"If you don't fight for the things you stand for, you don't really stand for them." - Lyndie Greenwood as Jenny (Sleepy Hollow, TV series)
*
Luck. That was the one thing in my life I needed more of, among other things.
You may say I was lucky to have a life-long career, one that many would consider to be easy and enjoyable. Enjoyable, yes. Easy? Hell no. I had put my heart, soul, sweat and blood into every kennel, every bowl of food, water and every single dog that left this rescue. I, as well as my employees, have put ounces of our beings into our line of work to assure the future of our animals.
That, my friend, wasn't always as easy as everyone presumed.
Though we couldn't save everyone, we had plenty of others that we were able to watch grow into amazingly loyal companions. That all on its own was well worth the journey.
My life was a twist of fate bundled up in wrapping paper, thrown into a tiny box and shipped off adorned with a crumpled bow. Decorative packaging hide the awful disaster within - few knew the true me. Everyone else saw the bow and dog-themed wrapping paper. I liked it that way, and maintained it at all costs.
Unfortunately, I wore my past on my face; quite literally, might I add.
I tried my hardest to ignore the stares I would receive on the daily, but to tell you the truth, it did get me down a lot more than what I let on. I would tell myself that people stared because they didn't know any better - scars, especially ones that were in places that couldn't be concealed easily, were always an accidental eye-catcher.
My scars were a secret tale I seldom shared. The memories of how I received them often haunted me, but alas, I was lucky to have lived through the ordeal I had been faced with when I could have lost my life.
There was that word again - luck. It stuck like gum tangled in a four-year-old's hair. An annoying, sticky, unpleasant mess. One I simply tolerated.
I dealt with everything from the physical ailments to the internal ones, and I'll admit, some days were better than others.
Last night had been one of those times where I hadn't been so fortunate to escape the talons of my inner frets and worries. All of my emotions drew within me like a wicked storm, and like usual, I barred myself off from anyone and everyone. I couldn't sleep for many reasons.
The latter being yesterday's new arrival. An abuse case, no less. Brought to me in the late evening by local samaritans, this little girl couldn't have weighed more than fifteen pounds. She was writhing with fleas, caked in dirt and so emaciated that I could locate nearly every bone on her body.
They had found her on the side of an empty highway, dragging nearly two feet of heavy chain that had been attached to a worn collar around her neck. She was terrified, most likely having limited contact with humans, but they had managed to load her up in the back of their vehicle and drive her straight here.
I had thanked them profusely once they arrived and dropped her off. She was in bad shape, and could have been dead had a hungry coyote or reckless driver come along.
I hadn't bothered rousing Evelyn - one of my on-site employees and best friend - to help me get the little dog settled in. Her day had been absolutely nuts as she picked up on the slack another employee had left in their wake. Said ex-employee hadn't show up to work in over a week, and was considered fired after the five consecutive absence. Hadn't heard a thing from him since the last day he showed up.
Word had it, he'd been busted for selling coke on the streets in Vegas. Locked up for at least ten years. No worries though, I suppose. He was a bad apple anyway, and hardly helped around the rescue when needed.
I just felt horrible that the slack that he had left immediately fell back onto Evelyn. On that note though, she had volunteered to take the majority of the kennels and add them to her sections. The rest had been divided among the remaining employees.
Dogs were dogs, they needed clean spaces, food, water and attention every day and that was an all day affair. Evelyn had retired to her room shortly after she had finished her daily doggy kennel clean up and evening feeding times. I wasn't even sure if she had anything to eat in the last ten hours. I would have pestered her, but I knew all too well that she hated thinking she was being coddled.
She may have been twenty three, but she was still the baby of the group and we all looked out for each other.
It had been entirely too late to take her to the vet, so I removed that ugly chain and bathed the little highway pup. Low and behold, mud and dirt washed away to revealed the tangled mess of long gray and white fur. A husky mix, no doubt. Curly tail and all.
Her mismatched eyes seemed to shine a bit more after I made sure she had a decent sized meal and a clean, sheltered outdoor kennel away from the other dogs and their noise. Unable to rest, I sat with her up against the chain link barriers, coaxing her closer with treats while softly promising her that she was finally in a safe place.
Eventually, she had trusted me enough to curl up in a dog bed nearby. I don't remember what time it had been whenever I heard her light snores, but I'm sure I had fallen asleep shortly after.
"Harper, oh my god. I've been searching everywhere for you!"
I jolted awake to Evelyn's voice a few feet away, followed by the distant chorus of barking that marked the morning feeding ritual.
Upon looking down, little no-name was draped across my lap. I threw my hand up towards Evelyn, signaling her to approach slowly. Gravel crunched under her shoes softly, but to no avail, immediately woke the husky and sent her across the kennel.
"Dammit," I muttered. So close, yet so far. It was a start though.
"Jesus, Harp. You slept out here? Again?" Evelyn crouched beside me outside of the kennel.
I nodded slowly, rubbing the dirt and dust from my eyes. It must have been a little windy. I had a light layer of sandy debris covering my clothes. "I know, I know. I promised I wouldn't do it anymore. I just couldn't bring myself to go inside and sleep, leaving her out here to wonder if she was in good hands or not."
