Alternia Comics

Day Fourteen - Sunrise

Sometime between when the fire died down to embers and the sun came up, a visitor came to the camp: a wild dog. I had my back to the woods, letting my gaze drift between the smoldering embers, the sleeping Charlie, and Lisa's car, mostly the embers though. The gentle waves of red washing through the ash mesmerized me, took hold of some part of me and managed to beat the Hunger into the background. I was about to lie back and stare at the stars when I heard a noise.

I felt its teeth pierce through my neck and back first, then the slobbering breath on my neck and the panting in my ear. I felt my skin rip as I grabbed hold of the beast and wrenched it free. I couldn't throw it in front of me; the car was in the way. I stood, but I was off balance and fell backward. I managed to turn the fall into a roll, but only just barely and I lost my grip on the dog.

It darted a few yards away from me, then turned and growled a low growl, deep in its throat, challenging me. I bared my teeth and stood my ground.

The dog blinked first and I lunged at it, bringing my fist down hard on its snout.

The Hunger woke up with the scent of fresh blood in the air and the last thing I remember is seeing the dog jump at me again, teeth bared and snarling.

Dawn brought a light rain and I woke to the gentle pitter patter of water droplets on my face.

I'm not sure where the dog's corpse is, but I can't feel the Hunger at all right now, and we're ready to hit the road again.

Day Fourteen - Evening.

When we stopped for lunch I told Lisa and Charlie about the dog. Lisa immediately set to work bandaging my wounds, though I wasn't bleeding. The cuts did look bad though, and my jacket was shredded. Charlie quietly pushed his plate away, half eaten, and walked a few yards from camp.

I was trying throughout the day's drive to find the right phrasing to tell Lisa about my family, about what I did to them, but I'm not comfortable with Charlie yet. I did get me thinking about my life before I died though.

Did I have a dog?