Lucy

by Chris Coppel

  Lucy vaguely recalled seeing bipeds like that before. One had come to the cottage to talk to her man after another human had been trying to climb through the kitchen window one night. As far as she could remember, the uniformed biped had been very pleasant, even taking the time to have a brief chat and a tummy rub with her.

  The group outside didn’t look particularly menacing. In fact, a few of them seemed to be quite enjoying the goings-on, whatever the goings-on were!

  Lucy was still trying to fathom the biped’s presence when something caught her eye. In front of the uniformed males was a pile of wrappers and containers, identical to the ones strewn about the cave. How could that be? She gestured to the others, who upon seeing the colourful pile of debris, turned to each other with expressions of deep distress.

  “Those are from the bag that broke last night,” Rex stated, flatly.

  “Oh blast,” Rodney sighed. “We must have left a trail the entire way.

  “You think?” Rex said, rolling his eyes.

  “So, what do we do?” Lucy asked, trying to keep the nervous edge from her voice.

  “I do believe,” Rex began. “that that’s going to be up to our visitors out there.”

  Lucy turned and looked towards the humans who, though not appearing particularly menacing, were staring with amused determination right back at them. As they wondered what to do, Lucy woke up the others and explained their predicament. She was just getting to the part about the wrapper trail when Rex called for her to return to the entrance.

  She saw immediately that the uniformed bipeds had been joined by six new, grey-clad humans, who were not only dressed differently, but seemed to be taking the situation far more seriously than the others. There were no smiles from the newcomers. They gave the cave and the three visible animals a cold evaluation as they stood in front of a pair of vans. One of the newcomers broke away from the others and climbed into the rear of a vehicle. He reappeared moments later with a strange canister clutched in one hand. He said something to the other bipeds then walked towards the cave. Once he was about halfway between the dogs and the humans, he pulled something from the canister, then deftly tossed it over the heads of the three canines standing at the cave entrance.

  Rex, Rodney, and Lucy watched as the thing bounced into their shelter then rolled into a corner. The others frantically danced out of its way, then all stared at it nervously. Almost immediately the thing began emitting white smoke which started to irritate all the dog’s eyes.

  “What’s going on?” Lucy gasped, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “I don’t know,” Rodney replied coughing. “But we can’t stay here.”

  “He’s right,” Rex stated between his own bouts of tear-filled coughs. “Everybody out, now!”

  They didn’t have to be told twice. Whatever the humans were after, couldn’t be worse than the pain they were now feeling in their eyes and noses.

  They dashed out of the cave and saw that the humans had moved close to the entrance and were holding a cordon of netting between them, cutting off any escape routes for the dogs.

  The six animals were by now scared and having trouble seeing clearly out of their tear-filled eyes. They tried to locate ways around the humans, but there were none. Angel was the first to be taken. She charged the centre of the line, hoping to startle the humans, but they simply dropped the net before she even reached them. She was swiftly grabbed and carried to one of the vans. Rex and Lester were next. They stood their ground and growled with full-on fury only to find themselves netted, then bundled off to the other vehicle. Hans made a brave attempt at climbing up the dry waterfall gully but lost his footing near the top and fell into the pond where, with a great deal of barking and splashing, he was captured and taken.

  Rodney gave Lucy a brave smile and encouraging head nod then made his move. He almost managed it too. He pretended to charge one particular human focusing on the man’s ankles, then at the last moment leapt high into the air and made it over the net, only to be caught in one of the uniformed biped’s hands.

  That left Lucy. She could see that she was well and truly trapped. The line of net-toting humans was closing in fast. She backed herself against the waterfall rocks, and out of pure fear and hopelessness, closed her eyes as she waited to be grabbed.

  At first, she only heard one honk. She thought she recognised the voice but was too scared to open her eyes. Then she heard others and had to look. She opened her eyes just as at least fifty low-flying geese began dive-bombing the human net line.

  The grey-clad humans were taken by complete surprise and realising that they were greatly outnumbered, dived to the ground covering their heads as the huge birds flew at them with great precision. The uniformed bipeds, though having to protect themselves like the others, seemed to find humour in the attack. They were lying flat on the ground with their hands over their heads laughing themselves silly. Finally, one human shouted a command, and the others made a break for their vehicles. This made the uniformed ones laugh even harder as they rolled across the grass trying to keep their domed hats in place.

  Lucy would have laughed herself if Vol hadn’t landed in front of her at that moment.

  “Sorry we didn’t get here sooner,” the goose said, breathlessly. “You’d better follow me!”

  “What about the others?” Lucy asked anxiously.

  “It’s too late, Goldie. They’ve been taken.”

  “But I can’t just . . . ” Lucy began.

  “Yes, you can, unless you want to just wait until they come back for you. Now move it girl!”

  With that, the goose took to the air and with Lucy running along beneath him, earth-bound, led her up past the restaurant, along the bank of the lake and to the dilapidated boat house. Vol landed on the roof and scanned the area.

  “Okay Goldie it’s all clear. Ready for a swim?”

