Dog Days By Jeremy "The Foxx" McLaughlin
Dog Days
By Jeremy "The Foxx" McLaughlin
Chapter One:
The New York City Blues
The wind rushed around outside of the old run down building. It was always warm and cozy inside though. The Burrow as it was referred to, was more of a tavern and an inn for wayward folks back during World War 2. But to Sean and Hector they'd been calling it home since they were young. There were always so many sounds inside the building and all of them were pleasant to listen too. From the dripping water to the creaking of the floorboard it made the building seem a live. The most pleasant sound of all was story time from old man Baron.
Sean slowly walked through the old cafeteria like setting. There were children all around in a variety of ages and races. Eating the meager food that was prepared for them. All too often Sean would skip dinner so that the smaller kids could eat more. Baron looked up from the paper beckoning Sean to sit next to him.
Sean was barely a young man not quite sixteen, but already wise beyond his years. His scraggly orange hair fell over his crystal blue eyes. His long Collie like muzzle sloped up into the Husky's face. The fur that covered his face and the rest of his body shifted from white to light gray, while flecks of rust colored fur was showered through the strands of fur. The tight white t-shirt was pulled across his chest, it had been made for a younger boy, but he made the best of it. His jeans were oversized and made for an older man, but he kept them tied tight at the waist with a small rope. His tennis shoes were falling apart, but still fit pretty well. Soon he would have to get a job so he could start earning his way in society. Sean's tail curled gently against his back as he looked over at the old great Dane.
Hector slowly pulled over a chair to sit next to Sean. His dark brown fur was separated by large black blotches. One of which covered his muzzle. It was easy to see his German Shepherd heritage shining through by the shape of his muzzle and his physical stature. He was easily taller then Sean and definitely bulkier. His brown hair was always scraggly and hung around his head in a mess. One of his ears bent slightly over his other ear standing straight up. As usual Hector never wore a shirt. His body was tone and he liked to show it off. He did wear an old pair of cargo short that were tied around his waist with the same style of rope. The gray tennis shoes he wore matched Sean's because they were the cheapest at the time. They were old and wearing out. Hector glanced at Sean with his dark brown eyes and then back to the old Great Dane.
"The City streets ain't what the use to be. That's for sure." Baron the older Great Dane whispered as he turned the page of the paper he was reading.
The slaughtered New Yorker accent played out across his old lips as it always did. He leaned back in the old rickety chair. His beer stained white button up was old and worn just like he was, but he wore it with some semblance of pride. It use to be an old work shirt that he'd saved even after he retired. His brown fur had flecks of gray all through it, his long scraggly salt and peppered hair fell down over his gray eyes.
The children always loved listening to Baron stories of the old days. Every story would always start the same way and be instantly captivating from the first line. Baron slowly closed the paper folding it exactly as he'd gotten it out of the paper delivery bin. As always he would reach into his pocket and pull out the unfiltered Lucky Strike tapping it slowly on the table. He slipped the cigarette between his lip before striking a single match on the table. The orange glow lit up his face as the flame caught the cigarette causing the tobacco to burn.
"Yup, I remember the good ol' days." Baron said, this symbolized the start of his story and as always he breathed out a soft plume of azure smoke.
"I remember when the streets were safe to play on. I remember when gangs were more or less kids just playing tough. Now-a-days we have to hide inside at night, just in case we roam into someone's turf. The city has changed so much. Back in the day there were only the Dover Rovers and the Highrise Canines. Now its coming up on 2009, and no one knows where the world's going to." His voice sounded tired.
All eyes were upon him as he told his story. "I remember when I was in WWII. Climbing them hills in Japan. Had to stay low or else them bastards would get ya. But if you crouched too low, you'd lose your footing and fall. Its much like the world around us. Gotta stay low or the sonsabitches will get ya. But if your crouch too low, ya ain't goin' get no where."
Sean listen deeply of his words and nodded with each word. "When I got back everything looked so damn nice. The Burrow was best place a soldier could go. That's where I met my darlin' missus. Couldn't have any kids of my own, but she loved me anyway. So it was her idea to sink all we had into buyin' this place. Many kids have come and gone. Most just blended in to society when they left." He took another long drag and blew it out slowly.
