Every Dog Has His Day is the second short story in my new series New Writing Wednesdays. I am so glad to share it with you! Have a read and let me know what you think. You can read the story here on the website below or on:
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Subject: Hey
From: Ruth
To: You
Date: 3rd September 2020
Being shut up in a flat in Central London in the middle of a pandemic has been a little intense. As we’re both allowed to work ‘from home’, David and I have decided to make home a secluded tiny island in the Scottish Highlands. It has a cottage, a little beach and enough land for a good morning walk. We just arrived this morning, and I’m already in love with this place. Also, you won’t believe what I found; I walked out onto the porch this evening to watch the sunset, and the cutest little dog walked up to me! Not sure where he came from, but it looks like he’s part of our family now! He doesn’t have a name tag or anything, so I’m calling him Oscar, and he seems responsive, so I guess we’ll stick with that.
Subject: David left
From: Ruth
To: You
Date: 4th October 2020
David left. It’s just Oscar and me now.
Essentially, I’ve been living with a serial killer. I’m not being dramatic; any man who would try to kill an animal is capable of much more. Yesterday, I took a walk after work because David had late meetings. I came back to find David asleep and Oscar lying beside his bowl. He looked sick, so I looked in the bowl and in the midst of the food I saw rat poison pellets. I followed a trail of pellets back to David’s desk, where I found the entire box! I woke David up, and we had a huge shouting match. He kept denying it, but I saw the evidence for myself, and there’s nobody else here. I’m so grateful for Oscar. He’s a hero; he essentially saved my life.
Subject: On reflection
From: Ruth
To: You
Date: 11th October 2020
I’ve had some time to reflect on what happened with David. I’m not sure if I can say that I’ve forgiven him, but I’m trying to be understanding. Island life is not for everyone. I love the open space, going on walks and chilling on the beach. David is more of a social person. He likes crowds. I guess the lack of contact with lots of people was difficult for him. I just wish he would have said so instead of acting out as he did.
I’m a lot more relaxed now, as is Oscar. He seems positively ecstatic to have me to himself. On reflection, he and David did not get on at all. David was always shouting and swearing at him, which elicited almost constant growls and barks from Oscar. Now everything is serene. While I work, Oscar sits on my lap or on the table beside my keyboard, gazing at the screen. Spending more time together, I’m seeing Oscar more clearly. He’s even started to mimic my behaviour. Being the book nerd that I am, I brought a suitcase full of the unread books from my bookshelf, and I’ve been making great progress. I guess because my nose has been in a book every day after work, Oscar has been sticking his cute little nose into my books. The funny thing is that he turns the pages. It’s hilarious to watch, but I guess it’s a testament to our bond.
Subject: An unexpected delivery
From: Ruth
To: You
Date: 25th October 2020
I’ve had to lock my computer away when I’m not working on it. Last week, we got a huge delivery of books: a bunch of books on dogs, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli, a few other books on neuroscience as well as a box of sleeping pills. I guess I must have been looking at some of them late one night, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t order them. My thinking is that Oscar got excited seeing the dog books on the screen and jumped all over the keyboard, accidentally ordering them. Well, to avoid such accidents in the future, I’ve been locking my laptop in a suitcase when not in use. For the last few days, Oscar has been in a mood. I keep trying to take him for walks to cheer him up, but he just runs off.
Subject: A close call
From: Ruth
To: You
Date: 31st October 2020
I’m still shivering as I write this. Despite all that’s happened, it seems that once again, Oscar saved my life. This morning I woke up, fully clothed and soaking wet lying on the beach. I woke up to Oscar tugging at me. I have no idea how I got to the beach. I guess I must have sleepwalked or something. It must be all of this solitude; it must be messing with my head. All I remember is curling up with a book and a cup of cocoa. I was exhausted after a week of deadlines. I guess that the exhaustion, combined with my mental state, must have triggered the sleepwalking. Well, I’m just grateful that Oscar was there; I don’t know where I’d be without him.
Subject: Goodbye
From: Ruth Alade
To: You
Date: 3rd November 2020
Oscar has lft mi and I am distrawht. He must have stwed away on the boat that brngs the post. I don’t no what to do with myslf now. I don’t know how to go on. I ask that my privacee and solitood be respctd. You won’t hear from mi afta this. Do not be suhprised or worreed, I just wont to be alone.
Subject: I’ve been in the hospital
From: Ruth Alade
To: You
Date: 10th November 2020
I have no idea who sent you that last email. I must have been hacked. I’m so sorry about this whole situation. You haven’t heard from me for so long because I’ve been in the hospital. The coast guard rescued me a week ago. I have no recollection of what happened. I vaguely remember falling asleep on the couch. The next thing I know, I was being hoisted up out of the sea by a man hanging from a helicopter. I guess I must have been sleepwalking again, only this time, Oscar couldn’t wake me. I asked them to check for Oscar back on the island, but there was no sign of him. I was worried that he had drowned, but I just got word from the postman that he had seen what looked like a small dog dashing off his boat when he returned to the mainland on Monday. I just want to put this whole mess behind me now. Can you believe I can’t wait to get back to the city? Maybe being cooped up in a flat in Central London isn’t so bad after all.
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