Halloween and Tragedy
It had been two months since Fifi left, and Tramp stood with Valentine and Tamora, all watching as the Halloween parade went past the station. On the floats witches with cats, wizards, vampires, mummies, werewolves and other monsters performed. A vampire king and queen sat on a throne of black marble, flanked by angles in red with black wings. A large orange dragon roared down at the spectators as a blond haired princess sat next to it smiling. On the streets imps of various colours threw sweets to the children and sang songs. On jet black horses rode ghostly men all in the uniform of the Union army.
"Wow this is great" Val said watching a Banshee wail past.
"It is, even better then last year" Tramp replied with a grin watching as five witches were convicted of black magic.
"I like the dragon best" Tamora said watching it with interest.
"It's nice to see one" Val replied watching the dragon float.
As he watched a group of criminals be executed on the policemen's float, Tramp saw a female cocker spaniel watching across the street. The spaniel wore a blue collar and Tramp realised he had met her before. Catching his eye the spaniel blushed as her owner gave her a chocolate bar he had caught.
"This is a great parade Elizabeth, Lady is certainly enjoying it" the man said.
"She is, your brother makes a wonderful vampire Jim" the woman replied smiling as she watched a flout from the local hospital go past, with a vampire doctor waving at the crowd.
"T, oh nice girl" Valentine said grinning.
"She is a looker, house pet though, wow would you look at that" Tramp replied a red imp swallowed a burning torch.
Walking through town towards the park the group passed the undertakers that was done up for the occasion with a coffin sitting outside complete with skeleton. At Toni's Tramp saw the staff dressed up as Italian Gods and Goddess with swords and togas.
Later that nigh Tramp walked towards Bernie's house with Cosma, Tara, Buster and Val. Arriving at the house they saw it had been decorated for Halloween.
"So then you lot have arrived just on time, best get you into your costumes" Sandy said meeting them at door.
Half an hour later the group stood in front of the house all covered in white sheets with eyes cut out. Valentine with his black coat was dressed up as a vampire dog with a long cape. As Franks friends arrived, the dogs jumped out from behind the bushes, barking as loud as possible.
"What the?"
"Dogs I though they were spooks."
"Wow you look amazing dressed up."
"You sure terrified the life out of me."
"Frank sure has some nice friends.
"Dressed up dogs, that's a surprise".
As the party began inside Bernie, the dogs and eight members of the station staff went to hide sweets and toys for the treasure hunt. Keeping the spooky spirit the staff had dressed up for the occasion. The three drives of the group had all dressed up as vampires, hiding in their train. Two engineers moaned inside the train sheds as mummies, from the station tea room was Mandy dressed as a witch, and finally there were two knights.
Hearing the group a while later Tramp walked to the edge of his hiding place, underneath the water tower. Seeing the group he grinned then let out a long howl before jumping out. As he appeared the children screamed in fright, all backing away as he approached.
"Tramp is that you?" Frank asked.
Nodding Tramp barked before running ahead as the children followed. An hour later Tramp sat with the children as they waited for their parents. As the parents arrived Tramp watched as Buster and Tamora jumped out from behind the garden bushes.
"Lord above they gave me such a fright."
Sitting with his humans friends that night Tramp let his thoughts drift to Fifi, and then he shook himself.
"Get a hold of yourself Tramp, she's gone for good. Try to move on you need your wits about you now. Besides she safer away from here" he though.
It was late November; under a sky full of stars Tramp, Buster, Tara, Gertie her five two month old pups, stood on the station.
"So how are to pair finding parenthood?" Tramp asked as two pups jumped onto Buster.
"Wonderful" Gertie replied.
"So have you seen Captain recently?" Tara asked watching the pups play.
"No not since."
"Not surprising really, he is pure bred police dog" Tara replied sarcastically.
"Yeh I could kill that dog for what he's done, nearly did as well, he was black and blue when I finishes with him" Buster replied snarling.
"I'm grateful full of that, I wish I had listened to all at the time. You were right about him."
"You fell for him hook, line an sinker but he knows not to mess with any other street girl. You got five beautiful pups out of it, he got two black eyes seven long cuts and one sprain paw. He knows about them, a touch embarrassing to him I would think" Tara replied grinning.
"She's right Gertie it's an embarrassing secret for him to have, just think of the scandal it would cause" Tramp replied.
"Thanks guys, yeh I imagine it would cause a stir. He thinks all street dogs are no better then thieves and that he is so above us."
"A snob dog like I said, well love is blind alright but friends are not. We should make these five into expert thieves then pull of a job in the bakers opposite the cop shop" Buster replied.
"That's great idea" said Gertie watching her son Pirate jumped onto Busters back. "You let these five get away with murder Buster, never though you would go soft."
"Well these five are family, besides pups never mean any harm" Buster replied.
"Uncle Buster can we go to the bridge and watch the trains?" Pirate asked.
"I suppose so, you will have to be careful though" Buster replied.
"I'd hold on a while if I were you till the 5:50 to Cambridge has left. I've seen soldiers and I don't like the look of some of them" Tramp said.
"He's right they do not look nice, a lot of them are young and selfish" Tara replied.
"They would not hurt us" Pirate said.
