heart breaking for him.
“It’s going to be okay, sir,” she said. “Let’s see if we can make her comfortable until the doctor can see her.
“She saved me,” said the man, his voice cracking. “I don’t even own a gun. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Dee helped him lay Mabel gently on the table. She licked her owner’s hand in an affectionate gesture, keeping her intelligent eyes on him the entire time.
“She knows she ain’t gonna make it,” said the man, tears silently streaming down his face.
Dee closed the door behind her to give him some privacy with his companion. She wiped her eyes and looked around the room before walking to Linda. “Who’s next?”
*
The night didn’t get any easier. Dee tried to help out. She realized a lot of kids were being brought in, their injured parents afraid to leave them at home alone, so she distracted the children until their parents could be treated.
Grandpa came out of Mabel’s exam room, shaking his head. About fifteen minutes later, the owner came out, empty-handed.
“She’s gone,” he said simply and made his way out of the clinic.
“Poor man,” said Linda. “I remember when he got Mabel as a puppy. She was such a good dog with his kids. He must be devastated.”
“He should have something to remember her,” said Dee. “I’ll be right back.”
Dee ran after the man, holding the collar in her hand. He took it from her with thanks, then turned and went into the night.
She stood for a few minutes, letting the crisp night air refresh her. There was no moon, but the stars twinkled at her from a cloudless sky. A sound nearby startled her, and she jumped. Out of the shadows another man materialized, holding his arms around his mid-section.
“Help me,” he said, coming towards her, and stumbled. Dee automatically moved to support him and he leaned heavily on her.
“Come on in,” said Dee. “My grandpa’s the doctor and he can help you.”
Once inside, Dee tried to help the man to a seat but he clung to her, so she took him to Linda at the front desk. “I’ve got a new patient here,” she said. “I think it’s serious.”
Linda looked up to assess the new patient and her face went very still, her movements careful. “Sure, Dee. I’ll show him to a room and send the doctor right in.” She didn’t look at his wound or call him by name like she had with the other patients.
“Is everything okay, Linda?” Dee asked.
“Of course, of course,” she said, coming around the counter and offering the man her arm.
“If it’s all the same to you, I’ll let Dee here help me,” he said.
“She’s just a volunteer,” said Linda. “She’s not qualified to help patients.”
“I said I want the girl’s help,” said the man, his voice loud and adamant. He drew a pistol out of the inner pocket of his coat and showed it to Linda. She stepped back.
“That’s better,” said the man. He gave Dee a hard smile. “Now, take me in back and we’ll wait for this grandpa of yours.”
CHAPTER THREE
D EE RISKED A GLANCE at her mom. Claire rose to her feet, a stricken expression on her face. “Let me help you, sir. Dr. Kerns is my dad.”
“I’ve got all the help I need right here. Come on, girl. Show me to my room.”
The man leaned heavily on her, and Dee’s legs trembled, though she wasn’t sure whether it was from his weight or her own fear. Was this one of the men that had attacked the town tonight? What would he do to her?
“Come on,” she said, a quaver in her voice despite her efforts to stay calm.
She took him into the room where Mabel still lay on the exam table.
“What’s wrong with you people? Is this a hospital or a bunch of animal do-gooders?” the man sneered. He pushed at the body of the dog and it started to slide to the edge of the table. “That looks like the stupid mutt that bit my buddy earlier.”
“I’ll get her,” said Dee, moving quickly to keep the dog from falling off the
“It’s going to be okay, sir,” she said. “Let’s see if we can make her comfortable until the doctor can see her.
“She saved me,” said the man, his voice cracking. “I don’t even own a gun. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Dee helped him lay Mabel gently on the table. She licked her owner’s hand in an affectionate gesture, keeping her intelligent eyes on him the entire time.
“She knows she ain’t gonna make it,” said the man, tears silently streaming down his face.
Dee closed the door behind her to give him some privacy with his companion. She wiped her eyes and looked around the room before walking to Linda. “Who’s next?”
*
The night didn’t get any easier. Dee tried to help out. She realized a lot of kids were being brought in, their injured parents afraid to leave them at home alone, so she distracted the children until their parents could be treated.
Grandpa came out of Mabel’s exam room, shaking his head. About fifteen minutes later, the owner came out, empty-handed.
“She’s gone,” he said simply and made his way out of the clinic.
“Poor man,” said Linda. “I remember when he got Mabel as a puppy. She was such a good dog with his kids. He must be devastated.”
“He should have something to remember her,” said Dee. “I’ll be right back.”
Dee ran after the man, holding the collar in her hand. He took it from her with thanks, then turned and went into the night.
She stood for a few minutes, letting the crisp night air refresh her. There was no moon, but the stars twinkled at her from a cloudless sky. A sound nearby startled her, and she jumped. Out of the shadows another man materialized, holding his arms around his mid-section.
“Help me,” he said, coming towards her, and stumbled. Dee automatically moved to support him and he leaned heavily on her.
“Come on in,” said Dee. “My grandpa’s the doctor and he can help you.”
Once inside, Dee tried to help the man to a seat but he clung to her, so she took him to Linda at the front desk. “I’ve got a new patient here,” she said. “I think it’s serious.”
Linda looked up to assess the new patient and her face went very still, her movements careful. “Sure, Dee. I’ll show him to a room and send the doctor right in.” She didn’t look at his wound or call him by name like she had with the other patients.
“Is everything okay, Linda?” Dee asked.
“Of course, of course,” she said, coming around the counter and offering the man her arm.
“If it’s all the same to you, I’ll let Dee here help me,” he said.
“She’s just a volunteer,” said Linda. “She’s not qualified to help patients.”
“I said I want the girl’s help,” said the man, his voice loud and adamant. He drew a pistol out of the inner pocket of his coat and showed it to Linda. She stepped back.
“That’s better,” said the man. He gave Dee a hard smile. “Now, take me in back and we’ll wait for this grandpa of yours.”
CHAPTER THREE
D EE RISKED A GLANCE at her mom. Claire rose to her feet, a stricken expression on her face. “Let me help you, sir. Dr. Kerns is my dad.”
“I’ve got all the help I need right here. Come on, girl. Show me to my room.”
The man leaned heavily on her, and Dee’s legs trembled, though she wasn’t sure whether it was from his weight or her own fear. Was this one of the men that had attacked the town tonight? What would he do to her?
“Come on,” she said, a quaver in her voice despite her efforts to stay calm.
She took him into the room where Mabel still lay on the exam table.
“What’s wrong with you people? Is this a hospital or a bunch of animal do-gooders?” the man sneered. He pushed at the body of the dog and it started to slide to the edge of the table. “That looks like the stupid mutt that bit my buddy earlier.”
“I’ll get her,” said Dee, moving quickly to keep the dog from falling off the
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