The Tutor

Fill My Heart

It had been a full twenty four hours since I last saw Dylan. It was now Saturday night and I was sitting on my couch with a steaming hot cup of green tea. The rain had yet to let up, and a late cold front had come through, making the air chilly despite it being early spring. Sadie was curled up on my lap, under my green plush blanket licking her paws. It was an annoying habit, one that I dearly wish that she would stop. I turned on my tv, mindlessly flipping through the channels, my attention was elsewhere. I had told Cassie what had happened, not who I went out with of course, I wouldn't do that to Dylan. All I told her was that I met this great guy and didn't get his number. Ever since I told her, she had texted me every hour on the hour asking for an update. I loved her for it, but I also didn't want the constant reminder that I would never see Dylan again. Sighing, I just picked the first thing that looked remotely interesting and tried to get my mind off of everything. I was thinking about popping some popcorn when Sadie jumped off of the couch and ran to the window barking. She only does that when someone pulls into the driveway. My heart instantly skipped a beat and I flew off the couch and to the window moving my lavender colored curtains hoping that it was Dylan. There were headlights coming toward the house and I couldn't think of any one else that would come here this late. I dashed to the front door, slipped on my cow print mud boots and opened the door. I ran to the vehicle as fast as I could. It was beyond dark, but I stopped when I got closer to the headlights. Something was wrong, the vehicle seemed bigger than the one Dylan drove me home in, and it was louder. Perhaps a truck? I stood there in the rain, watching. My instincts were telling me not to go any further, then a figure appeared, it was carrying what looked like a box. I continued to watch this person, unsure of what I needed to do. They placed the box on the side of the driveway, then jumped back into their vehicle and put it in reverse, speeding back the way they came. Once the lights completely disappeared I cautiously approached the box, unsure of what was in it. The closer that I got, I could hear small whimpers. Picking up my speed, I rushed toward the box and bent down opening it. Inside there were three small puppies, two white ones and one red one. Whoever was just here dumped these poor babies and left, in the rain. I couldn't see them very well, and they were trying their hardest to escape. I did my best to keep them in the box, but as I stood up cradling the box in my hands one of the puppies made a break for it. It leapt and fell to the ground and landed with a soft yelp. Before I could put the box back down the puppy ran as fast as it could towards the woods behind my house. I had no choice but to quickly put the puppies that I still had in my garage so they didn't escape as well. I quickly opened the tan garage door and placed the box inside. I held it closed with one hand, and with the other reached for an old towel that I used to wipe Sadies paws. The puppies were so afraid of me that they stayed in the box and didn't move.

"Stay here." I told them as I grabbed a flashlight from my small wooden table and closed the door and headed into the rain once more. I was lucky that I was wearing my blue hoodie, otherwise I would be absolutely freezing. I went back to where I last saw the puppy and made my way toward the woods. I looked for tracks, or for any hits of where it could have gone. Tramping through the mud, I made my way through the thicket, pulling at the thorn covered vines that tore at my clothes. Two hours later, without any luck I finally gave up. I was soaked to the bone and covered in mud. I made my way back to the garage to check on the puppies that I could save. They had made their way out of the box and had found a small crevice in the far left corner that they could fit in.

"Hi, babies." I said, kneeling down and hoping that they would trust me. However, the opposite happened and they curled farther into themselves, wanting to get away from me. "Hi, come here." I tried again. Again, no result. Sighing, I made my way into the house and went straight to the shower. I stripped off my drenched clothes and got into the steamy shower and let the hot water seep into my bones. It felt so good compared to the chilly rain. Once I was clean, I sat down and just let the water pour over me, and for the second time in less than two days I cried. I cried for the puppies who were so carelessly tossed aside, for the one still outside in the elements, and for myself.