Blinded

The bright sun light sent rays through the flimsy material covering the frost covered glass. Outside I heard a car horn bleeping loudly; I paid no attention to it. The clicking of the heater was another noise that I ignored. When a growl rang through the room, I found I couldn’t let it continue on without giving it a reply. “Just five more minutes,” I mumbled and pulled the thick blanket over my head, “maybe ten.”

Another growl and a weight on the bed told me that Lucas had retrieved the leash and was impatiently waiting to walk me. After a full month, he never once let me pick the pace or lead the way. I followed him, where he wanted to go, and we only returned home when he decided, which became a problem on days I had to be to work extra early.

“Okay, okay... I’m getting up,” I bit out with a defeated sigh. The tingle of cold truly turned the bed into a welcoming hug and I began to linger again when a final growl told me I had better get moving. “Come on,” I said after dressing, giving Lucas a small pat on the head. “Today we are going to see mom. My brother is going to visit too and you haven’t met him. We have to pick up a cake along the way for Basil’s belated birthday celebration. We can spend a couple hours at the park first.”

As we walked to the park I contemplated an idea I had played with on many occasions. Working with children allowed me to see how much a child’s eyes brightened when they saw an animal. Perhaps Lucas could become a companion dog to help children who wouldn’t open up. I would have to look into the matter further and see if Lucas would go through the training without a hitch. He was still refusing to act much like a dog at all.

A tug on the leash redirected my attention to Lucas. He was waiting to be released for our run. I shook my head and I knelt down to do as asked. With a snort Lucas moved in the direction of our usual destination. I had noticed over the course of the last few weeks that Lucas had no interest in other dogs even though they all seemed attracted to him. Some submitted, others sniffed, and many of them would sit there attentive. With the weather becoming increasingly cold fewer dogs were out. Thus far it had not been cold enough to snow but yesterday it had rained, leaving the ground a little soggy, meaning we were sticking to the semi paved trails. I wasn’t paying much attention to Lucas at my side until I heard a growl rip through the area. I looked down to see that my furry companion had vanished. As I turned to gaze at the tree line I saw a white blur run into the woods. I cursed. The dog sure was fast considering his size, almost too fast. I chased after him without a second thought. After having him a month he was going to come back come hell or high water. He hadn’t run away before and I wasn’t going to let him slip through my fingers so easily.

Central City Park. Essentially it was a giant landmark created by man as a massive memorial for a bombing that occurred some 80 or so years ago. Canada and the United States were targeted by a bomb that was to mean to literally attack the heart of North America. The groups responsible were a combination of terrorist cells in the middle east, all who had come together to take out their common enemy, western civilization. Piling their resources together Canada and the United States rebuilt the city and renamed it. A statue stood in the center of what was once called ground zero. Yearly there was a memorial service held. The death toll relating to the incident climbed each year because of the ongoing war against the eastern countries. I didn’t want to think on the war too much. It was scary enough that my brother had been considering joining. It was the last thing my mother and I wanted for him. He didn’t need to follow in father’s footsteps. I needed to remind him this tonight.

Pushing that from my mind I focused instead on other half of the park that was nothing but wilderness. As beautiful as the park was, there were acres of untamed land. I didn’t know of anyone who ventured into this end of the park. The more I progressed the heavier the trees clustered together. I kept an eye and ear out for Lucas. After an hour of searching I stepped into a clearing. The trees here made a relatively perfect circle around a patch of long, lush green grass. It was warmer in this area compared to the other end of the park. I concluded it was from the trees barricading the wind. Or it had to do with my run through the woods, maybe I was warm from the exertion.

“Lucas, you’d better hope I find you before we have to go see mother,” I mumbled.

Directly in the center of the clearing was a compacted dirt circle. It was quite large and I pondered what could’ve made such a large, flat, desert like surface. Unlike the grass, the dirt showed no signs of rain from yesterday. I didn’t notice the still figure in the center of the circle until I stepped onto the dirt. It was an older man sitting cross legged, his eyes closed and face riddled with calm wrinkles. I began to deliberate the possibility the man had created the patch of dirt by constantly pacing. He would have had to been here a long time if he was the reason for the space. From the ill fitted tattered clothes I assumed the man was homeless. He looked like he was in need of not only a bath but also a shave and hearty meal. He opened one eye to peer at me and I mumbled an apology. I felt like I had interrupted something. Perhaps he had been sleeping.

“I didn’t mean to intrude. I am looking for my dog. You haven’t seen an unusually large, pure, white dog with amber eyes have you?”

“Ah, you mean the unfamiliar canine that barreled in here like the forest was on fire? Yes, he was here, we had a lovely chat and he took off to find his... well, I assume you.” His pause made it sound like there was more to his story. If there was he didn’t share. He closed his eyes as he concluded and I knew he wouldn’t add anything else.

“Uh, thanks,” I said slowly, I think, I added to myself. There couldn’t be too many large, white dogs. In a way he had been helpful even if it didn’t make much sense. How could someone have a conversation with a dog? Lucas was a far cry from obedient and I doubted he would listen to even this man. I was about to turn to leave when I remembered I had brought my purse with me. The old man was certain to be hungry. I rummaged to the bottom of my bag and found a pair of compressed granola bars. I always carried snacks on me for the sake of the kids I met. It wasn’t much. I hoped he would appreciate them either way. I placed them in front of him and turned away. As I reached the trees to go back the way I had come the old man spoke out once more.

“It often happens that the lost becomes found once you stop searching for it.”

From over my shoulder I could see he hadn’t even opened his eyes. The man was a little odd. Perhaps he was not of sound mind and he didn’t have a home because of it. “Thanks again,” I mumbled as started back.

