The Human Pet

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 

            Dominic finished with the dishes and went into the study to call his father.

            “Hey dad. I got a human today. She’s been more exhausting than you led me to believe.”

            “Well that’s just the first few days. Once you get her settled in, she’ll be fine on her own, if that’s what you want. I just didn’t want you to be so lonely all the time.”

            “Dad, I have friends you know. I’m not going to wither away just because you’re traveling.”

            “Friends? Who? Zek?”

            “Yes, Zek. And others. Kazdyn and Alpesh.”

            “Alright, I’ll believe Zek. But I’ve never heard you speak of a Kazdyn or an Alpesh.”

            “You don’t know every little detail of my life, dad.”

            “I just worry about you. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone, and I don’t want you to go through what I did when your mother passed. The doctors said it could run in the family.”

            “I know you’re just worried, dad. Why don’t I invite the three of them over for dinner tomorrow so you can meet them? I’ll have Zek and Kazdyn bring their humans, Reza and Scala, so they can have a little play date.”

            “Oh, that would be great, Dominic. And I can meet your new human also. Did you get a little female, like I suggested?”

            “Yes, dad. She’s so adorable, but very young; only twenty years old. I don’t think she likes me very much. She threw a block at me. She doesn’t like to eat. She went rummaging through my clean laundry.”

            “Sounds like a feisty little one. I’ve never heard of anyone owning a human that young. I’m sure you’ll be in for some surprises along the way. But humans are supposed to be very loyal creatures. Just earn her trust and she’ll eventually come to love you.”

            “Alright, thanks dad. I’m going to go check on her before I head to bed. My place at around 17:00 tomorrow, sound good?”

            “Yeah, see you then. Bye.”

            Dominic hung up the phone with his dad and then quickly called Zek, Kazdyn, and Alpesh to make sure they could make it for dinner the next day. They all agreed and Zek and Kazdyn promised to bring Reza and Scala to meet Zia.

            Dominic trudged up the stairs, exhausted from the long day’s events. He opened the door to Zia’s room and through the darkness, he could see her little body trembling on the bed, and the sounds of her sniffles carried through the room. He ran to her, worried she had hurt herself. He released the clasps to open the top and quickly dropped the sidewalls. He crouched down to get closer to her, where she was on her side, curled in a tight ball facing away from him. He put a hand on her shoulder and one on her hip and gently rolled her towards him onto her back. She fought him, trying to stay on her side, but a firm hand on her belly and a quick, “No Zia”, and she gave up the fight.

            He checked her over for injuries, and when he found nothing, he rolled her onto her belly to check the other side of her. She sniffled and meekly protested, “Dominic, no.” But there was no force behind her words. When he got to the bandage he had put over her stitches, it dawned on him that they could have become infected.