OOC: Here you go JK, you should like this one.
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The rain has let up as I continue my way down the road looking for possible supply sources. The air is muggy and the seat drips off my brow as I look around abandoned cars are derilict buildings.
I enter a small residential area. "Seems to be deserted." I think to myself as I look around the unusually calm, but destroyed street. Being a little suspicious I creep along the sidewalk for a few minutes.
Finally convinced that I'm alone, I continue my normal pace down the eerily quite road. My mind wanders as I continue my way and I trip over a raised cement sidewalk slab. Looking down I see my shoe is untied and decide I'd better fix that.
"I need shelter, I cannot be seen vulnerable out in the open." I look around and see a house with a porch. "Perfect!"
I approach the house, peering in through the windows to see any sign of civilization.... or any potential threats. I notice that the house is completely destroyed on the inside, much like a grenade went off.
I climb onto the porch and hold my breath as I push the door open slowly with the muzzle of my shotgun..... Nothing... I breath a sigh of relief and stoop down to tie my shoe.
As I pull the final loop, I hear a soft, inhuman whimper. I immediately spin around pointing my gun at the origin; the open door.
"If there is anyone in there, you better say so! Or risk being blown away!"
......... Silence.........
I say again, a little more forcefully this time: "Hey! You hear me in there!?" I slowly approach the door, and peer around the frame... no one is in sight.
The whimper breaks the silence again, I flinch out of instinct. "Now that I'm closer, it doesn't sound like an aggresive noise but.... a cry of pain..."
"Are you ok in there? Do you need assitance?" No response.
"I'm coming in, do not be alarmed." I slide through the door, I realize this house is a lot larger than what it seemed. I dedicate my shotgun to my good hand, and unsheath my 9mm and point it behind me as I creep around in search of the noise.
"Can you tell me where you are?" There is no response save for a soft whimper coming from the other room.
I pass through the kitchen and decide to go through the place while im there, nothing of any interest or use. "For fuck's sake!"
I get to the corner and look in front of me... no sign of anything. I quickly jump around the corner and point both guns up in the air.... Nothing.
A little pissed off, I lower the guns and start to rummage through the wreckage. The sound getting closer and closer.
"AHH! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" I scream as I hurl a peice of debris across the room, making it smash against the wall.
A yelp eminates from a pile of rubbage over in the corner, I look up and it seems as if the roof had caved in and piled in this area.
I sheathe my shotgun, and put both hands on the 9mm as I strafe slowly towards the pile. I draw the saftey as I lean in slowly and carefully push back a piece of the roof....
"You've got to be fucking kidding me..." I holster the weapon and through the rubble aside. A little furry grey face greets me with a tounge hanging out and A confused expression. The dog, not much older than a month looks up and quivers in fear. I judge that this dog must be a mix breed.. possibly a Husky, or a Lab of some sort.
I give the animal a once over and it seems the its right rear leg is badly injured. It doesn't look like any broken bones, but a very grave superficial wound. I look up and see the hole in the roof. The animal not seeing me as an immediate threat begins to calm with my presnce and whimpers again, licking its leg.
"There there..." I soothingly say as I kneel down and lay my hand on the side of the animal. "It will all be over soon...."
"I know it's wrong, and it's not my place, but I am never going to find any food at this rate.... meat is meat and if this is the only source.... FUCK!"
Keeping my hand on the dog, I draw my blade from its sheathe and rest the blade on the neck of the animal. A dark feeling envelops me as I place my second hand on the knife.... It's as if the whole world was blackened out and it is just me and this poor innocent helpless animal in this world.
The dog becomes silent... no breathing, no noise... as if it has accepted its fate.
My heart pounds, my breaths quicken. I feel the surge of a muscular impulse starting to build in my shoulders and course through to my arms. As I am ready to plunge the dagger down, my pendant slips from under my shirt and dangles down, swinging around my hand and resting on my arm.
A pause. A breif instant of reassurance. I look at the dog again. It remains silent and calm as it looks me dead in the eye, as if it is piercing through to my very being.
"That look... I've seen it before..." A sudden image flash, laying beside her as she looks at my face, a small grin... a perfect moment...
A single tear falls from my face and lands on the dogs soft fur. I throw the knife down and fall backwards. I look into the sky and nod my head slightly as a smile begins to spread across my face.
I get up and rush to the front door. I look around and tear open the closet door. "Old jackets.... hats... god damn it!"
I tear down some wicker baskets on the top shelf and rifle through them. Successs. I pull out a long red wool scarf and bring it back to the grey puppy, along with a small blanket the lined the basket.
I take off my bad and empty its contents onto the floor. I sheathe my knife as I pull out the first aid kit. I take the pain killers and crush the mto a dust in my hands. I poor the dust into my cantine and look around for a dish.
I enter the kitchen and sure enough, there are the food dishes. I grab both of them and go back to the dog. I poor the water into the dish and push it in front of the dog. It hurridly laps up the liquid and I move tho the injured leg. I run in some ointment to numb the pain, and I wrap the leg in a gauze then surrend it in a tensor.
I let the dog finish its drink. I go back to the kitchen and look under the sink. A small bag of dog food is there. I smile as I grab it and go back to the dog. It's fast asleep. It looks so calm in this disaster of a world... an image of what the world can possibly be...
I pack up my bag... making sure to leave extra room. I place the med kit on the bottom, and move everything that can fit into small side pockets and front pouches to said places. I drop the bag of dog food down the side of the main compartment, and line the bag with the tiny blanket.
I carefully raise the small dog and wrap the long scarf around its body. I pick what I know now to be a her up and place her into my bag, her head sticking out the top. She wakes up calmly as I put the bag back on my back.
As I walk through the door, the dog gives me a soft lick on the side of the head.
I smile as I look at the dog again and say: "Well, it looks like that it's just you and me again.... Evangeline."
An excited bark comes from the puppy and I laugh as I walk down the quite streets again.