Evelyn breathed a light sigh. "I'm just glad you're okay. I've been looking for you for at least an hour."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Eve." I said. "I gave her a bath."
She clicked her tongue at me, rolling her eyes. "That didn't sound too sincere."
Standing, I began knocking the dust off of me. I glanced towards the highway pup. She was cowering in the opposite corner, tail tucked between her legs. "Any chance I can con you into calling the vet's office to schedule her an appointment today?"
Evelyn shook her head. "No can do, boss. One of Nevada's shelters on the outskirts of Vegas called at the butt crack of dawn, asking to speak with you."
I exited the kennel, making sure the latch was locked into place. "What did they need?"
"More space," she reported, her gaze averted as she shuffled stones beneath her boots. "Took a message for you. They're currently running a code red, have at least ten scheduled for euthanasia later this evening if they can't find someone willing to take them."
Closing my eyes, I prayed to whatever gods there were up above to help me find enough resources to take in any other mouths to feed. "Please call and let them know I'm heading up with ten large crates. I guess I'm taking this little girl with me to the vet, too."
She nodded eagerly, nearly bouncing with excitement despite the fact that she and I both knew we were getting more dogs to add onto our daily work load.
"We're going to need a miracle soon!" I shouted after Evelyn as she took off towards the house in the distance. Her practically care free laugh carried through the surrounding kennels, brightening my mood just a tab more.
I pressed my back and hands into the chain link walls behind me, and was welcomed with several slobbery kisses. Turning, I crouched in front of the skinny gray and white dog, smiling.
"Thank you." She blinked up at me and backed away slowly, panting. "Oh, what am I going to do with you, my shy little one?" She plopped back into her bed, curling her tail around her so it rested on top of her nose. I made up my mind. "Screw Evelyn - she gets to name every dog. I'm calling you Rainy. It's simple and cute, much like you."
I offered the newly named Rainy another smile before beginning to head towards the house. I had ten - or, well, eleven - crates to squeeze into a van, and I didn't want to waste any more time.
*
The van chugged in beside a gas pump, easing lightly as my foot pressed the brake.
Twelve dogs in total. Eight medium to large breeds, the rest small dogs. Nothing we couldn't handle, I hoped. We acquired several more than expected, but that was simply due to the fact that those dogs were also red listed for tomorrow's euthanasia. I certainly wasn't going to let that happen. Rainy had gone into the vet's office while the staff and I corralled up the dogs that were soon to be the rescue's.
Thankfully, apart from her emaciation, everything checked out okay. She tested negative for heartworms and intestinal parasites, and received vaccinations so she was up to date on everything.
Once we had her on a high calorie diet and maintained a healthy weight, all was left was to train her and check her over a final time by a vet. Then, given the all clear, she would go up for adoption on the rescue.
I had called Evelyn ahead of time to get her and the boys back at the rescue to begin preparing kennels for the new members I was bringing. I loved Evelyn to death. She complied quickly and jumped right into work. She hung up after promising to have everything ready by the time I arrived.
At least I could rely on her.
There were a few barks as I shut the engine off, and I shuffled carefully out of the van and onto the concrete.
Being short had its limitations, especially when half of the dogs on your rescue were nearly as tall as you, but it never interfered with my work. So, all was well in that aspect.
I popped open the back doors of the van to allow air to circulate throughout the vehicle while I pre-payed for gas. Nevada was known for its hot weather, especially on cloudless days like these in the beginning of the summer.
Sweat nearly poured from every orifice on my body, soaking through my tank top near my back and sides. My thighs were another story. They stuck together when I walked, despite the barrier of my colorful shorts. Salty water condensed between my breasts and at the back of my neck, caking tiny hairs to my skin.
Thinking it would help, I tangled my hair into a shitty ponytail expecting it to at least help, but it hadn't done much other than to leave a trail for more sweat to follow.
I slipped my large framed sunglasses down, carefully treading across the steaming hot pavement. I paid for my gas and bought an icee that would (without a doubt) melt as soon as I stepped outside, and four large bottles of water.
Padding across the parking lot, I noticed that there was a man near my van. He was speaking kindly to the dogs, laughing as they jostled about in their carriers.
A bit creepy, but it wasn't the first time I have had to deal with people who were interested in meeting the dogs in my possession. Usually, I was pretty open about it considering that anyone I met could be a potential adopter so let it slide. Besides, the dogs had gone without much attention for God knows how long and could use some direct socialization.
"Hi there," I greeted, setting the bottles of water onto the ground.
He spun around, his eyes widening. "Oh, heh. I'm sorry, this is probably weird but I love dogs. I just had to come by and visit really quick. I hope you don't mind." He said this in a jumbled rush, seeming to be embarrassed that I had caught him.
"I don't mind people randomly harassing my dogs, it comes with the territory." I replied with a laugh.
He didn't say anything more, but a goofy smile spread across his lips, only slightly hidden behind his dark goatee. He appeared to be a normal guy - bald, well-kept facial hair, dark eyes, a nice smile. The only off putting thing about him was the fact that he was wearing an entirely black outfit in the ninety degree weather.
