Dog Gone (7)
Dog Gone (7) By Roofles
"Hey," the guard banged on the door forcing me back. I could hear his heavy boots coming down the hall and was ready for him to open it. I should've realized, a prisoner, had no such right to talk face to face. "Keep it down in there. I only got twenty minutes before I get to call it a day."
A day. A vague reference of time. He could've meant that he'd been working all day and it was thus night. Or that to him that was his day even if it was a nightshift he was covering. Or that he was just saying that was a day. Maybe he covered a shift in the evening. Maybe they didn't even have the schedual like an average person had. No nine to five but six to two. Five to ten. I didn't know. I just didn't know.
Hungry. Cold. Dehydrated and badly needed a scotch. To get laid. To see the fricking sun again. Days? Weeks? Months? Or had it only been hours...I wasn't sure. I couldn't sleep here with them banging on the door. Waking me up whenever I closed my eyes. And I was sick of it. This. I wanted a warm meal, some fresh water and a good bed to sleep on with my dog.
"The damn toilets busted." I said to him saying the first thing that came to mind. I winced at excuse I came up with.
"Then go on the damn floor." His footsteps began to leave but I banged on the door again until I knew there'd be a bruise there tomorrow.
"For christ sake." He hit the door with the handle of his gun.
"Come on man. There's cells all around here. Let me use one of theirs or something. For fuck sake I'm about to crap myself." I pleaded, begged and lied through my teeth as my knuckles turned white continueing to hit the door.
If he opened the door would I get the chance to punch him. Catch him off guard and use that to my advantage? What if I missed? Or if he only stumbled backwards a few paces. He had a gun and was a trained soldier. I was a reporter on some numberless channel. A nobody that disappeared from the world only days? Weeks? Months before... I doubt anyone was looking for me. Or even really missed me.
It was in that moment that something came to me. The only one I really had was myself. And Brutus. Someone that would miss me. Needed and wanted me. That was always so happy when I came home. Never judged me for my actions and only ever seem to want from me was...well, me. My presence was all he wanted or asked for. To be able to be there with him. For him to cuddle up and rest his head in my lap or on my leg.
It was a cold truth. A bitter sweet thing. The only thing I had in the world, that wanted or would remember me if I just simply up and disappeared - wasn't even human. A dog...just like the old days. And with that I smiled. It wasn't forced but it felt strained. And my thoughts were beginning to linger to a place I haven't been to in a long time.
The latch on the door pulled me back to reality. It clunked and turned slowly before opening. Sliding to the side. Revealing freedom and the one thing that stood in my way of it.
"Hurry up-," he had his head turned to the side looking down the hallway beckoning me onward, a hand loosely on the rifle at his side.
Things I only seemed to notice after I felt my fist connecting with his jaw. And after that everything went blank. I didn't blackout or lose focus. It was as if something else was controlling me. I punched. And I punched. And I punched. Even after feeling the warm red ooze on my knuckles I didn't stop. And in the next second I had his helmet in my hand and over and over again I hit him. Again and again. And it was only after I heard only my heartbeat did I come to my senses.
Looking down at the mess before me I pulled myself away. Coughing violently against the wall, emptying my stomach against it seconds after. Clinging to it for support as I gasped for breath trying to recall what just happened. It seemed distant. Vague as if I had watched it on television the night before. As if my knuckles weren't raw and bloody but someone elses. Even the blood running down my fingers didn't seem to be real.
So I closed my eyes and slowly dragged the body back into the room. I would be glad for a new pair of clothes at the very least...
The outfit was a bit tight. He had been smaller than me, if only by an inch or so. Slimer. Not exactly built like a soldier but healthy nonetheless. The outfit was a rather dirty brown looking camouflage I had seen at a hunting store. There wasn't any symbols or brands or markings of any rank or status or...anything. It looked like something I'd seen on a military documentary but at the same time it looked like something I'd wear to a halloween party. Reenactors wore better outfits than he did.
In other words it was fake.
That didn't reassure me. It just brought up more questions. Questions I didn't even want answers to. I just wanted to find him and get the hell out of here.
I left him where he was. A bloody mess on the floor. And it didn't even occur to me until my foot hit it. His gun. A rifle. That's all I could tell it was. I'm not familiar with the larger models. I lived in the bad part of town, of course I'd have a gun in my apartment. I knew how to use it too. But the big guns weren't my forte. They were heavy. Bulky and awkward to carry around and even more so to handle. But I still felt its weight in my hands as I lifted it up and put the strap over my shoulder, feeling it sag to my side. I wouldn't use it, I hope...
