Spot and Smudge - Book One

by Robert Udulutch

  “I did not know this was back here, Douglas,” Dalaja said as she walked on shaky legs into the kennel. Doug turned on the light and Dalaja froze. She stared at the walls of floor to ceiling cages for a long moment and then she turned to Liko and shook her head.

  She mouthed, “No.”

  Liko grabbed her by the arm and shoved her farther into the kennel. She tripped and fell face first against one of the metal cage doors. She was inches away from a massive round ball of lumpy black fur with a snout and ears sticking out from the middle. The dog filled almost the entire inside of the cage. It whimpered at her and tried to move but could only roll slightly from side to side. Its legs had become useless and were shriveled and bent at strange angles. The animal drooled constantly and stunk of waste and bile. It had sores on the bottom rolls of its black flesh where the fur had been worn away.

  All of the cages were filled with similar creatures. The dogs started to bark and whine and yap, but it sounded choked and strange.

  Dalaja could make out some of the breeds but all of the animals were massively bloated and had lost all of their otherwise identifiable features. Often the dog filled the cage so completely there was nothing but fur with eyes, ears, and a nose pressed against the cage door. Many of the cages held two or three dogs. Some of them were only partially bloated and looked like parade balloons. Some of the animals in the bottom cages were bloated in odd ways and looked to be in worse shape. One of them had a normal head and neck that bobbed on top of a bulbous stomach and hips.

  Liko picked Dalaja up and held her chin. He said in a calm voice, “You are going to take over for Jerry. You will do whatever Doug needs you to do here. Most importantly, you will never ever be late delivering a shipment, and we’re going to need you to find a way to increase production. Do you understand me?”

  Dalaja was crying. “Yes,” she sniffed, “but what is this?” She waited for the smack that didn’t come.

  Liko said, “This is how we pay the bills, darling. You have your business, we have ours. We helped you with yours, now you’re going to help us with ours.”

  Dalaja nodded. She looked at the work table with its mixing bowls and large measuring cups. Next to the table were several large shelves with big canisters of supplements and bottles of drugs from the clinic. There were some exotic bottles that she didn’t recognize with Chinese writing on them. She also looked at the white metal barrels stacked in the center of the kennel and didn’t recognize the markings on those either. She knew she was pressing her luck asking questions, but she said, “How will I know what to do? Where is Jerry?”

  Doug gave Liko a long look and then nodded to himself and said, “Fuck it, you’re going to find out eventually.” He led them outside and opened one of the side kennels.

  He turned on the light and stepped inside with Liko following, and herding Dalaja in front of him.

  Dalaja saw the same rows of floor to ceiling crates with variations of the same dogs inside. These dogs were mostly younger and less bloated but they showed clear signs of obesity and some had started to grow large bulbous protrusions. These dogs were able to vocalize more normally and she was met with barks and growls.

  She heard a clinking noise from the back of the kennel and when Doug moved aside she saw Jerry.

  Dalaja screamed.

  Chapter 52

  Spot and Smudge familiarized themselves with the paths and landmarks to the north and west of Mimi’s farm. They had explored all the way to Ronnie’s clinic and crossed the road to check out Papa’s the old factory, and then moved south to the cemetery.

  As they crossed the small clearing at the back of the cemetery they both stopped at the same time.

  They were standing on a patch of ground that been disturbed not too long ago. The dirt had been smoothed into a small mound and the low grass covering it were newer than the surrounding scrub.

  They both lowered their heads and closed their eyes. Pressing their snouts into the dirt, they each pulled in a long breath.

  It’s her, Smudge said.

  And them, Spot added.

  The pups stayed there for a long while, laying on the mound side by side with their heads touching.

  I’m glad you’re the one who made it, brother, Smudge said.

  I know, sis, Spot said, I love you, too.

  The pups left the clearing and stopped near Papa’s grave and the bench that overlooked the farm.

  Smudge said, We’re pretty lucky she made it to this farm.

  Yeah, Spot said, but our backsides won’t be if Mimi finds out we crossed the main road. C’mon, we have more ground to cover before heading home.

