Short Story: Dog Gone It.

Short Story: Dog Gone It.

This piece has not been edited by the ShortbreadStories team.

A flash of phosphorus white flew low across the clear night sky followed by a dull thud, she felt the vibration come up through the ground and her legs quivered, the dogs began to bark louder than she could recall... then suddenly they were silent.

Laura rushed over to the barn where the animals were housed, fearing the worst. She threw back the heavy oak doors and stared in amazement. The last thing she was expecting to see was a giant blue jellyball, with a head and hands and the feet of a chicken. It starred at her looking more surprised than she was and its mouth quivered before its head disappeared inside itself. It stood there shaking and making strange noises.

Laura ran quickly to the kennel where Carlos slept. He was her favourite hound and totally fearless. She bade him to heal and together they approached the thing.

“Don’t hurt me.”

Carlos looked confused and cocked his head to one side.

“I come in peace, please don’t hurt me.”

Laura held Carlos back by the collar but he was not to be denied his prey and surged forward. He barked then stopped to sniff, then had a lick.

“Ooh... that tickles.”

Suddenly the head reappeared and it was smiling.

“Hello,” it said

Carlos panted and whined.

“Petino, pleased to meet you, Carlos.

Laura was trying to work out what was going on. Was the thing communicating with her dog? It certainly seemed that way.

Carlos whined again.

“I am to talk to you, he says.”

Laura forgot that she should have been frightened.

“Who are you?”

“Petino Largius Romeldo Thumb, at your service. So sorry that I made a hole in your roof, but I couldn’t help it. It smiled again, this time in apology. I was on my way to Andromeda and I sort of got lost.

White froth spilled out of a hole in its side, making a neat meringue shaped mound on the barn floor. Oh! I think I have a puncture.”

Laura was concerned, “do you mean you are hurt?”

“Yes, I need to repair it before I can take off again. Can you help me please?”

“What can I do?” said Laura. ”I’ve got plasters in the first aid box.”

“No, they wouldn’t stick to me. Have you got any sugar, a pot, and some boiling water?”

Laura only hesitated for a minute before rushing to the kitchen to fetch the things she had been asked for.

She took them back to the barn and watched as Petino melted the sugar and applied the sticky liquid to the hole.

“There… all mended. Now I really must go; nice to have met you.

Carlos held up his paw and Petino shook it.

They watched as he floated up, then having squeezed himself through the hole in the roof, zoomed off into the distance.

Laura ran outside but all she could see was a flash of phosphorous white flying high across the clear night sky.