Dog Gone (9)
Dog Gone 9 By Roofles
My memories began to fade of a life outside this place as I took heavy breaths and looked around. The hallways were all beginning to blur together and it was impossible to tell which way was which. If I hadn't run in a straight line I wouldn't even be sure which way was back.
My feet gave way and I hit the wall hard. Breathing heavily and holding my throat. I was so thirsty. Hungry. And tired. Running wasn't the best options. Even licking my dry, cracked lips didn't help. I looked behind me trying to carve the identical hallway into my mind so I'd be able to find my way back. But even then as my foot kicked off again and I jogged down the hallway I was facing...I was sure I wouldn't be able to return.
This part of the facility was different. It wasn't old grate flooring or metal walls like the floor above this was. It had smooth floors that felt softer than cement. The walls were clean and all of the halls were well lit. Several large glass panel windows were on the walls showing the inside of the rooms. Just taking a peek inside the only thought that came to mind was that it was like a clinic room. Something I'd seen at one of the local family clinicals.
A long bed table with plastic wrapping still on was in the center of the room. Cabinets and tiled surface counters lined the walls. A sink and mirror was in the other corner. However all of it was lost on me compared to the large device in the center of the room. My feet came to a stop and I looked inside the next room. Trying to figure out what it was.
It looked like something an eye doctor would use but there was a dental drill attatched to it. Several other things came off of it and it wasn't until I walked past the next room that I figured what its purpose was. Some sick twisted disecting machine and on that note I was on all fours coughing violently.
My eyes were wide and my breaths came quickly. It was horrible. Just like the other room. A body had been ripped open and several of the metal forceps, clamps and a speculum was still in the body's chest cavity. Keeping it open for the world to see. The drill had blood on the end of it and several pieces...had been removed to metal trays next to the table. It had looked like something a family would bring their child too. A safe place. Not some twisted butchers shop.
Crawling past the windows I forced myself to my feet before keeling over. I didn't have the energy for this. I was physically and emotionally drained for all this shit. I just wanted my dog. And a good decent warm meal with a good bed to sleep in. That's all I asked for. I didn't want anything else. I never really had and now I was in this whole mess.
And yet, as I turned the corner and headed onward, there was but one thought in my mind. If someone had told me they could put everything back to the way it was. And I could go back to my happy simple life but that I would never be able to see Brutus again. I would tell them to go fuck themselves. That all of this would be worth it if in the end I was with Brutus again.
"Brutus!" I called out as if hoping he was just around the corner. As if he were searching for me too. But I stopped. It felt as if I had just swallowed glass and it had lodged itself in my throat. My voice felt like sandpaper against my tongue and it came out in no more than a whispered croak.
I was reaching my limit and if this kept up... then a light went on and I was at one of the panels. It didn't even have a lock. But it was clear that it was new. Recently installed, at least in the past several years. This whole floor seemed to have been remodeled unlike the other place. But the thoughts were lost as my head found itself in the room and under the sink.
The water was already running in this room and that sound had attracted me like a wild animal to a stream. It felt like I hiked through the desert without a drop of water an the cool refreshing, slightly warm water, to me, was the best damn thing in the world. It never tasted so good in my life. Nothing ever did. My scorched throat burned like fire as the water ran over it. Before being doused and washed away into a dull ache.
My hand slipped from the sinks corner and I nearly whacked my head against the stainless steel. I hit the counter with my shoulder and swore, slowly guiding myself down to rest. I rubbed my shoulder looking up as I breathed heavily. My hand fell to my side as I rolled my shoulder trying to shrug off the pain. The warm damp floor sent a shiver up my spine.
I was already back on my feet looking down at the body. It was a human. Her throat had been ripped out by some wild animal. Lacerations on her arms and legs as well as a giant gash down her back. Whoever had done this had a personal beef against her that much was clear. She wore a white lab coat and still had surgical gloves on.
My first instinct was to run for it but my legs were frozen as my eyes followed the trail of blood leading away from her. The sound of water was lost on me as I heard a crunch. A rolling of a jaw as it munched away on something, eating whatever it was. And it was in the room. And at the end of that trail of blood was a pair of yellow eyes looking at me as stunned as I was.