  They had been successful so far in avoiding the coyote hunters and their Alpha. After the night at the den Ben had stayed at the Hogan house for a few days so more exploring had to wait. When they returned to Mimi’s a few days later they could smell the hunters had visited the farm. They didn’t leave much of a trail and hadn’t bothered the pen, which worried Spot. Had they come in peeing on everything he would have a better idea who he was up against. He knew the alpha was older and he told Smudge, You probably didn’t get to be an old alpha by being a dumb alpha.

  If they could, Spot wanted to explore a bit more before they met the hunters face to face.

  The only uncharted territory left was to the south. They had been as far south as the paths along the river with Ben. Some of the smells coming over the small hills south of the river were intriguing, and Smudge noted not in a good bloody way.

  Spot decided to hold off on exploring those smells when they heard an old friend to the south east, and headed that way instead. They crossed Morgan Road near the river and followed it south to the new development. The woods broke up here and it was harder to stay concealed so they stuck to the drainage culverts and trash barrels. The homes of this little cul-de-sac had high wooden fences surrounding their back yards, and no trees. The whole street smelled dead.

  It wasn’t hard to find the right house and they circled around the back. From the adjacent yard Smudge leapt onto a covered boat and then to the top of the Cooper’s fence. She walked along the top of the fence to the top of a large shed in the back corner of Max’s yard.

  She called back to Spot, This is the place, I can see him watching TV with those two idiots.

  Spot joined her on top of the shed. They gave a quick yap and Max’s head snapped up. He listened for a minute, stole a fried chicken strip from a Chinese food container on the end table and laid back down on the couch next to one of the fat kids.

  The pups looked around the neighborhood to make sure it was still quiet. They yapped again, a little louder but Max just did the exact same thing. He grabbed another chicken strip and then settled back on the couch.

  Spot looked at his sister and they both howled. Max startled and jumped off the couch, knocking over the Chinese food and kicking the boy in the groin at the same time. He started that signature booming bark as he tried to dig under the frame of the sliding glass patio doors. The fat kid that had been lying on the floor in front of the large TV got up, pointed and laughed at his doubled over brother, and then opened the back door for Max.

  The huge black German shepherd bolted into the back yard, barking in every direction like a fool. He ran around the large in-ground pool a few times and stopped to pee on the headrest of a lounge chair. He hadn’t stopped barking.

  Spot looked at Smudge and shrugged. Max continued to bark for another full minute while he sniffed the perimeter of the fence. When he got to the shed Spot and Smudge hung their paws over the top edge, and while looking down at him the both yipped once.

  Max took a few steps back and let out a stream of massive barks. He came forward and clawed at the front of the shed as he continued spraying spittle everywhere. The pups stared at him until he started to pant and the barks slowed down, a little.

  Spot then tried every persuasion he could think of. He tried joking with Max, reasoning with him, yelling at him. Max was as dumb as he was big an
d everything ended in a new blast of barks. There was something clearly wrong with this dog. They could barely understand the animal. Smudge said, It’s like trying to communicate with one of Mimi’s chickens, if the chicken was also trying to tear your face off.

  The back yard light went on and Mr. Cooper yanked the slider open. “Shut the fuck up you hairy fucking idiot!” he screamed, red faced. As he was closing the door he said to the boy rolling on the floor and still holding his groin, “What the fuck is wrong with you, dip shit? Didn’t I fucking tell you two to clean…”

  Spot and Smudge were debating their next step. Spot was not fond of Smudge’s suggestion, but they needed Max on their side and Spot hadn’t been able to get through that thick skull. He argued with Smudge that this behemoth had her by at least a hundred pounds, was potentially psychotic, and there was nowhere to run when things went horribly wrong.

  Smudge agreed, and then pumped up her shoulders and leapt from the top of the shed onto Max’s back.

  Smudge had gone for a bite to Max’s neck but only got a mouthful of fur. She had misjudged the thickness of the big dog’s mane and Max tossed her off and was immediately on her. He bit down hard on Smudge’s neck. Spot was about to leap when Smudge told him to wait. Max tried to shake Smudge violently but she had her back paws wedged against the shed and her front paws on top of Max’s front paws. They were stalemated.

