It was that time of the year again. The sky was a dismal shade of gray, and the cold was testing my patience.
It snowed so much lately that no matter how many times you walked, you never seemed to leave any footprints because the snowflakes would cover it up faster than you could make another one.
If I hated it this much then I can only imagine how much it bothered Puco. You would think he'd be able to entertain himself with just a stick because after all, he is a dog. However; with each passing day, as the sticks are seen less and less, you can see him get increasingly more upset.
My dad said there are many things that I didn't understand, but trust me I understood why Puco was upset. I knew how I could help him, I just needed the right time. I knew one thing for sure and it was that dogs like Puco needed exercise just like we needed air to breathe. They deserved the outdoors. I didn't plan on failing my dog, not that anyone ever plans to fail.
Ever since my mother left, my dad had been really down. I have no clue why she left, or where to, for that matter. Whenever I asked him he just reminded me of the chores that I had to do. Though he never said it, I knew he was hurt. I had seen that peculiar expression on his face many times before. It was the same face I made when I knew I had done something bad, or when I failed at something.
Had my dad failed my mom?
Is that why she left us?
Sometimes I have nightmares about Puco being sad. I don't want to see him like that. I'm scared. What if I fail him too? Would he leave just like my mom did?
I couldn't bear that thought. He was my only friend and so I decided I'd take Puco on a walk and nothing could stop me from making him happy.
At around noon, when a timid sun peeked through the gray sky, I called Puco to the front door. Dad had gone to work earlier so there was no one to nag at me and most importantly, no one to tell me not to take Puco out on a walk in this chilly weather. I was the boss, and I had decided I wanted Puco happy.
With his leash in hand, snow boots and jacket on; I was ready to go. It didn't take long for Puco to realize what was happening. You could see the realization dawn upon him when he ran to lick my face. This was what it was all for, it was all worth it to see Puco happy.
I attached the leash to his collar but before I stepped out of the house, Puco ran out faster than my mind could register. The sudden pull threw me off balance and I tumbled to the ground.
The farther I walked from home the more the cold stung, but it was nothing compared to the warmth I felt when I saw Puco happy. The meek sun had disappeared completely now.
We had come a long way and I had lost my way back home now. It got colder by the minute. I hadn't recognized anyone here. It was a weekday but none of the shops were open. I didn't know what to do anymore, so I continued to walk.
Even though the roads were deserted I didn't feel lonely. How could I? I had Puco's happy little face guiding the way.
“Hey, Kid!” I heard a whisper that scared me, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to see where it came from.
“You! Here! Come here.” I looked toward the direction of the sound. I knew this was against everything my dad taught me. He told me not to talk to strangers or to even pay attention to them but I just couldn't help it.
The voice came from an alleyway, just like in those old horror movies I watched with my dad on his birthday. I remembered how my dad screamed at the characters, instructing them to go the other way, to not follow the ominous sounds. None of them ever heard him, but I saw one of the actors alive at an award show a few days ago. How bad could following strange noises be?
It was just a stupid thought but I had to find out what that sound was. There was no one else around who could help me, so what choice did I have anyway?
I chained Puco to a nearby fence and followed the voice.
The sound was coming from a TV switched on in an abandoned shack nearby. There was something strange about this place. It seemed someone had forgotten to switch off the tv when they left. They didn't even close the door. I looked around and I finally found a way out of this mess - a phone.
Luckily, it was still charged so I could use it to call for help. I typed in my dad's number almost automatically as if my body knew what to do before I could even think of it.
After about 15 seconds, he picked up.
"Hello?"
"Dad--?"
"Son, where are you calling from?" He asked. He sounded stressed.
"I got lost. I was taking Puco out on a walk and I walked so far out that I have no idea how to get back home," I confessed, "please come and pick me up, dad," I pleaded.
"Oh for fu-" he was about to say something bad, I could tell. He sighed, "sure son, where are you right now?"
“I don't know, that's why I can't get home.” I guess he realized his error because he followed up with "can you describe the place around you? Anything you recognize?"
"Outside this building, across the street from here is a church. It has a yellow-colored roof, and it seems to be under construction.”
I heard a loud sound outside. A screech that sounded like a car drifting, swerving to avoid hitting something. I feared the worst as I ran out to check.
As soon as I got outside I was proven right. It was, in fact, a car, swerving away from me at what seems like lightning speed. That's not even the worst part.
I had tied Puco by a leash and because of me, he couldn't get out of the way of a speeding car. The car had hit him and kept driving. Puco was lying on the ground, the snow around him was now a crimson shade, bathed in the blood that seeped out of his wounded body.
Too many things were going through my mind, I didn't know what to do, what to focus on. I once saw, in a film, a nurse applying pressure on a bloody wound to keep it from bleeding. I put my hands on his wound and pushed as hard as I could to put a stop to the blood. I heard Puco whimper uncontrollably. I couldn't bear to see him in this much pain. His mouth was slightly ajar, and his breathing was slowing down every second. His eyes looked like all life was just about sucked out of them.
I kept a firm grasp on Puco's legs but it's of no use now. You can't revive a dead dog. I couldn't save him.
I hugged Puco's limp body and wept. My tears knew no limits, they just fell out of my eyes, and I could do nothing.
No, he doesn't deserve to go like this. I can't do anything to help, but I can bury him. He deserves that much at least.
I started to dig near the dog. My bare hands burned after a while but I knew I couldn't stop, I had to continue. Frostbite crept up from the snow and into my veins until my hands burned with an intense cramp. I rested my knees on the snow. An atmosphere of dejection had taken over. I looked at the tiny hole I managed to dig on the cold, hard ground as the falling snow started to fill it up again.
I looked to my right at his lifeless body. All I have are his memories now. I still remember how Puco used to run to me whenever I called his name.
“Puco?” A timid voice had called out from within me. I was still hoping he would get up and run to me, perhaps limp to me but instead, he just laid there, motionless, still dead.
My face was freezing from the never-ending tears.
When no one showed up to my birthday parties, Puco was there. When I needed someone to play with, he was always ready. Even in his sleep, he'd run to me when he heard my cries. He'd lick my face and let me know that he was there for me. Now in his time of need, I need to be there for him.
I started digging once again. I owed it to him.
My hands didn't take long to cramp up again but I didn't let it stop me, not this time. I continued digging and soon my hands grew numb. At this rate, they were nothing but tools for me to dig with. My whole body grew numb over time.
My tears had frozen over by the time I finished digging a grave big enough for Puco.
I looked over at him. With emotions choking me up I tried to say something but it just wouldn't come out.
I dragged him over. The crimson blood from the wound had dried up but it still left a trail as I dragged Puco to his snowy grave. I felt tired. It must be the numbness and the fatigue from digging, but I couldn't stand any longer. I fell on my face right next to Puco's grave.
I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. I could barely notice the sunshine peeking through the clouds. Slowly but surely, my eyelids inch closer and closer. I couldn't see much, save for a car approaching. Maybe it was my dad's car, but it didn't matter anymore.