Conflicted I stared back at it. At first I thought it was some kind of large rodent. It's fur was twisted, matted and coarse. Darkened and gray fur with traces of red through it like highlights, though it was clear that it was something else all together. One of its ears was missing only a small stump remained; several scars covered its face and large pieces of fur were missing as if it had mange. It's eyes were large an its legs were smaller than its massive arms like a gorilla. If I didn't know better I wouldn't even had guessed that it was some kind of dog. Hell. Maybe it wasn't. Just looking at this thing made my blood turn to ice.
I moved and it growled; that sound rolling in its throat as its jowls lifted. But it didn't move and I did. I bent down slow. Very slow reaching out my hand to the body between us. My fingers touched the metal badge she wore. I barely had a grip on it as a bloody chunk fell from its mouth as it snarled crouching on all four about to leap. I snatched the badge before kicking the chair at it catching its legs in mid jump. I was already heading out the door as it rolled into the cabinet with a loud smack. The top cabinets opened and several supplies fell from with in on it.
"Shut god damn you, shut!" I yelled pounding the keypad for the door. The metal locks churned and twisted like an old clock before slamming shut. A loud thump sounded on the other side and I heard it cry out.
An inhuman yowl came from behind me. Followed by another. Clawed feet hit the ground like drums of war. Then again maybe that was my heart beating in my chest as I sprinted down the hall for dear life. I ducked into the farthest room I could find; shutting and locking the door behind me. I was already on all fours hiding behind the table in the almost identical room as before. Though I was glad to see that unlike the other this one was empty.
I could hear whatever they were run by. One, maybe two, stopped and sniffed at the door. Scratching at it before heading off. At least they didn't take the traits of a bloodhound. I didn't even know what they were. Rejects? Failed experiments? I didn't have a clue as I rested against the table holding my head in my hands.
"What were they even doing out?" I muttered to myself thumbing the metal badge still in my hand. It looked like the dogtag I had before. A groove fingerprint was on it and a name of a Ms. "Diana Blaq" scrowled on the back with a picture. I couldn't even tell that the body from before was the woman in the picture. She looked like an old coworker I had...
Seconds droned by into minutes. I rooted through the bottom cabinets taking out several different cotton swaps, bandages and anything else that might help with a bullet wound. My mind lingered on the dog and I had to shake it off. He'd be ok. I was sure.
It took all the balls I had left to peek over the table and out the window. I didn't see anything or one so I got up slowly keeping an eye out as I searched through the top cabinets. They were well stocked and using a trash bag I began stuffing everything I thought could help into it. By the end I decided it would be best to go light rather than to weigh myself down, specially with whatever those things were out there.
They were slightly bigger than an average sized dog. But the heads were too large for the body and the arms disproportionate to its legs. At least the one I saw was. They might be different rather than a breed of them. Either way I knew better than to underestimate them. At least they didn't have the know how to open the doors. And seemed to be far more primal than their counter parts.
I tapped a few times on the keypad inside before sliding the badge through. The green light clicked on and the door opened. Luckily I thought of grabbing it. The only way to open or rather, lock a door was with one of these things it seemed. The metal chain was slightly...gummy but I put it on anyways. Without my jacket I didn't exactly have a place to put it after all.
The coast was clear as far as I could tell but even so I headed out cautiously. I'd just get back to the other two. I didn't want to admit it but being here alone made everything far worst. And too be able to be with the three again would be a pleasent change to all this insanity.
The pistol wipped in front of me as I turned the corner. My heart thundered in my chest as I turned to looked behind me. Nothing. Again it was clear. And that worried me. It was so easy to get lost here and seperated it seemed as if I was the only one in this place now.
I jumped as I heard gunfire behind me. Turning around sharply with the pistol trained in front. More gunfire from that direction. And I found myself moving. My feet going in a quick pace as I headed towards it. Someone else was there and the madness of being alone was getting to me. If it was one of the guards I was ready to take him out. But if it was either of the three...
"Up ahead," I heard a shout from the next hallway.
One of those things skidded as it turned. It's legs buckled under its own weight and several rounds pierced its nearly furless gray skin hide. It fell over, unmoving, but its eyes were still open looking at me with a sickening hunger in them. It muzzle dripping blood.
I raised the pistol up as several footsteps came around the corner. And my gut dropped. One of the soldiers kicked it hard in the chest. "Ha. Fuckin' crawler can't even move, right."
