Car Crushing Canines

“We’re running out of time!”  Lee screamed as she grabbed her friend, Addy’s hand.  The two young women ran as fast as they could through the city streets not looking behind them. They knew what was ahead of them and behind them. The morning air was full of what was happening and what was going to happen. 

In one day the world that they lived in changed. The air was thicker, the tree leaves were browner, the grass was wetter. People were running and screaming in the streets. There was a new enemy that nobody ever saw coming. An enemy they all had been living with for years. They were almost in every home on Lee’s block. Now, they were out on the street terrifying everyone and everything they could. 

Lee tried not to scream as she and Addy turned the corner on their block and ran into three of them. Lee looked around and tried to see if there was any escape. There was not. But, fortunately they were not focused on them for now. They, the dogs, were focused on a car. The pack of three added another dog and another dog and they were tearing up the car. One of them ripped off the front bumper, another was attacking the driver's side door and another was at the back of the car biting the back bumper. Alone in the car was one terrified man. His face was ghost white and his mouth was open wide but there was no sound coming out as it was frozen in time and he was frozen in time. His white hair stood on top of his head in spikes. All of a sudden the man moved from the driver’s side of the car. He moved his body in one fluid motion and slid to the back seat.  He laid on the floor of the car. 

The dogs were in full attack mode. They bumped and pushed the car with all of their super strength. The car wobbled on its side as the dogs pushed the car. More dogs were there now. Lee counted eight dogs in total. Across the street more dogs were attacking another car. They growled and howled and barked at the empty car and pawed at the windows as if trying to crash through them. Down the block more dogs and more attacks.

Lee didn’t know what to do. She had to help the man in the car. If she didn’t she knew that he would certainly die. If not by the hands of the dogs; by the heat of the blazing sun over head.  She and Addy needed to cause a distraction without putting themselves in danger. Lee looked up at the trees. She got an idea. 

“Addy, we are going to have to climb that tree.” Lee said, grabbing Addy’s hand again.

“You’re kidding right? That tree is huge and you know that I am not a good tree climber. Remember what happened the last time we tried to climb a tree? I broke my leg when I fell out of the tree. I was in a cast for almost two months.” Addy said, shaking her head no. 

“We have to. We have to try to save the man in the car from the dogs and the only way to do it is to climb that tree.” Lee tried to explain.

“Lee, look at that tree, it is huge! How do you suppose we climb that huge Redwood tree? We don’t have a ladder. There are no low branches we can grab. The closest branch is at least five inches over our heads and in case you haven’t noticed we aren’t giants. I’m only 5’5 and you are an inch shorter than me. So, tell me what is the plan?” 

“Look, Addy, we have to try. We don’t have to be giants. We can’t let the man die.  I have an idea. Do you still know how to hotwire a car?” Lee asked, looking at her friend.

“Lee, are you nuts? Yes, I do know how to do that. You know that my cousin, Myron, taught me to do that when we were 15 and used to sneak out. Well, you were there you know. But, Lee, what car are we supposed to be trying to hot wire?” Addy asked.

“One that the dogs aren’t attacking. Look there’s one a few feet from the dogs. We can run over there and get that one. Once we get the car we can use it to drive to the tree, stand on the roof and that will make us tall enough to climb the tree, you know grab a branch. After we get in the tree we can throw the fruit from the tree at the dogs. That will distract them from the car. At least I hope that will distract them.” Lee said.

“Okay, Lee, let’s say that we can do all that without the dogs trying to tear us apart before we get to the car. How is that going to save the man?” Addy asked.

“ Addy, the dogs are only attacking cars. I don’t know why they are but for now it is only cars. We have a good chance of getting to the car without the dogs paying attention to us. But once we get into the car we have to move fast. That car has a sunroof and we can climb out of the sun roof to reach the roof and grab the branches of the tree. The dogs will be attacking the bottom of the car.” Lee said.

“Okay but what if they climb on the hood or something before we get our butts in the tree and start shaking the car or something?” Lee asked, widening her green eyes.

“Oh, Addy,  come on, we have to try. We can cross that bridge if we come to it. Meanwhile, we have to save the man in the car before something more horrible happens. Come on.” 

Lee and Addy ran as fast as they could to the empty yellow car a few feet from them. The dogs were still pawing and pushing the car with the man inside. They paid no attention to the running women.  Until they heard the car start. 

“Hurry up, Addy!” Lee screamed.

“I’m trying. I don’t know how to drive a stick shift.” Addy screamed back.

“Move out of the way. I can drive.” Lee shouted.

The women changed places and Lee drove a few inches from the tree. Two of the dogs were running towards the women and the car.  Lee inched the car closer to the tree. She looked at Addy and nodded. 

“It's time to go!” She said,

“I guess it is now or never. Let’s do this!” Addy said.

The women opened the sunroof as the dogs were growling and howling, bumping the car and trying to tear off the front bumper. 

Lee climbed out first and grabbed Addy’s hand and pulled her to the roof of the car with her. 

“Don’t look down at the dogs. Stay focused.” Lee screamed at Addy. 

Addy was looking at the horrifying dogs which were now jumping up and down trying to reach the hood of the car. 

“Addy, do you hear me? Don’t look down.  Stay with me. Grab that branch and pull yourself up. I am right behind you.” Lee said.

“I’m trying. I’m trying.” Addy answered.

