much as I’d like to go with the hope swelling in my heart, real life is complicated. And Naomi’s hunches are only about 80 percent accurate.
“Well, fuck.” I stab the ice cream with my spoon.
Chapter Six
Naomi and I spend the day watching movies in bed and eating too much. It’s great. But there is still the matter of the dogs; I didn’t complete my mission the day before, and I can’t shake the one dog’s voice in my head. So after Naomi leaves, I re-don my dark outfit and head back to the farmhouse I’d started calling in my head the “evil one” versus the “to be avoided one.”
I again drive slowly with my lights off to park my car in the same spot. I completely ignore the “to be avoided” farmhouse and do not notice there is a light on in the living room.
Taking a deep breath, I leave my car and retrace my steps. Knowing there are cameras now, I stay hidden behind the barn when I open my mind and send a hello to the dogs.
“Hello.” The answer is immediate from the same female dog. “Are you OK? I was worried when you left so quickly.”
“Sorry. I got waylaid, but I’m fine. I learned it’s not safe for me to come closer to the house right now.”
“OK. What should I do?”
She radiates more tension than the night before, so I decide to get acquainted further before asking for a layout of the house. “How about you tell me your name?”
“Gracie.”
“I’m Chloe. It’s nice to know your name.”
“Yes.”
“Good. Are you OK right now?”
“Yes. For now. Are you going to get us out?”
“I’m going to try, but I can’t do it by myself.”
“The men are scary.”
“Yes, and I’m just one person. But you can help me prepare.”
“OK.”
“You’re a good girl.”
“I am?”
Probably no one has ever told her that, and for a dog that is tragic. It’s like never telling your kids you love them.
“Of course you are. It’s not your fault what’s happened.”
She is quiet, so I continue. “Do you know the layout of the house?”
“Yes.” She starts showing me images of how the men take her up the stairs and through a kitchen. I can tell because she shows me a refrigerator—of course a dog would remember where food smells come from. From there they go through a foyer-type room before going out the back door.
“Good, that’s very good, Gracie. Do you know how the alarm works?”
“I’m not sure what that is.”
“It would be little pieces of plastic on doors or windows.”
“I’m not sure. There’s a lot of stuff and they drag me through the house quickly.” She starts to sound distraught again.
“It’s OK, Gracie. You’ve done so well. You’re a very smart dog.”
Her tension dissipates.
“Do you know when you might be leaving again?”
“It’s usually a while in between, but it’s hard to tell time down here. It’s been only a few meals since the last time, so I’m guessing we have some time.”
“Good, Gracie. That’s good.” I’m relieved to know there is some time for the police to take action and for me to keep planning if they fall through. “One more thing.”
“Anything.”
“Do you talk with the other dogs?”
“Not much. They are tough and I am weak. They mostly ignore me.”
“Ah, that is perhaps why they won’t talk to me either.” I can feel Gracie considering.
“I will try to talk to them about you.”
“Thanks, Gracie. You are so brave.”
“I am?”
“Of course. Anyone who has survived what you have is very brave. And you are the one brave enough to talk to me!”
Her self-confidence shifts. “You’re right. I am. Thank you.”
“Thank you, Gracie. I’ll be back with help.”
“OK.”
I close off my mind and lean back against the barn wall. I promised Gracie I would be back, but the enormity of the situation starts to get to me. How can I help her? I don’t know anything about disabling alarm systems and cameras except what I’ve seen on TV and in movies, and I really
“Well, fuck.” I stab the ice cream with my spoon.
Chapter Six
Naomi and I spend the day watching movies in bed and eating too much. It’s great. But there is still the matter of the dogs; I didn’t complete my mission the day before, and I can’t shake the one dog’s voice in my head. So after Naomi leaves, I re-don my dark outfit and head back to the farmhouse I’d started calling in my head the “evil one” versus the “to be avoided one.”
I again drive slowly with my lights off to park my car in the same spot. I completely ignore the “to be avoided” farmhouse and do not notice there is a light on in the living room.
Taking a deep breath, I leave my car and retrace my steps. Knowing there are cameras now, I stay hidden behind the barn when I open my mind and send a hello to the dogs.
“Hello.” The answer is immediate from the same female dog. “Are you OK? I was worried when you left so quickly.”
“Sorry. I got waylaid, but I’m fine. I learned it’s not safe for me to come closer to the house right now.”
“OK. What should I do?”
She radiates more tension than the night before, so I decide to get acquainted further before asking for a layout of the house. “How about you tell me your name?”
“Gracie.”
“I’m Chloe. It’s nice to know your name.”
“Yes.”
“Good. Are you OK right now?”
“Yes. For now. Are you going to get us out?”
“I’m going to try, but I can’t do it by myself.”
“The men are scary.”
“Yes, and I’m just one person. But you can help me prepare.”
“OK.”
“You’re a good girl.”
“I am?”
Probably no one has ever told her that, and for a dog that is tragic. It’s like never telling your kids you love them.
“Of course you are. It’s not your fault what’s happened.”
She is quiet, so I continue. “Do you know the layout of the house?”
“Yes.” She starts showing me images of how the men take her up the stairs and through a kitchen. I can tell because she shows me a refrigerator—of course a dog would remember where food smells come from. From there they go through a foyer-type room before going out the back door.
“Good, that’s very good, Gracie. Do you know how the alarm works?”
“I’m not sure what that is.”
“It would be little pieces of plastic on doors or windows.”
“I’m not sure. There’s a lot of stuff and they drag me through the house quickly.” She starts to sound distraught again.
“It’s OK, Gracie. You’ve done so well. You’re a very smart dog.”
Her tension dissipates.
“Do you know when you might be leaving again?”
“It’s usually a while in between, but it’s hard to tell time down here. It’s been only a few meals since the last time, so I’m guessing we have some time.”
“Good, Gracie. That’s good.” I’m relieved to know there is some time for the police to take action and for me to keep planning if they fall through. “One more thing.”
“Anything.”
“Do you talk with the other dogs?”
“Not much. They are tough and I am weak. They mostly ignore me.”
“Ah, that is perhaps why they won’t talk to me either.” I can feel Gracie considering.
“I will try to talk to them about you.”
“Thanks, Gracie. You are so brave.”
“I am?”
“Of course. Anyone who has survived what you have is very brave. And you are the one brave enough to talk to me!”
Her self-confidence shifts. “You’re right. I am. Thank you.”
“Thank you, Gracie. I’ll be back with help.”
“OK.”
I close off my mind and lean back against the barn wall. I promised Gracie I would be back, but the enormity of the situation starts to get to me. How can I help her? I don’t know anything about disabling alarm systems and cameras except what I’ve seen on TV and in movies, and I really
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