To Kill the dog

This was a piece I had to write for a class. Enjoy.

I awoke abruptly not sure exactly why or possibly what had awoken me. I sat disoriented and still feeling the pull of sleep. Slowly my mind adjusted and I heard the sound of high pitched squeaks which kind of sounded like a bark. My neighbor’s noisy a*s rat awakened me. I call it a rat because it’s so small and scrawny it couldn’t possibly be a dog; ok it was a poor excuse of a dog. Big floppy ears, short brown fur, long thin tail, and big brown eyes like a rats. This dog has been a menace ever since the neighbor had gotten it a week ago.

            The neighbor allows it to s**t in our yard, run loose all over with or without a chain and if the neighbor does decide to put it on a chain the chain’s so long the dog can reach half our yard with it. This dog is so ferocious our kids aren’t allowed to go near it either due to the fact that the rat bit my son on his leg. My son had to get three stitches. All the neighbor did was apologize for it and left it at that.

            Now the rat is waking me in the middle of the night, probably begging to go inside since it is so hot out. We live in Florida and most nights the heat is unbearable let alone during the day. I feel kind of sorry for it since I do love animals and hate the way it must be suffering. I can picture it now, the rat running around the yard in circles panting with its long pink tongue lolling out. Once in a while running up to the door scratching, begging it’s owner to let it in.

            I know that if I go over there and politely ask the neighbor to let it inside they will yell and slam the door grumbling about how I woke them up for a stupid reason. A few minutes go by and my wife nudges me asking me to make the noise stop. I apologize and give her my pillow to drown out the noise.

            After a while it stops and I slowly lull back into the clasps of sleep. Assuming the neighbor finally let it in, but my dreams had more fruitful possibilities. I dreamt a gator got in and chomped on it, or maybe even a coyote. From my dreams I am sure a smile was on my face.

            The next night I awaken to the same yipping squeak of a bark. I grumble and get out of bed. I go down the stairs and grab a glass of water. I look out the window to see the rat running around its yard yipping that damn squeak all over the place. I squeeze my glass and imagine myself throwing it at the dog and seeing the rat lay still and quiet. I place my hand over my face and shake my head. Not a very nice thought to kill a dog, even if it brings a smile to my face. After a while I see the neighbor open the door and let it in. Does he just let it stay out there all day and wait until it annoys him to let it in at night? I ponder this thought as I head back upstairs to bed.

            I awaken again in the night to the squeak. After two weeks of this I have finally had enough. I apologize to my wife who nudges me and crawl out of bed. I put on some dark clothes and grab a bag and rope. I silently sneak outside to the neighbor’s side of the yard. I grab a strip of bacon out of my pocket and lure the dog over to me with it. Once munching on the treat I grab it with the bag and sling it over my shoulder. I cut its rope and make it look like it snapped. Then I walk towards the woods where the swamps lie.

            I walk for nearly two miles and stop. I can hear them splashing about and hissing at one another. I grab the dog from the bag and tie the rope around its collar. Then I tie it to a tree and back away about 20 feet and wait. It starts its squeaking yips almost instantly, growling at the same time in my direction. After a few minutes I hear the thumps of the gators as they slink towards the dog. Within minutes there is a snap and all is silent. I wait for another ten minutes to make sure I don’t encounter a gator then go over to the tree to gather up the rope and fling the few pieces of rat left towards the gators. Then I head back towards home listening to the sweet silence.