Sam would wake up at 4 o’clock every morning. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. And every morning at 4:15 he would be outside running. It didn’t matter if it was snowing or raining, he adjusted accordingly, adding gloves or a hat. He would run down to the park, which was a mile and a half away, jog for another mile around the path and come home. Usually it would take him half an hour to finish, sometimes longer depending on the day. His brother, Dean, never understood why Sam would run 5 miles every morning, or why he would even want to get up at 4, but had done it every day since he was fifteen.
To be honest, Sam didn’t really know why he would get up that early either. He figured it was probably because it was something that he chose to be constant in his life, or he liked being alone so he could think because god knows he wasn’t able to do that at work. Maybe it was both. But either way, he ran without so much as a thought as to why he shouldn’t run.
It just so happened that this morning he couldn’t sleep. Something woke Sam up, nothing he could put his finger on, but he wasn’t tired anymore. He checked his alarm clock and cringed. It was three in the morning, three twenty-four to be exact, but who’s counting? Sam hadn’t willingly been up at three since he had to take an early flight to Stanford for college, and even then he was barely lucid at the time. Since there was no way he was going to fall back asleep before his alarm went off he decided he might as well go for his run thirty minutes early.
He changed into something more suitable for running, it probably wasn’t acceptable to be outside running in just a pair of boxers, and he really didn’t want to pay a fine for some law saying he needed pants. He laughed at the thought of having to call Jess to have her pick him up from the police station in his underwear. Just her face alone would be priceless. But he wouldn’t do that. He didn’t need a record down at the station.
He grabbed his keys and cell phone and left the apartment complex. He thought it was quiet at 4:30, but that was nothing compared to 3:45. It was silent, the only sound was his feet slapping against the pavement and the breaths escaping his lungs. The whole city was asleep and Sam was enjoying every moment of it. It had been quite a long time since he ran with a smile plastered onto his face, usually it was too early to do much more than scowl as he ran, but this time it was peaceful and serene. It was something he could get used to, but he knew he wouldn’t. He would never be able to will himself out of bed before four ever again.
Today, he decided to take a different route home from the park. Instead of taking the left path, he took the right one. Sam hadn’t taken this path ever. He had lived in the area five years and not once had he taken the right path. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to take it, he just never had the time to go explore that direction. He came to a dead end, and the only ways out were to go back the way he came, or to go through the alley to his left. Since he was feeling adventurous he decided to go through the alley.
Sam wrinkled his nose in disgust when the smell of garbage hit his face. Dumpsters overflowing in a dark alley, how cliché. Something didn’t seem right to Sam, not like there was a dead person’s leg sticking out of the dumpster or anything, it was more why was there a dumpster behind the building when there was barely enough room to pass a car through there let alone a huge garbage truck? He figured that was probably why it was overflowing.
He squeezed himself though the small gap between the wall and the dumpster, and after putting his hand in some foreign substance, he decided it really hadn’t been a good idea to go that way. It was brighter on this side of the dumpster though, and he could clearly see the things he might have stepped in or bumped into otherwise.
A small mass jumped up from the edge of the wall and attacked Sam’s feet. He tripped over the creature and hit the ground with a gasp. The animal hopped into Sam’s lap and tugged on the end of his shirt. “Oh, it’s just a puppy.” He sighed. Sticking his hand out, he let the dog sniff it. There wasn’t a collar on the puppy, but it seemed harmless and alone. “Hey buddy, why don’t you come home with me and we can get you cleaned up?” The puppy didn’t run away when Sam bent down to pick it up and he took that as a good sign.
As soon as he found his way back home, Sam placed the puppy in his bathroom, and quickly realized his lack of bathtub. “Well, I guess we are both getting a bath then.” He said picking up the puppy and turning on the water. Surprisingly the dog didn’t mind the water, in fact he enjoyed it; hopping around happily under the spray.
After changing his clothes and drying off the puppy, Sam called Jess. “So how do you feel about puppies?” he asked.
“You got one didn’t you?” She asked.
“Not exactly…”
“Then what exactly did you do?” She asked.
“I just found it! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with him now! D’you want a dog?”
He heard Jess sigh through the phone, “No, I don’t have room for a dog, and neither do you. You know that.”
“But he’s cute.” Sam pouted.
“Sam, you don’t need it.”
“I don’t care. I’m gonna keep him.”
“You’re gonna regret this.” She warned.
“We’ll get there when we get there.”
Now all he had to do was buy dog things and take it to the vet. He at least knew where a pet store was which was less overwhelming. He hadn’t made any split decisions like this in a long time, and it was exciting. Sam searched the house for a makeshift leash and decided that there really wasn’t anything he was willing to use and he settled for carrying the puppy. It chewed on his index finger as he balanced it on his hip, locking the front door behind him.
Gabriel and Kali were in the parking lot, when Sam got outside with the puppy.
“OH MY GOD! Sammy! You got a puppy?” Gabriel squealed dropping Kali’s hand and running over to Sam.
“I guess you could say that.” Gabriel grabbed the puppy from Sam’s arms, scratching behind its ears and rubbing its belly.
