Michelle's ex-boyfriend

Chapter - 29 Willow

Lana Pipes

12 years ago...........

That was a normal, boring Sunday morning. The sorta day where the climate is pleasant and the surroundings are peaceful. I was in our backyard, playing with stones. I took a stone and placed it on another. I kept doing that until the stones all lost their balance and fell to the ground.

I did it incessantly again a dozen times. I wanted to build a slab of stones. Mom was in the kitchen making something delicious for lunch. Dad was watching a football match. Ben wasn't born yet.

I was preoccupied with my stones but the stones kept spurning. It made me incandescent. I kicked the stones with my foot vigorously. I fell to the ground with the stones due to my clumsiness. It made me extremely woebegone.

I clasped my green gown and began to cry. I cried for a few minutes but no one seemed to notice me. Neither Mom nor Dad. But my loyal Poddle dog Willow came wagging its tail to my rescue. It came near my muddy feet and sniffed it, licking my palms. A gesture of making me feel loved.

I ran a hand over her. Titling her head she was smiling. "Oh, there you are. I have been looking for you, sweetie. Come on now, it's time for lunch," My Mom approached me. "Looks like you forgave your little pet kiddo," She said running a hand over my hair just like I did with my Willow. She gestured to come in soon and left.

I remembered how Willow tore my red keyhole top which my Dad gave to me as my birthday present. Which I adored but never got to wear because of my stupid pet.

Vehement clouded my mind. Before I could think of anything, I took a heavy stone. "Willow," I shouted. I hit my pet with that stone. "This is for my dress, you stupid stupid dog," I hit again and again panicking. I hit her until my pet died.

My pet squealed in agonizing terror and pain. But I didn't stop. "Lana, what are you doing?" My Mom came running. "Sweet lord, did you just kill that poor creature?" She frowned in fright.

"What?" I blinked, unsure of what I had just done. "Is, is she dead?" I uttered. Mom nodded indicating yes. "No, no, no, no." I cried. "I just wanted to punish her for tearing my dress. I didn't mean to kill her," I buried my face in my palms.

"Mom, you are a vet. Please, please save my Willow," I requested her.

"Honey, the damage is done. She is no more," Mom consoled me.

"This is all my fault," I began slapping myself. I slapped myself a bunch of times. "Lana, Lana, stop," Mom tried to stop me.

"No, no. I killed my best friend. I deserve to die," I mouthed. She was stunned to hear me say that. It is unusual for a 6-year-old to say stuff like that, naturally.

"Lana," She grabbed my shoulders. "Listen to me," She said looking deep into my eyes. "It's not your fault. You just wanted to hit the dog with a stone as a punishment. Later she went to the streets and got hit by a truck. None of it is your fault, dear," She spoke sweetly.

"But-" I began to say something because it was my hitting that caused her to die. Why is she saying it otherwise?

"Go, go and grab your lunch. None of it is your fault. Mommy will take care of this," She kissed my temple. As she commanded, I began to walk and ate my lunch.

"Holder," I hear a scream from Mom a few minutes later. I and Dad went running to Mom, where she was standing in the streets. "Holder, dear. Our poor doggi got hit by a vehicle. I need to treat her immediately, and start our car." She commanded.

I was stunned by everything. I stood there like a rock, unable to process anything. Like a pole. My parents left me near Aunt Layla and left for the hospital with Willow. They came in after an hour and buried the pet in our backyard.