"I remember the day my dog died…and I knew it was coming but I still felt unprepared when I saw his motionless carcass lying on the front lawn, wrapped up in my brother's yellow blanket"
"To look at him you would think that he was still alive, that he was still fighting his sickness…he wasn't hard and stiff, he was soft and cuddly, the way I loved him. We all took turns to say our last words into his ear, our final goodbye…my mum, whose eyes were red with tears, went first…and then my little brother"
"Did id bother me that I was the only one who couldn't cry…no…but I couldn't understand because I felt as sad as the others…I stood there with a still face, trying not to speak, not to reveal the crack in my voice, caused by the painful lump of grief in the bottom of my throat"
"I waited until everyone had left, and then I moved over to him. After turning around to make sure no one was there, I brushed my hand through his thick brown fur, and rested my head on his side, and pressed my cheek to his forehead…now the tears were finally starting to come"
"Hey puppy…I guess this is it…You were such a good dog…The best dog ever…And I'll never forget you okay…I'll always love you…You're such a great dog…" I whispered through constant breaths and sniffles…"You'll be so happy in heaven".
I pressed my wet face into his neck, and kissed him hard above the eye for the last time. For a few moments I sat there, and then slowly I got up, turned away and walked back into the house, wiping the tears from my eyes so no body else saw.
***
Max woke up in his room, the window was open and the breeze came through over his wet sweaty legs. He lay there with his head pressed into the pillow, for a few seconds to savour to beautiful morning…but then his heart sank, his was engulfed in a dark cloud, his head went light from the sudden outburst of school memories…all the things they said…all the things they laughed at.
He lay there for a long time, basking in his familiar surroundings. Floating within the hard sadness that had fallen over him.
Another Fucking Day