Chapter 1
The Incident
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The Sunday afternoon at the lake was quiet. Birds were singing up in the trees, but not in that annoying city sound. It was dimmed by the sound of the forest and the sound the fish made in the lake. The sun was still up, though it already left the frying state and was actually pleasant for the time being. The sun made quite a scene. Made a decent sunset undisturbed by any clouds. It wasn't the mosquito season yet, so nothing disturbed them. The fishing rod stood undisturbed in the man's hands, he didn't catch anything – the whole week. He was going to surprise the wife and her husband, show them he's not the 'old man' yet. Prove them he can still catch a fish. That and he didn't want to pay for the food. The dog laying beside him watched the mirror like water and yawned.
The man sighed, „Not our lucky day, huh?"
He pulled a pack of smokes out of his pocket. The dog groaned. When the man reached his lighter and was about to lit up the dog sprang up and barked.
„Yeah, yeah." This time the man groaned, put out the flame then pocketed the pack.
„You know you sound almost like her, Red." The man laughed.
The dog turned his head to his master.
„Stop smoking Dave! It's bad for your health, you want to die peacefully of old age don't you? blah blah blah... It's bad for other people too... blah." He was imitating a woman's voice.
„You get the picture." The dog rolled his eyes and groaned again.
„Fallen for her, huh?" Dave said, „Not exactly the best idea pal. The least thing you want is to get her invitation for marriage and not being the groom."
The dog barked, sounding annoyed.
„Stop with that already, you seen her for what, like three days? What she did to you?" The dog tilted his head. „Yeah, I know about that, that's how I got to know her."
Dave thought about the part he liked on her the most – not the eyes.
„Anyway we better catch something, or she's gonna whip our asses on that visit of hers like she did when we were together." The dog turned away calmly, „What? Oh, yeah, I forgot, Red's our number one. Missy's favorite dog. Well, we'll see about that... you don't know her when she's hungry."
Dave fell silent for a while then smiled to himself.
„Redheads... know what I mean pal, right?"
Red didn't respond, just laid there his ears at attention. Dave watched him for a while, remembering how he got him. Red was a husky he got from Meryl and Johnny after they married so he wouldn't be alone. She knew he liked Huskies and he couldn't take care of twenty so she gave him Red. He had him for a year now, which meant he was still a puppy that looked mature enough, but in this age dogs are in their adolescence or something – meaning they don't listen to people and just want to play. Anyway, he named him Red because... well you can figure it out.
Dave smiled. This time it was a sad kind of a smile. He was too old to have a dog this age. He was too old to have a girlfriend that young back then. And now he's too old to do anything. Too old to fish. Too old to drive. Too old to move properly. Too old to hold a gun. An action he felt most comfortable at. He was too old for everything.
Just as he began to reel in to bait in more fish, Red stood up and turned around.
Dave turned to him, „What is it boy, hope you're not in for another squirrel run... My back still hurts you know."
Red began to show his teeth then he growled.
"Easy boy..." Snake followed his gaze.
And once again he stared down a barrel of a gun, "Yeah, easy boy alright, you old fuck."
A shotgun aimed straight into his face at point blank. The guy aiming was some young blond punk with short hair and shirt 'Jesus is coming – try to look busy'.
"Damn." Snake mumbled under his breath.
He was old, there was no other explanation he let punk like that sneak up on him.
Red was barking at the intruder and his two fellow punks who lingered behind as the friends of the one with the muscles, who were obviously there just to not be out of group.
"Hands up you old fuck!!" The punk shouted.
"Can't, I'll lose the fish."
"Okay, start to reel in."
Snake reeled in the hook. Then put up his arms, he was too old for this and he didn't want any trouble
"What do you want from me?" Snake asked and looked into his eyes.
They weren't the rookies eyes. But they weren't soldiers eyes either. They were crazy, angry eyes, eyes screaming all the shit the punk was capable of out.
"Easy Red." Snake calmed the barking dog again.
"What would we want from you?! Cash of course! So give us everything you got! Now!" The punk shouted waving with the shotgun.
Snake eyed him again and the others.
They were just kids. The modern kind of kids, boys who iron their hair or wear rapper clothes. The normal kind. Angry at everything, mostly adults.
"I don't have any here." Snake said calmly ready for anything, "I have some in my car, but I'm afraid you won't be happy with that."
"And why's that?" The punk said.
"Thirty bucks." Snake said.
"Wha? Any credit cards?" The punk got more angry.
"Nope. Afraid I can't help you."
"Search that crap!" The punk shouted to the two standing behind him, "There's got to be something."
The one behind him searched the box beside Snake.
"Nothing, just baits. Hooks. Just nothing... I..." He looked at Snake, "We should go, look no one-"
"Shut up you pansy! I tell what we're going to do." The one with the shotgun said.
The tension was building up. Snake could catch the weapon and dissarm the punk, but he didn't trust his shaking old hands anymore and he didn't want any trouble. Red started growling again.
"Well?" The other boy asked. "Let's leave look he doesn-"
"Red, huh?" The punk said.
Snake smiled, yeah they were just kids, "Yeah, got him from my ex, and she's really horny in bed if you get my drif-"
Bang. The sound of thudding meat. Bang. Bang. Shells shock flesh. Bang. Shells are punching the life out of the dog.
"Yeah, he's kinda red." The punk with shotgun started laughing.
They all turned around and started to leave. The punk high-fived with the other one and the third one just laughed as hell.
Snake looked at Red. A dog without a head. Formerly an animal, now pieces of fractured meat. The dog without a head was on his back. His face was knocked off. The top of his skull was torn back, with the soft brain inside. The jawbone and bottom teeth were intact.
Snake pulled the pack of smokes out of his pocket.
He put one to his lips and lit up.