"Those we considered successes. But we had so many failures too. Our failures are the gangs we see now. Many have joined them, many die with them...only a handful ever live long enough to see twenty-one. Marko was one of my favorite kids. I taught him everything I learned from the army. He was tough as nails. Promised me that he'd never do anything to disgrace himself...or me. I'll be damned if he didn't start the Dog Days. Elise another one of my children, I put my faith in her too. She started those Bird Dogs." Baron spoke softly there was a heavy disappointment in his eyes.
"Don't you kids get involved with a gang. If ya do, you can't come back to the Burrow. I don't want you influencing the younger generation ya hear. Story times over. Go study or something." Baron rarely ever got that irritated at his own story before.
Sean looked down at the paper and frowned. "Infant Killed in Gang War." Sean reached over to get the paper as he saw Baron's hand slam down on top of it. The loud bang caused several of the kids including Sean and Hector to jump. Sean's eyes moved up to meet his. The blue meeting the gray.
"There's nothing in there for you boy, go study." Baron's eyebrows were bent in anger his voice was a low growl.
Sean slowly brought his hand back as he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked back, there was an elder female Great Dane standing behind him. Her fur was smooth and brown with large patches of gray all over. Her curly brown hair was pulled back against her head with a tight red bandanna. She wore a pair of glasses with silver frames. There were winkles all over her face but most of them were smile lines. She wore a pair of gray sweat pants and an old blue T-shirt that had been one of the Baron's old shirts. Madame's brown eyes were filled with sadness, she always hated when Baron got that way, but it was impossible to stop him once he started.
"Come on Sean, its time for your shower." Madame whispered softly as she watched him stand up from his seat.
Hector had long since disappeared from the conversation, no doubt running the streets as he usually did. If any conversation got too deep for him. He would just vanish from sight. It was more or less in his nature to avoid things that required him to grow up. Sean shook his head slowly and shrugged as he walked on down the hall. He passed the kids playing Old Maid in the hall. Sandy the little Chihuahua pup waved at him and he offered her a smile and a nod in responds. At the end of the dimly lit hallway was the one of the many bathrooms that were stretched throughout the Burrow. This bathroom happened to be the one Sean was stationed at.
The Burrow had once upon a time been a hotel for weary soldiers, and most of the showers still worked, but the hot water heater prevented everyone from taking a shower at once, so at some point during the day kids would be bathing, shower, or cleaning themselves up in one way shape of form.
The Burrow wasn't too bad this time of year though. A total of twenty children lived there now, several left to be on their own just this last summer that's just the way of things. Soon Sean and Hector would find themselves with the cold reality that they needed to leave the Burrow to fend for themselves.
Sean walked into the bathroom closing the door behind him and looked at the multitude of towels hanging along the walls until he found his towel. He pulled it free from the towel rack and folded it neatly resting it on the shelf next to the shower. Sean pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it into the small metal box under his towel rack. He could see his rather small build in the mirror on the wall across from him. The rust colors streaks through his fur showing his Collie heritage. Sean untied his rope belt and hung it on his towel rack next to his black T-shirt and faded blue jeans. Sean only had two outfits, while one was dirty he would wear the other and when his next bath day came around he would rotate the outfits. When his outfits wore out he would go do odd jobs for money to buy more.
He stepped out of his tattered shoes and set them next to the box, before unbuttoning his jeans and pulling them off tossing them in the box as well. It wasn't until he was standing there naked did he realize just how young he was. His features not fully a boy, but not fully a man. It was cold in the bathroom, but it felt good against the summer heat outside. Since the Burrow didn't have air conditioning being in the bathrooms was a good way to cool down. He pursed his lips, breathing in deeply trying to bulk himself up, but it was no use he would have to bulk up the old fashioned way.
Sean grabbed the bar of soap that hung on a rope and put it around his neck. His feetpads made a soft slapping noise on the floor. The cold handle turned with much resistance the shower sputtered nosily. The single stall shower didn't have a curtain it was just a wide ring shower head over a floor drain. He finished forcing the handle until the water came pouring out checking the temp until he was sure it was ready. Being very careful so he didn't slip he stepped under the shower head letting the water rain down on him.
Being polite like he was, he usually only took ten minutes of his allotted twenty so the next kid could get his shower in. But since it was Hector, and Hector was no where to be found tonight, it didn't matter so much. He took the bar and rubbed the coarse texture along his chest and up over his shoulders getting a good lather before he ran his fingers through his hair scrubbing rather hard to make sure he got the two weeks worth of dirt free before focusing on his chest and stomach.
