Spot and Smudge - Book One

by Robert Udulutch

  Spot and Smudge had stopped short of enjoying Aaron with the pack, and they were a little surprised Max didn’t even hesitate for a second. The big black shepherd lay side by side with One Ear and the lead female to finish Aaron’s liver together, and happily licked the leftover bits from their snouts with his shovel sized tongue.

  It wasn’t like the meat didn’t smell good to Spot and Smudge, and their stomachs were certainly rumbling with all of the lip smacking and happy munching happening around them. But at the same time something felt very wrong about joining in. One Ear raised her bloody snout long enough to ask them if something was wrong. They said everything was wonderful, and they just weren’t hungry. She didn’t seem to understand that at all, but was willing to add it to the list of confusing things about her new alphas and let it go. After she dropped back down to play tug of war with Max over something pink Smudge nodded to her brother, and he nodded back. Having Max kill the prick had been one thing, but consuming him would be something else entirely.

  They were content to hang back and watch the pack feast, and they realized the tough little wild dogs were very good at it. Even the young were talented at quickly stripping sinew from the bones, and nothing went to waste. It was pretty clear this was Max’s first time with a carcass. Where the coyotes worked like an experienced pit crew Max ate like a toddler with his first birthday cake, but what he lacked in skill he made up for with powerful bites followed by huge swallows. Under One Ear’s patient coaching the pack put up with Max’s frequent changes of position. He wanted to try anything that looked good, which apparently was just about everything based on the way he was constantly stepping over the ring of grumbling dogs.

  After the coyotes had gorged themselves to capacity Spot and Smudge followed them to a nearby pond for a drink and a quick bath. The pups cleaned up with the pack, and after they returned to the den Weasel One and One Ear approached them. With a short huff from Weasel One the entire pack circled in, and a second huff sent a dozen darting tongues descending on them. Spot and Smudge weren’t ready for it and shared an uneasy look, but their initial protests quickly turned to sighs of pleasure as the barrage of licks removed the remaining streaks of Alpha’s blood and Weasel Two’s gore from their muzzles. In an instant they were engulfed in a mass of licking dogs, and they lay in the soft pine bedding of the den for a long while accepting their grooming. The sea of warm smelly fur, massaging tongues, and happy grunts was comforting in a way they’d never experienced before. Spot and Smudge exchanged a long, heavy eyed, contented look. They agreed with a nod the experience was curiously similar to cuddling with their family, and yet it was more primal and tugged at something very deep in them. Spot said he wondered what their mother’s grooming would have felt like. Smudge reached out a paw and stroked his wet, tousled ear as she said, We’ll never know, brother, but I’m so very glad I have you to share this with.

  When they finally managed to pull themselves away from the den One Ear and Weasel One came along to take Max home. Getting the big shepherd in and out of his back yard wasn’t a problem as Smudge could open the wooden gate latch with her mouth. They also didn’t have to worry about getting him in or out of the house, thanks to Spot’s genius foresight. Max had recently been moved into a nice new dog house in his back yard. He had plenty of time alone back there as he had peed on everything in the house, including every one of his psycho family members.

  They left him and hurried back to the farm where they said a quick goodbye to One Ear and Weasel One behind the barn. As their new pack mates disappeared silently into the woods the pups stepped out of the shadows, and in the first shafts of sunlight hitting the driveway got a good look at themselves. Even with their dip in the pond and the pack’s wonderful tongue bath they both still looked like they had been run over by a truck. Their wounds had started to heal but there was no way to hide them from Mimi’s radar, especially Smudge’s missing ear chunk. They were also tight on time. Sunlight was creeping down the roof of the house and Mimi was always up like a shot when it hit her window. Ben got moving pretty early as well when he stayed at the farm. He didn’t play the slow-waking-up-on-a-school-day game at Mimi Walker’s house.

  The pups hurried under the bushes and dropped into the window well. As Spot held up the sash for his sister he said, I have an idea…

  As soon as Mimi’s bed creaked and her feet hit the floor Smudge pulled Ben out of bed and the pups dragged him stumbling towards the kitchen door.

  “Okay, okay,” he said as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, “Jeez, go pee already,”

  He opened the back door and the pups ran outside and around to the back porch with Spot carrying his sister’s little stuffed chicken toy. A few minutes later they started yapping at each other, and then they opened up with a cacophony of growls and barks. Smudge banged against the picnic table a few times as Spot kicked over the benches and whined. When Mimi and Ben came running from the kitchen they saw Smudge on top of a struggling Spot. Her mouth was clamped down on his back, and he was chewing on her ear.

  “Here now, stop that!” Mimi said as she clapped her hands a few times. She grabbed Smudge by the non-wounded ear and dragged her off of Spot.

  A few minutes later Mimi pushed open the screen door with her foot and carried a tub of warm water and a bottle of antiseptic to the picnic table. The two punished dogs were waiting quietly on the porch and Mimi gave them a long look as she sat on the bench and took a washcloth from her shoulder. She nodded for Spot and he jumped up on the bench seat next to her.

