Bulldogs: A Short Story

“Are you awake?” my mother’s frantic voice startles me. “Yes, of course,” I respond while wiping the rheum from the corner of my eyes. “Our witless dog ate rat poisoning. We have to drive her to the hospital,” she says while ripping the warm duvet off of me. I don’t ask questions and stumble to the car in my nightgown. Bella, our family dog, walks with her head down towards the car, clearly regretting her appetite. My mom lifts her into the car and Bella lays on my lap tentatively. Bella is usually aloof as most bulldogs are, but in this time of stress she appreciates me stroking her fur. We live thirty minutes out of town so we have a bit of a drive ahead of us. Most people would feel overwhelmed under these circumstances, but I feel oddly