  “Swim?” she replied, confused.

  “Yes, swim! You can’t stay over here can you? We’ll just have to put you up on the island for a while until we work out what to do next.”

  “It won’t be too much of an imposition?” Lucy inquired politely.

  Vol had to laugh at the dog’s sense of propriety even at such a critical time.

  “I think we’ll manage,” he responded with amusement. “Now, get in the water.”

  Lucy did as she was told and dived into the lake. She paddled across the narrow stretch and was met by a couple of anxious ganders that led her through the bushes and out of sight of the shore.

  “You poor thing,” one of them cried.

  “What an awful situation,” the other added.

  Lucy gave them both a brave smile and was about to shake off her coat when she stopped and asked them to step back. Once they had moved a respectful distance from her, she gave herself a good shake then she moved into the clearing just as Vol landed next to her.

  “Why don’t you have a rest for a while?” Vol suggested. “You’re safe here,”

  “Oh, I couldn’t,” Lucy exclaimed. “My friends have been captured. I have to . . . ”

  “You have to what?” Vol interrupted. “There’s nothing you can do. They’re gone, Goldie. What you need is to rest so that when you wake up, you’ll be thinking clearly.

  “Do you really think so?” she asked, sadly.

  “I promise. In fact, I think I’ll join you.”

  With that, he tucked his head under a wing and without any further ado, was fast asleep. Lucy looked to the other birds and found that they’d all done the same. She decided she might as well join in and stretched herself out on the warm earth of the island clearing.

  With one deep sigh, she closed her sad eyes and went instantly to sleep.

  Lucy woke in the early afternoon and found that she was alone in the clearing. She stared out through a gap in the greenery and watched as various humans lapped up the tr
anquil atmosphere afforded by the park. They rowed on the lake, they rode horses, they fished. Some hardy individuals even swam on the far side in a sheltered area reserved, Lucy presumed, for just that purpose.

  Lucy could clearly see, even from her place of seclusion, the looks of sheer enjoyment on the faces of the humans. They seemed to revel in the natural surroundings. She wondered why, if they loved the park environment so much, they built the city in the first place. Before they’d constructed the concrete jungle, had not the land on which it now lay, been just as countrified as the park? Lucy suddenly missed the cottage and Cook, and her Man. She felt both thankful for living in such a setting and pained by not being there. It was a very frightening feeling to know exactly where she wanted to be, but not have the slightest idea of how to get there.

  Lucy spent most of the afternoon in deep reflection of her present situation. By evening, she had managed to make herself quite morose, and even as Vol and the other geese returned from their day’s efforts, and she pretended to feel otherwise, the sensation of loneliness and homesickness ate away at her very soul.

  Vol could tell that she was troubled and tried to ease her sorrow with some light-hearted small talk, but to no avail. He whispered to one of his flock then took to the air with a determined expression on his bill.

  Lucy tried to join in with the flock as they recounted amusing tales of human encounters. She even told of her set-to with Cook over the vegetable garden, but it only seemed to make her more miserable. Finally, feeling completely sorry for herself, she moved off to a spot of ground away from the others, and with her head facing away, had a quiet cry.

  After a few moments, she heard a loud flapping of wings and turned just in time to see Vol as he landed with great precision while holding a huge slab of beef in his beak. He waddled over to Lucy and gently placed the meat at her side.

  “I thought that perhaps a nice dinner would cheer you up,” he said, as he turned to go.

  “Wait,” Lucy said as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes with both paws. “Where’d you get this?”

  “It’s amazing what people try to cook on those funny little outdoor fires of theirs.”

  “This was being cooked?” She asked in amazement.

  “Not yet it wasn’t,” Vol responded. “The poor biped had just brought it outside and made the mistake of putting it down for a moment, and then turned his back.”

  “And you grabbed it?” Lucy found the concept quite remarkable.

  “We do that a lot. In the summer we can fly about overhead and check out what’s for dinner. People will try to cook just about anything outdoors as long as it’s not raining. We wait until they go inside for something and Voila! We’re not mad about meat, but it’s amazing how much fish bipeds are starting to eat. Or at least trying to,” he added with amusement. “Bol over there grabbed an entire salmon earlier this season.”

  Sensing his name being used, Bol, a fine specimen of goose, turned and waved a wing in their direction.

  “I’ll leave you to feed. You look like you need the time alone. Enjoy your meal.”

  “Vol,” Lucy said gently. “Thank you. You’re very sweet.”

  “Don’t be silly! We’re all in this world together. If we can’t help one another when the need arises, then what’s the point?” Vol gave her a nod of encouragement, then waddled off to join the rest of his flock.

  “What a nice goose,” Lucy thought to herself as she bit into her dinner.

  CHAPTER 19

  The next morning, Lucy was awakened early as the geese prepared themselves for their usual dawn patrols. They would send out teams to scour the park and to make sure that all was well within their kingdom. It was a tradition handed down from generation to generation.

