Kreative Kue 209

Kreative Kue 208 asked for submissions based on this photograph:

John W Howell is the author of the John Cannon trilogy of My GRL, His Revenge, Our Justice and Circumstances of Childhood, co-author of The Contract, and blogs at Fiction Favorites.

The Plan by John W. Howell © 2019

“Ho Ho. Mama and I love each other.”

“Yeah right. Go ahead and enjoy yourself. You’ll be back down here when she gets tired of you.”

“Says you. Look at that smile. She thinks I’m the cutest.”

“Everyone likes a little puppy kiss now and then. It will become old hat pretty soon.”

“I think you are jealous.”

“Me jealous? You have got to be kidding me. I just want you down here so I can explain my plan.”

“Plan? What plan?”

“Let me ask you. Do you enjoy living in this teapot on wheels?”

“It’s okay. Nice and cozy.”

“Well, I can remember running across the meadows free as a bird. Now you try to run, and you get about as far as the end of the leash.”

“Yes but Mom and Dad said this was only temporary while they are on vacation.”

“Temporary? How long has it been? You tell me.”

“I don’t know. Dad said we would be gone a month.”

“Do you know how long that is in dog years?”

“I’m a puppy. How would I know?”

“Seven months we have been held captive in this tin can.”

“Wow. That does seem like a long time.”

“So here’s what we are going to do. As soon as you stop licking Mama’s face, you are going to whine to go out. I will do the same. Once we get outside, we will slip out collars and take off for the open road.”

“Slip our collars? I’ve never done that.”

“It’s easy. First, you bolt forward. Then when Mama pulls you back you turn around and duck your head. Like magic, the collar comes right off.”

“How did you know how to do this?”

“Humans always pull back when you lunge forward. The collar and leash are designed to hold you from getting away with tension in the forward position. The collar is not designed for the reverse. I have practiced a few times. So you got that?”

“I think so. Where are we going to get dinner on the road?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a stray rabbit or something.”

“Ew. You mean a raw rabbit?”

“Yes, I mean a raw rabbit. Our ancestors lived that way for centuries.”

“You going to catch it?”

“I suppose.”

“Skin it.”

“OMG, why don’t I just order out.”

“Maybe we could make our get-away after dinner.”

“What and miss our after-dinner walk and treat?.”

“This is sounding like a not good idea.”

“Okay. How about tomorrow?”

“Good. After breakfast then.”

“You’re on.”

“Wait.”

“What?”

“We always have ‘fetch the ball’ session after breakfast.”

“Let’s just serve our time shall we?”

“I’m good with that.”

---

And this from Kristian, who blogs regularly at Tales from the mind of Kristian.

Home from Home. Copyright: 2019, Kristian Fogarty

It may look a bit derelict and the internal décor may be a uniform brown colour, but this motor home meant a lot to her. It meant freedom.

For years she had wanted a holiday, a vacation away from home, but they couldn’t afford it. With two dogs, that had made it even harder to get away, they couldn’t afford to put them in kennels.

Then, as luck would have it, her husband managed to pick up this second-hand motor home for practically nothing! It was a dream come true and they could take the dogs with them.

Unfortunately the engine blew up and now, stuck in the lay by, she waited with her dogs for company while her husband went to find some help. It was after all, his fault for not giving the engine a thorough checking over before they’d set off on this journey.

She only hoped they could find help soon on this lonely stretch of road. She’d only packed enough food for a couple of days. They may end up all eating the dog food.

---

Meanwhile, my effort was:

Sorry, Lewis!

The time has come, the wire-fox said,
To think of where we’re at.
You, young Jack, have just arrived,
And you are such a brat.
The pecking order must be set
And that’s an end to that.

I’m the leader of this pack
Whate’er the humans think
And if you try to push me out
I’ll kick up such a stink
You need to understand, I’m not
As soft as you may think

Get your puppy-tail down here
Your place is down below
As the alpha male, I should
Be up there, as you know.
Your turn will come after I’m gone
Though I’m not keen to go.

Now listen here, the Jack replied
Your mind is in a muddle
I’ve seen what you’re like in the night
I’ve seen you leave a puddle.
Just stay down there, enjoy the view
While I enjoy a cuddle.

Admit you’re old, your wiriness
And up here you can’t scamper,
And that it falls to me to join
Our mistress for a pamper.
But worry not, my foxy friend,
There’s still room in the camper.

---

On to this week’s challenge: Using this photo as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.