And all for nothing quite in vain was hope forever tossed
No thoughts explained, no moments gained, all hope forever lost
One moment's space, one moment's final fall from grace
Burnt by fire, blind in sight, lost in ire – Procul Harum
Kid was unsure of how far the three dogs traveled that night. He was only vaguely aware of the pain in his scruff and the unfamiliar scents in his nose. Blood very obligingly told Kid the names for each new scent: deer, grass, milkweed, and fox. Ranger had been completely silent beyond telling the other two which way to follow him. Since the incident regarding the GPS chips, Kid had been reticent about asking Ranger any more questions. Besides, Blood was better company.
Tell me about the rabbits, Blood.
Well, Kid, or should I call you Lenny? You could call me George, Blood replied, after a brief and odd coughing fit.
I don't know what you're talking about, Blood.
C'mon Lenny, don't you want to hug and squeeze the bunnies?
Blood! said Kid exasperatedly
Oh, fine, killjoy, I'm just trying to make a joke, is all. Actually, going back to your question, rabbits are good eating, but hard to catch. They run pretty damned fast.
The ones in the boxes at the lab didn't run.
They had nowhere to go; besides, they were hutch rabbits anyway, didn't know how to run.
They didn't know how to run? That doesn't make any sense, Blood. Don't all animals know how to run?
When they're bred that much, enclosed for generations and generations in pens and cages, they get stupid.
I was bred in a cage.
Didn't mean you in particular, Kid, but you can see how the experiments worked better on you because you had been bred inside. You had no external influences to screw up their data. You didn't have a past life that the scientists had to work around.
Like Fang?
Yeah, like Fang, Kid. Or me. Or Ranger. Blood and Kid ambled alongside each other for a while in silence. What did Ranger show you?
What do you mean?
Before, in the box. He looked at you that one time, right before the activists showed up, and you went into a trance like he does. And after, you said that you understood.
It was . . . how he got there.
His Mistress?
Yeah. From what I could gather, his Mistress was hit by a car and killed. Ranger was brought to the lab after. But it was strange – it seemed like Ranger had been in the lab forever.
He was there long before I was, Kid.
No, before. Ranger said that Mistress was the one who got him out of a lab in the first place. Like he'd been bred inside, like me. Blood, did you ever know him without . . . all that stuff in his head?
No, Kid. He's always had that.
Ranger had gotten to the top of another hill, and was looking down at the other two dogs as they made their way up. I can hear you two, you know.
Kid came up short and then looked down at his paws. I'm sorry.
Ranger gave a sigh and then looked over at the horizon. It's okay, Kid. I suppose I'm a weird sort of dog.
Kid grinned. I was bred inside, so I don't have much of a comparison.
Ranger gave a mock growl and crouched playfully. Oh ho, that's a smart mouth on you, pipsqueak. Kid returned the growl in kind, and then Ranger jumped on Kid, and they wrestled down the gentle slope of the hill on the other side, with Blood jumping in on occasion and barking. Eventually, the three were lying on their backs, letting the afternoon sun warm their bellies. Ranger then said, What ever happens, this is what we need to remember. We need to remember that we're dogs. Not experiments. Blood gave noise of assent. Kid, however, remained quiet. He wasn't sure what being a dog meant, beyond working with the imbeds and chips and interacting with humans. He gave a small shudder and wondered if he'd ever know what Ranger was talking about.
That night, Ranger and Blood flushed out a covey of quail for dinner. Kid had attempted to bring something down, but he was clumsy, and a choice pheasant eluded him. He wondered what Fang would have done.
Fang probably wasn't a good hunter, remarked Blood. Too big. He was a working dog, but his owner really messed him up something bad.
That's the way it is sometimes, replied Ranger. As a dog, we are molded by our owners. If they're a proper alpha, we usually turn out okay. But Fang . . . I was lucky. I never had to go through what he did.
Kid didn't know what to do when they talked like this, and to hear Ranger describe himself, a prisoner of the labs his entire life, as lucky completely baffled him. It seemed to Kid that he himself wasn't a proper dog, not in the strictest sense of how Ranger would describe it. His only experience was around humans. Furthermore, he couldn't understand how the two of them could so glibly talk about Fang, as if he'd been moved to another room, instead of being thrown by the force of the gun. Perhaps they didn't see Fang's eyes as Kid did, watching the light go out of them. Suddenly, he was utterly terrified of what would happen to them. Kid dropped his portion of quail and cowered.
What is it, Kid? Ranger asked, spitting out some feathers.
What will happen to us? If we're caught?
