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ENDANGERED SPECIES
THE SEQUEL
by
Karen B.

I'm lying here in the backyard, chained to this stupid tree again. It's where Joey tells me to stay while she goes to school. It's a cool, fall day. I'm watching these bright polka dots on the ground dance about. I chased the circles around for a while and chased my tail too. I'm alone all day long under the shade of this tree that grows those awful green things, and I'm bored out of my spots. Hutch hasn't been around either for a few weeks. I just don't understand humans. They love ya to pieces one minute and then you become yesterday's chew toy.

Ouch! Another one of those sour, green balls just fell on my head. I really hate this tree. I tried to play with one of those green balls yesterday. Big mistake. Made me drool all night long. I hate drooling it's just not lady-like. Something's been stirring inside me. I just don't know what it is. I've been feeling it for a few weeks now; it just won't go away. Can't quite put a paw on it. I can hear the call of the wild; it's pulling me in directions unknown. Away from here, away from the safety of my home. I hate to go and worry Joey but I don't think I can ignore it much longer. What does it mean? It keeps haunting me. My dreams; I can't seem to remember them. I just don't understand what is happening to me. Something calls to me to run, but to where? A nap, that will help, I'll just curl up here and take a nap. Gosh darn it! I can't sleep, those squirrelly fur balls keep chattering at me. I'll get them one of these days.

There it is again, that nagging, aching, sickening pain somewhere down inside me. Only I'm not sick. I'm looking all around, but there's nothing except those fur balls. It's not them. It's something else. I just don't understand. It's flying all around me now. I can't take it any longer. It's consumed me completely, feels like that time Starsky fed me one of those, what do ya call 'em, oh yeah, burritos. Boy, it was good but I paid for it for a week. I broke my chain, wow, how'd I manage that? Didn't even realize I was tugging on it so hard. That feeling is pulling me, strangling me, almost like some sort of choke chain. I gotta go. Sorry Joey, I'll be back.

Where am I going? I don't know but I'm running top speed, my nails clicking on the sidewalk, and my dog tags chiming together as I go. My ears blowing in the wind. My heart's racing, my nose is dry, and I need water. Hey, this is Starsky's place. How'd I get here? That feeling sure is powerful. Drags ya like that Johnson kid drags that poor little poodle around by the neck all day.

That's Hutch getting out of the fancy loud car. He doesn't look too good, hunched over like that. Thinner too. What's this? He's is lifting Starsky from the car. I think it's Starsky, got that same fuzzy hair. Holy milk bones what happened to him? He looks awful like how my friend Chip looked when he came back from spending a week at the pound. No, he looks worse than Chip. Hutch is practically carrying him up the steps. I'd better get a closer look.

I hope I'm not being rude but they didn't even notice me so I'm going to just creep on past them. I'll just sit here in the corner out of the way and watch a little. Since they are so busy with one another wouldn't want to be rude. Sure could use a drink of water though. I'll wait my turn.

They moved across the room like slugs, the two of them. I couldn't tell who was holding up whom. Until Starsky's legs shook and his knees buckled beneath him. Geez, he wasn't even half way to the couch. Hutch bent down some, and hooked his arm under Starsky's knees sweeping him up into his arms with ease. He laid him on the sofa like he was made of fine porcelain. That feeling in me is gnawing even more now; this must be why. Hutch has a strange look on his face. I don't like it. It's scaring me. His divine, blue eyes don't sparkle or shimmer. They look dull and stormy gray. His shape that always makes me feel so safe seems strained. Hutch is in the kitchen now rummaging about.

Starsky looks even worse than Hutch. He doesn't even have a shape. His port wine eyes look empty and colorless. He lay like an old blanket all rumpled and worn. Hey, I can't take this anymore; it's churning my insides like ten-day-old newspapers. I know how to put a stop to this. I'll wag my tail and bark a few happy notes and pounce on that old rumpled blanket named Starsky. He never could resist me when I did that. Here I go.