"We got a 'live one over here." The female raised her rifle letting loose a series of shots down the hallway. "Damn. Thing slipped away-,"
I was frozen. Unsure if I should pull the trigger or not. There were four of them. One was wounded but the other three seemed to be fine. Even if I could take one or two of them out, which I highly doubted, the other ones would pick me off. "Hey." My voice left me. "You got the 'bugger before I could." I laughed waving at the four.
Four guns turned on me before three of them lowered. "Shit, dude! You scared the shit out of me. I mean shit." The youngest male said jogging over and giving me a high five. And then a fist bump and an enthusiastic back slap. Maybe he was on something but I returned the back slap far harder than he had.
"We got a few crawlers around here," the older female said. My focus was on the younger one though who still had a gun trained on me. "Four to five in the area."
"Diana Blaq didn't make it." I said motioning behind me. "Locked one in the room but my gun jammed and wasn't able to finish it." Most reporters did their job well. All of them could lie through their teeth as easily as they breathed when needed.
"What squad you from? Why are you carrying those supplies?" The younger female asked glaring coldly but the male jumped in again getting far too close for comfort.
"Shit! You were in one of those rooms with one of those things? Shit!" I did not like him. "That's some crazy shit." Then again he seemed to distract the female away from the logical conclusion she made.
"Yeah. Was crazy," I played along shrugging and smiling hoping I still looked the part. Then again inspecting the four I wasn't too worried. It looked as if they hadn't showered or bathed in roughly the same time I had. Their hair was frizzy and skin greasy. "There I was..." I recounted the incident making up things as I went along. The more I talked the more they seemed to buy me being one of them. I took cues from them as I continued. The shift in weight or a raised eyebrow or even a subtle movement was all just an unspoken language that any news reporter could feed off of and go from there.
"So I knocked it over and pinned it down with the chair before getting out. I locked the door when a few of the others came for me. I just happened to end up here." I finished gesturing the last part. The female soldier had lowered her gun and was looking elsewhere. For the time being I seemed to be safe.
"Margaret," the older lady offered a hand and I shook it. Noting the lack of any stars, stripes or other indication of any of the four I just came to conclusion that there wasn't any rank amongst them. No sir or ma'am was needed. They were just grunts or guards. And from the look of it they were as lost as I was.
The youngest soldier, Rick, was flipping through a palm pilot that was hooked onto his arm. The images displayed above the screen and I did my best not to stare. It looked to be a rough layout of the area. A matrix of lines connected with each other. However it only gave the small area around us. "I think it's this way." He pointed down one of the hallways.
I stopped myself from asking questions about where they were going. If I brought up anything suspicious other than the need to know they might find me out. "I'm to report to the lab cell blocks." I said more as a question.
He looked at me before a light flicked on. "Oh! Your part of the trappers then? From what I hear they already ambushed a couple of the runaways and have already brought them back to cell block D." He tapped the radio on his shoulder. The jacket I had didn't have one.
"Heh, do you know which way that is?" I rubbed the back of my neck looking as ashamed as I could. I seemed to have gotten the pity vote at least.
"Rookie, huh? This place had me turned around for the past few weeks when I got on. Let me bring it up." He tapped a few things on the machien attatched to his arm. He pointed down the hallway they had come from. "You just keep going this way and..." He gave the general area but couldn't specifically put me where I wanted to go. That was fine. At least I'd have an idea of where to go. "We're exterminators. Finishing off the cleaning for this floor. During the initial break out," he motioned around us even though I didn't ask. "Several of the crawlers were let out. Buggers are as dumb as a tasmanian devil and as vicious as one too."
"Alright. I'll leave you guys too it. Get one of those buggers for me," I joked turning away from them and was about to head down the hall. "You wouldn't happen to know where a Brutus is do you? Some rottwieler or something in one of the holding cells I was supposed to transfer." I lied the best I could trying to sound as believable as possible.
Next thing I knew I was pressed face first against the wall with my hands bound behind my back.
"Why would a rookie be wondering about that, huh?" The younger female asked pressing me further into the wall her gun slung on her side. "Some flea bitten sympathizer or something for those furbags?"
