Who’s A Good Boy?

Prompt: “You’re a dog who has never seen a human die before. You’ve heard stories from other dogs, but to you they were just stories. You world is shaken when your owner suddenly collapses during your walk.”

 

“Come on Baxter, let’s go for a walk!”

I jumped up from the couch and ran to the front door.

“Walk walk walk!”

I bounced up and down at the idea of taking a walk with my human. I love my human. She doesn’t move very fast, but she loves me. And she gives me bacon. I love bacon. And my human. And walks. I love walks.

“Ok, ok, calm down Baxter,” My human said grabbing my leash off a small table.

I sat patiently with my tongue hanging out of my mouth. My tail waged back and forth kicking up small dust bunnies.

My human slowly leaned over. She readjusted her glasses several times as she tries to clip the leash onto my collar. I don’t mind waiting. Walks were always worth the wait. I love my human.

Eventually she clips the leash on my collar. I got up and sat beside the door. My human took her time walking over to the door.

She opened it and we walked out into the front yard. I saw my friend Spot out in the yard across the road.

“Hi Spot! Spot! Hey Spot! Spot! Over here! Hi Spot!” I barked.

“Hey Baxter,” Spot barked back in a slower tone.

“Is that your friend?” My human asked with a smile.

“Yes! Friend! That’s Spot!” I barked at her.

Everyday she asks me if Spot is my friend. She’s pretty forgetful. But I don’t mind. I love telling my human about Spot. I love Spot. I love my human.

“Well let’s walk, Baxter,” My human tugged on my leash a bit as we started our walk.

“Bye Spot! Bye! See ya! Bye Spot!” I barked at Spot.

“Bye Baxter,” Spot barked and then went back to napping in the sun.

My human and I took a stroll through the neighborhood. Everyday we take the same path, but I always find new smells. Some spots smell like Spot. He’s always trying to take my spot, but I mark it as my own. Especially my favorite tree. Spot always tries to claim it, but I claim it back. It’s my favorite tree.

We usually do a lap around the block. I could run the route in just a few minutes if I was chasing after a squirrel, but my human walks a lot slower than me. It takes about a half hour for her to walk our route. I don’t mind. I love walking with my human. She’s the nicest human I know. And I know a lot of humans. There’s Spot’s human across the street. There’s my human’s grand-puppy. He likes to pull on my tail, but I don’t mind. I lick his face. He’s just at the right height where I can lick his face. Plus he throws the ball and I retrieve it. He is so much fun. I love him so much. Also there’s…

Suddenly I feel my leash go loose. I looked back a few feet. My human was on the ground laying on her side.

“Baxter. Baxter.” My human rolled onto her back and her voice was soft.

“Human! What’s going on human? Are we playing?” I ran over to her and started to bark.

Her face looked pale and she could barely speak. This was not playing. This was something else.

“Human? Human? What’s happening? Are you ok?” I barked and barked.

I licked her face trying to make it better. That’s what I do when the grand puppy yells and cries and it seems to make it better.

My human just laid there gasping for air and clutching her chest.

Spot had talked about how sometimes humans get really old and then fall asleep forever. They lay down for a nap in the sun and then don’t wake up. Spot called it “dying.” I had never seen it before and I was unsure if it was even a real thing.

Seeing my human lay there, I knew something bad was happening. My human was dying. I did not want my human to die. I love my human.

“Human? Human? Don’t die, Human! Stay here. I go for help!” I barked at her before running down the street.

I ran as fast as I could. I had to get help. I had to get more humans.

I ran back to the house. Spot was still out in the front yard laying in the sun and taking a nap.

“Spot! Spot! It’s bad! I need help. My human is dying!” I barked at him as I entered the yard.

Despite my hurried tone, Spot was slow to get up.

“What are you talking about, Baxter?” He asked after he stretched.

“My human fell down. She’s in danger! You need to get your human! Right now!”

“Fine, Baxter.” Spot barked.

We both ran up to the front door of Spot’s house and began to bark.

“Human! Human!” Spot barked.

“Spot’s human! Spot’s human!” I barked.

We continued to bark louder and louder until finally Spot’s Female Human opened the door.

“Be quiet Spot!” The human yelled.

She then turned to me.

“Baxter? What are you doing out?” She asked me looking up and down the road. ” Where is Mrs. Smith?”

“Human! Danger! Follow me! Help me!” I jumped up and down trying to alert Spot’s human to the danger.

She continued to look around. “Did you sneak out of your house?”

This wasn’t working.

I bent down and picked up the end of my leash and put into her hand.

“Follow me! Please hurry!” I barked and jumped up and down.

“You want me to follow you?” Spot’s human said holding on to my leash.

Now she gets it!

I began to run towards my human. I dragged Spot’s human behind me.

“Ok Baxter. Calm down. Slow down Baxter,” She said tugging on my leash.

But I couldn’t slow down. My human was in danger. I had to help her. I wouldn’t let her die. I loved her too much. Who would take me on walks? Who would feed be bacon? Who would invite the grand-puppy over so I could lick his face? I loved my human. I did not want her to die.

Eventually I got close enough that I could see my human lying there on the sidewalk.

“Human! Human! HUMAN!” I ran over to my human pulling Spot’s human long.

“Oh my gosh, Mrs. Smith? Mrs. Smith are you ok?” Spot’s human ran over and knelt down beside my human.

“Help! Help! Help!” I continued to bark.

Spot’s human pulled out her cellphone and hit some buttons.

“Yes, 911. This is an emergency. My elderly neighbor was out for a walk with her dog. She must have fallen. I need an ambulance,” Spot’s human talked into the phone.

“Help! Help! Help!” I barked more and more.

 

My human was at the people vet for two days after that. At least Spot says it was two days. To me it felt like forever. Apparently my human was forgetful and didn’t take her medicine for a few days. I understand. I don’t like medicine either. She had to go the people vet and get better.

She came home and I jumped up on her giving her so many licks. She laughed and gave me a hug.

“Thanks Baxter. You saved my life. You’re a good boy,” She said giving me a kiss on the top of my head.

“I love you human! I love you! I love you!” I barked as I continued to lick her face.

Now we have a new human who stops by and makes sure my human takes her medicine. His name is Todd. He smells like dirt. I like Todd. I love my human.

She still takes me on walks and feeds me bacon. Her grand-puppy still comes over and tugs on my tail.

Everything is how it should be.

 

 

---

Header Photo Credit to Mental Floss
http://mentalfloss.com/article/70628/11-active-facts-about-australian-shepherd

Writing Prompt submitted to r/WritingPrompts by u/ForeignPacksMoarLoot