Kabby Short Stories

Lucky

Abby's POV

I got home from a long day of work at the hospital. After working twelve hours, I needed serious sleep. I curled up on the couch and put on a blanket. Normally, Lucky, our dog, will come up to me and cuddle. This time, I couldn't find him. I was too tired to look for him and fell asleep.

At around 3 in the morning I woke up to go to the bathroom. Normally, I see Lucky sleeping in the corner of the hallway. He wasn't there.

"Lucky? Lucky boy? Come over here."

I couldn't hear his tag clink together or his paws scratch against the hardwood floor.

Marcus was in our bed sleeping. He was sprawled across the mattress, still in his work clothes. 

"Marcus." I tapped his shoulder. I hated myself for having to wake him up, but we needed to find Lucky.

"Marcus. Wake up."

His eyes opened and suddenly sprang into alarm mode. "What's happening? Are you okay?" 

"I can't find Lucky. Did you see him?" 

"No, I thought he was with you." Marcus sat up.

"I thought he was with you." I rubbed my temples. "Let's see. I saw him this morning, right before I left for work."

"Me too," Marcus answered. "Maybe we should look outside."

We put on our slippers and got outside. The air was icy and crisp. I immediately started shivering, and Marcus had to put his arm around me to keep me warm.

"Lucky!" I shouted. "Where are you?"

Marcus joined in. "Lucky? Come here boy."

There was no reply, not even a slight bark. Until I heard a whimper.

"That came from the woods," I said. Marcus went inside to grab a flashlight. We walked into the woods behind our house. There were bears in these woods, and I hoped on of them didn't come across poor Lucky.

Marcus' POV

Abby and I heard a whimper that came from the woods. We went out to investigate. I followed the noise, as it grew louder and louder.

I could tell that Abby was getting colder, and I said that she could go back. She refused to stop looking for Lucky. 

6 Years Earlier:

We just got back from our honeymoon last week. After unpacking and opening wedding gifts, Abby and I were really bored. Abby's daughter is already in college, and my mom, who I used to take care of, moved to the Senior Center.

I suggested that we adopt a pet from the animal shelter. At first, Abby said that she hated pets, because they were dirty, gave her allergies, and too hard to look after. After we went to the pound, she immediately fell in love with a scrawny looking terrier named Lucky. He was rescued from a bridge that he used to live under, which flooded one day. 

Abby wouldn't let anything stop her from getting Lucky, not even her 'allergies.'

Abby and I kept walking until we saw a bent over tree branch with something squirming around in it. We both knew who it was.

I rushed to get Lucky, whose collar was tangled up in a branch. He was whimpering in pain. I saw that his leg was bent awkwardly.

"Abby, his leg," I said, "I think it's broken."

"Let me see," Abby answered. She pulled out a flashlight and examined him. "That looks bad, let's drive him over to the vet."

We ran back to the house, and I held Lucky in my arms. He must have been stuck there for hours.

When we got to Arkadia Animal Hospital, there weren't that many people, since it was four in the morning.

The vet said that Lucky fractured his leg, but would be running around in a month or so. Abby and I figured out that Lucky escaped from the house, went exploring, tried climbing a tree, and fell.

We got home, put Lucky in bed, and then jumped onto the bed. We fell asleep automatically, our arms intertwined. 

My last thought was: I would never let Abby go.