The Trigger

The RNB music that I was playing and listening to completely thudded throughout the whole house in the middle of the night as I am enthusiastically nodding my head and stumping my feet harmonizing unanimously with its beat and rhythm.

I intentionally raise the volume of the music to its maximum level since we don’t have any nearby neighbors who might throw me with stones for public disturbance.

Every Sunday night, I always played the song several times using my aged stereo cassette. Listening while humming to the song not only took off my boredom but also helps me ease up my mind.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

My great enthusiasm from whining one of my preferred songs was completely intermittent by the thunderous knocking on my door.

I greeted my teeth, scrunched up my face, and clenched my fist in total frustration as I sighed when I was at my peak after someone suddenly interrupted.

I then lowered the volume of the music.

“Mom…what? I am busy! If you need anything, I can’t do it right now. Sorry… I love you!” I babyishly said.

I am absolutely hectic in my room knitting my lacrosse stick in preparation for the opening of classes this Monday.

“Clark, I’ll be out for the night. Duty calls. I left some food in the fridge for your dinner. I got to go, all right? And please, for God’s sake, switch off the music. That’s gross. Bye!” She then descended downstairs and headed to the garage.

That was my loving and caring mom, Judie Mcwell. She was the hardest working employee I have ever known. Working eighteen hours a day is quite depressing.

The two of us vacated the house after my dad has been promoted and transferred to another Police precinct in New York City ten miles from us.

Lucky for him, he was promoted as the Police Captain in the New York precinct, while it was considered a catastrophe for me and my mom.

Perhaps, he already forgot the two of us. He never gives himself the chance to give us a visit, a call, or even a simple text. Even on my graduation day from my junior year. He promised but in the end, never showed.

I truly hate people who always do promises.

It has been almost three years since he left, while mom was suffering from paying for all our expenses in the house including my school fees, not to mention the loan she acquired from the bank.

Seeing her feeling completely exhausted every time she went home, my heart squeezes. It pains my heart so badly.

Given the circumstances, I decided to work part-time as an attendee in an Animal Clinic just a few walks from school to ease her frustration and suffering.

After hearing the screeching sound from the tire of our old car, I slowly raised back the volume of the music.

As I was about to, I suddenly heard some soft bizarre cracking sounds from the outside of the house. For security purposes, I got my baseball bat that was hidden under my bed.

I immediately descended outside to check the house. It felt kind of strange when it was already past night in the evening.

“Kevin, is that you? You know I am tougher than that. You cannot scare me anymore. Come on Kevin, better show yourself now.”

Kevin Stewart was my best friend since we were kids. Every night, he always comes to visit to hang out with me to play boring board games and sometimes, watching porn together.

Unfortunately, I didn’t hear any response from him or anyone. It was a quiet and peaceful night but it seems kind of strange as though I am certain it sounded like footsteps.

When I was about to step in back inside the house, I heard the cracking sound again.

I slowly scrubbed and rolled my eyes and wagged my head to every intersection of the house and saw nothing but the thick forest in front of me and the half-crescent moon that lit up throughout the place.

“Okay, just to remind you, I have a gun with me and I am pretty sure and will not hesitate to shoot you. So, you better show yourself or leave the premises.” I held the bat tighter and courageously said though my heart was beating the hell out of me.

I twirl my glare and feel anxious. It was at this moment that I saw something moving so fast on the rooftop.

I felt completely terrified when a daunting man-size dog unexpectedly showed up.

The dog has shimmering red horrifying eyes and has razor-sharp long claws and fangs while its mouth was full of saliva, trickling.

It growled and snarled heavily.

In a blink of an eye, I felt even more terrified when it suddenly disappeared from the rooftop.

My hands were started shaking and my heart was trembling like a drum and my body started to produce sweat profusely.

I ran to the house and opened the door when, unfortunately; the dog hardly snatched my clothes and threw me to the ground.

I easily stumbled and moaned. The worst part, I had thrown the baseball bat

The dog immediately jumped onto my body and tried scratching and biting me when I moved my body side by side and securely covered my face with my bare hands as it continued from growling and barking.

As I looked at the dog, I am certain that it was not just some kind of an ordinary dog as its claws and fangs were more piercing and elongated. Not to mention its terrifying glowing red eyes and its body was like of a man-size.

I hardly fought back by kicking and pushing to shun myself out from any possible bites form the dog but it was wholly strong.

When I was able to reach the baseball bat, I hardly whipped it directly to its head, enough that it felt pain and ran back to the forest.

I sighed and breathed deeply after the dog was already out of sight.

Blood. My hand was full of blood when I saw my hands after I touched my stomach.

Trembling knees, I stood up and raised my shirts. Unfortunately, perhaps, as I keep combating with the dog, it managed to slash or bite me without noticing.

I hardly leaned my arms to the ground and forcing my feet to step heading back inside. I took off the telephone in the kitchen and called my mom for help.

My mom felt completely worried after hearing my exhausted voice over the phone. She immediately called the Sheriff’s Department to rescue and check me in the house.

After a few minutes, some police officers arrived at the house. And come next to them was my mom.

“My goodness, what happened to my son? Clark, are you alright, honey?”

My mom grabbed my body and pressed the wound with a towel.

She ordered one of the Police Officer to get the medical kit in the kitchen.

”We had searched throughout the area, Mrs. Mcwell but we haven’t found any trace from the dog. I’m sorry.” One of the Police officers said.

“Perhaps, the dog that attacked your son was one of the abandoned street dogs that were wandering throughout Green Hills.” One of the Police Officer added.

The other Police Officers assisted my mom in cleaning and applying some first aid to my stomach while the others were securing the area.

After applying some pain killer and putting an adhesive bandage wrapping my waist, she straightens out her legs and leaned her back to the wall. She sighed.

“Okay, thank you all for coming, officers. I think I can handle it from here. We will just call you back if the dog comes again.” She said after confirming I am already out in danger.

Thanks to my mom, who has been working for almost ten years in Green Hills Public Hospital ideally knows to do first aid, really paid off.

The Police went out of the house and continued their search operation. Mom, on the other hand, stood up, removed, and cleaned the blood that stained the tiles.

Afterward, she securely locked all the doors.

She decided not to go back to the hospital to continue her night shift; instead, she stayed and guarded the house and she gently assisted me upstairs.

“Are you still in pain, son?” She worriedly asked.

“Yeah, I think I’ll survive the night. Thanks, mom.”

My mother then went out of my room and marched downstairs.

And that is where my story begins.