Good Dog (Flash Fiction Horror)

Monty, an overfed yellow lab, snuggled into Sandra’s lap. He whimpered in fear at the echoing bang of each gunshot that crept closer and closer. Sandra petted his ears and pulled him close. “It’s okay baby, I got you. Those monsters won’t hurt you.” 

His stressed panting grew louder as the officers came down the block stopping at every home. She had to make a plan to save Monty. He was the only child that life had given to a barren, lonely woman. 

Sandra got off her dog hair coated couch and walked into the kitchen. Monty followed with a whine and a yawn. “Alright, Momma’s gonna save you, okay Monty? I’m going to give you this tiny pill, then you have a nappy poo while the bad men are here.” Being a dog, Monty didn’t answer but waited excitedly for the treat wrapped medicine and ate it. Within five minutes he was passed out and Sandra had figured out the perfect hiding spot. 

The house she lived in was very old, and in the laundry room there was a hatch door and cubby. She was told by her realtor that it was for storing firewood during the winter. The dryer sat atop the unused space now. Pushing the dryer to the side, she opened the hatch and dropped in Monty’s bed. Next Sandra pulled his massive weight into the hiding spot, being especially careful not to hurt him. 

The shots were now coming from just a couple of houses away. “They’re not doing anything to my sweet Monty. The bastards!” She closed the lid, pulled the dryer back in place and put an old blanket inside. Running the dryer was part of the plan. She was counting on the machine to hide Monty’s heat signature. The news said they would bring heat scanners when they came to do their evil deed. 

The crafty woman then came up with a story to tell the officers. They would know she had a dog by all the hair and dog toys around. With a plan in place, Sandra began to cry and when she stopped crying she pinched under her arm until the tears came on again. Finally, ten minutes into her sobbing fit with her face nothing but a tear and snot covered mess, they knocked. 

She opened her front door and immediately began wailing louder. “Your too late! He’s already gone!” She screamed at the grim faced officers. 

“Sorry Ma’am, but we have to look. It’s our orders. Please stand outside while we search the premises.” The man put an arm around her shoulders and gently directed her out onto the porch. The tears were no show then, her fear at losing her furbaby was crippling.

“You won’t find anything. I had him put down peacefully and humanely. He’s going to have the finest headstone at Perston’s cemetery. No way was I going to let him be murdered by you horrible thugs.” She spat at the ground and the officers watching her exchanged guilty glances. The youngest officer who looked like he should be operating a drive thru window and not a rifle, spoke up. “Ma’am, I understand that this is difficult but you have to realize the national threat we face.” 

“Screw your threat! My baby was perfect. He wouldn’t have let anything hurt me. Now he’s gone. All because the stupid sheep of this country are scared. Well screw you! Now hurry the hell up and get out of my house so I can greave in peace.” She broke into a long sob. 

Sandra overheard the young man tell the others, “This is a waste of time, come on. Did you get a hit?” 

A round faced man answered “Nope, nothing yet.”

“Well let’s get on to the next house then.” He tipped his hat at Sandra and she gave him the finger as they silently filed past and up to her neighbors house. 

Later that night, Sandra cuddled Monty in her bed while he slept off the tranquilizer she’d given him. Stroking his fur gently, she whispered “Good night my little Monty poo. Mommy’s here.” Then she snuggled her head next to his and fell deep asleep. 

As dawn crept across the sky, Monty whined softly as the tiny plump worm that had been growing in his brain, burrowed out if it’s hiding place. The paralyzing bites it gave while exiting made sure the host would not wake it’s next victim. Using thousands of microscopic suctions along its body, it pulled itself into Sandra’s warm ear canal. She screamed in excruciating  pain as it bored through her skin and entered the brain cavity. First thing it did as it took control was to stop her noise. It couldn’t do anything about what she said inside but it was in control of the shell. Then, as was customary on the ear worms planet, it feasted on the discarded animal’s body. One of the parasites first coherent thoughts was that he hoped the stupid human would lose sanity soon and shut up. Her overreacting and internally screaming “No!” and “Don’t!” about eating a simple meal was disturbing. It would have to find another host soon if she kept it up. 
Image is from

https://www.etsy.com/listing/446543864/yellow-lab-watercolor-limited-edition?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=yellow%20lab&ref=sc_gallery_1&plkey=ea7cdf002071be09b93a67a7997390d9ac91ec75:446543864