That's more like it. He looks to me, and has a small shape on his face that tells me he is glad to see me. I'm air born. Direct hit right on top his chest. Now we will roll around and have some fun. Good grief, now I'm on the floor. Hutch shoved me down off Starsky hard. That hurt my front paw. And that sound. Ouch, my ears are ringing. Starsky sounded like that awful screeching thing they stick on top the car when they want to go really fast.

Hutch is screaming at me now at the top of his lungs. He's never yelled at me ever. Think I made the list. My tail is between my legs and I'm cowering on the floor. What did I do? I don't understand what did I do?

NO, no not that, not you, Hutch. My head is flat and I slam my eyes shut. I can't bear to watch. Hutch raised a hand to me. He's going to hit me. Why? Oh, Hutch, please don't hit me. I hear Starsky's voice my eyes are still closed. It sounds horrible, low and breathless. "Hutch, don't." Pain; he's in pain. Did I do that? The punishment I waited for still hasn't come. I don't want to but I'm going to look and see what's going on. I'll be sure to stay flattened to this floor though.

Hutch isn't looking to me any longer. His attentions are on Starsky. He's got his shirt lifted and there's this huge white thing wrapped all around his chest. Oh no, that white thing is turning beet red. Oh dear what have I done? I didn't mean it, honest Injun. Starsky's shape is twisted and his eyes are squeezed so tight I think we better get a crow bar to open them back up. I hear words. Wait, let me listen and see if I can understand. I cock my head.

"How'd that damn dog get in here?" Hutch is so angry with me. Damn Dog? I'm whimpering now my name is Spotted Dog not Damn Dog.

"M' okay Hutch. She doesn't understand. Not her fault." I cringe as he cries out in pain. He's sticking up for me I think.

Hutch is unwrapping the white and red thing now. His face looks wrinkled, and his hands are unsteady. Good grief, I see why, look what I did. He's bleeding all over. Oh, please forgive me, I didn't mean it. Oh, please, I didn't mean to hurt him.

"I better call the doctor, Stark. Think you gotta go back to the hospital, some stitches broke loose. Then I'll call Joey and let her know her dog is here."

Joey, dog, here. I got that much.

"No. Oh Hutch, I just got home, no hospital please partner." His knees drew upward and his head arched backward as he cried out again. My head's back down on the floor in shame.

Hutch pushed his knees gently back down to the couch and pulled him up into a hug. "Buddy, I know you just got home. Look I'll call the doctor and see if he can just come here." Hutch clasped the back of Starsky's neck and lowered him back down to his pillow. "Easy now, partner, easy. Try to think about something else. I gotta go make a phone call."

I shut my eyes to the cold, lightening bolt stare that bore into me as he passed by and picked up that annoying plastic thing that rings all the time.

He then sat back down next to Starsky who was shaking badly. Hutch is always so caring and kind. He held onto Starsky's hand. It clenched Hutch's so tight it turned his fingers blue. At the same time, Hutch was easing his fingers through the dampening curls. He spoke so softly even my keen ears could barely hear the words. "Buddy, I know it hurts; just keep squeezing my hand Starsk. It's okay, the doc's on his way. No hospital, partner, I promise." He then took his hand away from the wet curls, and began to do something to Starsky's chest with a dishtowel. "Easy partner, it's okay. You're okay buddy."

I couldn't stand my shame any longer. I crept along the floor flat like a soldier crawling through the trenches. Bombs bursting all around me. Scared to death Hutch might raise a hand again if I even got within ten feet of Starsky. I knew they were close. I knew they protected each other like those two Doberman's that guard the gas station down the street. I never knew or totally understood the power of that love till now. Hutch would kill anyone who touched a hair on his partner's head including me. I had to go see Starsky though. I have to let him know how sorry I am before I go to that big backyard in the sky.

Okay, I made it this far. I'm right up against the couch. Hutch hasn't seen me yet. I'll just lift my nose up to his face and give a quick little lick and dive back for the carpet before Hutch can see me.