Thankfully he had a pistol strapped to his ankle. Something I was comfortable with and during the shooting range they always said to use what you were comfortable with. So I had it in both hands as I peeked around the corner.
It did feel good to have another change of clothes after wearing the same things for so long. Even if it was another guys clothes. I let him keep his underwear though. It seemed wrong to take them after stripping his lifeless form of everything else he owned. Even the dog tags around my neck looked and felt fake. But if I was going to play along, I was going to do this right.
The door shut. The combination only opened the door. Otherwise you just had to push the button. And the door would close. A little too basci for really. The gears churned and the door creaked across before shutting and the whole time I watched the man I pummel. Laying on the floor. Lifeless. Dead? I wasn't sure. I doubted it. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking. Either way I felt...sick.
I had done my best to memorize the corridors. They all looked the same and if you didn't know better you'd think you found yourself at the same place as before. Some kind of maze. I could feel my legs moving but anywhere I looked it seemed and felt the same. As if I had stood in place. Every hall, every corridor was. The same. The same grates lining the floor and the same row of lights above, flickering on and off. Metal plated walls and several doors lining the hallways.
And thats what I was doing. I marked the wall with my fingers. The blood was almost dried but did the trick. It wasn't any ball of yarn or wire but it worked well enough. So I went to each hall and looked through the slit in the door. Sliding the panel over to see if there was anyone home. Time and time again it was empty and I kept moving on. Marking and moving. While trying to mentally make a map of where I was. Nothing specific just where I was. All in order not to get lost in this labyrinth.
My footsteps echoed around me in the boots I wore. Heavy, metal toe boots that made it impossible 'not' to be heard. I had the gun ready. Aimed in front of me the whole time. But every corner I turned I expected to see someone. Anyone. But it was silent. A ghost town. Not a soul was here but me.
The cells were empty and the only guard seemed to be the one watching over me. Made me wonder what he was complaining about. Then again the silence around me was driving me insane. I could hear my heart beat and the raspy breath escaping me. My throat was dry and my blood was pumping with adrenaline. My steps continued to echo around me. Bouncing off the walls. But other than that there was not a sign of life.
It was strange. I stopped in another one of the crossroads and looked around. There wasn't anyone here. No camera's or anything. It didn't even seem like this place was built for this. That it not only had been abandoned but served no purpose to begin with.
My throat felt scorched. Dry and scratchy like sandpaper. No matter how many times I swallowed I still couldn't rememdy it. My heart was pounding in my chest and every breath I took only reminded me of the need to find something to drink. I was beginning to get a killer headache and that made me laugh. It bit at my throat but I still did it. Things were just getting worst and worst. And for whatever reason I found that amusing as all hell.
To be honest I expected to just head back to the interrogation room and from there find the room next to it...and find him. Then we'd hold hands and skip out of here and live happily ever after. That I wouldn't need to pummel someones face in or use the gun in my hands. But the sound of footsteps coming my way only further dampened my spirits.
I ducked around the corner. My heart was in my throat and my breath was caught with it. There were several footsteps. Most likely coming to the sound I made. There steps were light but clunky. Not heavy like the boots I wore but they defiantly seemed to be having more trouble walking than I did. Curiosity peeked and was overruled by any instinct of survival. Such was a human thing after all. Strange how it killed cats but not humans.
Looking around the corner. I waited. The steps echoed and it was hard to place where they came from but seconds ticked by and soon enough I heard them stop. A face poked around the corner and our eyes met.
I think I screamed. Or he screamed but either way we both hid. I held my chest trying to keep my heart from bursting out like some facehugger baby. It was a flipping dalmation! A dog. There was another one here other than Brutus. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad. I defiantly wasn't expecting that.
"Holy shit! Roger is that you?" I called from around the corner. Common sense was coming back to me and I wasn't about to just go out there and give him a hug.
I didn't get a reply but could hear them talking amongst each other. Before they could act I decided it was best to continue. I doubt they would so friendly.
"I'm Doug Coldsteen, from the news. I was brought here because of Brutus. I'm looking for him. I'm not sure if your Roger or just his identical twin but have you seen a rottweiler around here anywhere? About yay big," I raised my arm up, only my fingers poking out from the side. "Rather thick in the torso. Loves belly rubs."
I only got silence in return. "Well if not...I'll be heading my own seperate way then." I turned about to make a run for it.
"I don't know you." A voice called out stopping me in my tracks.
"As I said before. I'm Doug Coldsteen from the news. I was kidnapped and now I'm trying to find my dog."