  Ben joined them with his backpack slung over his shoulder. He had an English muffin in one hand and a glass of milk in the other, and he sat down on the opposite side of the picnic table.

  “What the heck got into you two dummies?” he said, and then added, “Mom said she could pick me up.”

  Mimi nodded. She turned back to Spot, and as she looked down through her reading glasses to carefully clean his cuts and scrapes she grumbled, “For a pair of smart curs you’re still a bloody pain in the arse sometimes…out here acting like Robert the Bruce…a bloody daft pair of scunners you are…I should skelp the pair of you.”

  Mimi rinsed the washcloth, scowled at Smudge, and said, “And you’re next for shaving you wee brute…and don’t think I don’t know who was getting up to high doh out here.”

  As Mimi cleaned one of Spot’s completely scabbed over little scrapes he looked at his sister, and then let out a small whimper.

  “Oh, I know that stings,” she cooed, “such a brave little boy you are.”

  Smudge raised her eyebrows.

  Spot wagged at her, and then licked Mimi’s cheek.

  After Spot was all cleaned up he jumped down and Smudge took his place on the bench.

  As Mimi took care with Smudge’s split ear she shook her head and clucked, “I’m thinking you’ll pay more heed before bullying your brother again, aye little girl?”

  Sometime later Mimi backed out of the laundry room carrying a basket of towels.

  “Nice try, Smudgy my lass,” she said to no one as she turned and started down the hallway.

  Smudge skulked out of the shadows of the pantry and followed her.

  “Steering clear of your brother for a while?” Mimi said, “Can’t say I blame you, you daft ass. I’ll fetch you a biscuit in a minute.”

  She dropped a pile of dishtowels on the kitchen table and tugged on Smudge’s good ear as she passed her again on the way upstairs. Smudge watched her go and then turned and nodded down the hallway to Spot. He came out of the back bedroom with Ben’s old grade school backpack in his mouth. He paused again by the stairs until Smudge waved him on and he dashed down the hallway and quietly pushed open the screen door.

  A few hours later, as Spot and Smudge were napping on Mimi’s back porch and enjoying the cool afternoon, and their recovery, Mr. Watt shot out a stream of loud bleats from inside the shed.

  His shrieking was quickly followed by urgent calls from the other goats, and almost immedia
tely the chickens started raising a ruckus as well. The dogs snapped to attention and a moment later Mimi came running out of the house.

  Thick black smoke was rising from the top of the shed. The entire top of the chicken coop and the top two feet of the front of the shed were black. The flames were hard to see in the bright afternoon sun but black smoke was starting to crawl up the roof and there were flashes of yellow-orange peeking out from the eave boards. The goats and chickens were in full panic and only a few of them had run out of the shed to safety.

  Mimi ran into the pen with the dogs on her heels. She turned on the hose and started to spray the top of the shed but the old wood was going up like kindling and fire was already engulfing the coop. The heat forced her to crouch as she tried to move closer. Steam billowed out with a loud hiss where the water hit the hot roof but the wooden shingles were too far gone. The small stream from the garden hose didn’t seem to have any effect. The flames started to climb farther down the exterior walls and thick smoke started to roll out from the top of the burning shed doors.

  As the nights and mornings had been getting chillier the double doors were only partially open. There was just enough of a gap between the doors for the goats and chickens to come and go but with flames licking the top of the doors the animals wouldn’t pass through it. Mimi tried to get to the door but the heat kept her away.

  They could hear Mr. Watt wailing inside the shed.

  Spot and Smudge looked at each other and darted past Mimi and through the small opening in the shed doors. One by one the chickens and goats started to stream out. Mimi could see the dogs briefly appear behind the doors for a moment as they herded a chicken or shoved a goat onto the ramp and disappeared again into the smoke. She moved the hose stream back and forth over the doors just below the flames but it was a losing battle. The entire shed was ablaze and the coop was a twisted mess of blackened wire and smoke. The burning line had marched half way down the walls and large red flames were rolling out from under the overhanging roof. As the goats darted out single file with chickens scrambling at their feet there was a loud cracking sound, and the roof dropped a few feet. A shower of sparks flew from the roofline and a huge cloud of black smoke and embers blew out from the door opening.

  Mimi was driven back by the wave of heat. She dropped the hose and crossed her arms to protect her face.

  She called for the dogs as she counted the goats and the chickens. All were accounted for but Mr. Watt, and Spot and Smudge. The roof made one last horrible shriek and a second before it collapsed entirely the old goat ran from the opening into Mimi’s arms, followed by the two dogs.

  Spot and Smudge’s coats were smoking. They darted away from the burning shed and dropped to the ground in front of Mimi. She doused both of them with the hose before quickly checking them over. They were both breathing and looked up at her tear-streaked face when she shouted their names. She ran to the house as Spot and Smudge lay in the mud, coughing and struggling to get a clear breath.

  Mimi dropped the tailgate of the Wagoneer and carefully scooped up each pup. As she sped off down the driveway and dialed her cell phone Spot reached out a singed paw and touched his sister’s soot-caked snout.

