Harley’s Second Chance – Chapter 7

(Harley)

The scent of diesel was fading fast and with it, my hopes of finding Chance. Last month, I would have welcomed the idea of never seeing that silly dog again, but now…

My breath caught in my throat as I felt a spring in my hind legs wanting to leap me off into a frantic chase toward the diesel scent.

“What’s going on?” Vinnie asked.

I didn’t realize he had run after me and was now standing next to me. “What’s going on?” He asked again.

“They took Chance,” I replied.

“You mean that crazy Beagle who chases the Great Danes, Rottweilers and Shepherds?” He laughed. “I knew it was only a matter of time.”

“What?” I couldn’t believe how callous he was about the whole thing. “Humans,” I explained. “Bad humans took Chance. Look,” I nodded toward Daisy and Mitch. “His human doesn’t even know her dog is gone.”

“Oh,” he said, and then went silent.

I couldn’t blame him. That oh pretty much summed up exactly how I felt, except I wasn’t just going to stand there. I had to do something to find Chance and reunite him with Daisy. Suddenly, I had the perfect idea.

“I’m going to need your help,” I said to Vinnie.

He looked at me as though I just told him I found his buried bone in his front yard. “How?”

“I need you to alert as many dogs as you can and tell them what happened. But, don’t let the humans hear the panic in your bark. Go!” I barked.

Vinnie headed back to the beach, but I wasn’t sure if I could count on him. Deep down, I had a feeling that I was going to be on my own. I raced to the edge of the dog beach and whiffed out the remaining scent of diesel in the air. It was definitely coming from the South, so that’s the direction I took off in.

I passed other humans, cars, bikes and trucks, but I kept my focus on the diesel scent. I had gone just over two miles when the diesel scent started to get stronger and stronger and I was thrilled to be getting closer, but also nervous.

I didn’t really have a plan except to go in to where Chance was and get him out of there. But I was just a dog, and not a very big one at that. I wondered if Mitch had noticed I was gone yet.

Would Mitch and Daisy think that Chance and I just ran off? Would they be worried, or think that we would come back on our own? My life with Mitch was a good one and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I hoped he wouldn’t think this was me being ungrateful or unloving. I just had to save my friend, and I hoped that Mitch would understand.

I came to a large garage filled with small boats. The scent of salt was overpowering the diesel, but only slightly. My nose was still on track, so I slipped right inside a small hole in the chain-link fence.

The moment I was inside, everything changed. Even the hairs on the back of my neck stood on ends. I shook, but as soon as my collar and tags jingled, I knew that was a mistake. There were footsteps and they headed in my direction.

Hide. I had to find a place to hide. I sought refuge under an overturned canoe whose side had rusted through. This wasn’t a garage that fixed boats; it was a salvage yard for boats.

I wondered if Vinnie had done what I asked, and more importantly, if he’d been successful. Did any of the dogs even care if Chance went missing? He had chased most of them and they didn’t seem too pleased about it. Maybe they would welcome the thought of him being gone.

I shuddered at the thought, but stayed quiet as a mouse, hoping the feet dressed in ugly, foul smelling work boots would pass right by me. That’s when I heard a soft whimper. Chance! I wanted to scream, I wanted to bark, I wanted to run to him, but I couldn’t. If I left my hiding place now, I wouldn’t stand a chance against that mean man who’s feet were almost as big as the canoe I was hiding under.

There was another soft whimper, followed by a deep, throaty growl, only the growl came from the street on the other side of the fence. I strained my neck to see who was there, and nearly gasped.

Vinnie had come through after all. At least two-dozen dogs, mostly all the big ones were standing on the other side of the fence, growling, showing their teeth and looking bigger and meaner than I had ever seen them.

A surge of joy went through me. “Chance! I’m coming!” I called out, not caring if the mean man heard me. I had back-up. “Cover me, Guys!” I called out to them as I made a dash for the door labeled “Office.”

I heard the dogs crawling through the hole in the fence, while others took a few steps back for a running start to leap over the fence. Adrenaline flooded my body as I clawed at the door, willing it to open so I could get to Chance.

But just as I thought the door was about to give way, I heard one of the guys creeping up. I turned just in time to catch him off guard.

