Katyusha

Three months after The Incident, everything fell. When a rat got out of its cage at the local lab, it knocked vials of chemicals against each other, attempting to escape the scientists. After mixing two highly toxic chemicals together, it exploded. The explosion caused the chemical to spread, not just across the city, or the country, but the whole world. Now people rioted in the streets and fire raged through the crumbling cities. It was kill or be killed. After around a month, the food supply around the world almost completely diminished. The air affects the blood and brains of all creatures that walk the planet. Because of the fumes affecting minds, the living turned against one another. Once calm, civil business owners were now on their hands and knees, cooking the meat of their once loyal friends, family, coworkers, and anyone that they could get their hands on. 

Doug sat alone in the streets, starving and cold while embers threatened his skin. His once beautiful, golden coat was matted with harsh gray ash. It felt like it had been an eternity since they were separated. His owner's faces were still fresh in his mind. 

With ash dusting her hair, the once blonde woman lurks over to the dog laying in the grass and beckons him to come with her. After endless nights of hunger, she’s hoping to finally bring home something to feed her starving kids. Doug slowly lifts himself from the crumble, and treads painfully towards the woman, doll in mouth. 

When he gets within her reach, she lunges for him. He springs back as she takes the slightly rusted, silver dagger out from behind her, the swish of the knife nearly grazing his skin. He yelps and tries to scurry away, but whimpers and loses his balance. She stalks closer and closer, inch by inch, Doug lays there accepting his fate. As she reaches him, he closes his eyes, waiting for the inevitable, but it never comes. He opens his eyes, the blonde woman is hesitating, hesitating as she is kneeling above him. He takes this chance to bite her. She screeches as his teeth draw yellow blood. She jumps away holding her bleeding hand. He stalks her with his eyes as she runs off. He then closes his eyes as he remembers what brought him to these times.

“The Golden Retriever happily retrieved the stick once again, trotting back to the little girl in the yard. She laughed at the dog’s playfulness, clutching Abigail in her tiny hands. Sirens cut through their laughter. The loud blaring morphed laughter into screams of terror. Then the first thundering came. That’s when they left him there, Abigail dropped to his side as the child was stolen away. Then the second. That’s when the wind came.”

Where am I? I can’t get up. I need to move. I know it’s not safe here. The ringing in my ears was constant and loud, making me forget what I was doing. The rumbling in my stomach shook my entire body. My throat feels dry, and it burns as I breathe. I close my eyes as the smell of familiar burning meat enters my nose. 

“The little blond, 5 year old runs over to the yellow haired dog. The black haired porcelain doll swings in her hands as she moves. Doug wags his tail, bathing in happiness at seeing his owner, the person that he protects at all costs. 

She hugs the dog as close as possible, she squeals in his ears and pulls his hair. But even through the slight pain, he smiled without question and licked her little face. She laughs and runs around the yard, as the fragrance of cooked meat fills the air. Bacon and sausage, as well as a little bit of chicken. His favourite.

When he opened his eyes again, his vision was blurred. Through the thick shadow of blindness he saw it. His favourite. He could barely register what he felt, small hands running through his rough fur. He couldn’t understand the words coming out of their mouth. What he did know however, was that he was hungry, very hungry. He could practically drown in the saliva dripping from his mouth. Before he knew it, the sweet taste of iron filled his throat. The first meal in weeks was painfully intoxicating. Ignoring the muffled scream surrounding him, he kept going further and further into bliss.

At once, it hit him like a brick! Awareness, realization of who (he was biting) this was. It wasn’t anyone to be afraid of. He shouldn’t be attacking her. Why was he biting her? He pulled off of her, happy to see his owner once more. Yet, it appeared she wasn’t happy to see him. Quite the opposite, in fact. She was sobbing, gripping her arm in pain. Had he done that? He didn’t mean to. He would never hurt his owner. Not on purpose at least. She fell to the ground, dragging herself away from the creature. There was a certain familiar look in her eye that Doug never wanted to see. Complete terror.

“The snake’s red eyes glared daggers into mine. I was frozen in fear, but then it struck. It was quick, and it stung. Its fangs hadn’t gone that deep, but I was alone in the yard, so I yelped, desperate for anyone to hear my cries. Luckily she had been just in the house when it happened, and she quickly carried me inside. For comfort, she held my paw tight as she cuddled Abigail next to me. A wet cloth dampened the wound, cleaning it out. Eventually the wound was all bandaged.”

That was it, Doug dragged his tongue across the bite he made. The girl was barely awake, unable to speak or move anymore. Pain had flooded her senses. Doug swung his head around, his eyes landing on Abigail a few feet from him. He nudged the doll close to her. The blood had turned from a bright red to a deep brown. It didn’t seem to stop. Cloth. He had to cover the bite.

Voices, rough voices, in the distance. Right around the corner. He couldn’t lose her again. The girl was unresponsive as he grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. The nearest building looked to be remnants of an old department store. He pulled them both behind the nearest cash register. Clothes were scattered all over the floor, and he picked up the nearest one, struggling to tie it around her wound. The white fabric rapidly dyed red. Her face was turning pale. too pale. He couldn’t think of much more to do. The day's events had taken their toll on him, and he collapsed onto her.

It had to have been days, weeks, maybe months since he had heard anyone else. He was waiting for her to open her eyes. Any sign of movement from her. He waited and waited. Nothing was happening. Please, open your eyes.

Eat her. What? Eat her. Why would I? You’re hungry aren’t you? I would never eat her. Do it. I can’t. It’s your favorite. It is, isn't it? A little taste wouldn’t hurt. A little taste wouldn’t hurt. You’re hungry. I’m hungry. Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat. Eat he did.

After a few bites he snaps out of it. He realizes what he has done. He looks down at the lifeless body of his once beloved owner. The girl he used to protect was half eaten. What had he done? He didn't want this. But it was his favorite. His favorite meat. His favorite owner. His favorite Katyusha.

*Warning: contains sensitive topics such as death*