"Your dog?" Another voice replied. It was impossible to tell if he was angry or upset or what. If humans communicated seventy percent of what they were trying to say with their body. Then these dogs were ninty nine point nine percent into the whole body language thing. It made talking with them like this rather annoying. I had full conversation with Brutus and he didn't even say a word. Kind of a neat also annoying.
"Look." I took the rifle from my shoulder and set it on the ground, kicking it out in the middle of the intersection. I emptied the clip from the pistol and tucked it into my pocket before setting the pistol out in the open as well. "I'm unarmed. I'm coming out. Don't shoot. I come in peace." It worked with aliens, why not dogs?
The first step was the hardest they say. And they were right. "See no harm done." I raised my hands up trying to be as innocent looking as possible. Harmless. No bother in wasting a bullet. "I'm just a captive. Like you." I said those words but I felt them fall short. What if they weren't? If these ones were with those guys. I couldn't be sure. I didn't have a damn clue what was going on and if some of them were on their side then what if...
The dalmation stepped out aiming a similar rifle as the one I had at me. He looked just as weary as I had been. His fur was matted down and his chin was covered in blood. His eyes went to my hand before darting back up to my face. Blood for blood it seemed. "Why'd you call me Roger?" His eyes narrowed coldly but for a second I thought his tail wagged.
"I met another dalmation, almost identical to you. His name was Roger." I answered still with raised hands. "I just mistook the two of you."
"And you just assumed I was him..." His fur rose a bit on his shoulder and the end of his lips quivered as his ears folded back. Sure talking face to face seemed like such a great idea now.
"I wasn't sure. I don't know how many of you guys there are. And I only caught a quick glimpse of you. It's clear now that I can see you face to face," I felt like I was talking to an angry child. "It's obvious that your not him. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." That was the reporter inside me talking. Smooth things out and make everything fine and dandy as soon as possible.
"Right." He lowered the gun down and motion with his head. Two more stepped out and to be honest I was getting nervous. They were large. One was bigger than Brutus and the other two were bigger than me. Really. This whole face to face thing? Not a bright idea.
The german sheperd towered over the other two. His ears were perked up and he was looking around. Standing guard as the other one approached me. He was a rottwieler. Similar to Brutus but the pattern of fur was different. Half his face was covered in black fur and only the left side...his right side (seeing as how he was facing me) had the brown marking that Brutus did. It was clear he had been in a few fights as well. The scar on his lip and the top of his muzzle were clear. A place where fur couldn't grow back. The corner of his ear was missing and as he closed the distance it was clear he had several smaller cuts and scraps all over.
The three had loose pants on but wore nothing else. The sound of their paws stepping on the ground was light but clunky. They kept their toes up trying not to get their nails caught in it. Heh, my dog had always done that. Or he'd walk all the way around them rather than across when we went on walks. The smile quickly faded from my face as he only a few inches away.
He sniffed at me. Scrunching up his nose. A paw touching my jacket. His nose touched it and he snarled pulling back. "You stink." He growled low and turned heading back towards the others muttering a few things.
I'm not exactly sure what happened there but it looked like I wasn't about to be ripped to shreds so that was always a plus. I wasn't about to argue with the smell. I'd love more than anything to have a nice long bath right about now. Gay as that sounds it was the truth.
"So have you guys seen any other rottweilers around here?" I asked as they bickered amongst themselves. It was clear that they were just as lost as I was. I'm not even sure where the hell they came from. I hadn't seen a stairway or elevator anywhere and all these cells were empty and it was clear no one had been in them for some time.
They looked at me before going back to their own conversation all but ignoring me. What a pain.
I picked up the pistol and slapped the clip back in, pulling it back to load a bullet into the chamber. I slid it into the gun pouch on my side and bent down to get the rifle. "Do you need this?" I ask offering it to the largest dog.
The dalmation was the only one with any noticeable weapon and even though the other two had flakes of blood on their fur it seemed appropriate to offer them a kind of peace...offering. Here's a gun. Please don't kill me. Real smart but he took it easily as if it didn't weigh a thing. He undid the strap and wrapped it around his neck, fastening it and turned back to the others.
He wanted a collar. That was strange... "So, what are your guys names?" I asked trying to get somewhere with them. Break the ice at least.
The three stopped and didn't answer. The nervously shifted their weight and scratched their arm or chest, the back of their neck and their tails dipped.
"We've been looking for any other survivors." The german shepherd spoke up. His voice was deep but soft, almost gentle. Kind of creepy seeing as how he waved the gun around as if it were nothing but a twig.
