A Boy and His Talking Dog
by Heath Gordon
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2012 Heath Gordon
About The Author
Heath Gordon is a freelance writer who lives in Alexandria, VA with his hot girlfriend. In his spare time, when he's not writing, he likes to play chess, brew beer and exercise. If you like his fiction, he hopes to publish more electronically. Every Friday he publishes some Flash Fiction on his website:
The piebald puppy, eyes closed, paws curled, asked for water and Kyle was confused. In between the reeds the mutt's mouth opened and closed, pleading for a drop of water. Incredulous, Kyle ran back to his house, put some water in a flowerpot from the hose, and tromped back, boots clapping against his calves, stick knocking against the ground behind him. With his fingers, he dribbled some water on the puppy's mouth.
The puppy licked his lips and said, “Thank You.”
“You're welcome.” Kyle replied, somewhat in disbelief. “Do you need anything else?”
“Not right now.” The puppy stretched its legs and rolled
over, trying to get to its feet.
“Would you like some help? I can carry you back to my house,
its pretty cold out here,” Kyle said. His breath fogged in
front of him, and indeed it was getting to be the time when he would
normally head home.
“I think so, my legs aren't really working.” Kyle bent over and picked him up.
The poor thing's heart fluttered against his hands and there was a
slight wheezing when he breathed in and out. The leaves crackled
under Kyle’s feet as he brought home his prize. Kicking his
boots off on the porch, he rushed inside and up the stairs to his
mother's office. The door was open a crack, and Kyle pushed it open.
“Mom, look what I found!”
She turned around and pulled the blue glasses off the front of her nose. “Well what do you- oh what a cute little thing. Where did you find that?
“You know in the back where there's that stream?”
She nodded.
“Well he was just lying there and I brought him some water.”
“Was there anyone around?”
“No.”
“Well we'll put some signs up in town. Someone may have lost it.”
“Okay. What should I do until then?”
“Make him a bed, he must be cold.”
“Can I keep him in my room?”
His mother thought a bit, and nodded, “Sure.”
The dog was still sleeping peacefully in his arms as Kyle slipped up to his room. He placed the dog on his pillow and went to his closet. There he emptied some cleats out of a box, stuffed it with an old t-shirt, and placed the new bed at the food of his own. The puppy pawed at the air when it was being moved, but sighed and breathed deeply when covered with a blanket by the boy's kind hand.
Kyle tiptoed down the stairs and slipped on his sneakers. “Mom I'm going to the store to get the dog some food.”
“Kyle come here for a second.”
“Okay.”
“Kyle you can't get too attached to this dog. Tomorrow we're going to post signs around the town and ask the neighbors if they are missing him.”
“If no one claims him, can we keep him?”
“We'll see.” On any other day, this would have meant “No”, but Kyle's Mom had looked into the eyes of that puppy.
“Okay. I'll be back in twenty.”
“Be careful.”
* * *
Kyle held the squirming dog during the exam. Satisfied, the vet leaned back and looked at the boy over his glasses. “Mosby is in perfect health. No worms, no diseases. Where did you find him again?”
“I just found him in the woods.”
“Hm.” The vet paused. “Well, you've got a happy healthy puppy on your hands, Kyle. He doesn't even have fleas. I would recommend Frontline to put under his collar every two months.”
Mosby yipped at this news, and Kyle chuckled. “Just a few more minutes, and we can go home,” he said to his new friend.
Kyle paid for the visit while Mosby squirmed in his arms until he was settled on the passenger seat of the car. “Mosby, you have to calm down.”
“I can't. I can't. There were so many cats.”
Kyle laughed. “Yeah I bet it smelled great in there. You did good though. I'm glad you didn't have worms.”
“Are you kidding me, I'm clean as a whistle. Do you want to play catch this afternoon?” Mosby spoke between pants, gazing fiercely out the window.
“I have homework to do. Maybe before dinner.”
“C'mon man.”
“We'll see.”
“Just throw the ball while you're working. I'll even put it in your hand.”
“Its cold out.”
“Fine.” Mosby curled up in a ball, facing away from Kyle.