“What’d you name him?”
Sam cringed, “I, I don’t actually have a name for him.
“Uhm, Socks, his name is Socks.”
Gabriel raised his eyebrows, “Socks? Really?”
“You know, his feet are white and the rest of his body isn’t.” Sam shrugged.
“That’s cute.”
Socks wiggled around in Gabriel’s arms, nipping at his fingers and trying to lick his face. It was adorable to watch. Of course Sam wouldn’t admit that, but hey it’s the thought that counts.
Unlike Sam and Gabriel, Kali wasn’t exactly enjoying the puppy. She stood there tapping her foot against the pavement impatiently, sighing every once in a while. With each sigh a pang of annoyance ran through Gabriel. He was so tired of hearing her do that it wasn’t even funny.
“Well, I, uh, I’ve gotta go. So…” Sam said reaching for Socks.
With a small pout Gabriel gave the dog back, and watched Sam leave with Socks.
“I’m pretty sure you like that dog more than you like me.” Kali said. He rolled his eyes *probably? There was no doubt.*
Over the next few days Sam still had work and had to leave Socks at home by himself. And he howled. He would howl for hours on end when he was alone and it was driving Gabriel mad. It wasn’t a quite howling either, It was like a wolf had taken up living in Sam’s apartment. Gabriel didn’t understand how a dog that little could produce a sound that loud. But whatever magic it was needed to stop before Gabriel went completely crazy.
“Can you please make your dog be quiet?” Gabriel asked.
Sam looked at Gabriel like he’d gone psycho, “He is quite.”
“No! During the day! He is literally the loudest animal I have ever met and you need to make him be quiet.”
“I’ve never heard it.” Sam replied skeptically.
“Then come over to my house for a few minutes. He does it and I’ll prove it.” Gabriel said.
Sam took the long way, going down three flights of stairs, out the building, into the other, and back up three flights of stairs. He knocked on Gabriel’s door and was answered with “See, you haven’t been out of the house for three minutes and he’s already howling his head off.”
Sam stood there in disbelief, “He does that every day?”
“Yes, and it is the most aggravating noise I’ve ever met!”
Sam smiled sheepishly, “Sorry.” He said. “I’ll deal with it, somehow.”
Of course Sam didn’t know how he was supposed to deal with it. He hadn’t had a dog since he was a teenager, and that one didn’t bark all that much. And after looking it up on the internet, he decided maybe he needed to get Socks some more toys, unlike the five thousand littering the floor of the apartment. And after acquiring three more that Socks himself had chosen, Sam hoped it would keep him quiet while he was gone.
“It’s not working!” Gabriel whined to Sam. “He keeps howling and I’m about to buy earplugs.”
“Well I’m sorry I don’t know how to fix it.” Sam snapped.
“Borrow my cat then.”
Sam cocked his head. “What?”
“Maybe Socks is lonely. Borrow Copernicus and maybe it’ll help.” Gabriel stated.
“O-okay.”
“It’s not like Copernicus doesn’t try to get into your place anyway. It’s a win for the cat and a win for me!”
This was the last thing Sam was going to try before just letting Socks whine the heck out of the building. If this didn’t work Gabriel was going to have to suck it up or leave. Although Sam didn’t want him to go, he didn’t see himself getting rid of Socks. This apartment was Socks’ apartment now, without all of the rent paying and utilities bills.
The next morning Gabriel knocked on Sam’s back door at seven with Copernicus in his hands.
“Do I have to pay you for your cat services?” Sam asked.
Gabriel shook his head. “No, the quiet will be payment enough.”
“If it works.”
Sam took Copernicus inside and placed her on the couch. Socks came bounding in the room and sniffed playfully at the cat. To be honest they probably should have let Socks meet Copernicus before this date, but neither had thought much of it. And Sam didn’t have to leave until eight. If nothing bad happened by then, they probably wouldn’t harm each other during the eight hours Sam would be gone.
Socks usually was asleep on the couch when Sam left. He was the definition of lazy, despite the sudden bursts of energy he would get when the word walk or treat was mentioned. It was hard to believe only a month before he had been sleeping in an alley Sam had happened to stumble into.
When Sam got home he found Copernicus sleeping on his bed and Socks in the kitchen. It didn’t seem like a good sign, but who knew. He picked up the sleeping cat and took her back over to Gabriel’s place.
“Oh my potatoes! I could kiss your dog! Or maybe I should kiss my cat!” He exclaimed grabbing Copernicus and covering her face in little kisses.
“So it was quiet?” Sam asked.
“It was the most quiet it’s been since you got him! Thank Jesus! Hallelujah!” he shouted a grin covering his face.
Sam licked his lips, “Well, I’m gonna head back. Do I get to borrow your cat again tomorrow?”
“Every single fucking day!” Gabriel said closing his back door. Sam was almost on his own back porch when he heard, “Copernicus, I’m a genius!” Sam grinned to himself and shut his own back door.
OOOH! This is the second one in two days! What!?!?
This chapter was supposed to be where chapter 5 was but yeah… anyway… what’d you think?
I actually kinda like this one for once!
~Debbiecakes!