The Odd Family's Book of Bedtime Stories

Man's Best Friend

Daniel tossed his car keys to the side as he closed the heavy door behind him. They made a loud metallic sound, but then the apartment was silent. Stopping, Daniel looked around. Usually when he got home, his dog Athena was there to greet him. She was nowhere to be seen today. Taking a few more steps, Daniel looked around. He glanced into the living room and then into the kitchen. But no one was there.

Seeing a window open beside his dining table, Daniel hurried over. It wasn't open enough for Athena to get out onto the fire escape, but he closed it anyway. With the window closed, the outside noise vanished, and Daniel could hear a new sound from within the apartment. It was a strange mix between a groan and labored breathing. A broken glass lay nearby on the tile and Daniel hurried over.

That was when he saw Athena. She was laying just behind the counter, chest heaving. Blood matted her fur and was smeared across the otherwise spotless tile. Athena's black eyes rolled around to look at Daniel. It was as though she were begging for help. Scrambling across the floor, Daniel wasted no time in picking Athena's large body up and hurrying out the door. Three flights of stairs were nothing and faster than the elevator, at the rate Daniel was running.

He laid Athena in the back seat of his car without a struggle and slammed the door, speeding to the vet. Athena did not fight Daniel, only lay in the back of the car, struggling for breath. It was only three blocks to the vet's office, but it felt like forever. Along the way, Daniel had managed to get some of the blood on him, but he didn't care. Athena had been his dog since she was a puppy. Daniel had found her in a dumpster and taken care of her since.

The vet was not as comfortable with the blood all over Daniel's clothes. It was scaring some of the other animal owner's in the waiting room. He insisted Daniel go home to wait.

"It's obvious Athena is going to survive this," he said, "you go home and change clothes."

Daniel looked down at the blood smeared across his arms and the front of his shirt. People were staring and one small girl seemed afraid.

"Go on." The vet insisted, "you can come right back. I have your information. I can contact you if anything changes in that time." With that, Daniel was off. His mind was racing as he tried to figure out what had happened. He had rescued Athena when she was just a small puppy. She was his best friend.

Back at the apartment, Daniel paused in the doorway and took a good look around. He couldn't find anything that might have hurt Athena besides the broken glass. He hoped she hadn't been choking on some of the glass. Walking closer, he reached out for a broom. Across the apartment, a thump shook the floor. Daniel paused, looking over. It was hard to tell if it had been in his own apartment or the neighbors. He looked down the dark hallway, listening. Another thump drew his attention, and he took a few steps forward. Something like a groan echoed down the hall. Daniel stood still, listening. He held his breath and slowly dropped the broom to the side.

In his pocket, Daniel's cell phone buzzed and began ringing. He took it out and glanced at the number. It wasn't one he recognized. He looked back down the hallway and took a few timid steps forward. Another thump shook the floor. His phone continued ringing as he entered the hallway, the same number calling back again. Realizing that it might be the vet, Daniel answered it.

"Hello?"

"Daniel?" A man answered, "Daniel, it's Dr. Turnbull. Listen to me, there's not enough time to explain, but you need to get out of your apartment right away. Do you understand?" Daniel jumped as a sudden thump happened again, louder than before. This one was definitely in his apartment. It was coming from his bedroom. "Daniel! I've called the police. Daniel, do you hear me? Get out of your apartment right now! It's not safe!"

In front of him, the doorknob turned. Daniel wasted no time turning and racing out of the apartment. Cops met him at the door, rushing off the stairs as Daniel made his way to the elevator.

"You Daniel?" An officer asked gruffly, stopping him. Daniel nodded. His hands were trembling. "You stay here with me. That your dog's blood?" Daniel looked down at himself and nodded. He still hadn't gotten a chance to hop in the shower.

"What's going on?" He asked, looking back as the other police officers entered his apartment. Neighbors were staring with wide eyes, heads poked out of their own apartments. Daniel watched and listened as the police officers in his apartment began shouting and making threats. In a few quick minutes, they were dragging a man out of his apartment. He had a dirty look to him, grime ground into his skin and matted hair. His eyes rolled around wildly as he screamed at the police officers dragging him down the hall. The man had one of Daniel's sheets wrapped around one arm, blood soaking through. Daniel jumped, startled. He turned to look at the officer beside him. "Who is that?"

"We've been searching the area for him." the officer replied. "He's wanted for murder just a few blocks down." He looked Daniel over. "Seems like you were pretty lucky, kid. We couldn't believe it when the vet called."

"The vet?" Daniel shook his head. "I don't understand. He just told me I had to get out of my apartment- how could he have known that man was in there?"

"He didn't." the officer replied, nodding to the man now being forced onto the elevator. "Your dog wasn't hurt, Daniel. She was choking."

"Choking?" Daniel asked.

"On two human fingers." The officer nodded.