  Smudge looked at Max and slowly turned into the bite, flexing her massive shoulder muscles and forcing Max’s mouth to open past its normal extension. Max yelped and let her go. As he opened his mouth to readjust his bite Smudge came up under him and clamped down on his jaw. She twisted under him, bringing his head between his legs and flipping him onto his back. He kicked and tried to get a leg under Smudge but she side stepped and rolled Max onto his side, still holding onto the large black dog’s jaw. Max struggled and scratched against the concrete but couldn’t get purchase. He fought for a few more moments but then lay still as he couldn’t draw enough air to continue struggling. Eventually he started to whimper.

  Spot jumped down from the shed and sat in front of Max.

  He started communicating with Max. It was slow going even though he used the dog equivalent of small words.

  Max began to understand. Smudge did have to cut off the huge dog’s air several times to drive a few points home but eventually Max got it and she turned him loose.

  The three dogs moved to the shadow of the shed and Spot finished explaining what it was he wanted from Max. It took time, partly because Smudge and Max kept exchanging dirty looks as she stretched to loosen the knots in her shoulder and he worked his jaw back into place.

  Smudge checked out the fence gate near the house as Spot taught Max how to pee on whatever Spot wanted him to pee on, which turned out to take much longer than Spot had anticipated.

  Smudge liked the trick, but gave Spot a skeptical look.

  Trust me, sister, Spot said, This is going to come in handy.

  Sometime later Mr. Cooper opened the slider and he was already in mid-yell as he poked his head outside “…of you fucking idiots left the dog outside. Max! Come! Why am I the only fucking…“

  One at a time the pups used Max’s back to launch themselves to the top of the fence, and then up to the shed roof. As they yipped a goodbye Spot paused to watch Max go into the house. Mr. Cooper kicked the huge black dog hard on the rump as he passed.

  Max certainly had a less than ideal home, but Spot knew it didn’t explain all of his behavior. He smelled something on the dog he didn’t like.

  Chapter 53

  Liko put his massive hand over Dalaja’s mouth and she continued to scream into it until he whispered in her ear, “Stop screaming.”

  She did, and just stood there, weeping.

  Liko moved her aside and joined Doug at the back of the side kennel. “Fuck me with a chocolate bar,” Liko said, “Now that is some seriously freaky shit. Jeez Doug.”

  “She went nuts,” Doug said, nodding, “So I chained her up.”

  Jerry was sitting on the dirt floor of the side kennel with her back against the wall. The chain that had held the kennel doors closed was padlocked around her neck. The other end was locked to the metal support bolted to the kennel wall.

  A ripped t-shirt that had once been white hung on her bulbous shoulders and she was covered in clumps of mud and dried blood. Her hair fell across her face in snarled tangles and she had been gagged with a small dog leash that was knotted at her mouth and clipped behind her head. She was naked below the t-shirt. It looked like she had dipped her hands and feet repeatedly in road tar.

  She rolled her head up to look at Doug and choked and sputtered something that might have been “Thirsty.” She clawed towards him and the chain went tight as Jerry struggled against it.

  “Fuck you, and your drink,” Doug said to her as he took a step back.

  As Jerry leaned into the light Liko could see the black skin on her hands and feet was stretched tight and had cracked, leaving jagged red valleys. Her fingers were black sausages and her toes were just little black bumps. Her fingernails and toenails had been gnawed almost completely off. The rest of Jerry’s skin was pale white where it wasn’t bloody, or dirty, or black. Her lumpy head lolled on a too skinny neck.

  He noticed her forearms and calves were covered in bite marks, some of which had drawn blood. The cages next to her were empty and there was a pool of blood with bits of fur and bone at her feet.

