PA 3.5: End of a Tail

Chapter V Part V

Patches bellowed out laughter- it was fake, meant to intimidate, but Sparky really was hilarious. "Sparky you're a comic. Hehe, just want to talk? Does Coco cutting off my head count as a good conversation? If so, maybe I should have a little 'talk' with Brownie right now, hm?"

"No! Please, don't hurt her. Just tell me what you want- ask your next question." Sparky looked horrified each time the blade closed in around the unconscious corgi's neck. Blood dripped down from the various scratches the knife had inflicted, staining the typically cream-coloured fur red in little raindrop patterns as more harmless amounts of ichor fell.

Patches grinned. He felt so alive, so in control of another dog who could quickly bash his head in given the chance. He felt so giddy with excitement, like all the troubles he held washed away in one fell swoop. Sparky showing up was Dell's best mistake yet, one he would surely 'thank' her for later.

"Hm... Coco's number, do you have it?"

"I- No, nobody does. Everyone is to call me first, so I can make sure nobody tries to... do something on their own."

"Shame, but I'm sure Brownie does, I'd be hard pressed to believe otherwise." Patches winked at Sparky.

"You- why do you want Coco?!"

"Question three." Patches ignored Sparky. "What's your plan for finding me? I've already asked Rover over there, and despite how honest he is, I want to make sure he was telling the truth." Patches gestured to the cabinet for emphasis.

"I-" Sparky shivered, closing his eyes, debating on actually telling the truth or not. Of course, it was a bluff, but Patches hoped it would keep Sparky from being clever. "... We're planning on sending out a search party to look for you consisting of Mitt and Whisk, then Coco and Ginger..."

Patches started laughing, more reserved this time. "Whisk? Oh you poor fools." Sparky looked at Patches quizzically. "Oh, don't you worry, it'll just ruin the surprise if I told you now. Continue."

"... Myself, Brownie, and Rover were going to stick with Coco and Ginger, while Felix, Tigger..." Sparky paused, unsure if he should continue, "... and Angel were going with Whisk and Mitt."

"How quaint. Do you really think I still care about him?" The sadist flexed his knife, showing off its contours as he continued to grin. "I have a knife up to your friend's throat; my feelings should be the least of your concerns."

"That's exactly why I'm concerned about your feelings right now."

Patches rolled his eyes. "Hm... I suppose that's a good idea; I am known for being rather eccentric." He waved the knife about, gesturing for Sparky to get back on topic. "Is that it?"

"No, we're planning on having all the other volunteers stick to the town and keep an eye out."

Patches shook his head. "That's not what Rover told me. What about my house?"

Sparky's eyes widened. "I swear I'm telling the truth! Don't hurt her!"

"Shhh, it's a library." Patches brought the knife up to his face, using a pawpad to make a shushing gesture. "Keep your voice down. Now, what about my house?"

Sparky looked immensely pissed and equally terrified. Patches was sure he'd get squashed by the brute if he did kill Brownie, but that barely mattered to him at the moment; it was so lovely, this whole situation.

"I- We tried setting traps, but they wouldn't work without collateral damage, and Coco's magic stops working when she can't focus on it. We were going to put extra guards there just in case, but... Olive didn't think it was a good idea."

"So what about tonight? Planning on burning it down?"

"Wh- no, no. We're just going to put a few dogs there to keep an eye out and sound the alarm if they see you. I- if you let me go I'll tell them to stay away from your place, I don't want you to hurt them."

"I'm glad you realize I'd have to deal with any tresspassers in a violent matter. It's not easy being me as of late, and I think I'd rather spend the night in my bed than running around and letting out my stress on some naughty puppies."

Sparky went silent, looking totally defeated, signalling the end of the plan's description.

"Next. Why hasn't Mitt used Bapawmet?"

Sparky raised his tail in a bit of shock at the question, almost as if he hadn't thought of it himself.

"Well... because none of us want to hurt you, Patches." The husky tried to force a kind smile. "We just- want to get you to calm down and-"

Patches interrupted. "Yeah, not buying it. Hurry up Sparky boy."

He sighed. "Okay, fine, I don't know. It could be that they can't do something like that, but I'd like to think they're nice enough to not want to kill you..."

Patches didn't believe the dog. He knew what Sparky was willing to do in the past and would likely have done if he knew what the dalmatian had planned on the communal day. The sporty dog kept his composure, but he would fly into a fury should any one of his friends be in harm's way. As long as Patches navigated the conversation with finesse, all would go well.

"Huh." Patches looked contemplative as the first-period bell rang in the hallway, marking it as 9 AM. Patches stared at the floor, remembering something with a nostalgic smile.

"Hey, Sparky? I have one more question."

"You promise you'll let her go afterward?" Sparky was no longer visibly mad, but a trail of sweat let Patches know the husky was still as tense as before.

"I promise I won't kill her, Sparky." Patches answered with the remainder of his dignity.

Sparky nodded but looked unsure if to trust the hostage-taker, despite how truthful he seemed.

Patches looked to the floor, trying to figure out what to say. Words caught in his throat, buzzing like bees in his stomach.

"Do-" He tried thinking of a way to ask without it sounding like how it would sound. "How are all of you? You all seem so tired, I can't imagine Olive's able to keep high spirits after so long."

Sparky shook his head. "You hurt Olive, Patches. You hurt all of us when you killed Angel, but I don't think Olive can ever forgive you for betraying their trust."

"Betraying them? Hah. They made it out fine, I'm the one being chased down by deities and witches, escaping by the skin of my teeth. I'm barely able to relax, eat or sleep anymore, so how the hell do you lot make this about yourselves? You lost nothing after-" Patches stopped himself, putting on another fake smile. "After I fixed everyone. Did you know the Wichiens were going to let all the dogs just die until I let them know Ginger was their relative?"

Sparky looked confused and surprised, seemingly unsure if to believe the murderer or not.

"Figures. I'm not a good guy, Sparky, but at least I'm honest about it," he said in a whisper.

"I- I'm sorry. If that's true, then you really saved us there, but..." The husky paused, thinking. "... How about we just stop this? I realized back on Halloween that this is all just so... violent and unnecessary. I can't believe my life has changed so much over the course of a week, and it feels awful knowing how many dogs and cats are hurting because all of this. Why don't we just stop? Why can't we just forgive one another and forget what happened... eh?" Sparky nervously wore a tall smile at the other dog.

Sparky was hopeful, but it was misplaced childish hope like the sort Olive had. "What, you think you or your friends can really do that? Besides, what you've done to me? You don't deserve to be forgiven," Patches said coldly. Their faces both betrayed their want for the conflict to end, but they both knew it wouldn't be as simple as giving up everything they were and just getting along. Angel and Coco would never forgive Patches for what he did, and Patches would never forgive the lot of them for hurting him so badly. He wanted Olive back, but he couldn't forgive them for turning their back on him when Coco was about to kill him; he could never forgive something like that.