Crazy Little Thing by Saxon Bennett, Layce Gardner

you need help with your luggage?”
    “Yes, please,” Claire said. She handed Ollie one of
the key cards. “We’re in the Elvis Presley suite. Bring my luggage up with
you.” She marched off to the bank of elevators.
    The clerk gestured to Oscar and said, “I’m sorry,
ma’am, but our hotel has a strict no pets policy.”
    “He’s not a pet. He’s a Furry. He’s here for the
convention,” Ollie said.
    The clerk sneered. “That is a very small Furry.”
    “He’s a midget,” Ollie said, crossing her arms. “You
have something against midgets? Does your hotel discriminate against little
people? And before you answer that question, might I suggest you think long and
hard about what my lawyer will say about it. Because my lawyer will eat your
ass for lunch.”
    The clerk seemed to know he was fighting a losing
battle. He exhaled heavily and said, “Enjoy your stay at the Hard Rock, Ma’am.”
    “Thank you,” Ollie said with a tight smile.

Red Rover, Red Rover
     
    It took the better part of an hour for Ollie and
G-Ray to load the luggage cart. They had to take EZ off the cart and strap her
floppy body to Ollie’s surfboard in order to move her around. Next, they loaded
the cart with their two duffel bags and Claire’s whole line of designer
luggage. Then they placed EZ on the surfboard on top of the whole thing. Ollie
plunked Oscar on the uppermost point like the star topper on a Christmas tree.
    Ollie pushed the cart through the crowded lobby and
G-Ray punched the up button for the elevator. While they were waiting for the
elevator to descend, a big red dog walked up beside them and pushed the same
button about five hundred times in five seconds. It could’ve been more times,
but Ollie lost count.
    Ollie looked at G-Ray and rolled her eyes. Suddenly,
the big red dog sneezed.
    “Bless you,” G-Ray said.
    The big red dog sneezed again. And again. And again.
    “Blessyoublessyoublessyoublessyoublessyou,” G-Ray
said, frantically trying to keep up with the sneezes.
    The big red dog turned and glared through his
eyeholes at Ollie. He pointed an accusing paw at Oscar. “That is a dog.”
    “Yep,” Ollie said.
    “I am allergic to dogs,” the big red dog said.
    Ollie laughed. “That’s pretty funny. You’re a dog
and you’re allergic to dogs?”
    “I don’t find it funny. My throat is swelling shut as
we speak,” the big red dog said.
    “Uh huh, and I’m allergic to human skin,” Ollie said
with ultimate sarcasm. “That’s why I draped it all over myself.”
    The big red dog harrumphed and turned his furry back
on her. A moment later, the elevator dinged and its doors slid open. Ollie and
the big red dog moved for the sanctuary of the elevator at the same time. They
ended up shoulder to shoulder, caught between its doors. Smooshed together they
were too wide to get through. They jostled and pushed against each other. It
became obvious that one of them was going to have to back down, but neither
wanted to admit defeat.
    Oscar jumped off the rolling cart and flew to
Ollie’s rescue. He barked and growled and when that didn’t make the big red dog
back down, he went in for the kill. Oscar bit the big red dog on the ankle,
latched on with his teeth and didn’t turn loose. Not to be left out, G-Ray
grabbed the big red dog by the tail and pulled.
    The big red dog was now being pushed by Ollie,
bitten by Oscar, and pulled on by G-Ray. As he flailed about he yelled, “Help!
I’m being attacked! Help!”
    G-Ray dug in his heels and gave a mighty yank. There
was an ominous Rrrrrrrip! G-Ray fell on his butt and slid into the wall,
holding only a long red tail that wasn’t attached to anything.
    The big red dog turned and snatched his tail out of
G-Ray’s hand. “How dare you! You, you, molester!”
    “Dood,” G-Ray said, conveying a multitude of
emotions in that one word.
    In retaliation, the big red dog reached down and
grabbed Oscar by his tail. He lifted Oscar up and began to whirl him