Spinning around, I trip, landing on my ass and come face to face with a huge beast. Its black eyes stare directly at me. Shaking my head, I close my eyes. I must be seeing things.
My eyes snap open when its growl resonates through the air. Staring at me is a huge dog or maybe a wolf, but it's massive, like the size of a small bear. It’s easily over half my size, its fur is jet black, paws bigger than my head, and its claws look like they can rip me to shreds. More like a tiger’s claws than a dog’s. I’m going to die.
I’ve never seen something so magnificent and terrifying at the same time. I hold my breath as it stalks towards me. I try to scoot back, but it growls at my movement. I’m forced to stay still. My heart hammers in my chest. It’s going to attack me. I’m going to be mauled to death by the huge beast of an animal. I suppose I had a good run. I’m sure there are worse ways to go than being eaten alive, right? But surely the universe is out to get me. First my mother and now this. Have I run over a black cat? Broken a mirror? My luck can't be this terrible.
“Well, if you're going to maul me, can you hurry up and get it over with?” I snap. The beast stops growling and cocks its head to the side like it understands what I said. I raise an eyebrow at it.
I get to my feet, prepared for it to attack, only it doesn't. I stand there unsure if I should turn my back on it. Time keeps ticking by. If I don't get to my storage shed and back, I'll be locked out. Will this creature follow me the entire way or will he rip into me the instant I expose my back to him? The shiny black fur shines strangely in the moonlight. Its fur has blue undertones. The color shows whenever it moves, catching the moon's light, almost entrancing me with its beauty.
Maybe it’s somebody’s pet? It seems a little too smart and tame. It walks over to me, sniffing at me. Its fur brushes against my leg. I can't resist, I reach out and run my fingers through it. It’s thick, soft and long. The animal nudges at my hand. I guess it likes being rubbed.
“Aw, you’re not that bad. You do look scary though.”
Great, I’m talking to an oversized dog. I’m really losing my marbles. Shaking my head I turn my back on it and keep walking. The dog trots at my side. I try to tell it to shoo, but it doesn't so much as twitch an ear at me. I even pick up a stick and throw it high overhead, hoping it will give chase, but it doesn’t work. Instead it seems annoyed at me and whines loudly, scolding me for daring to try to get away. I don't have time for this. Giving up, I let him follow me.
When I come to the mesh fence surrounding the storage sheds that hold the lockers, I walk along the fence line until I find the spot where the mesh has been broken, creating an opening.
Climbing through, my hip catches on a piece of wire snagging the side of my blouse. I hiss as the wire cuts across my hip, the sting reminds me of my failed efforts to be careful. My white blouse gradually turns red as the cut bleeds. The huge dog whimpers at the noise I make. Spinning around, I stare at it. He seems intelligent for a dog. When I speak to it, I get a feeling like it actually understands what I say.
“Go on, you can't be here. Don't you have a home to go back to?” He makes a noise and nudges my hip with his nose, moving my hand out of the way. He sniffs at my injury and whines again, trying to lick it through my blouse.
I push him to the side. “Fine, but don't pee on anything.” I give the dog a pointed look. It opens its mouth in a mockery of a smile at what I say like he’s amused. I really am going bonkers. I need to lay off the horror books.
Walking up the rows of storage sheds, I find the one I’m looking for: number 423. Bending down, I undo the padlock and lift the heavy door. I grunt from the pain of my injury. Boxes and furniture line the entire place. There’s a narrow walkway through the middle that I left purposefully so it makes it easier to find things. I take said path and find my closet. The dog follows after me and sits next to my feet, observing what I’m doing. I open the closet and grab an outfit wrapped in plastic. It’s a black skirt with a navy-blue blouse and black jacket. One more outfit to add to my rotation in any case.
Grabbing it, I put it aside before moving farther into the locker. I find a box that says kitchen on it. Rummaging through it, I find a small first aid kit. Opening it, I grab some alcohol wipes, gauze and medical tape. I shrug off my blouse, sticky with my blood. The cut is deeper than I thought. Instead of just grazing me, the wire has punctured me deep. My blouse sticks to the wound, and blood runs down into the waistband of my skirt.
Carefully peeling it off my cut, I grab the alcohol wipes and dab it clean. Every swab is like the time mom poured alcohol on my cut knee when I was little. The pain makes my eyes water, but this is necessary. The wound is slightly jagged, like my skin has been opened with a can opener. Cleaning it up the best I can, I place a heap of gauze over the top before securing it with tape. I place the blouse in my handbag before finding a camisole in my closet and tossing my blazer back over the top.
Exiting the storage locker, I place my outfit down then close the roller door. The dog looks around curiously and watches as I padlock the door. Picking up my belongings, I start to hobble back towards work. Despite being cared for, I’m not about to be power walking back with this cut making my body ache.
The park is eerily quiet, usually at night you can hear insects and the hoots of owls, but it’s completely silent tonight. It makes me shiver, the giant dog follows quietly. I have become used to his presence behind me. He resembles a wolf more than a dog. There’s something familiar about him. I just can’t think why I feel that way. Despite earlier, he gives me a sense of peace and protection.
Once back at Kane and Madden Industries, I walk through the car garage and find my car. I made it in time.
“You really shouldn’t be in here,” I say, staring at the wolf-dog. He seems to return a bored look, sniffing at my vehicle.
“Well, technically I shouldn't be here either,” I tell him. Opening the door, I hang tomorrow’s outfit up on the hand rest in the back and grab my toiletries bag. Tom gave me a key to the bathroom on the bottom floor of the car garage. It has a shower, a toilet, and a small sink. Tom said it’s for the janitors to shower before they leave and slipped me the key during my stupor this morning.
Grabbing my stuff, I make my way to the small bathroom cubicle. The dog trots after me, curious when I open the door. He walks in and lays on the cold cement floor. I shrug at its strangeness and strip my clothes off. That odd sensation of being watched returns and I glance over at the animal to see its dark eyes focused on me. I pause in unhooking my bra and turn around. Why am I blushing over an animal? I rush into the shower. Unfortunately, the water is cold only and I gasp at the assault. I hurry through, not wanting to turn into a popsicle.
By the time I get out, my teeth chatter. I dry myself quickly and chuck my track pants on with a huge wooly sweater and some thick socks. It helps warm me up on the outside. Opening the door to the car garage, the huge dog trots ahead of me towards the upper levels, heading back towards my car.
I pop the trunk, grabbing a half full bottle of Smirnoff Vodka. I also find a leftover bottle of water from yesterday. The wolf climbs up, his paws sitting on the opening of the trunk while he peers inside, then turns to give me a dark questioning look.
“I'm not an alcoholic, it was my moms, but it helps chase away the cold at night,” I tell him. “And I have no idea why I am telling you this. It's not like you understand what I’m saying.” I shake my head.
I close the trunk and sit down on the ground, leaning against the tire. The dog is too big to fit inside my car and I can't find it in myself to just abandon him, so I stay until he decides to get bored of me and go back home. In a way I kind of hope he won’t leave. I don’t feel as lonely with him here. Cracking open the water bottle, I hold it near his nose and pour a bit out. He licks the water running out, obviously thirsty. I’m not an animal person but this one is rubbing off on me. I chuckle, ruffling the spot between his ears. I love the feel of his fur.
Swigging from the vodka, I cough before chugging more down. The dog whines at me before stretching out and placing its head in my lap. I stroke his head. “You are very warm. You would make a nice blanket.” I giggle at my own joke. The dog lifts its gaze to my face before closing its eyes again, making itself comfortable. I rest my eyes, but after a few more mouthfuls of the burning liquid, I give into sleep, snuggled up with some random stray dog.