  The birds would take off in groups of six with one bird in the lead. Each group would cover one particular quadrant, then return and report their findings, while also picking up their next assignment. Lucy watched in fascination from her corner of the clearing. After a short period one of the groups, with Bol as the lead, returned from a sortie. Instead of reporting to the command group, he waddled with urgency over to Lucy.

  “Wasn’t one of your group an Afghan?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Lucy responded with curiosity. “But why . . . ”

  “Name of Pru?” he continued.

  “Why, yes!” she exclaimed. “Where is she?”

  “Walking with her mistress by the cave and waterfall. I picked up her bark from the air. She’s calling for you and the others. I didn’t want to alarm the human, so I came right back to tell you. Want me to show you where they are?”

  “No, thank you Bol. You’ve done enough already.”

  “It’s been a pleasure, ma’am,” he replied.

  She watched as he returned to his flight group and immediately took to the air to complete their mission. Lucy rose to her feet, and after a good stretch and perfunctory scratch of her hindquarters, made her way to the island’s shore. She checked that all was clear then dived into the water. She reached other side, and after a thorough shake, trotted off towards the waterfall. She wanted desperately to run, but at the same time knew that she mustn’t attract any attention to herself.

  Lucy passed the restaurant and saw a long line of people waiting to select their meal from a brightly-lit display case. What with the harsh neon lights and the bright metallic packaging of the food itself, Lucy was surprised that anyone would be tempted to consume any of it.

  She passed by the heavily fenced-in bins and smiled at the brief memory that struck her. She reached the sloping path that led to the cave that had sheltered them so very recently. Lucy looked anxiously for Pru but couldn’t see her anywhere. She hoped that she hadn’t missed her chance to speak with her friend. She had to find her and tell her what happened, then the two of them could start a search for the others. She checked all around the enclosure but found no trace of the Afghan. She began to panic. She ran along an adjoining path and still couldn’t spot her friend. She should have let Bol lead her from the air as he had offered.

  Lucy turned another corner and found herself next to the soft earth of the park’s horse trail. A well-groomed Arab mix was cantering by, trying to train his nervous rider, when he spotted Lucy he came to a sudden halt, almost dismounting his charge.

  “Is your name Lucy, by chance?” he neighed.

  “Yes, it is!” she cried.

  “Thought you might be. Her description was spot on.”

  “Whose description?” Lucy asked excitedly. “Have you seen Pru?”

  “If you’re referring to a fine looking, blonde canine, then yes, I have,” he replied calmly, while trying to ignore his rider’s futile attempts at moving him on. “She’s about a hundred yards down the path just over that rise. I passed her only a few minutes ago. She’s very anxious to speak with you.”

  “Thank you. Thank you very much,” Lucy shouted over her shoulder as she began to run toward the last sighting of her friend.

  “Good luck!” the Arab mix called after her. “Now let’s deal with you shall we.” he stated, as he turned his head to glance up at his irate rider.

  Lucy covered the distance in mere seconds, but again saw no sign of Pru. She scanned the park from her excellent position atop the rise but couldn’t spot her.

  Finally, out of breath, exhausted and with a heavy heart, she made her way back to the boat house and the island beyond. She passed the waterfall and pond, climbed the sloping path to the restaurant, then walked despondently along the shore of the lake.

  “So, there you are!” Pru screamed with delight.

  Lucy looked up and saw her friend as she sat obediently next to her mistress by the same park bench where the two of them had been reunited just the other day.

  “I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” Lucy cried out, dashing over to greet her friend. “I’ve got to spea
k with you. Can you break away for a bit?”

  “I suppose so,” she replied hesitantly, glancing up at her mistress who seemed completely engrossed in a bound bunch of paper in her hands. “Let’s pretend to chase birds. She’ll allow that.”

  “Good idea,” Lucy nodded. “I’ll lead.”

  With that, Lucy suddenly dashed by the bench at full speed, barking frantically as she headed for a flock of pigeons lunching on the grass. Pru tugged urgently at her lead, and with great understanding from her mistress, was released to join in the fun.

  The two dogs tore after the startled birds who greatly resented having to take to the air, especially after having found an exceptionally rich amount of newly-laid grass seed.

  Once away from her mistress, Pru turned to Lucy with a worried look on her fine, exotic features.

  “Where are the others?” she inquired in a tone that she hoped masked her concern.

  “They’re gone Pru. They’ve been taken!”

  Lucy could see the colour pale under the Afghan’s fine coat. She suggested that they sit so she could explain what happened. She was worried that Pru suddenly looked very unsteady on her feet and was afraid the other animal might fall over.

  Once seated, Lucy told of the events leading up to the capture of their friends. Pru sat and listened intently, occasionally shaking her head in amazement at the antics of the others. As Lucy recounted the details of the capture and her subsequent lonely night spent on Sanctuary Island, Pru’s eyes welled up with tears.

  “ . . . .and then . . . well there you were!” Lucy said, finishing the story. She looked into the Afghan’s misty eyes and could see, not just the sadness that rested there, but also the constrictive shackles of guilt that were beginning to grow within her mind.