Fight for Life

Chapter Two

The dogs dash to the front edge of the fence, with Maggie following behind. A frantic woman steps out of her car holding a limp puppy. She runs into the clinic. Maggie calls the dogs back. Sherlock comes straight away, but Mitzy just plops her tail to the ground. Maggie tells her to lie down, and she runs to the door. Maybe she’s not stupid at all, just confused.

Maggie herds the dogs inside and they’re greeted by friendly barks from boarding kennels. Mitzy is placed in her cage while Sherlock ambles to the door. Maggie can hear Gran inside the Dolittle Room, one of two exam rooms named by veterinarians in her favorite books. Maggie sticks her head inside the exam room.

Gran is a big woman. She’s taller than Maggie, has strong hands and arms, and wears bright colors. Her hair is short enough to dry with a towel, and she doesn’t wear makeup. Their patient is a black Labrador retriever, about maybe two months old. This little guy is way too thin for a puppy of his age. He’s lying on the table, his dark eyes sunk into his head. His coat is a dull black, dusted with white flakes.

Gran uses a stethoscope to listen to his heart and lungs, then feels his abdomen with her hands. When she tries to stand him up, he collapses on the table. The owner says she bought him at the farmer’s market on Penn Street two days ago. His name is Shelby. He was skinny and acted sleepy, but she thought he just needed some love. An hour ago, she came home to him lying on the floor.

Gran says he’s malnourished and probably has worms in his intestines. She’s going to take some tests on him. He’ll have to spend the night at the clinic. The owner worriedly runs her hands over Shelby’s back, writes down her phone number, and leaves.

As she does, the door bursts open again, this time with a man clutching a cardboard box, with twin toddler boys clutching his pants. Two identical black Lab puppies, looking exactly like Shelby, are sitting on a blanket in the box. He says something is terribly wrong.