"Whoa, whoa. Annie what are you doing?" The other male said grabbing her shoulder.
I'm not sure what came over me but the next second I had brought my elbow around and connected it with her face. Her grip had slackened when she addressed the other soldier and instinct seemed to take over and I attacked. She cursed loudly taking a few steps back and covering her bleeding nose.
"The hell?" The soldier asked looking at me
"She attacked me!" I protested.
"Screw this," She trained her rifle on me and I quickly stepped behind the other guy. I watched as a blood drop fell from her chin to the floor. "He's a dead man."
"You know that's only asking for more trouble." The older female said looking between the two of us and shaking her head. "Kiss and make up. We still got to clean these halls out and-," her voice grew quiet as all four of ours bloods seem to chill as another inhuman yowl came from the hall I had come from.
I didn't even need to turn to see the creatures crawling towards us. The sound of their bodies scraping against the ground was enough. They were still a hallway or so away but the sound of them made any protest I had agaisnt her vanish. I'm not sure but it sounded like all the missing ones were coming our way. My adrenaline was pumping again as I jooked past the guy and stiff armed the other. My palm came up to connect with a third and I was running for it.
"Forget him," I heard one of them yell behind me. Another yowl screeched through the air like nails on a chalk board. I heard bullets fire from behind me and didn't look back as someone screamed.
I didn't even look behind me as I heard a female scream saying that they had got Rick. It was their own problem. They made their bed and now they'd have to sleep in it. I had my own cares, my own worries to handle...but even as I turned the corner heading up a flight of stairs I found myself looking back. Wondering if they were alright. And if I had done the right thing...
I slowed down as I heard more voices ahead of me. They were gruff and unclear. Their foot steps didn't sound like those someone in boots had and yet...I stopped. I was around the corner holding my breath as I waited for them to leave. Something just didn't feel right about this. All of this.
One group and now another. Of opposites no less. It was a little too coincidental. Maybe it was because I was out of the area they were holding me but the chances of bumping into one group after another just seemed...odd. I didn't like it. An I wasn't about to test it now. I had someone waiting for me. And I had someone I needed to find. Others can wait.
A round fired from around the corner followed by a stream of cries and a retalitation. There was a loud clunking sound before an explosion and then all went silent. I had half the thought of just to say "screw it. This isn't my baggage." To just run across the hallway and keep going where I damn well pleased.
But that was until I turned the corner.
There were at least five bodies on the ground. It looked like two groups had ran into each other and this was the aftermath of it. As simple and horrible as that.
I found myself checking them. Surprising myself that it was the dogs that I checked first. Their were humans and yet I had run to the first dogs side and checked for life all but ignoring the man right next to him. Feeling their neck and listening to any sound of life in their chest. Resting my cheek against a large akita I closed my eyes trying to hear anything. A gurgle. A breath. The sound of a heartbeat. But it was dead silent and I moved away, slowly bringing his eyes to a close. It wasn't like the movies. When you died you didn't close your eyes. They remained open as if staring into the world still trying to cling to life...
The last one, a bloodhound, was still breathing heavily. It looked like he had taken shrapnel from a grenade. His face was scared up badly and several pieces of metal were jutting out of his skin.
"Shit," was the only thing I said as I dapped the wounds on his face. Touching his chin and lifting it up to get under his neck. I was looking through the bag I had brought with me when a strong paw gripped my wrist. I winced, afraid he was going to break it. "I'm a friend. Friend, I'm not going to hurt you." I quickly said to those cold eyes glaring at me. The grip lessened but he didn't let go. "I was kidnapped with my dog, Brutus. We were brought here against our will and I'm looking for him." He still glared coldly as I dabbed his muzzle. "I'm Douglas. What's your name?"
At that he let go of my hand resting back against the wall he was leaning against. His eyes were only half open as he looked away. I wasn't really sure what I was going to do. Half his face looked burnt, pieces of metal sticking out. Should I pull the metal out or just bandage the wounds? I'm sure I grabbed some kind of ointment for burns; I thought rummaging through the bag again.