It didn’t take as long to get back as it had to reach the clearing the old man was in. I reached the relatively same place in the park where I had started my expedition without seeing one white hair. Lucas was nowhere in sight and I was beginning to think he was gone for good. I would head home and wait for him there. If he knew how to get to the park then he would know how to get home. Maybe the old man’s words made sense after all. If I just stopped looking Lucas would return right? I stepped forward when I heard a rustling behind me. I peered backwards to see a mass of white in my shadow.

“Lucas!” I whipped around and knelt down to pull him into a giant hug. The silly thing wasn’t even a bit dirty. It was another oddity I noticed with him. He did not like mud and despite his long coat I didn’t find myself cleaning him as often as I thought I would. He also liked baths... too much. I had to close the door when I bathed or else I would have a partner. “If you ever run away again I will make sure you have nothing but kibble to eat for a week.” I happily spotted his ears flatten. I was slowly learning ways to manipulate the canine. “I need a shower before we leave for mothers and we still need to get a cake.”

I had to admit even though Lucas didn’t listen all the time he was a smart dog. I recognized he understood me. More so than the average dog and it was scary at times. I didn’t mention it to others, no need to have them tell me I was lolo, a more popular word used to call the crazy. There were a lot of words slowly changing into these short slang words. My mother was a little formal and I hadn’t been permitted to use the words at home so I was slower than most at using them now.

Central City was divided around the park. On one side there were higher end residence, I lived near there thanks to my inheritance from my father. There was also a gated rich end of town located just beyond the region my apartment was in. On another side of the park was the downtown area of town. Just past this was a school, a grand university the many students all over the country flocked to. Surrounding the school were cheap residences for them. On the third side of the park, across where I lived, were what I considered your average residence. Mother lived here a short twenty minute drive, or a forty minute walk from the park. I opted to drive this time around for two reasons. My feet killed me after hunting for Lucas in the forest. I was also running late and still needed to pick up a cake.

I put the car in park just as it turned five o’clock and took a deep breath in. I had only brought Lucas to see mother once before. It hadn’t gone as planned. I didn’t realize mother had a fear of dogs. I wouldn’t get rid of Lucas and had told mother this was good therapy to face her fears. I hoped it was working because there was too much attachment to get rid of him now. I walked to the door, rapped on it once and walked in. Lucas, leash free, followed behind me, a first for him.

“Hey it’s me,” I said as I was engulfed in the warmth of her house. She didn’t like to be cold. I hoped Lucas would be okay with his giant thick coat. “I brought cake.”

“Ah,” mother gasped as she rounded a corner, “and Lucas.”

“I wanted Basil to see him.”

My mother’s eyes lowered to my hip as she stared at the furry mass as if he was a creature from the depths. “How would you like to go outside?” she suggested softly.

Lucas hovered like a protective guard, or a nervous child, at my side and put more pressure against me. “It’s cold outside and we were out there all morning. Is Basil here? I didn’t see his car. He did say five right?”

“He’s running a bit late because of traffic.”

Mother gestured for us to go sit in the living room as she took the cake from my hands. Lucas seemed to understand not to jump on the couch when he was here. He chose instead to settle at my feet. When mother returned she had a tray of tea, cookies, and a bowl of water for Lucas. It was a little silent as she prepared her tea cup. I placed the bowl for Lucas on the floor and helped myself to a cookie.

“Mom, I’ve been thinking, you don’t really like the city, why not move back to the country? You got a lot back from father’s life insurance.”

“I enjoy here; I like being closer to you. If only your brother didn’t have to travel so much. Besides I am saving that money, for when I have grand-babies to spoil, whenever that may be.”

I dropped the subject. We would not breach the topic of children now as it would lead to my still single state. At least mother couldn’t claim I was clammed up in my apartment. I spent the better part of my week at the park. The sensitivity to my father’s passing was also hard so I didn’t want to push it. When mother finally gathered the courage to sit down, near Lucas, there was a knock on the door. Seconds later Basil paraded into the living room. His just shy of six foot figure made him the giant of the family. We wandered over and greeted him with hugs while mother picked at his colorful clothes. With her attention now on him she wouldn’t bother me about dating or concentrate on her fear of Lucas. Plus it was more than a little amusing to see the short, less than five foot, woman wag a finger at the tall man.

When we finally turned back to the living room mother gasped. I looked over and noticed Lucas’s water dish was no longer on the floor. It had moved to the coffee table and he was lapping at it contently.

“Kale!” mother screamed.

“I didn’t do it,” I replied rushing to Lucas’s side. “He doesn’t like to lean down with his height, so he does this sometimes.”

“This must be the dog you told me about sis,” Basil interrupted. “He is massive, where did you get him?”

Basil saved me once again from mother’s antics. I explained how Lucas was posted online by an older man who could not keep him because of his size. Basil listened intently and was very intrigue, even going as far as to examine Lucas. Basil had a brief past with veterinary sciences. He dropped out when something more intriguing caught his attention. Right now that was cooking but last year it was writing.

“I can’t determine his breed exactly, I think he is mixed. You’ve been training him I see. Look at how well he stays by your side and shifts to make room for you. I imagine he is quite protective of you. Where is supper? I am famished.”

I chuckled. It was very much like Basil to think of his stomach mid conversation. He loved food and I couldn’t believe at times the amount he could eat without gaining a pound. However, I pondered his comment. I hadn’t trained Lucas. We adapted to one another. I didn’t say anything, I doubted it would be considered normal dog behavior if I told my brother the dog was picking up these things on his own.

“I brought cake,” I said as I followed Basil to the kitchen to help.