Chapter 11: C. familiaris
Joanie-Ellen couldn't remember the last time she had cried or at least had such a strong urge as she had been fighting all afternoon. She was pretty sure that it was a long time ago – certainly not anytime this year. Last year she had had a pretty good cry in the aftermath of rubbing a gang member up the wrong way, but that didn't really count. No, the last time she cried like this was when she was still in school and got picked on by other kids. In the grand scheme of things, despite all the little things she had learned from life Joanie-Ellen still didn't completely understand what had singled her out from the rest.
Teachers and Foster parents had told her it was because she wasn't accepting enough towards other kids, which she should try harder to mingle with them and joined their games.
But, what they could never understand was that she had become intolerant because she was always picked on. It was a vicious circle.
Joanie paced up and down the spacious room, tears burning in her eyes but not quite able to flow freely yet. She sniffed and, in a fit of temper kicked the bed. She proceeded to grab the closest pillow and hurl in across the room before she sank down, gasping for breath.
Shame bubbled up inside her as she drew her knees up and hugged them to her body.
'Joanie wait…'
'Get off my case…'
'They're only trying to be your friend…'
'I know you don't mean it anyway!'
Joanie swallowed and rubbed at her eyes. Shaking she got up, hesitated and sat down on the bed. The girl stared at the door, hugged herself, stood up and made her way to it. She opened the door and froze.
The two dogs stood up and whined at her.
Joanie took a shaky breath and moved back into the room but not before they followed her inside. The girl moved all the way back till she felt the bed behind her.
The dogs followed her, their tails wagging slowly.
Joanie got the image of her mangled bloody corpse found in a destroyed room but shook the image from her mind.
"Whoa there puppies." She said in a shaky voice. "Easy there…" Running was out of the question; it hadn't worked the previous time…
An idea formed in her head. Hell, she hoped the woman had been right…
Sinking down on her ankles Joanie closed her eyes and held out her one hand.
"Easy puppies." She said again, softer this time. "Come… Come give us a sniff okay? Please don't freaking bite me."
She tensed and waited for her fate.
She felt twin warm breaths on her palm, then a soft lick. Another lick followed on her cheek.
Joanie opened her eyes and stared at the two white dogs. Her mouth twitched in what could've been a smile as she slowly reached out and patted their heads. Her hands were shaking but soon, as their excitement grew Joanie found herself laughing softly as she roughed them up. On a strange impulse Joanie dived the one dog to the ground and started playing a rough game of wrestle. She was soon overcome with laughter and had to stop the game because she couldn't get enough air. The dogs stopped immediately as if knowing that she still wasn't 100%.
Feeling a strange warm happiness Joanie patted their heads and sighed.
"Can you show me where your mom is?" She asked them softly.
The dogs barked and led her out the door.
Joanie-Ellen couldn't remember the last time she had cried or at least had such a strong urge as she had been fighting all afternoon. She was pretty sure that it was a long time ago – certainly not anytime this year. Last year she had had a pretty good cry in the aftermath of rubbing a gang member up the wrong way, but that didn't really count. No, the last time she cried like this was when she was still in school and got picked on by other kids. In the grand scheme of things, despite all the little things she had learned from life Joanie-Ellen still didn't completely understand what had singled her out from the rest.
Teachers and Foster parents had told her it was because she wasn't accepting enough towards other kids, which she should try harder to mingle with them and joined their games.
But, what they could never understand was that she had become intolerant because she was always picked on. It was a vicious circle.
Joanie paced up and down the spacious room, tears burning in her eyes but not quite able to flow freely yet. She sniffed and, in a fit of temper kicked the bed. She proceeded to grab the closest pillow and hurl in across the room before she sank down, gasping for breath.
Shame bubbled up inside her as she drew her knees up and hugged them to her body.
'Joanie wait…'
'Get off my case…'
'They're only trying to be your friend…'
'I know you don't mean it anyway!'
Joanie swallowed and rubbed at her eyes. Shaking she got up, hesitated and sat down on the bed. The girl stared at the door, hugged herself, stood up and made her way to it. She opened the door and froze.
The two dogs stood up and whined at her.
Joanie took a shaky breath and moved back into the room but not before they followed her inside. The girl moved all the way back till she felt the bed behind her.
The dogs followed her, their tails wagging slowly.
Joanie got the image of her mangled bloody corpse found in a destroyed room but shook the image from her mind.
"Whoa there puppies." She said in a shaky voice. "Easy there…" Running was out of the question; it hadn't worked the previous time…
An idea formed in her head. Hell, she hoped the woman had been right…
Sinking down on her ankles Joanie closed her eyes and held out her one hand.
"Easy puppies." She said again, softer this time. "Come… Come give us a sniff okay? Please don't freaking bite me."
She tensed and waited for her fate.
She felt twin warm breaths on her palm, then a soft lick. Another lick followed on her cheek.
Joanie opened her eyes and stared at the two white dogs. Her mouth twitched in what could've been a smile as she slowly reached out and patted their heads. Her hands were shaking but soon, as their excitement grew Joanie found herself laughing softly as she roughed them up. On a strange impulse Joanie dived the one dog to the ground and started playing a rough game of wrestle. She was soon overcome with laughter and had to stop the game because she couldn't get enough air. The dogs stopped immediately as if knowing that she still wasn't 100%.
Feeling a strange warm happiness Joanie patted their heads and sighed.
"Can you show me where your mom is?" She asked them softly.
The dogs barked and led her out the door.