JC in India

Laika raised her head, stirring slowly from her heat-induced slumber. She looked around to see the rest of her pack nearby, the unconscious familiarity providing reassurance. 

It was a hot day. While the words and the numbers to describe such were not available to her, the knowing was there. Not a hardship though, instead just a way of life fully accustomed to, and none the wiser of any alternative.

She was thirsty, so raised herself slowly from her resting place aside the road, and padded down to the bowl where normally water was found for her and the rest of the pack. It was empty. She looked around at the nearby guard who sat in the shade, finding a balance between watching the world go by and checking that thing in his hand that made noises and lit up on occasion. He noticed her looking, rose and went off into the driveway of the house he was guarding, and soon returned with a bottle to refill the bowl.

The rest of the pack stirred and came to share the water. It would soon be dark, and then the heat would dissipate slightly, and they would be ready to patrol their turf again.

Until then though, with the sun still beating down, Laika slowly padded her way to find shelter under a car that had parked up the street opposite the big brown gates.

She shuffled under, soon accompanied by one other of her pack, both panting in the heat but relieved by the shade and the recent drink. They rested their muzzles on the ground and dozed.

Laika was awoken by voices and footsteps around the car. It was still light, but the sun was lower, so the road was by now naturally in the shade. She looked around and saw she was alone. The rest of the pack were lying further down the road. She rose, came out from under the car, and started in their direction.

Behind her, the big brown gates opened. She stopped to look back. Coming through the gates was the different coloured man, the one with the lighter hair and the fairer skin. He had two big things in his hands and passed them to another man who placed them into the car under which she had been lying.

She had seen this man many times over the last few years. Her animal mind registering his comings and goings over time. He had often watched her and her fellow pack – always in a kind and peaceful way though, she could sense.

Laika watched as he was talking to the people at the gate, shaking their human paws together. It seemed to be a more important moment than the former times she had seen him come and go. 

He looked at her, recognising her familiarity. She stared back, and in a way, she knew this was a different event. His gaze lingered longer than normal, and a warm smile appeared. He gave her a gentle nod of his head, smile broadening. He climbed into the car, looking back at her again as he did, still giving her a warm smile.

She watched the car drive off up the street, soon disappearing into the distance.

Laika turned and trotted to her pack. The evening was coming, and it would soon be time to patrol the local streets for food and for territory. She lay down in the shade to wait for the right time to go, resting her muzzle on the warm tarmac.

Somehow, she knew she would never see the fair-skinned man again.