Don't worry about that now, Kid. Every moment out of the box is a good moment.
It's too . . . big out here. Too much space. I'll get lost.
Blood frowned. It'll be okay. Come over here, Kid. Kid complied, and he settled himself down next to Blood's comfortable bulk. Blood put his forehead against Kid's for a few moments, and shortly, Kid stopped trembling, closed his eyes, and drifted off. Once Blood was sure that Kid was in deep sleep, he left Kid's side and ambled to where Ranger sat, staring at the moon. Ranger didn't move, but he asked, Is he okay?
He seems to be, as okay as he can be. He's still freaked out, Ranger. And frankly, I don't blame him. This has to be scary for a dog like him, bred in a cage. He's just like the hutch rabbits, too scared to run, too scared to stay put.
He may be a hindrance to the two of us.
Blood turned his big head around to Ranger. What are you saying, that you'd leave him behind?
If it came to that, yes.
Blood narrowed his eyes. Then maybe you should take off. I'm not leaving him. We didn't take him out just to abandon him.
Ranger shrugged. He got us out, that's what we needed him for.
Don't you even care about what could happen to us?
Look at my head, Blood. Do you think I even know how to care about anything anymore? I'm as good as dead anyway. Better to die out here. If I could remove these fucking wires from my head, I would. Then, at least it would be over. Ranger gazed out over the landscape. I've spent my entire life in places like that lab. Kid was right; I was bred in a place like that. I've endured more lifetimes than a dog should be allowed to live. I'm older than any dog in human years, and in dog years, I'd give Methuselah a run for his money. But I can count on the toes on one paw the years I've spent free.
Who the hell's Methuselah?
Ranger grinned. No one you'd know. Human reference. A side effect of where I've been forced to live all this time. I may be an unspeakable, but I want to have a chance to run after those uneatables.
To the point that you'd sacrifice another dog to do it?
That's the point, Blood. The fact that I'd sacrifice Kid to do it doesn't make me a dog. It makes me human. And that's why it needs to stop. Ranger and Blood fell silent, watching the moon as it made its path across the sky. Ranger then said, Blood? Do you remember how to howl?
It's been a long time. If we do, we'll wake up Kid.
Let's wake him up, then.
Blood and Ranger grinned at each other for a moment, and then settled onto their haunches and began to howl at the moon. Kid did wake briefly, and he opened his eyes to see Ranger and Blood silhouetted by the light of the moon. He heard the howl echo off the other hills in the valley, and buoyed by the comforting sound, fell back asleep.
The next morning, the three dogs continued their journey, although Kid really had no idea if their journey actually had a destination. Do you know where he's taking us?
Can't say I do. I'm not familiar with any of this landscape, but he sure seems to be.
Suddenly, Ranger stopped. There.
There what? The other two dogs joined him at the crest of a very large hill. The countryside spread below them like a huge quilt: farms with tilled and cultivated plots of land, small copses of trees, larger orchards, and what appeared to be a village.
Is that the outside world, Ranger? asked Kid.
A chunk of it, replied Ranger. And that's where we're going.
But there's humans there, said Blood.
I know, but where there are humans, there tends to be food, which would be easier to get than bringing it down ourselves. We can go there, but we'd have to be very careful. Come along. Stay in the tall grass.
The three dogs made their way down the hillside and approached one of the farmhouses on the edge of the closest field.
Aha, said Ranger. Do you smell what I smell, Blood?
I certainly do, my good man.
Kid was confused. What do you two smell?
Chickens, said Blood. And nearby. And . . . oh, how lovely. Free-range. Very lucky for us that there are still some tree-hugging-fern-sniffers around.
Things never change, said Ranger. Wait . . . I know that place.
You do?
Yes, it's from . . . I don't remember. But I know it, it's a safe place. Do you smell it?
Kid raised his snout but couldn't find what Ranger was talking about. How do you know it's safe, Ranger?
Ranger was already closer to the edge of the tall grass, yet still hidden. Ranger crouched, waiting. Then, wagging his tail, Ranger gave a single, sharp bark. Many of the chickens looked up, surprised, and ran off in different directions. Kid stood motionless beside Blood, and his eyes grew wide at the sight of another dog loping slowly in their direction.
---Blood!
Stay quiet, Kid. Stay calm. I don't know what's going on, either.
This new dog, a non-descript spotted creature came closer, sniffing. Ranger stayed stock still as the dog approached. Their noses touched, and the new dog gave a low growl. Ranger responded by baring his teeth but kept his eyes on the spotted dog. Then the spotted dog looked over at Blood and Kid with interest, and came closer to them, sniffing.