  Chapter 59

  A wet, blackened blanket lay crumpled up on the table in the exam room. The table was empty, and the Hogan family was standing around it. Most of the crying had subsided into nose blowing and eye wiping.

  “I’ve been saying that bloody socket needed tending to for years,” Mimi said, fidgeting with her hands. They were smeared black, and her normally perfect hair fell around her forehead and cheeks, and had pieces of soot in it. The front of her dress was wet and smeared with dirt and ashes.

  “I could kill that old fart all over again,” she said, and everyone laughed through their sniffles.

  Dan walked into the exam room and said, “The fire department left. The shed is a goner but there’s no other damage. They do suspect it started as an electrical fire, but under the shed. It wasn’t caused by that old socket.” Everyone laughed but Dan didn’t see what was so funny. He turned to Mimi and said, “The animals are fine. I moved a few of the old apple crates and some straw into the pen so they’d have a place to bed down. They don’t seem any worse for wear. Mr. Watt head butted me hard in the groin, so he’s fine.”

  Mimi looked up towards the ceiling and said, “Sorry about the old fart thing, Papa, guess it twasn’t your fault after all.”

  Ronnie came to the doorway wearing a paper mask and Mimi thought the poor girl looked pale, and even thinner than normal.

  “They’re going to be fine,” she said, and received happy sighs and more crying all around, “Some smoke inhalation and their front paws got a little cooked. Other than that they’re alright. Pretty amazing, actually. Based on the singed fur I would’ve expected that kind of heat and smoke to do more damage. Oh, and sorry about the mask, I’m not feeling well and don’t want to infect you.” To the kids she said, “You guys want to see them?” She didn’t have to wait for an answer.

  In the back room’s treatment area the kids fawned over their heroes who were lying on a blanket on the operating table. Both pups had their front paws bandaged up to the elbows. Ronnie and the adults were chatting in the opposite corner of the room.

  “This time I am going to suggest I keep them overnight,” Ronnie said, and then coughed into her hand through the mask, “They really are fine but I don’t want them doing anything but sitting in a cage alone for the next twelve hours or so.”

  “Are you okay?” Mimi asked Ronnie as she felt her forehead with the back of her hand, “You look a fright dear, sorry to say, and peely-wally as the flag’s saltire.”

  “I’ve been under the weather for a few days,” Ronnie said, “Nothing serious. The whole town’s come down with a bug. First cold weather of the season and everyone gets the flu. Of course I see a steady stream of people so it’s like germ central around here.” She was racked with a long stream of phlegmy coughs and said, “I actually just came in to check on the Peterson’s cat. Their kids thought it would be funny to chase it around the yard with the weed whacker. That’s the third example of people doing something stupid to their pets this week. Is it a full moon?” Ronnie sat down in a chair near a small metal desk and said, “I’m gonna knock off after this and Dr. D will take over.”

  “Well, we’ll get out of your hair then,” Aila said, “You can certainly keep our two heroes overnight. Thanks for taking care of them when you’re not feeling well.”

  “Of course,” Ronnie said, “and Dr. D will come down to check on them a few times after hours. Hey, what happened to Smudge’s ear? Doesn’t look like that happened in the fire,” Ronnie said.

  “That wee pair of idiots got into a donnybrook this morning,” Mimi said, giving the pups a scowl, “A right brawl they had. Tossed the patio furniture. Seemed to be having a go over that damn chicken. I think our ruffian girl dog may have thrown her weight around once too often.”

  “Hmm,” Ronnie said, “That ear’s got pretty mature wound contraction and angiogenesis. Looks like she’s been healing for a few days at least. It was just hurt this morning? Are you sure?”

  Mimi nodded, “She certainly didn’t have a piece missing from her ear last evening.”

  Ronnie shook her head but said, “Okay, leave them with me and stop by tomorrow afternoon. You should be able to take them home. I’ll have another look at those paws in the morning and call if there’s any issues.” She looked over at the pups and said, “You two need to take it easy for at least a week.”

  Both pups nodded, together.

  Chapter 60

  Half empty bottles of ketamine and buprenorphine tumbled off the desk and bounced in different directions across the clinic’s back room floor. It took five minutes of crawling around on her hands and knees to pick up all of the little pills, partly because they had scattered under shelves and into the far corners of the cluttered storage area, but mostly because Dalaja was coming down f
rom an awesome high. She could barely manage a glacial pace and was having trouble even seeing them, never mind picking them up.

  She had fallen asleep on the desk while separating the pills into little baggies, and had knocked over the bottles when she flinched awake violently from a nightmare. She had been straddling the top of a tall shaky ladder examining an enormous bovine. Her arm was buried up to the elbow in the cow’s rectum when the sphincter turned into a circular mouth with silver teeth and bit down on her arm.

  Dalaja had finished the rest of the day’s appointments early, popped a phenobarb with lunch to help her get through the rest of the afternoon and then closed up the clinic. She checked on the animals in the treatment cages and then sat at the little metal desk next to the pharmacy storage cabinets. She took a plastic container and a bottle of water out of the fridge, and as she ate the left over butter chicken she had made for Liko the night before she started to go through the pile of drugs.