HUMBLE SPACER 16 DEC 3306 (astro dog)
16 Dec 2020Igli
Igli was walking unhurriedly through the docks looking for his landing pad. He was returning from a station bar and unsurprisingly couldn't keep a straight course bumping into cargo containers from time to time. Turning around a corner he almost stepped on a stray dog - a lean and dirty miserable creature with yellowish fur and long ears. The dog snarled low in his direction and leapt aside fearing a kick. Igli muttered and waved his hands around trying to regain balance. He managed not to fall over and cursed to himself. He turned his head looking for the dog but it was already gone.An old technician was unrolling a large coil of thick cable nearby. "Whatt'z the dogg?" - Igli asked him. "Eh? The dog?" - the worker thought for a moment - "It's always been around. When I came here seven years ago it was here. Belongs to nobody, lives in some crates, catches rats. It's a harmless pup." Igli burped loudly. "Whatt'z itts name?" - he asked. "Don't know of that, sir." - replied the technician. Igli nodded and went away. Soon he would leave the station and never come back.
The dog hated drunks. They smelled bad and might try to hurt. He always gave way when he met them. The last one almost bumped into him and attempted to kick him with his heavy boot. The dog walked heavily to the place where he used to wait. He was tired. There. A bundle of dirty rags. He would lie and have a rest. And wait. He dropped his head on the paws and sighed. Didn't catch a rat today. Became too slow and feeble. Found some food in a garbage container behind the cantina, though. Would last one more day.
The dog watched spacecrafts take off and land. Must be one of these. The Master would come back in one of these. He used to leave him here and go. In one of these big dark clanky with bright lights around. And he used to come back to him from a door with light in the side of a big dark clanky. And he waited and knew the Master would come back. He remembered. How his Master leaned and patted him on the head and told kind words and said to sit and wait. He would wait.
The dog stirred uncomfortably. Cold panels of the floor were rough and a sharp metal edge was pushing into his ribs. He remembered. Running beside the Master, listening to his voice. He called him. The dog couldn't recall the name. Time erased it from his memory. But he remembered the tone his Master said it and a joy of hearing it. One more day of waiting. Futile. How many more? He felt that he had always been waiting here - all his life. Must eat. Must gain strength to live another day and wait. Or maybe give up? He's got only so much strength left...
No. Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be the day he waited for so long. A big clanky would descend and his Master would come out of it. The dog dreamed... Tall and handsome his Master was coming to him. He called and the dog ran to meet him overcome with joy. The Master gave him a hand and the dog pushed his warm and moist nose into the friendly palm... The dog shut his eyes and slightly wagged his tail.
They were together. He was running in circles around the Master and he laughed and called him. A bright yellow sun was shining high in a blue sky. He was leaping in joy and the green grass was so beautiful and gentle. And sun rays were so lovely and warm. The Master walked forward and the dog ran beside him light and strong - like before - like when he was a young pup. The day was bright and butterflies and dragonflies were flying around and birds were singing merrily in the trees... They would always walk forward together - eternally. The Master and his dog. Running in circles and playing. The Master would pat him on the back and the dog would lick his face and hands... He would call him... Roy... Now he remembered his name. Roy.
"Found peace at last..." - sighed the old technician picking up the body. It was light and small. He put the dog in a plastic bag and dragged away...