Strange but Thrilling Stories from a Sophomore Writing Class

The Alpha Rule

Daniel Lidenno was about to pull into the driveway of an animal shelter until a dog ran out in front of him. He slammed the brakes hard and looked at the dog, hoping it would run off to whatever cage or place it came from, but the dog just stared at Daniel. It's eyes illuminating a pale white from the headlights of the car, it's fur was matted and ruffled as if it got into a fight and it held some sort of meat in its mouth, with the corners of its mouth bleeding as it held the meat and bearing its teeth. The dog was the biggest dog Daniel has ever seen, and it growled at him with the most spine-chilling growl he had heard to. Daniel honked his horn and the dog trotted off, limping with its front leg and disappeared into a hole on the side of the shelter. Daniel sat in his seat and stared at the hole for a few seconds, wondering what had happened to that dog, and what meat it had in its mouth. "Hungry Like the Wolf" was playing on the radio during the encounter, in which Daniel shut it off and continued to pull into the driveway, still staring at the hole afraid the dog will come out again.

The animal shelter wasn't anything fancy, it looked like any ordinary house Daniel has driven by, except one thing he noticed was the chain fence that surrounded one side of the building, but there was one side of the fence that was mangled near the hole.

It's astonishing to see a big dog like that fit through such spaces, and how the owner hasn't known about the spaces the dog itself probably created.

Daniel sat on the hood of his car and puffed a cigarette, staring at the other houses packed together like the suburban settlements you may see in movies. Then after a few minutes he ran toward the front porch and knocked on the door. When the door opened a woman stood there in a night robe, as if she came out of the shower or out of bed to answer the door at an unsatisfying hour. She had smooth, brown hair and bright blue eyes, high cheekbones and other angelic facial features that Daniel spotted right away, not to mention she had a broad build compared to him. A body like that could wrestle a bear or ox, and Daniel was not thinking about bears when he saw her.

"Good evening, you must be Daniel." She stuck her hand out and Daniel shook it without breaking eye contact. "I might as well be professional about this, my name is Marie Hund, and I might as well get the dog you need if you're interested to take a look." Daniel replied "Your last name sounds like a hound, so I can assume you have the best of the best." Both broke into short laughter and Marie led him inside, locking the door as she did so.

They both sat down on a couch in what Marie called the 'lobby', which just looked like an average living room. She came out with some tea and sat down next to him, and Daniel drank the tea while listening to what Marie had to say. "So, you seem to have interest in a guard dog, ya?" Daniel smiled and gave a little chuckle, saying "Yes, my mother wanted a dog for a while now and I thought a woman like her needs a dog to keep her company and security you know?" Marie raised an eyebrow and said "Are you saying women can't fend for themselves?" Daniel lit up and shook his hands in a 'no, no, no my mistake' kind of way, replying "Oh no, I mean she needs a dog that is very protective for her because sometimes I'm not there for her. She is very sick and I thought I could surprise her with a dog, and what other guard dog is there than the one and only Doberman, and I think Germans can be very tough you know what I mean?" Marie smirked and looked at her tea, and Daniel sat looking at the fireplace with a giant German flag hanging over it.

"Daniel, I want you to know something about me... I love dogs. Cats are alright but dogs have always been my favorite because they are very, as you say, protective and supportive of their families. My great-grandfather had a dog, a Doberman, in the Second World War and fought alongside him during the battles they fought. He told me a story about being on a patrol and finding an American prisoner sneaking around his army's camp. He was very young, probably not even past his mid 20's, and he pointed a gun at my great-grandfather with a gun from a German he had killed to break free from his cell. When the Doberman saw the American point his gun, he lept off his leash and bit the prisoner's wrist. He let out a big scream and fought the dog, but the dog just held on, biting harder into it, ignoring his screams. My great grandfather watched as the Doberman attacked him, and when he saw a gush of blood spurt out of the American's arm, he knew the Doberman was going to aim for the neck, but he called the dog off and the Doberman came to him. He took one last look at the American, holding his arm that was only a stump at that point, then he took his gun and shot him dead. 'The prisoner should have stayed in his cell' he would mutter to me, 'he shouldn't have aimed his gun, I just didn't want to see a young and scared boy like that live with the consequences he brought upon himself.' I took it as a lesson on loyalty, I saw the Doberman only trying to protect his owner from a disloyal scum like the American. All I want in a man is loyalty and compassion for me, for his family, and of course there were people I have met who didn't truly love me. I hate people like the American, and I also am a little hesitant on being with Americans myself, I want to see what they're really made of, inside and out." Daniel stared at her and silently acknowledged her story, then he replied "Well, do you have any Dobermans I can look at?" Marie got up and motioned Daniel to get up. "Yes, there is one I would like you to meet..."