He moved and I jumped as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. They were far more resilent than any human that was for sure. That made me feel a bit better thinking of Mister. If this guy could just get up after taking a blast from a grenade then maybe-
I caught him as his legs crumbled. He coughed blood and I eased him back against the wall. He slid down slowly looking at me with a mix of disdain and something else I couldn't put my finger on. "Take it easy. Your not dead yet but you still got to get some rest." The gears in my head turned as I looked around. "There should be some kind of medical room around here, right? If we get you there you can rest until your well enough to go by yourself. Does that sound good?"
Those sagging features looked at me with those large sad eyes all blood hounds seemed to have. I moved and he caught my wrist. My heart was pounding in my throat as he breathed lightly. "Dont'. Leave."
"I'm not going to leave you." I said crouching down again. "Here," I put one of his arms around my shoulder and slowly assisted him to his feet. His body was warm and the furry arm on my neck felt soft, strong and had an almost silky feel to it. It reminded me of my buddy... "Lean on me. We'll take it easy and get you out of here." For a second I thought his legs were going to give again but he caught himself and pushed up the rest of the way.
Like the others had been he was taller than me. More built, pure muscle really. Which only made it harder as he leaned against me. Fully leaning against me. My legs nearly gave as I took our first step. "Easy does it now." I gripped the bag and dragged it behind us. Once we got to a room I'd bandage him up. See if I couldn't do something or other about his wounds.
"Next. Right." His voice was uneven. Broken and it was more of a soft growl that tore at my heart. I wondered how many minutes, hours he had left at this rate.
"Ok. Next right it is. Do you get out much? What's your favorite food? Sport? Do you...um..." My voice failed me as I felt his head rest against my shoulder. I wanted to say something. Do something to break this uneasy silence around us but nothing came to mind. And maybe it was best for him not to talk.
I pulled him around the corner breathing heavily as he took a step with me. His legs gave and we both fell to the ground, him on me. At least he didn't hit the ground fully but it still hurt like hell for me. I laid back breathing heavily as he rested on my chest, groaning softly. I rubbed his back. Scratched his thick neck. "We're almost there." I said. "I've been wondering. Since you guys don't have names. Why don't you just...name yourselves? Or each other?"
I only got silence as we both got back up slowly. "I mean I could give you a name," his tail wagged. "But I'm sure someone as big and...burly as you would get to have their own name." It felt like I was talking to a sick injured dog at the pound. "Get a collar with a name on it. Be nice...wouldn't it?" He didn't reply. "Something strong. Manly. Like Kurt or...Admiral! Yeah. Admiral would be good. Here, this room will work."
"Left." Was the only replied I got but he seemed to have regain some strength pulling a bit of his weight off of me. It made things a lot easier. I kept up the idle chatter. Talking about nothing really in the end of it all. Just this and that. He would nod or shake his head at questions I had and it really did seem to help for him to have someone to talk to. Or for someone to address the hound.
"The new fall clothing line is coming out. I don't get the french styled outfits but some of the others stuff looks nice, comfortable and if I can afford it I wanted to get one of those sweatshirts. They're really comfortable and are perfect for those days off to just laze around and do nothing in." I yammered on, grunting as more weight was slowly applied to me. "Maybe you can come shopping. That'd be fun. Though I wonder how Brutus will like that...well he'll just have to put up with it, heh." I kept talking even as I punched in a few numbers on the electronic pad and slid the badge through it to open the door. "I got a scarf once for my old dog. He loved it so maybe I'll get you one...would you like that, bud?" I didn't expect a reply...
I pulled him in setting him back against the table. Lifting one leg up at a time before laying him flat on it. "Admiral, this'll only take a second." Again he didn't speak. Didn't say a thing only looked at me with open, unblinking eyes... "A little ointment on your face here for the burns. And it looks like these pieces of metal aren't...too far in. I'll just get a few of the deeper ones in your chest out and bandage them up." I got a pair of clamps from the counter and went back over, fidgeting with one of the metal pieces before pulling it out. The blood slowly trickeled out of the wound. I put some medicine on it and applied gause and some bandages. "See nothing too it...just rest here, ok bud? I'll be back shortly. And...and we'll go on a walk. A nice long walk through the park." I wasn't sure why tears were running down my face. I placed a hand on his chest before leaning agaisnt him. "We'll go for a long walk. It'll be fun, Admiral. So just...just rest here. I'll be back."
And with that I was out the door and heading down the hall. I remember the number ontop of the door. E-13. I would always remember that number.