REX [WattyAwards2015]

chapter iv :: some dogs bite

If Nigel was a criminal, he would have been the worst criminal ever.  If he had been a rescuer, he would have been the messiest rescuer ever.  For how he busted into Jack's house was far from heroic or manly.  Instead, he tore through the screen door, part from tripping and part from lack of aim.  He meant to slam his shoulder into the wooden part of the doorframe, hoping to break the chain.  But instead, he stumbled over his shoelace and crashed through the screen and onto the floor inside. 

Catching his breath and noting the pain in his lower back, Nigel pushed himself onto his elbows and looked around at the table legs and chairs. "Jack?"  His face stiffened with fear (or pain) as he gathered himself to his feet.  Wiping the dirt from his cargo pants and jacket, he looked around the room.  "Jack?"

Instead of a human response, a deep growl answered him from the kitchen. Nigel's heart stopped halfway between his chest and throat.  His tongue and the roof of his mouth went as dry as cardboard and his hands tingled with uncontrollable anticipation.  Carefully, so not to trip again, Nigel stepped up onto a nearby sofa and peered into the kitchen.  There, at least three feet tall at the shoulders, was a muscular beast chowing down on whatever was in the fridge. 

"Good God," Nigel swore under his breath.  He tried to get a better look, but his foot slipped forward and he landed on the floor with a dull thud.  Breathless, Nigel's head snapped up and he targeted his eyes on the kitchen.  He saw the rounded shoulder of the animal move and a serpent-like tail swooshed back and forth.  He wasn't sure if the dog was a dog at all.  "Here boy."  Nigel whistled.

The animal let out another low snarl and stepped out of the kitchen.  Saliva hung from the massive jaws and two-almost red eyes - stared back at him, penetrating him with the question, "What are you doing in my house?"

Clambering to his feet, Nigel started for the bathroom, his eyes fixed on the beast.  "Stay, boy, good boy.  Stay there."

The beast's pointed ears flattened on its head and the jaw closed.  The thick, rubbery gum line curled upwards, showcasing a row of pointed teeth.  The shoulders arched and the hair stood up, like an army of spears, along its back.

Shaking, Nigel fled to the bathroom.  He grabbed the golden door knob and swung it open.  He heard the clattering of toenails behind him, but he didn't look back.  Breathing heavily, he slipped into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.  He was trapped now.

"Nigel?"

Nigel jumped and his back found the door with a painful slap.  "Jack?"

Sitting in the bathtub, hand wrapped up in a bloody rag, was Jack.  He was pouring sweat from his face and his hair was plastered to his head.  His shirt was darker than it was before and his face was an alabaster white.  "Something's wrong.  Ever since that dog bit me, I keep seeing flames.  I also keep thinking I'm hearing someone.  I'm going crazy."

Holding a hand out to steady his panicked friend, Nigel approached him slowly, "Calm down, all right?  I ain't touching you in case you've got rabies.  But listen to me, I saw fire, too.  I don't know why.  But it freaked the hell out of me. And whatever that thing is, it's definitely not a dog."

"What do we do?"  Jack whimpered, holding his hand close to his chest.

"Let me see your hand."  Nigel leaned over the side of the tub and tried to observe the wound.  But his own shadow was casting poor lighting, making him quite frustrated.  "Bloody 'ell, I can't see it.  Is it bad?"

"It's weird.  I can't explain it," Jack began as he slowly peeled away the cloth.  "At first they were teeth marks.  But now, look at it."  With a trembling hand, Jack revealed his wounds.  The two teeth marks had joined into a thick, red solid line with three hashes over it.  The lines were jagged, as if someone had drawn a dull claw through the flesh.  With tears collecting in his eyes, Jack said, "I don't understand."

Nigel's mouth pursed and he glanced up at his friend.  Seeing the water rimming around his friend's eyes, Nigel uncaringly slapped Jack across the face.  "Get a hold of yourself!"

"Ow!  You son of---," Jack punched back, sending Nigel to the floor.

Angered, Nigel shoved himself off the floor and grabbed Jack fiercely by the collar.  The bathroom was too small for both of them to fight, so, despite how furious they were about everything, Nigel and Jack's vicious fight was more like trying to dance in a crowded corner.  

"This isn't helping," Jack said breathlessly as he tried to shift his shoulder free from the pressure of the shower rack against his side. 

"Yeah," Nigel grunted, trying to free his leg from in between the toilet and bathtub.

"What are we going to do with that thing out there?"

Nigel released his friend and jerked the wrinkles out of both of their jackets.  "I don't know.  But, we need to figure out how to make it our friend.  And we need to figure out why we both see fire and how you got that wicked-awesome tattoo."

Jack looked down at his scar and had to agree that it looked quite tough.  He stretched his fingers out, at least it didn't hurt.  "What if it's a poisoned curse and I die tomorrow?"

"Don't be daft!"  Nigel snorted a laugh and shook his head.  "Now, we'll both slip out and try not to get eaten.  I'm sure it's still a puppy or something.  Besides, he's probably hungry."

"For human flesh, I bet."

Nigel rolled his eyes and cracked the door open.  He looked out through the sliver and searched for the animal that shouldn't be too hard to miss.  Opening the door a little wider, he whispered, "I can't see it."

Jack shoved Nigel out of the way and looked through.  "It was there a minute ago.  What if it escaped outside?  Maybe it's killing people."

It was Nigel's turn to shove Jack out of the way.  "Come on.  Let's go fetch it then!"  He kicked the door open and went out into the family room with determined steps.  "We can't let the devil out in public.  But we can't keep it either."

"Right, so we pin it up and pretend it doesn't exist.  Nigel, you saw its size.  When you rescued it, it was only,"  Jack paused to create the size of the dog with his hands, "it was this small!  Now it's," Jack flung his arms apart and his face lit up with horror.  "It's a massive killing machine.  God knows what will happen to me after being bit." 

"Well, if you go mental, I'll kill ya."  Nigel walked through the screen door and down to the driveway.  The way he said those words made Jack wonder if he meant them.  And knowing Nigel, Jack was afraid his friend would.

"Listen, Nigel!  Maybe we're jumping to-," but before he could finish his sentence, something unwelcoming and dark exploded into his brain like a swelling headache.  Falling to his knees and squeezing his eyes shut, Jack saw a vision.  A vision of a fiery pit opening up, the bordering lava and rocks were falling inside.  Rivers of ash were flowing from every direction and, rising up from the pit, was a dark figure.  Before the dark form revealed its identity, the vision vanished, releasing Jack to reality.

"You all right?"  Nigel asked, running over to his friend.  He placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and shook him rather gently.  "You all right?"

"Did you see that vision?"  Jack mumbled, a vein stretching down his between his eyes. "There's something wrong."

"No, I didn't see anythin'.  But we need to find that dog, all right?  Come on."  Nigel helped Jack to his feet and the two of them wandered off down the gravel driveway, wondering how in the world they got caught up in such madness.