On the Way to Mackenzie's House:
Jack's Father and his children Jack and Lulu along with Rusty were on their way to visit Mackenzie for a Barbecue. "So, Are you guys excited to see Mackenzie?" Jack's father said as he was driving. "Yeah, I'm super excited. Jack said in excitement as he was getting all fidgety due to his ADHD. "Me Too." Rusty responded. "I hope he's doing a lot better now after his surgery."
"Yeah, I've been speaking to his father lately. He said it's gonna take him a while to get used to the feeding tube." Jack's father pointed out. "Yeah...I feel so bad for him, tho."
"Yeah I Know. But hopefully paying him a little could help cheer him up."
Arrival to Mackenzie's House:
Jack's father parked at the driveway of Mackenzie's house and gets out of the car to help unbuckle the children car seat. Jack and Rusty step out as Jack's father helps carry Lulu out of the car.
"Hey, Guys!" Mackenzie's Father said welcoming his guests.
"Hey, Mate!" Jack's father replied.
"Hi Mackenzie's Dad!"
"Hey Kids!"
"Why don't you guys head to go the backyard while I head inside to get some stuff for the barbecue." Mackenzie's father said as he walks inside the home.
Mackenzie and his mother both walk to the backyard to see their guests.
"Hi guys!" Mackenzie's mother said welcoming her guests.
"Hi Mackenzie's Mum!" The children waved.
"Mackenzie, Why do you play with your friends?" Mackenzie's mother said as she puts some vegetables on the table for the barbecue. Mackenzie slowly walks up to his friends nervously. "H-Hi Guys."
"Hi Mackenzie, How are you feeling?" Jack said
"Okay, I guess..." Mackenzie responded not making eye contact and trying to cover the feeding tube with his hand. He still can in-vision the mop pup in his head. It's something that plagues his mind on a daily basis.
"Jack look! He got staples in his tummy!" Lulu said pointing at Mackenzie's stitches attached to his stomach.
"Yeah, Doesn't that hurt?" Rusty said to Mackenzie.
"N-No..." Mackenzie stuttered as he awkwardly scratches the back his head.
Meanwhile, Jack's father helps out with Mackenzie's father with the hamburger and hotdog meat to grill. "So, How's Mackenzie been doin' lately after the surgery?"
"Oh, He hasn't been doing too good lately. It hasn't been easy for us to put the feeding tube in. We basically have to hold him down in order to either stick it in or pull it out. He hasn't been sleeping too good either. He's been having night terrors. Last night, He woke up screaming, So when we went to check what was going on he said he saw a shadowy figure in the corner of his room he said that the figure looked like a mop dog."
"Wait, You mean the mop dog he found a couple of days ago?" Jack's Father questioned
"Yeah, I'm starting to feel very worried about him. I may have to start taking him to therapy."
"You know, Now that you mentioned all of that. Jack told me he had a nightmare about a mop dog watching him. He told me she crawled on his chest and couldn't breathe." Jack's father said which making Mackenzie's father very terrified. He wasn't so sure if his son's nightmares could just be a simple coincidence.
"But Jack doesn't seem to be too affected like how your son is. Hey, You don't mind if I put on some tunes?" Jack's father said
"Huh? Uh- No go ahead, mate." Mackenzie's father responded.
Jack's father plays "Troubled Times" by Green Day on his phone which was connected to the Bluetooth speaker. Then Mackenzie's father puts some hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill and starts cooking as the music plays. Meanwhile, The kids play some games while they wait for the food to be ready.
Several Minutes Later:
"Alright Kids! It's Time To Eat!" Mackenzie Mother said as the kids run to the table getting ready to eat. However, Mackenzie didn't seem too excited since he knew that he can't eat. Rusty, Jack, and Lulu sat in the table. Mackenzie sits at the table last right next to Jack. "Okay, Who wants a hamburger and who wants a hotdog?"
"I'll take a Hamburger!" Jack said
"I'll get the Hotdog!" Rusty said
"I want a Hotdog Too!" Lulu said
Meanwhile Mackenzie looks down in sadness and dispair.
Mackenzie's father gives a hamburger to Jack and Jack's father gives the two Hotdogs to Rusty and Lulu. Jack begins to eat the hamburger as Mackenzie watches. His stomach rumbling as it begs for the hamburger. Then Mackenzie's mother comes outside holding a large syringe which was already filled with liquid food. She attaches it to Mackenzie's feeding tube and feeds him.
Rusty eats his hotdog but stops as he starts to feel very guilty for Mackenzie as he watches him being fed through a tube. Mackenzie's stitches were starting to become swollen and infected as pus starts to drain out.
Adoption Center:
It was the Afternoon and a male husky staff member was getting ready to give Luna one of her daily meds. He picks her up off of the foaming playmat and walks to the rocking chair and takes a seat. He has her sit on his lap and tries to put a syringe filled with medicine into Luna's mouth. Luna struggles to swallow the medicine as she did not like the taste of it. She smacks her lips as the medicine starts to drip from her mouth. The husky staff member wipes Luna's mouth with a napkin he was holding to clean her up.
"There you go, Mate," The husky staff member said as he was done cleaning Luna's face. He then gets up from the chair holding Luna taking her to her room as it was time for her nap. A female Doberman staff member walks to check on Luna. She wore a nametag that had the name Debbie written on it. "Hey Mate, Did you already give Luna her medicine?" Debbie said to the staff member.
"Yeah, My shift is about to be over. So, is it okay if you could take her to bed?" The Husky staff member said to Debbie as it was time for his shift to end.
"Yeah sure, I'll handle it." Debbie replied.
The staff member then hands Luna over to Debbie.
"Okay, Thanks Deb. I'll see you tomorrow."
"See you too."
"Okay Little mate, How 'bout I read you a story before you sleep, Okay?" Debbie said to Luna as she walks inside Luna room and closes the door.
End of Chapter 10: