The Market

     They have me strapped in, but this car is weird.   Imagine a car where my back is parallel to the ground, but I’ve seen and been through lots of stuff and this car can’t be worse than the last car, can it?   The last car had me in a small cage under Daddy’s seat.   Daddy’s not here this time, which is unusual.  He’s always here, unless this is a kennel, but kennels have other dogs.   Then, I hear someone speaking in English (I don’t know Italian):

      “All systems clear for take off?”

      And another voice saying, “Roger that.”

      “All systems are a go?”

      “Roger.  10-4.”

      And I’m thinking, “Who’s Roger?   Is that my next owner’s name?”  

      Then, a baritone voice says, “10, 9, 8,” until he gets to “1,” then this car starts driving strange.   Instead of the last car that went up at an angle, this car accelerates straight to the sky.  So, I’m scared, so I start whimpering.   I hear a slow, loud boom, and I see fire outside.  Maybe this is a home.  Maybe the house is on fire.  We’ve never had a fire, but Daddy said in any emergency, don’t hide, just come to Daddy and he’ll protect me.  Just go to Daddy.  I try to squirm out of this jacket, but it’s too tight and I can’t get out.  Damn it.   So, I’m scared and I tinkle.   But even in this suit, I still feel dry and I don’t smell it.  Daddy’s going to be mad I peed in the car, but I couldn’t help it.  My ears feel like Daddy took his drill and a nail’s going into my ear.  

    Then, I start feeling light.   I mean light headed and light.  I don’t know how to explain it.   Like I was still me, but didn’t weigh anything.   Or like our home when Billy smokes that weird, smelly, stuff.  I feel light.   My ears stop hurting too, but I want to feel normal.  I wish I knew how to drive, then I’d turn this car around and go home.     

    Then, nothing happens.  I’m sitting there in this strange car and waiting.  Not sure for what though.   Maybe this is like the times I’m waiting for Daddy to come home, maybe that’s what I’m waiting for.   Maybe we’re going to meet Daddy somewhere in this strange car or maybe Daddy’s meeting me somewhere.  Maybe.  

    Then, this voice says, “Stable altitude reached.   Letting go of rockets,” and I hear  clicks and this car feels lighter.  I’m still in this seatbelt.   Then, the voice says, “Water and food for passenger,” and a gray, clean, bowl of water and a gray, clean, bowl of dog food is put in front of me.  Not sure where it came from, but I eat and drink it.  I wonder if this voice’ll walk me when I need to go out.  

*

     In two dog hours, this car gets me to its destination and goes over lots of speed bumps and I feel like I’m gonna puke.   This car is worse than the one where I stayed in a cage.   Then, this stupid seat belt is taken off of me by machines.  It’s quick, too.   One machine removes the seat belt, one takes one paw out, one takes another paw out and it doesn’t feel good.  Then, the machine starts putting leads on my tummy.  You know, like heart leads at the vet.   Is all this for a vet visit?   That would be bad.  I don’t like vets.  

     Then, though, the machine puts a white coat with a glass helmet on me.  I never liked clothes.   What if I have to be walked.   Then, though, the voice says, “spacesuit secured,” and then the door opens.   Good.  I have to go outside.  I go outside, but there are no trees to mark.  There are little huts six feet apart.   I go to one of the huts, and there’s warped wood.   Wood that’s naturally curled on itself from old age.   And there’s a dark gray figure on a five-legged stool with a glass box (think it’s glass) with sheets of paper with pictures of heads on them.  I go up to this booth, but the being shoos me away with a glass stick.  

    I go to the next booth and there are creatures that look like dogs, but walk like gorillas.   They have thumbs, like humans, on all their paws, but are quadrupeds.   Odd.  But they’re in cages, like I was in the horizontal car.  So, I’m looking at these cages, but instead of bark, they say, “Om,” like Mommy when she’s meditating.   “Om.”  Odd. 

     But, I’m distracted, and the being at the booth grabs me and puts me in a cage.   Shit.  I start shaking and whining, because I don’t like cages.   Then, I see it.  There’s a dog (Think it’s a dog), that has a medal stick in its rump and is spinning.   It’s dead.  A creature comes up to the booth and gives this alien some papers with pictures on it.   Then, part of this dog’ liver is cut off and given to the other creature on something that looks like bread, but isn’t bread.   Then, I know why I’m in this cage and it isn’t to go on a vertical plane. 

*

    After one hour, there’s no more dead dog left, so the alien looks at the other “dogs,” but decides to pick me.   So, I get out of the cage, with my head down and my tail between my legs.  The alien holds my neck down and gets out something that looks like a knife and I’m shaking, but I do what any dog would do, I bite the alien’s hand.  

      Then, purple fluid comes out of the alien’s hand and the alien opens its mouth and white noise comes out, like the kind on the old TV sets with channels with snow.   Then, the creature falls to the ground and stops moving.   I’m free?  I look around and see the strange car and run towards it.  

*

    I get to the door, but it’s closed.   I bark and shake, but nothing happens.   Then, I look behind me and the beings at the Market are herding toward me and have something that looks like knives.   I hear more white noise.  Shit.  

     Then, the rocket speaks:   “Danger sensed:   Opening door,” and the door opens.  Hallelujah!  So, I run up the stairs, but the creatures are herding closer.   Then, I whimper and just as the creatures are near the stairs, the door closes.  Thank God.  Then, I hear two noises: 1) The creatures banging on the side of the ship with weapons and 2) the machine saying “Warning, low fuel.”   Shit!