There was a blush that moved across his cheeks as he felt another pair of hands on his back. He turned his head to see Madame lathering his back with another bar of soap. This one had a sweeter scent then his did. Sean opened his mouth to speak, but the kind gaze made him quiet.
"Don't get all shy on me boy...who do you think washed your butt all those years ago." The old voice was soothing as it always was.
"I know." Sean sighed softly closing his eyes remembering bath time as a child, it had always been a bonding time for he and Madame.
Madame grinded her fingers into his shoulders making sure to get the soap into the thick fur. "Good god boy your fur gets thicker every year, humph I remember when you didn't have any. Lordy you were such a beautiful baby."
Sean giggled and then stopped himself as he realized that it wasn't a masculine laugh to have. "So you're saying I'm not beautiful now."
"Well I'll be damned if your wit hasn't grown faster then your body." Madame found herself giggling. "You were always one of the brightest students I ever had, and you're a mighty good kid."
"Thanks Madame. I couldn't have done it without you and Baron..." Sean cocked his head and looked into Madame's brown eyes. "What's wrong with Baron? I've never seen him so angry before."
"Remember Alex...well he was the one involved in the killing of the infant." Madame moved her hands down along Sean's sides.
"Alex?! No, what happened?" Sean's voice echoed along the walls.
"Hush boy, I'm not suppose to be telling you this. Alex joined in the Street Rats. Well he'd robbed a liquor store, the clerk drew a gun. Alex freaked out and took the gun. Shot the store clerk, shot a cop, and tried to shot at another one the bullet ricochet and went through the baby carriage. They shot and killed Alex and here we are, now." There was a sad look in Madame's eyes, Alex was still nursing when he was left in front of the Burrow.
Madame breathed in deeply. "He was like my own baby...I breast fed him...raised him up right. He was a lot like you. Not even two weeks since he turned eighteen and he joined a gang and then blam no more baby. Makes you feel like you wasted a good chunk of your life."
"I'm sorry..." Sean said wrapping his arms around Madame drenching her dress not caring that she was getting soaked she hugged him back.
"Now don't you be sorry hon. You can make it right, by leaving this god forsaken city. Maybe go up North to Minnesota. Far from the dirt and grime of this city." Madame whispered softly in his ear as she pulled away to look at him.
"I've been wanting to tell you that for a long time. That I wanted to leave, but I thought you would be disappointed in me." Sean looked up at her and cocked his head, his blue eyes so innocent.
"Now you hush, I could never be disappointed in you. But I will tell you this. That Hector is trouble, you need to get away from him and this city as soon as you can. I left you some money under your pillow. Hide it and start stockpiling money. There's a change on the wind and I don't want you here for it." Madame whispered softly and kissed his forehead. "Promise me Sean, you'll get away."
"I promise Madame." Sean's voice whispered out.
Madame handed the sweet smelling bar of soap to Sean. "Now You can wash the rest of yourself without my help. You may be like a son to me, but you're growing to be a mighty fine man."
Sean blushed softly and smiled. "Thanks to you and Baron."
Tears welled up in the old woman's eyes as she slowly started walking away. There was nothing more to say between them. Sean had turned to continue washing up while Madame returned to doing her crossword puzzles. Both a little more wiser then before the talk. Sean heard the door close leaving him in the room. He stepped under the stream of water letting it cascade down upon him rinsing the soap from his hair and fur. He lifted the sweet smelling bar of soap to his face making sure he washed it very well under the water before rinsing off and stepping out of the shower. Quickly he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist.
Hector had snuck into the room letting out a very loud and playful wolf whistle. "Wow, look at you. You have the body of a dancer. Making me feel a little conflicted here Sean."
Sean rolled his eyes and smirked. "Shut up ass. Where the hell did you go anyway?"
Hector stepped over to stand next to Sean untying his rope belt, he smelled of hormones and perfume. "Well there was a piece of strange I've been hitting on and off the past few nights. I guess you could say I felt the need to breed, and baby...Hector always succeed."
"Yeah I can smell it all over you, get away from me stinky." Sean chuckled as he hung the soaps up on his rack before starting to towel off.
Hector chuckled as he kicked his shoes off before taking his shorts off dropping them into his box. The pungent scent got even stronger. The mix of his hormone, her hormones, and their body odor left Sean reeling. He waved his hand in front of his nose trying to brush away the scent.