Four of the big dogs surrounded us, baring their teeth. “Not me, guys. Save Chance. Please. Break down that door. I heard him whimpering, and I think he’s inside.”

The Great Dane looked over his shoulder and within moments, he had the attention and agreement from the other dogs about their plan of action. Oh, this was going to be good. I strategically inched away from the door as the man with the smelly boots moved with me. He was swinging his legs trying to kick me, but missing every time. It would’ve been hilarious if I wasn’t so worried about Chance.

That’s when I saw Vinnie. The dog that’d never hurt a fly was charging at the man, teeth bared, eyes glazed and pupils so dilated I thought the whole world would fit in them. Vinnie wasn’t a large dog like the Great Dane, but he sure could pack a punch.

Then, just as Vinnie was got closer I saw the man pull out a pocketknife. “Vinnie, NO!” I shouted.

But it was too late. Vinnie jumped on the man, his teeth sinking into his arm.

“Vinnie!” I yelped, jumping on the man hoping to knock the knife out of his hand, but then, I felt a deep, sharp pain unlike anything I’d ever known. I let out a cry so loud, I thought Mitch would hear it all the way at the beach.

Two more dogs attacked the man, while another three dogs went after another guy – the one that took Chance. I watched the Great Dane and three of his closest and biggest friends break down the door as if it was just a toothpick standing in their way.

I lay on the warm ground, an awkward red liquid pooling under me. I couldn’t move, but I sighed with relief, knowing that these dogs weren’t going to let anything happen to Chance. Even if I couldn’t save him myself, he would be okay.

“Harley!” Chance’s voice broke through the daze I’d been in. His bark sounded so good. I don’t think I’d ever been so happy to hear that purebred as I was right now.

“Chance,” I whispered, trying to get up, but my legs wouldn’t move. “You’re okay.” I licked his face as he knelt down beside me, sniffing at the red liquid.

“Don’t move,” he ordered. “I’ll get help.”

“Help? What for? You’re okay now. Everything is okay,” I whispered. And that’s when I heard the sirens and the loud screeching of tires.

Dozens of footsteps came rushing through the gate, but there was only one that I cared about

“Harley!” Mitch yelled.

Mitch. He found me. “I love you, Mitch.” I licked at his fingers as he gently lifted me off the ground, wrapping my rag-like body in a towel.

“There’s an emergency vet clinic down the street,” Daisy urged. “Come on!”

I don’t remember what happened after that. But some time must have passed, because the next thing I knew, I was in a hospital with an IV in my paw and Mitch sitting slumped over in a chair next to me, his hand resting in front of my face.

I licked his hand, between the fingers by the knuckles like when we first met. A soft laugh escaped his lips as he leaned in close to my face and kissed my nose. “There you are,” he whispered. “I almost lost you.”

Lost me? Mitch could never lose me. He was my best friend, and the only human I loved more than anything else in the world.

The door opened and Daisy came in. “The pet insurance company called. They said not to worry about the vet bill, and to just focus on getting her better. How’s she doing?” She had her arm around Mitch’s shoulders.

“I think she’ll be okay,” he said, looking up at her with a soft smile.

Okay, maybe Mitch wasn’t the only human I loved. My mind drifted to Chance and the other dogs. Was he okay? Were they? Was he hurt in the commotion? Where was he?

A soft whining answered that question. He had been next to Daisy the whole time. I just hadn’t noticed him. Or smelled him, which was weird since he usually stunk to high heaven of salt and fish after a trip to the beach.

“Thanks for saving me,” Chance said. His eyes were soft as he tried to get closer to me. I tried to move, but Mitch put a gentle hand on me and I knew he wanted me to lay still.

“You would’ve done the same thing for me. Are you okay?” I asked. “Did anyone else get hurt?”

Chance grinned a silly grin and I knew he was up to something. “I’m great and every one else is too. The bad guys got arrested and all the dogs are calling you a hero. But, you might not be so thrilled when you hear the latest news.”

“What?” I asked, straining to see him. “What happened?”

Chance shook and sat down as close to me as his leash would allow. “We’re going to be a family. Mitch asked Daisy to move in with him last night.” The giddiness in his voice was adorable. But, he was wrong about one thing.

I was thrilled. Really and truly. Mitch and Daisy. Chance and I. What a family we would make.