"So far the only one we found is a human." The dalmation said with a soft growl. It was clear who he meant. Well I did want him to notice me. Ask and you shall recieve.
"I checked all the cell blocks this way." I gestured behind me. "All empty. The only one here seems to be a human." I played along. "Kind of a waste of time if you ask me." I joked turning back to them. The dalmation was looking at me intently. His sapphire blue eyes bore into me like drills before he turned, scoffing but again I saw his tail twitch. "I'm Doug." I offered a hand trying to get on their best level. Tired, sore, exhausted and thirsty as all hell...I still was a reporter and even in these times I could put on the bravest of faces, fake or not.
Again they didn't say a thing. The german shepherd took my hand though uncertain where to go from there. I squeezed his softly and shook it once, showing him the drill. He returned the squeeze, nearly snapping my fingers in the process and shook my whole arm. His ears perked up and his tail wagged. "It's good to meet you, Mr." I wasn't sure what else to call him or the effect it'd have.
His tail quickly started flying back and forth as his lips rose into a rather toothy grin. "Mr." He said the word. My hand was still trapped in his as he turned towards the others. "You hear that? I'm Mr!"
"Well yeah, you are a Mister." I tried to explain afraid I had done something to upset him but he just turned back to me and grinned.
I seemed to have caught the rottweilers attention though he was more scowling than anything. The dalmation was all but ignoring me. "So you guys have names or what? I'll just call you Blue, cause' of your eyes. And Maximus." I pointed to the dalmation and the rottie getting tired with the charade. I needed to call them something and it seemed to fit. "We don't have time for this though, so you want to lead the way or shall I? I'm not a blood hound but I think I figured out most this place."
The three were frozen as if glued to the ground. The shephard seemed to be on some kind of high and the other two seemed as if I just slapped them in the face and called their mom bitches. It might be true but I'd never say it to their face. I saw the dalmation fur rise once more but he turned away his lip quivering. The rottie seemed to take it better... As if I hit him with a truck, he got up and walked away. As if it were just that simple.
"Look. I'm looking for a rottweiler, like you." I pointed at him making sure I was out of arms reach. "And I just want to find him. And get the hell out of here."
"Last I checked. I was the only one." Maximus spoke and a shiver ran up my spine. I wonder if I had insulted him or something. An unknown culture and all. But he turned towards me and his eyes were soft even if it looked like he was going to kill me otherwise. "We haven't found anyone here but you. He must be in a different area."
"What about the lab?" The dalmation offered still looking everywhere but at me. The second I looked away though I could feel those eyes linger on me. Boring holes into the back of my head. "It's the next best option."
"But its the first worst one." Maximus spoke up. The shephard was already heading past the rest of us and I followed in his wake looking back at the two.
"What exactly is the lab?" I asked catching up to him. I stayed at his side matching his one step with three of mine. "Is he in danger?"
"Kind of yes. And kind of no." The rottie joined in behind us. I heard Blue follow but he stayed behind still staring at me. Was rather annoying. Uncomfortable as if bugs were crawling on my skin and no matter how many times I tried to wipe them off they still were there.
"Is that suppose to reassure me? Or should I speed up?" I shivered. I swore the temperature was dropping with those eyes on me.
"Both? Neither?" Mister answered with a shrug.
"Cryptic. Thanks. Your a big help." I pushed his shoulder and he looked down at me with a raised eyebrow. I smiled back up at him and he wagged his tail looking ahead of us again...
It was then that I noticed something as we continued on. Two things really. For one his eyebrows, facial features over all were far more human than any dog could be. The other were those eyes. They didn't have the large pupils a dog did but were almost...human. Maybe that was why they didn't see so alien or monstrious in the end. If their eyes were that of an animal I doubt I'd be walking here now with them. That I would let Brutus into my home. Or in my bed. I miss those hazelnut eyes...so human. Full of warmth and caring...
My steps sped up and I was leading the way. Taking ques and hints from the others but otherwise I was ahead. I was the one that was looking for something now. And pistol in hand I was going to find it.
"How'd you guys get out? Looking for others? Why not just escape?" My voice cut through the silence around us like a warm knife as I turned another corner still expecting to see either another group of dogs or someone. Anyone. But we remained alone.
"Long story." Blue jumped on the topic before the other two could. They didn't answer after that. "The place is huge." He went on. "A fricking city underground. This is just one small hub. One of us broke out. Freed the rest. Here we are." Simple and straight to the point. At least that's some kind of an answer. He didn't say anything afterwards and the other two kept their muzzle shut.
This was going to be a long trip.