"No, bad dog, get away. Go on, go lay down." Oh know Hutch saw me I understand those words I'm flat on the floor again.

I hear Starsky breathing heavy as he speaks to Hutch. "Hutch, ease up. She didn't know. I want to see her." I watch him release the death grip he has on Hutch's poor purple hand to reach down and scratch behind my ears. His hands feel cold and his fingers are weakly tickling the back of my ear. I raise my head to peek into his blackened eyes. His life's spark has been sucked away. I see in his eyes pain and fear. I sense, too, his fear. It radiates from him like the sun. I'm so sorry, my friend, so sorry. I look up slowly peering at Hutch. Finally, thank you, Hutch has forgiven me. He's scratching my other ear. His hand is large and strong. I peek into his eyes where there's a slight shimmer but not much. His fear, I sense it too. It's even greater than Starsky's. His fear has taken over his spirit. Oh, Hutch, I'm so sorry for you and for your friend. I turn to lick the face of the one I hurt. Then I turn to lick Hutch's face as well. Thank you, Hutch, for not hitting me, and for forgiving me.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry Spotted Dog. I didn't mean to scare you. Good dog, that's enough now." I stop and lay at his feet. "Joey wasn't home. I told her mom to have her come pick the dog up in the morning. I'll lock her in the bathroom buddy; she won't hurt you again."

"Hutch, no. She understands now she won't do it again let her stay with me please." I can't understand all this but I think I'll be staying at least for a while. Good. That feeling is still there. I recognized it now they're on that list again. The endangered list. I need to be here, that's it; I finally figured it all out.

There's a knock at the door. I'm up, I'm at the door, I'm barking. I don't like this. Hutch grabs my collar and pulls me away from the door hushing me up. I obey, as always. The man at the door ushers in quickly but I got a good look at him. He's in a long, white coat. He's got those funny, shaded things on his face only I can see his eyes. A black bag in one hand and one of those cold, weird things, they put on your chest, around his neck. Holy cripes it's the VET. I'm outta here. I bolted to the bedroom and like the coward I am I laid there shaking under the bed. Hey, it's dusty under here and Starsky's dirty socks sure do smell to high heaven.

Well, it's been a long time. I'm getting sick of smelling these socks and it's dark under here. Think I'll crawl out and see if that vet left yet. I don't hear anything so I'm sure he's gone. Either that or he's waiting to ambush me with a needle the second my head pops out that door. Chin up, cheerio and all that stuff. I head out the door looking for the needle-happy guy. Hey, thank the kennel gods he's gone. It's a little too quiet though. Starsky's on the couch he's out cold. I can hear him snoring, poor guy. I'm still feelin' really bad that I caused him so much pain. There's Hutch sitting at the kitchen table his head in his hands. I feel his hurt and fear. I go to him and lay my head on his knee. He takes his hands down from his face and I look up at him with my most sincere hush puppy eyes. I think it's raining in here. Oh no, it's Hutch. His eyes are wet. I whimper trying to let him know it's okay to be sad. I was sad too.

He bends down and lifts up my paw. He moves so slowly and gently. It's sore but not bad. "I'm sorry, girl. I know you didn't do it on purpose. It's just he's been through so much. I didn't think he was going to make it. Still worry I might wake up and find him gone." The wetness of his eyes drips faster plopping onto my head. I lift my front paws to his chest and lick away the rain. "Okay girl, okay, good dog. You're a good dog. I gotta go to the store now. He needs some pain pills. It's only ten minutes from here."

I don't understand anything after good dog and go. He looks at his sleeping friend. "I hate to leave him alone even for a second but I won't be long. You stay with him."

Stay, I know that word. He leads me over to Starsky and pushes my behind to the floor. "Stay here with him." Oh, okay, I get it; I'll stay with him. Don't worry, Hutch, won't let anyone touch a hair on his head. I watch Hutch grab his keys giving me one last look. That shape hits his face, the one I love. He says "good dog" and the door quietly closes behind him.