I let out a loud laugh whenever he hung his head in mock shame and moved aside so I had access to the dogs. "No worries, dude. It's just a joke, but what isn't a joke is the reason why you're wearing black in the heat like this. You must be new here." I flipped my ponytail over my other shoulder, looking up to see his expression.
He wore the same goofy, closed-mouth grin. "No, ma'am. I've been a resident of Nevada for quite some time. I forget to restock my wardrobe with color, doesn't seem to fit with my job." He chuckled at his own joke. Even though I didn't understand what he meant, I went along with it, laughing with him.
"Really? Wow, you're brave to have a dark themed wardrobe near Death Valley. Surprised you're still standing." After another note of laughter, I reached into the van with my arm outstretched, searching for plastic doggie bowls. I realized they were on top of two stacked carriers.
Desperately, I jumped about looking like an peg legged pirate relearning how to walk, but no matter how far I seemed to go up, I was never close enough to reach the bowls.
An arm reached over me and grabbed the bowls with ease and deposited them in my hands. I narrowed my eyes at the man behind my sunglasses. I couldn't tell if he was being willingly or sarcastically helpful. I decided on sarcastically whenever he flashed a half smile, his hands buried deep in his black jeans.
"Okay, okay. We're even. Gotta shoot me down with the silent short jokes, huh?" I dropped the bowls on the ground, glancing up to see his shit-eating grin. What an ass. I think I was beginning to like it.
He snickered, running his hand through his facial hair. "Guess you could say that was a...low blow."
I bit my tongue and threw a bottle of water at him and he caught it easily. I raised a brow, slurping the cherry slurry from my cup. "You're an ass. I'm Harper Claire." I held out my hand.
His hand was surprisingly cold and I mentally chortled as the word 'vampire-ish' crossed my mind. It would have weirdly suited his appearance and bodily temperature.
"I do have an ass, thanks. I'm Aaron Goodwin. Nice to meet you."
His grip was firm but brief. Almost business-like. Oh my, we've got a Vegas boy here.
I rolled my eyes and tossed him another bottle of water. "I'll let you meet my furry companions under the condition that you help me fill these bowls."
"Deal."
We jumped into action, filling the bowls to the brim with cool water. I began rotating dogs in and out of their carriers to allow them a drink. Aaron helped me carry them across the hot pavement to the sparse patches of grass a few feet away to allow the dogs a potty break.
After we were finished, I emptied the remaining water onto the ground, watching as it practically sizzled in direct sunlight. I clapped the bowls together to rid them of excess moisture and placed them in a much lower place so I could reach them next time.
I stuck the gas nozzle into my van's tank opening and turned to Aaron. "Thank you. It would have taken infinitely longer had you not come around."
Nodding, he rubbed away the sweat on the back of his neck. "No problem. I love meeting some new furry faces. But I must pry, why on earth are you traveling with twelve dogs?"
"Thirteen." I corrected, earning an eye roll. "I run a rescue just a few miles from here - mostly dogs, of course. Some reptiles, and few cats, too. But shh, they don't know that." I threw my thumb over my shoulder to point at the pooches in the back.
A genuine excitement spread across his features. "Oh, so that's the name of your rescue? Paranormal Pups?" He gestured to my tank top. I nodded, completely forgetting that I was wearing it today.
"Yeah, sure is." I slid my sunglasses from my eyes, placing them on top of my head. His eyes widened a fraction and he tried to play it off so I wouldn't notice. But I had...and I was immediately uncomfortable.
A sense of hurry flowed into my veins and I had no choice but to oblige like a slave to my own fear. I didn't like to see (or deal with) people's reaction whenever I revealed the extent of my facial scars. It made me quiver remembering why they were there, and where they came from.
No one would understand, so my next best choice was to run away. As quickly as possible. To avoid conflict and questioning. Like I always had.
That was the only thing I was good at - running from my problems.
"Alright, Aaron, it was nice to meet you, but I have to go." I said in a rush as I replaced the nozzle into its holder on the pump.
Briskly shutting the rear doors, I jumped into my vehicle, starting the engine. I shifted it into gear but paused whenever I noticed Aaron was standing outside the door. Confusion masked his features. I rolled down my window.
"Harper, wait. I-"
"I'm sorry," I cut him off. "I've got to go. It really was nice meeting you, Aaron."
I jerked my sunglasses back over my eyes, hauling ass out of the lot, leaving Aaron in a cloud of dirt and debris.
"Fuck," I whispered as the tears began seeping from my eyes. I ignored the guilt of barreling off without much of an explanation, tucking it away in the back of my mind. Tightening my hands on the steering wheel, I tried to concentrate on the highway before me as a few warm tears slipped down my cheeks.
*
A/N: Finally, an Aaron fanfic, whoop whoop! Let me know how you like it so far! <3 Rainy, the husky, is pictured above. What a cutie! There's also a song that's helped to inspire the story that I recommend giving a listen to. It's amazing. I love all of you! Stay tuned for more, ghostlings!