is whining. He?s no longer pacing, lying near the bed, staring at the door and whining. I still don?t hear anything. It?s deathly dark in here, the moon hasn?t come out from behind the clouds yet. I wish they had more streetlights around here. Then I could get at least some light in here. Maybe I need to install some lights over the garage. If Ranger didn?t have some white fur, I?d have no idea where he was. I really need to complain to the homeowner?s association next month.
Strange, the air conditioner hasn?t kicked on yet. I set it lower before I got into bed. I thought it came on. It doesn?t feel like 68 degrees in here, though. Maybe a breaker flipped. I should get up and check. Come to think of it, it?s not that warm in here. It can wait.

(12:36 am)
Ranger is growling at the door. I tell him to be quiet. He is, for a minute, then starts up again. I strain my eyes to see where he is in the room. I think he?s under the bed.

(12:42 am)
I just heard something. Did a door open? I know I locked the front door when I came in after walking Ranger. I even double-checked. And walked around and checked the back door and the windows. I don?t think I missed anything.

(12:45 am)
Ok, where?s Ranger? I don?t hear him whining or breathing or anything. Better turn the light on and check.

(12:46 am)
Light?s on, dog?s not in the room. My bedroom door is open, just enough for him to squeeze through. How?d he get the door open? I need to go see where he is. Man, I?m nervous.

(12:48 am)
Oh my God, Ranger?s dead. He?s down at the bottom of the stairs and his neck looks broken. Shit, I can?t go down there. Someone did this, there?s no way he just fell down the stairs and broke his own neck. What the hell am I supposed to do? Whoever did this has to still be in the house. Maybe right behind?ok, not going to freak myself out. Just go back into the bedroom and call the police.

(12:49 am)
Fuck, the line?s dead. Ok, ok, I need to get of the house. Shit, the light just went out. God I wish I had a lock on the bedroom door. Maybe I should jump out of the window. Why is it so dark? Where?s the moon? Fucking lack of streetlights.

(12:50 am)
Someone?s in the room. Why won?t this fucking window open?! Shit. I think he?s over by my bed. I?..I think it?s an it, not a someone. I think I can make it out. Does it see me? Ok, ok, just jump through the window, yeah, the fall won?t hurt me that bad. I should throw the lamp at it first.

(12:52 am)
It sees me. Are those eyes? Fuck, I need to throw the lamp, hurt it. I?m shaking so bad, shit. Maybe I can talk to it. Yeah, it?s just an animal, it can understand a calm voice, know I?m no threat. God, it?s huge.

(12:53 am)
Stop growling, stop growling, I don?t want to hurt you, it?s ok, I?m harmless. Food? You want food? I can get food. Just, don?t move. Please don?t move towards me.

(12:54 am)
Sonofgoddamnmotherfuck the lamp missed with the fucking lamp shit gotta grab the?

Epilogue:

Houston Chronicle dated October 24th, 2001

Police are investigating a homicide that happened early Thursday morning in the Shadow Ridge subdivision in Southeast Houston. Neighbors called police at approximately 1 a.m. and reported screams coming from inside the house at 1457 Shades Glen Lane. Police confirmed one woman and a dog were found dead inside. It is unclear if the woman owns the home. Police have not stated whether they believe this murder is related to the five others over the past three weeks in that subdivision. The five previous victims were reported to have suffered severe lacerations to the face, neck, arms, and body. No forced entry has been reported in any of the previous deaths. The Shadow Ridge Homeowners Association is expected to meet next week regarding safety concerns in the area


[This message has been edited by Branflakes (edited August 23, 2001).]

[The Lady Belle]

ooooohhhh...goosebumps..

More please Miss Branflakes..

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Sounds of laughter..
Shades of love...
Death Defying

[Tard]

Wow! Well written!

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Ambivalent Obsessions
I'm gonna get drunk,
come around and fuck you up.

I've got nothing to do,
but hang around and get screwed-up on you.

[Branflakes]

Thanks for the comments, y'all.

Lady Belle: You can find more "She Thinks She Remembers" over at STP. I've added a lot this week.

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[The Lady Belle]

Getting to the STP in a sec..just had to re-read this again..*L*

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Sounds of laughter..
Shades of love...
Death Defying

[Epiphany]

Bran, wow, that is great...you are really talented.

Hey you might have missed this in another thread somewhere's round here, but do you live in Houston? Cos I lived there for several years in fact I grew up in Huntsville and currently live there.

I didn't like living in Houston too much tho.

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~Crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal~

[Epiphany]

ps: Bran, i am reading that thread at STP, I am only on part 16...that is some interesting reading there. I assume youa re a writter? If so you have any books published? You are really good at that.

I have to say it is kinda spooky seeing "huntsville state park" in that story just because I have lived here for 26 years and know everything there is to know about Huntsville. And the fact that what you wrote could happen and has happened at various places of the world. Scary.


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~Crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal~

[Branflakes]

Hey Epi,

No, didn't catch that you're in Huntsville. Very cool. Yep, I'm in Houston and have visited the Huntsville State Park several times. I changed some facts, but the description of the park is based on what I know of it.

I'm not published yet. Working on it. When "She Thinks" is finished, I'll be editing it and then submit to agents. Hope to start looking for an agent sometime next year.

Planning on submitting some short stories throughout this year and see if I luck out anywhere. My dream is to be able to write for a living. I'lll definitely keep people posted.

Thanks for the kind words.

And thanks, Belle, for still enjoying "She Thinks".

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[Epiphany]

well the description you give the park is excactly what i always remembered about it....so that shows how well you have described it...the trails, the lake, all of it. I used to go there so much with my parents on those hiking trails....I had to log on tonight to print the rest of your story out....it has interested me beyond belief. I am now on part 31. This is an excellent story and you are one talented lady. I think i am keeping this story on hand, just simply because you have based it in Huntsville and you have such wonderful writting skills...the way you describe the events is like one can almost feel that they are in the story, feeling the pain of that lady. Good luck with trying to be a writter as a profession...I think you could definately make it. I will let ya know when I finish the story. I am off to read now!

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~Crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal~

[This message has been edited by Epiphany (edited August 26, 2001).]

[sweet-pea]

Bran, this is a great piece of writing...
thanks for sharing.. sorry it took me so long to comment... I just got to read it today.
And I'm enjoying "she thinks she remembers' also...

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You've got to stand for something...
Or you'll fall for anything...