I lie on the floor closing my eyes. Must've took a catnap. Oops, slip of the tongue. Pardon me, dog nap. My head is up, looking around, my nose to the wind. Something's wrong, there's that burrito tossing feeling again. Ears up, I hear something it's coming from the bedroom. I'm up and growling in two shakes of a lamb's tail. Starsky's awake now. He's looking at me with a frown. "What is it girl?" My heart leaps a little as I dart toward the sound. Someone's crawling through the window. He's dressed in black. I can't see who he is. His face is covered. The only thing I see is two beady eyes a nose and a mouth. I take my stance every muscle in me twitching and straining. I let out a deep rumbling low growl. He's surprised. Good. I surprised myself sounded like those two Dobermans I mentioned earlier. His surprise fades and he continues in through the window.

"Spotted Dog, hey, come here. What's wrong, Hutch?"

Oh please, don't come in here stay, stay. I wish I could speak human. I can hear the throatiness in his voice. He's in no shape to be moving about. The dark figure is stalking toward me now; he's pulling out one of those scary metal things. Jeepers, I want to bolt out of my spots. I force my feet to keep their stance. Remember I'm a chicken. I get scared when I see the mailman walkin' down the road. The faceless figure raises the metal pointing it toward the door. I hear Starsky behind me. He's in the range of that thing. I hate those things. I can't let it hurt him. Hutch would kill me dead. "Hutch what's going on? Answer me partner."

What am I going to do? Instinct called to my soul as I moved forward crouched to the ground and head hung low. My ancestors would be proud. Starsky's behind me now. I hear him stumble backward as he sees the intruder and the metal thing. I hear a sharp click and something in my heart snaps like a twig. I lunge upward flying through the air. Placing my body between predator and prey. Something burns and rips into my flesh. I plummet to the floor like one of those sour apples falling off the tree. I can't move; it hurts. I hear the clicking sound of metal again. No, no way am I going to let any harm come to him again. I force myself up and lunge again this time shocking the faceless being. I let my front paws hit him hard in the chest and plunge him to the floor. That metal thing skidded away under the bed. That's where it belongs with the old dirty socks. Thank the kennel gods again.

He's wrestling with me now. If that's how he wants to play I got a few moves of my own. I wrap my mouth around his neck and sink my teeth down into his flesh. He's not moving now imagine that. Starsky's trying to crawl under the bed to retrieve that noisemaker. I can see him out of the corner of my eye. He can't quite do it. He rolls up into himself groaning on the floor. Just then I hear the door fly open. "STARSK?" It's, Hutch, he knows something's wrong. I can hear it in his voice. Hurry, I can't hold this guys throat much longer. I can taste blood in my mouth now not sure if it's his or mine. That burning pain is rippling through my whole body. I'm trembling and things are getting real funny looking. Starting to feel carsick only I know I'm not in a car.

I won't let go, not till I know it's safe. "Girl, come on now, let him go. It's okay, let him go." I feel his hand trying to pry my mouth loose. I growl once. "Hey, Spotted Dog." I feel his hand scratching behind my ear; it's Hutch. I let go and lay my head on the moving floor. I'm feeling pretty bad. That burrito was nothing compared to this.

I watch as Hutch swims around the room and handcuffs that creep. Then, he's by his friend's side holding him tight and whispering low again. I can barely hear him. "Buddy, what the hell happen? You okay partner? Talk to me. Are you hit Starsk? I heard a shot." Starsky is moaning and clutching his chest. Hutch's hands fumble all over his partner in a frenzied inspection.

He's in pain again. At least it's not from me this time.