  Doug caught Liko’s look and said, “I didn’t fucking do all of that to her. She and that idiot Aaron came back from the trip down south and when they blew by the house I saw the fucking dents in the vans. I came down here to bust her ass but she and that moron were already kicking the shit out of each other. They were both nuts. Pulling each other’s hair and screaming like fools. I fired Aaron and sent him home but the crazy bitch just wouldn’t stop. That’s when I noticed her fingers were like claws and she tried to bite me. Fucking bite me! I knocked her the hell out and drug her ass in here, but she didn’t look this bad. I came back the next morning and she had opened one of the cages and eaten a dog so I had to move the rest of them. I’ve been keeping her doped but she still acts like a friggin’ animal. All the rest of that shit she did to herself. I think she used her sweatpants to choke the dog.”

  Liko felt ill and turned away from Jerry. “Well that solves the Aaron problem,” he said into the back of his hand, “What the hell is wrong with her?”

  “Fuck if I know,” Doug said.

  They left the side kennel and he closed the door to get away from Jerry’s stench and slurping moans. “She’s always been a walking drug store, but look around,” Doug said, “Who knows what that fucking cocktail does to humans.”

  Liko put a shaking Dalaja in the truck and joined Doug in the doorway of the main kennel. He said, “They assured me it just makes the dogs big, but these bloated little fuckers give me the creeps.” He walked into the kennel and was being careful to not touch anything. “Doug,” he said, “we should tell them about the size of these fucking dogs. If we fucked up her recipe they’ll cut our balls off.”

  “Are you fucking insane, Liko? We’re making four times as much chinga on each dog now and for half the work. Fuck them, what they don’t know won’t hurt us,” Doug said, “Once we get this land shit figured out we’ll have a fucking dog factory and they’ll stop crawling up our asses and pitching a tent.”

  Doug’s headache was back with a vengeance and his dry mouth felt like a wad of paper.

  He cranked open the spigot and took a long drink from the hose.

  Chapter 54

  Pembury received its first taste of fall weather, and as the cool night descended the Hogan family hunkered down for bed.

  As Dan checked the downstairs doors and windows Aila made everyone a cup of tea. She dropped off Ben’s first. He was in bed with his headboard light on, alternating between math homework and chatting online with his pals. He thanked her, and as Aila kissed him on th
e head she asked about the pups.

  “They’re in with Kels,” Ben said without looking up from his tablet, “She’s had a crush on them lately and I think she’s using Spot like a Basil tonight.” There was a long standing Walker tradition of slipping a hot water bottle into the foot of the bed on chilly nights, and for some unexplained reason Mimi always called it a Basil.

  Aila didn’t think it was quite Basil weather yet, but she pulled a comforter from the top shelf of Ben’s closet and put it on the foot of his bed just in case.

  Aila and Mimi shared a well-established rule, they would not put on the heat before October first. It apparently went against every fiber of their being and had been touted by them for so long it was now a matter of pride. The Hogan kids were used to bundling up. She reminded Ben to brush his teeth as she headed towards Kelcy’s room. Dan came up the steps and they met in the hallway. As he turned out the hallway light Dan took his cup of tea from Aila, squeezed his wife’s bum, and turned the corner to their room.

  Aila rapped quietly on the open doorway and went into Kelcy’s room. “Tea for you,” she said as she placed the cup on the night table and pulled down a comforter from her daughter’s closet.

  “Thanks mum,” Kelcy replied.

  She was in her bed with the covers tucked under her arms. There was a text book and papers next to her, but her reading light was off. She was cuddling the pups and watching the wind whip the trees outside her window.

  Kelcy had an arm around each dog. Spot was resting his chin on her chest and Kelcy was stroking his ears. The dog’s eyes were at half-mast and he looked to be in heaven. Smudge was under the teen’s other arm, snoring with her snout hidden and one paw around her plush chicken toy.

  Aila sat on the edge of the bed and Smudge groaned and scooched her butt out of the way to give Aila more room.

  “Well, thank you,” Aila said as she moved farther onto the bed. Mother and daughter laughed as Aila slowly gave Smudge’s backside long scratches with her fingernails and she received an approving grumble. Aila marveled at the muscle tone of their girl dog. She thought dancers would kill for her legs, and then she thought maybe they’d be better suited for football players.