A Scrappy Tale – Shadow Puppets

     The puppy was awakened in the middle of the night… again! It had been the same night every night at the same time. From twenty feet away came the loud sounds of Dominic snoring. Tonight, the pup decided, is the time to even some of the score with Dominic. He quietly stepped off the gang bed and step by step made his way into the doberman’s spooky territory. Judging by the strength of the scent in his nose he stopped within inches of the bully. Much to his relief he could also hear Leak snoring lightly nearby. After waiting a couple of minutes for his eyes to adjust to the darkness he figured out where Dominic’s paw was and it’s distance from the water bowl. It was not far at all!

     With his short snout he very softly and gently nudged the paw from the edge of the bed and lowered it into the water bowl. The June heat wave was still in full force and the water itself was more than lukewarm. Temperatures hadn’t cooled down much during the nights in The Bronx. With great satisfaction of carrying out the hardest part of his plan he slowly and quietly made his way back to the gang bed, one step at a time. Although the beast’s snoring would have drowned out any sound he would make, he sensed something different. He wondered if Leak was still asleep. His snoring seemed to be absent.

     During recreation period the next day the puppy and Daizey were treated to spending the time in the Attendant’s Office watching TV and being pet, played with and fed Lactose Skeletal brand dog treats by the Woman. Daizey explained to the pup that this was a privilege sometimes granted by the Woman to dogs who behaved well. This day she was watching the movie “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”. The pup was very intrigued by it. He felt his spirit soar when he heard Monte tell Chloe “We are tiny, but we are mighty!” He once again had visions and fantasies of flying in the air, wearing a cape, and biting the crap out of Dominic and making him howl in pain. He and Daizey washed each others’ paws and nuzzled. “I know you’ll get outta heah one day,” she reminded him. “’Dis ain’t ya kinda place.”

     The puppy was triggered to dream again of being free of this miserable place, but then something caught his attention. The Woman’s package of stinky burn-sticks… and the fire-maker on top of it she used to get one to burn when she’d stick it in her mouth lie on the floor nearby. She had left the room to return the pups to their cells. Ace and Zippy bolted into the Office to explore and look around for any possible escape route. “Zippy!” yipped the puppy. “Zippy, c’mere.”

     The speedy pup approached the little Chihuahua saying, “Yo.”

     The puppy said, “I need you ta take ‘dis t’ing and hide it wit’ our food stash.”

     “Whawt fwor?”

     “Please! No time to explain. Jussa doowit!” The puppy grabbed the Woman’s cigarette lighter in his mouth and put it in Zippy’s mouth. Ace and Zippy ran intentionally in meandering patterns just as the Woman came in to shoo them out and into the cell. Then she came and returned the puppy to join the gang.

     Finally all pups had been returned to their cells. They were trying to eat when Dominic ran them all off. He cornered the puppy and very angrily said, “You go-win ta soigery today, squoit!”

     “Why?”

     “You made me wetta ma bed last nwight!” The other puppies looked at each other smiling in disbelief.

     “I don’t know what you tawlkin’ about,” the pup replied innocently.

     “You put ma paw inna ‘dat warm wawtah and made me whiz inna ma sleep!”

     “I did not!” the puppy yipped back. “An’ you got no proof.”

     “Oh yeah I do!” barked Dominic.

     “Whawt proofa you gawt?” The bully said nothing. He knew he’d been set up in a trap. If he said how he knew he’d expose Leak as his informant. Then what everyone suspected anyway would undeniably be out in the open.

     Just out of Dominic’s peripheral vision Ace growled and said, “You know whawt happens iffa da Pits and da Rawts finda out you ovahkill wit’out just cawze.” Dominic slowly turned his head to look at Ace and started a warning growl. Then he heard 3 other small but committed growls from all directions around him. Marco, Zippy and Delbert for the first time together decided enough was enough. If one was going to be targeted, then they all would become targets. They realized they had strength in numbers. Dominic tromped off to his corner.

     The gang gathered together on the bed and the puppy thanked them all for rescuing him. “Did you doowit?” Ace asked him.

     “Do what?”

     Ace looked at him with that “you know what I mean” look.

     The puppy said to Ace, “When we make ‘dat move I want Leak to go with us. And I’m serious.”

     “Whawt?!” Ace hissed. “Awre you crazy?”

     “No,” the puppy replied getting comfortable for the night and closing his eyes. “I’m vindictive. And he's got a destiny to meet. Sleep well, bruddahs.”

…to be continued…