"I think they would soldiers are different to other humans, not all like dog" Gertie said as they walked own the platform .
"Hay look at that, doggies on the platform " called one of the soldiers.
"Leave em alone mate" called his friend looking up from his newspaper.
"Nah they're only strays" replied the soldiers picking up his gun.
"Hear Slick put that down, you're drunk as a sunk" said another lighting a cigarette.
"Yeh leave em Slick they just want to catch the 5:50" said another joked, bending down to stroke Tramp who was nearest.
"If you fire you'll land up in trouble, give me a hand lads" said another going towards Slick with four others.
"I can fire fine" the soldier said loading his gun and pointing at the pups.
As he fired Gertie jumped in front of them, and was shot in the chest as the group watched. Before the man could fire again Buster jumped on him, biting his shoulder as Bernie appeared with three drivers on their tea break.
"LEAVE HIM BE" Bernie shouted as Buster let the man go.
"That dog"
"Was defending his family, you FOOL."
"YOU DRUNK IDIOT YOU HAVE NO RESPECT FOR DOGS, NO WONDER HE ATTACKED."
"MUDERER, THESE DOGS ARE OUR FRIENDS"
"SHOULD BE THROWN IN THE SLAMMER FOR A FEW DAYS, YOU MEN LET HIM DO IT"
"They're only street mutts."
"That is no excuse, come on" Bernie said leading the man away.
"Buster we have to go now" Tramp said.
"I will kill them" he replied in anger.
"No think of the pups they need you" Tara said leading the group off the platform and strait to where Trudy lived. On hearing the news of her daughters death Trudy cried her heart full of pain.
"Grandma what's going to happen?" asked the youngest pup a girl called Clover.
"I will take care of you all, do not worry you will be fine."
"I'll help as well, I loved your Mom loads, I will take care of you all" Buster said.
Sitting with Tramp and Tara that night Buster looked up at the stars.
"I was a fool to trust humans to think they would ever care for me. Never again will I trust them, Frank, Bernie, Sandy and station staff only. They earned my trust they tried to protect us, but no others".
"Buster that man was drunk we all saw that, don't judge them all on what he did" Tramp replied.
"No T I can't do that any more."
"Buster on all our years on the streets this has never happened before" Tara said.
"Yeh right, you know what the Dogcatchers do, just the same thing as what that man did the Gertie."
Exchanging a worried look Tramp and Tara watched as Buster walked off. Over the next few days Tramp and Tara watched Buster and the pups closely, both taking pity on them. Their mother's death had hit all the pups hard with Pirate and Clover being hit the hardest.
"Tramp I think Pirate has changed, when Frank tried to stroke him" Tara said.
"He went for him I saw, Buster told him off, that Frank is a friend, but he still praised him" Tramp replied.
"That's what I'm worried about Buster's influence over him; we both know he's changed."
"Yeh he has, listen it's only been a week, it could just be a reaction to shock."
"I would still watch over them all," looking round the pair saw Orfeo walking towards them.
"I have seen this thing more times then I can count pups that have lost parents to humans. On many of those occasions the pups grew up full of hate, it was the catalyst for turning them bad. This is the story of the ten of the Jailhouse Fighters and three of them are Alphas."
"You think that Pirate and Buster could?" Tramp asked.
"Pirate yes though I pray I am wrong, but he is young still. Buster no not them he has seen what they do, that does mean he could no turn."
"That's it I'm going to see Captain about this" Tramp said.
"T are you barking mad? He is a cop dog, he has"
"To take responsibility for his actions. It takes two to tango Tara, they need their father."
"No not him, he left when he found out, you go and you will get hurt."
"He has to know, if he turns them away fine, but let's give him a chance" Tramp said leaving.
A while later he arrived at the police station, jumping over the fence to where the dogs lived. Approaching the large kennels and run he jumped over as the dog turned round.
"Well well what do we have here? Street scum" said one.
"Not just any scum the Tramp one of the worst, spend half my life casing him and his gang" said another.
"So what do you want here?"
"I'm not here to fight; I need to speak to Captain."
"Really well he's in, CAPTAIN SOME STREET TRASH IS HERE TO SEE YOU" shouted the dog.
"Tramp well I was not expecting you" Captain said walking out of the kennel.
"We need to talk in private."
"Alright I will take bait, if this is a trick" he replied leading Tramp his kennel.
"So tell what is so important you had to come all the way here?"
"Gertie's dead."
"Pity she was not a bad girl, so tell me why else you are here can't just be for that."
"You are an ass. I came because your pups need you, five pups who need their Father now."
"Pups, sorry I have no idea who you are talking about. My pups have not been born yet."
"Your pups with Gertie or did you forget what you did?"
"Oh that well that was all a harmless bit of fun. I have no pups other then those my wife carries. If it was ever discovered that I once had an affair, I have my reputation to think off."
"You good for nothing, fine then be like that but you will never come near your pups."
"What happened was a foolish mistake, a summer fling nothing more."
"DAM you" Tramp replied walking out of the police station and back home.
That night he told Buster and Trudy what had taken place and their reactions were as expected.
"We never tell them about their Father he left before they were born, they never know he is a Cop Dog" Buster said.
"That would be best for all" Trudy said looking down at the sleeping pups.