"Hutch, um okay." I hear Starsky take a deep shuddering breath. "Don't know. Dog heard something, got up to go see what was going on." Another gasp. " She took him down before I knew what happened. Got dizzy, fell." He writhed in the arms of his friend.. Hutch continued his frantic searching for any little scratch on his partner any hair that might be harmed. I pray there is none or I'm in big trouble again. The searing pain sliced through me like a hot knife cutting butter.

I whined like the big baby I am but I gotta tell ya it hurt and I felt real strange. Everything seemed light years away and things were swimming around, only there was no water.

"Hutch, she's hurt. She lunged at him. Gun went off. Think she's hit." I could hear the effort in Starsky's raspy voice, but what the heck is he saying? Sounds like he's in a doghouse or something.

Hutch lifted his partner up off the floor into a sitting position. "Buddy, can ya hold it right there? Let me go take a look at her."

Hutch crawled across the floor to the Dalmatian who lay motionless.

Starsky pulled himself up off the floor using the edge of his bed. The pain was still there, but he had to help the one who had saved his life. He made his way to the light switch and the phone. He then lowered himself next to Hutch who held the limp dog in his arms stroking her head and speaking in low tones. "Hang on girl. You're going to be all right. It's okay. Good dog, you're a good dog."

Starsky held his partner's shoulder tight and laid his other hand on the dog's chest pressing against the bullet wound. "It's okay, sweetheart. Hutch, you should have seen her. She didn't hesitate. That guy had me dead in his sights. She placed herself between us."

Hutch looked at Starsky. "She saved your life, partner. She can't die. I should never have left. God, why did I leave? I was only gone twenty minutes."

I whimpered, hey you guys, forget about me? I couldn't understand a word they said. It sounded like they were miles away though. I could feel a hand pressing on my chest but the burning pain was gone now. I tried to lift my head up and look at them. I wanted to read their eyes but I couldn't see too good. They looked like a couple of matching bookends. They both had that same wrinkled face and pitiful expression. Hutch eased my head back down, "Sh, sh, sh, it's okay girl, lie down. Stay." I obeyed and then everything went black.

It's been a few weeks now. I had to go to that needle-happy guy. Guess I almost made it to that big backyard in the sky. But I'm okay. Starsky's looking better too but he's still very weak. Hutch helps him out a lot. The man's got those little hearts floating around his head along with a golden halo.

I take the hamburger the tall, skinny guy is offering me. I am so gentle I don't even let a tooth touch his skin as I use my soft lips to take my treat. Don't want to get kicked out on my fanny, now do I, by snatching it like I really want to do. I still don't know who that guy in black was but he's gone now. Only words I could make out about that were 'Gunther failed again'. Hutch is taking me back home to Joey today. He felt so guilty I guess. He kept me for the few weeks that I needed help like Starsky. Boy, he had his hands full. The two of us lying around all day like old rumpled blankets while he ran around like a mother dog with one too many pups. I can thank the vet for spaying me.

Any way, here we are at their favorite place. Huggy and Hutch keep givin' me tender little morsels. Yum. Oh brother, Gordo, as Hutch likes to call him, is trying to feed me now. No way am I taking anything he has to offer. Last time he fed me off his plate Tabasco sauce came out of my ears for a week. I'll just look the other way and ignore him.

"Hey, she won't take any food from me. Hutch, ya think she's sick?" Starsky had a frown on his still pale face.

"Gordo, she has no trouble eating what Hug and I gave her. It's just your food she doesn't like. It's not fit for a dog."

Hey, thanks Hutch. I caught another morsel he threw to me. Boy, I love hamburger. Starsky tried to toss a piece of his Pits special. Thing smells awful and looks that much worse.Here we go again, I'll just duck down here under the table. He isn't getting any of that slop in my mouth.

Splat! Hutch grabbed a napkin off the table and began to wipe his face. "Thanks a lot, Gordo."

Starsky slouched down in his seat as Hutch tossed a handful of fries back at him. The food fight had begun and I was there under the table for the pickin's.

I feel like I swallowed a bunch of butterflies. I love those two guys. They make me so happy.

The End