Call friend, the new dog said. Or at least that was what Kid thought he heard. Me Gyp.
Blood and Kid held their breath. Finally, Ranger came to the rescue. It's okay.
Blood was incredulous. You know this dog, Ranger?
No, but she's okay with us being here. For right now, anyway. She only speaks lowtalk so she's not going to be too helpful, but she's not going to be much of a hindrance so long as we stay on her good side.
Lowtalk?
No food much. One bwock.
Good, friend, Ranger responded to the spotted dog, which trotted away. She says it's okay to take a little food but not too much. It'll have to do for now. Blood snorted. Look, Blood, I used to live in hills like these when I wasn't inside, and lowtalk was pretty universal around here. It came in pretty damn handy sometimes too. Unfortunately, it's also very limited. I'm going to get us a fat bwock, okay? Wait here.
Kid wrinkled his snout. He had no idea what Ranger was talking about with "lowtalk" but the term "bwock" became self-explanatory when Ranger caught one of the pullets in his jaws. Why can we have only one? The humans have plenty.
One they'll blame on foxes. More than that and they'll set up traps. C'mon, let's get further away before we serve dinner, okay?
The taste of raw meat and blood was still so new, yet oddly satisfying to Kid, who was accustomed to dry kibble. However, the sight and smell of the blood made him think of what Fang had done to the human, and he had to force himself to eat again. Blood took notice of this but said nothing. In fact, he had remained silent until the sun began to set and Ranger had the idea of moving closer to the little village.
Have you lost your mind? Or did a wire snap in that motherboard in your skull?
We need to find out what's going on, whether the lab is still tracking us.
Blood snorted. The fact that they're looking for us is pretty well established, I think, Ranger.
We still need to find out. I want to find out how our "disappearance" and the raid on the lab is being explained by the media. It may help us. We can't get into a computer from here, but I have another idea.
How's that? Finding the other dog again?
No. Follow me.
The three dogs began moving again, this time around the far side of the field, closer to the village. Lights began going on in the windows. The smell of humans began to get stronger.
Ranger, don't, I'm scared, Kid whimpered.
It'll be okay, it'll be okay, Ranger kept saying, like a litany. There. Do you see that open place there? Newspapers.
Newspapers?
Yeah, in that open rack. That big folded paper thing. Go grab one of those, Kid.
ME?
Yeah, you're small. Less noticeable. Anyway, no one's around. Go grab one, and quick. Get the whole thing.
No. I'm scared. Kid grew afraid of Ranger again. Ranger turned his head to Kid and looked him in the eyes. Kid could still smell the blood of the chicken on his breath.
Do it now, Kid.
Kid trembled, tore his eyes away from Ranger, and made a mad dash to the rack that held the newspapers. He stopped and looked at the black squiggles on the page, and was startled to realize that the squiggles actually made sense. He stared at the words on the page: MAD BIO-DOGS ON LOOSE, in big black letters.
"Hey! What the hell? Is that . . ."
"It's one of those dogs! They've got some bio-warfare shit!"
"Tom! Grab your gun!"
Kid was frozen in fear. The humans were getting closer, and one of them had a gun. And under the scent of the humans, was a faint burning scent that was so terrifyingly familiar: it smelled like coats. Kid continued to cower, wondering how Ranger ever thought they'd be able to escape from humans, and dreading that he'd be the next one to follow Fang in death. Suddenly, the air was filled with loud barks and Ranger leapt in front of Kid, snarling at the humans.
Ranger! Don't!
Shut up, Kid!
Several of the humans screamed. Then a voice cried out, "DON'T! THAT'S MY DOG!"
Suddenly, there was silence.
Ranger stood his ground, snarling at the human female that came closer.
"Poppet?"
Ranger went quiet. His eyes grew wide. Mistress?
"Poppet? What did they do to you?"
Ranger leapt towards his owner. Mistress is not dead after all, not killed by the car, but alive, oh, how happy, Poppet is here, joy . . .
And another human, a coat, grabbed Ranger by the scruff and fired a revolver into his head.
RANGER!
KID! RUN! THIS WAY! HURRY!
Kid turned and ran madly for cover in the tall grass. The humans began shouting again, above the keening wails of the human female crying out Poppet's name. Kid ran blindly in the darkness, following Blood by scent only. Kid's belly nearly touched ground as his legs stretched out in a mad gallop. He began to feel a stitch in his side from the running. And then there was another loud noise. He felt the pain of many stings in his backside, he rolled head over heels many times, and then he stopped.
And everything went silent.