"Good god, was she in heat?" Sean covered his nose with his towel as Hector walked by.
"Yep sure was." Hector turned on the water before stepping under it scrubbing himself rather hard with the Irish Spring soap he preferred to use.
"You pulled out right?" Sean's joking tone faded.
"Nope, Its not my problem she wasn't more careful." His smile was broad and cocky as he scrubbed his crotch. "Neither was her younger sister. First heats always a doozy."
Sean pursed his lips as he hung the towel back up before pulling his jeans on, they were much tighter on him so he didn't have to tie them with the rope belt. Hector kept talking about this conquest, but Sean blocked it out. He pulled the black T-shirt down from the hanger and slipped it on. It was two sizes too big, but felt comfortable against his body. Sean grabbed his comb quickly sending it through his hair catching and snagging it until it was smooth against his head. He picked up the can of deodorant giving a few sprays to each armpit before putting it back. He quietly turned and walked off.
"Aw Sean don't leave me in here all by my lonesome." Hector turned and flashed him a glance.
Sean just shook his head and walked through the door closing it behind him. He could hear a resounding scoff coming from Hector as he shook his head slowly. Thirteen year old Peggy was walking towards the bathroom. Sean wrapped his fingers around her arm gently and pulled her along with him.
"Sean I gotta pee." Peggy the small Dalmatian girl looked up at him.
Her short cropped hair lay around her head all messy like, her large piercing green eyes trapped Sean with a guilty glance. "Well why don't you come up stairs and use the one up there. I don't want you going into the bathroom when Hectors in there."
Peggy rubbed her left eye that had a black spot around it. "Why not?"
"Well I would just feel better if you didn't alright Peggy." Sean took her hand and started climbing the stairs with her.
"Okay Sean." Peggy said softly holding his hand.
As they reached the top of the stairs Sean and Peggy headed left down the hall passed all the doors. He escorted her to the bathroom. Sean looked over the bathroom chart and saw that little Tommy was taking his bath, but the small mutt would pay little mind to Peggy while she went to the bathroom. Sean beckoned her to go into the bathroom, while he turned and started walking back down the hall. Sean stopped at the door right in front of the staircase. He opened the door and looked into the small cramped room. There were two bunk beds that had been separated and placed in the two corners to his left. A single wooded box with shelves sat between them, and a single lamp sat on top of it. On the other side of the room was a bookshelf and a desk with a old wooden chair in front of it. Sean shared his room with Hector, ever since they'd been friends Hector demanded it be like that.
Sean walked over to his bed and picked up the pillow, there was a wad of twenties folded up neatly just sitting on the bed clothes. He quickly counted them and blushed as he counted out two hundred dollars. Where had Madame gotten the money? Was all he could think of. He shook his head slowly and tucked the money into his pocket before lying down. After a moment of laying there looking up at the ceiling, the door opened and Little Peggy stood there.
"Sean will you read to me tonight? I know you were too tired to read last night." Her voice was soft in the quiet room.
"Sure sweetie." Sean smiled gently as he reached over and grabbed the copy of Tom Sawyer from the nightstand.
He had been reading it to her for the past few nights. Peggy climbed up on the bed next to him resting her head on his shoulder looking up at the book as he held it over them. Flipping to the page that he remember leaving off on, he started to read. Sean had been reading different books to Peggy for a little over a year. She suffered from Dyslexia and since Madame and Baron couldn't pay for her to get special treatment or training. It was hard for her to read, so he'd offered to do it. Of course she had been embarrassed that she couldn't do on her own, she refused his help. But he insisted until she finally caved in. His soft voice scanned over the words. Peggy offered a few giggles, but stared wide eyed as he read.
Sean read until he could hear Peggy's soft breathing get deeper. She'd fallen asleep again in mid chapter. Although Sean really didn't mind, it only meant that she was going to ask for him to read more later. Quietly he set the book down on the nightstand and rested his cheek against Peggy's head closing his eyes. Sleep wasn't far off as he sighed, feeling Peggy cling tighter to him. She'd been left at the Burrow when she was four years old. Sean had been one of her first friends and they were fairly close. Sean learned faster then she did. But Sean learned faster than everyone else. It didn't take Sean long to fall asleep and become lost in the dream world that the books had helped produce.