In what seemed like an eternity Addy grabbed the branch and Lee grabbed another branch. They pulled themselves up safely and both of them sat on bigger branches side by side. Addy grabbed a green looking piece of fruit from the tree. She had no idea what the fruit was but she immediately threw it in the direction of the dogs attacking the man’s car. Lee grabbed a piece of fruit and threw it also. They continued to throw fruit at the dogs until most of them ran away from the attack. There were only two dogs left. Two dogs determined not to leave. Addy and Lee continued to throw fruit and branches as much as they could. They aimed for the two dogs. One of the dogs ran away and shortly after the last dog ran too. 

“We did it!” Addy screamed.

“I think we did.” Lee said.

“Now,  one more thing. How are we going to get down from this tree? “ Addy asked.

“Follow me.” Lee said.

“No, Lee, look!” Addy screamed and covered her mouth with her hands.

Lee and Addy both looked down at the dogs who had gathered around the car which Lee had parked inches from the tree. There were at least ten dogs growling and barking. The dogs were pushing the car and one dog was trying to jump on the hood of the car. All the dogs looked viciously terrifying. 

“Okay, now what? More fruit throwing?” Addy asked. 

“Addy, don’t worry we will get down.” Lee said, trying to reassure her best friend.

“Well, we better think of something fast because I don’t think that I will last much longer in this tree.  You know how I am. I never thought that I would die in a tree.” Addy said. “Yep, I am going to die in a tree surrounded by wild dogs trying to eat me. Put on my tombstone “There lies Addy, she lived until she died in a tree she was forced to climb by her best friend, Lee.” 

“Addy, don't be ridiculous. Your tombstone won’t say that.” Lee laughed. “But, seriously, start throwing fruit.” Lee said. 

The women started throwing as much fruit as they could reach. Addy’s legs were getting numb and she knew that if this took any longer that she would definitely be falling out of that tree. She reached over her head for the last piece of fruit she could reach and hoped for the best. She took a deep breath and aimed. 

“Umm Lee I am out of amo. Now, what? Those dogs don’t look like they are going anywhere.” Addy said looking down at the growing number of dogs.

“I don’t know. So much for dogs being man’s best friend huh? We are going to have to try to climb down and get in the car. Once we get in the car we can try to drive away.” Lee said.

“Easier said than done. But, I guess we have no choice.” Addy said, moving her numb leg from the branch of the tree.

The dogs were still growling and barking as the women eased down the tree. All the dogs were showing their teeth and they all surrounded the car on all sides. 

“Okay, we have to jump in the sunroof,” Lee said.

“Wait, what? Jump?” Addy said.

“Do you not see all those dogs?” Addy continued.

“Addy, that is the only way. I will go first.” Lee said.

Lee positioned her body as much as she could over the sunroof of the car. She let go of the branch and closed her eyes and hoped for the best. She landed on the floor near the back seat of the car wedged between the seats. She was in one piece. Nothing broken as far as she could tell. She moved her body over to the far side of the back seat. She hoped that Addy would not hit her when she jumped. She waited. 

Addy didn’t want to jump. The thought of jumping made her stomach turn. She wanted to throw up. She looked down at the car and then at the dogs. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes and let go of the branch she was holding on to for dear life. “Here goes nothing.” She said as she jumped. 

Addy opened her eyes and came face to face with a mouth full of giant teeth which were in the mouth of a growling gray dog. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. She wanted to call out for her friend, Lee but she could not make a sound. She had lost her voice. She didn’t know what to do as the dog inched closer to her.  She knew that she was not going to make it. She closed her eyes. She could not watch what was going to happen next. 

“Grab my hand!” A voice screamed at Addy.

Addy didn’t recognize the voice. It was not Lee. She opened her eyes and there was a stranger standing in front of her. The dog which was in front of her growling was gone. She couldn’t believe her eyes. All the dogs were gone. The man held his hand outstretched and Addy grabbed it. He was the man from the car. 

“How?” was all Addy managed to say. She looked around for her friend, Lee. She hoped that she was okay. She didn’t see her at first.

“Your friend helped.” The man said. 

“Where is she? Where’s Lee?” Addy asked.

“She is fine.” The man said.

“Before you jumped Lee jumped as you know. When she landed in the car the passenger door opened. Lee was in the back seat but one of the dogs got in the car. The dog was lunging for Lee. The dog looked menacing growling and barking. I knew that Lee was in danger. That dog was not going to leave her alone. I managed to get out of my car. Thanks to you guys and I had to help. I grabbed the closest thing to me. That tree branch that broke when she fell into the car. I picked it up and swung as hard as I could towards the dog. I don’t think I hit him but I scared him and he ran. I guess he was the leader of the pack because when he ran the rest did too.”

“Hey, girl. I know that you didn’t think a pack of wild dogs was enough to get rid of me.” Lee said from behind the man.

Addy rushed and embraced her friend in the biggest bear hug that she could give. The two women hugged for a long time. 

“I think that the dogs attacked for revenge.” The man said.

“Revenge? Against who?” Lee asked.

“Well, see, a few days ago my nephew borrowed my car. He was going to move some stuff from his parent’s house to his dorm room and along the way he encountered a dog.  My nephew did something stupid and cruel. The dog was blocking the car door as dogs do sometimes and my nephew kicked the dog and the dog ran away. Well, I think that the dog remembered the car and he came back with his friends. I am assuming that these are wild dogs and they travel in packs and his pack came back for revenge. At some point that got out of hand and more packs of dogs started attacking all the cars.” The man explained.

“So, all these dogs are wild dogs after revenge?” Addy asked.

“Yes.” The man said.

After that day the dogs never returned.  The city went back to being normal with people rushing to work or school and doing their daily routine. But, this is one day that nobody will forget especially Lee and Addy who faced down the terror and lived to tell the tale.