Toto

I was lounging on the floor in the living room, bored. My master sat on the couch just staring at one of those packets of papers. So weird how they can just lie there for hours staring at those papers or watching that frame with the moving pictures. I was hoping we could go for walk soon. I had been sitting around at home all day. When master finally got home I was really excited. He gave me some hugs and stuff and some food too, but now he was just lying there and I was bored again. Couldn’t we go outside or something?

Suddenly I heard someone coming up the steps. I shot to my feet and ran to the door. Who could it be? It better be somebody we know. It better be. I hate when people we don’t know come up our walk. I was already at the front door jumping up and down and making a commotion when the visitor started knocking. My master finally got up off the couch. I could tell when he saw who it was that he was a bit nervous and this riled me up even more. Master kneeled down and stroked my head, gave me some hard pats and whispered to get me to calm down. I quieted a bit and sat, panting and wagging my tail eagerly waiting to see who the guest was. My master took a deep breath and opened the door. It was a big man with a dark beard and long hair. He and my master exchanged greeting in the customary ways humans do, shaking paws instead of sniffing each other’s butts. I don’t understand that. How can you smell who’s coming if you don’t get a good scent of their butt? I let out a bark the big man crouched down and gave me a few pats. I didn’t really like the way he smelled, (like smoke and car exhaust) but he gave me a good scratch behind my ears that I appreciated.

The two humans then continued to talk and I could feel the tensions between them escalate. The big man began getting louder and even waving his arms around. My master was beginning to get intimidated and this made me upset. I started barking louder and louder at the big man but it made no difference. My owner was motioning for me to quiet down but I was so upset that I just couldn’t.     

That was when the big man hit my owner in the face with his hand, toppling him to the ground. I got even louder and jumped on the big man’s leg. The big man shook me off and delivered a kick to my ribs that sent me flying down the hall and slamming into a wall.

My master was struggling to get up and uselessly blathering. He still thought he could convince the man not to hurt him. Clearly he couldn’t tell that the big man had no intention of stopping.

When my master finally got to his feet the big man pushed him up against the wall. I charged at them barking as loud as I could but I was too late. The big man took out one of those shiny claws that humans use to cut up food and held my master against the wall and plunged the claw into him over and over. I tore at the big man’s leg with my teeth but it had no effect, he repeatedly stuck it to my master. I furious ripping at his leg had no effect.

He finally tired and stepped back letting my master collapse to the floor before once again kicking me across the room. He took a deep breath before leaving and slamming the door behind him. I barked until I heard him drive off. I finally managed to scare him away, but I think it was too late. My master was collapsed on the ground and there was a lot of blood around him. I licked his face. He didn’t move. I tried again. Still nothing. I tried barking and howling but nothing would wake him.

After while I finally gave up. I lay down close and stared at him. I don’t think he was going to move ever again.