The Dog 2
Waking up was House's least favorite time of the day. His pain meds had had time to wear off through the night and the pain always woke him at an 8 on the pain scale. No alarm was needed. Ever. After taking his pain meds and rubbing some of the pain away, House struggled his way out of the bed. He thought of the awful beast of the night before and wished that he had something like that now to help lever him out of the bed.
House saved a bite of egg and a piece of toast on a paper towel. He didn't know why he did it. He showered and dressed and grabbed up the leftover food as he left his home. The dog wasn't there, but the food remained on the porch where it fell. House didn't have time to pick it up; after all, he couldn't be any later than he usually was!
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Lunch with Wilson came right on schedule. House ordered a Reuben and a plain hamburger patty. Wilson looked askance at House's food choices, but paid for them as usual. It was just easier that way. Besides, House would clam up if Wilson asked too many question. He wasn't interested letting that happen. House offered an explanation all on his own.
"I really need to go to the store. I've got a bun and everything else, but no hamburger."
"Why don't we just go out for dinner then?" Wilson thought that he could use a night out "… Or, we could order delivery."
House shook his head. "I fell over something and tripped up the steps to my apartment building last night. I'm stiff and sore and want to eat and go to bed."
"What did you trip over?"
"An obstacle, obviously," retorted House.
"Animal, vegetable, or mineral?"
"Yes."
House could really be hopeless.
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House eased himself off his bike and shuffled to the steps that led to his apartment. His shins were barked from ankle to knee and the fabric of his jeans caught on the loose, dry skin of the wounds. Earlier in the day, his excuse to Wilson was just that, an excuse, but now it was the truth. All House could think about was getting stripped down to his boxers and applying Ointment with Pain Relief to his legs. Whining prevented House from repeating last night's catastrophe. The mangy beast had appeared from nowhere and was jumping up slightly to sniff at the pocket in his jeans with the hamburger in it.
"Mooch." House retrieved the meat from his pocket and tossed it to the dog. In one gulp the meat was gone. The dog still looked hungry. Dogs that size usually did. Yet, as House observed the dog, he realized that it wasn't overly large. To get to his pocket, the creature had to lift its front paws from the ground. It was strange to say about a dog, but the thing had presence. It also had a stench that made House want to gag. The doctor left the canine at the top of the steps.
Somehow, a bowl of water appeared at the top of the steps outside House's building. Of course, House really didn't care about that dog. A dog needs water to live.