War of the Sexes

Chapter 10

Luke didn't come out from his corner until I was almost asleep. He trotted over, head hung low, nudging my side hesitantly. I reached out and rubbed his head, pulling the plate over for him.

Luke cocked his head up at me, wondering if it was meant for him.

I pushed the plate closer, smiling gently at me. Sleep fogged my vision, giving me an unclear picture as to what he did exactly. I didn't need it though.

I'd always had a good relationship to cats growing up. Apparently the same relationship ran with the dogs too. At least this one did.

Luke sat down, dipping his head to eat my leftovers. I knew I was going to get very hungry soon. I was barely getting anything to eat as it was, now I

was giving up part of my meals to this poor thing.

I just hoped Clayton would start feeding me more.

I leaned on my side, getting a curious look from Luke. I assumed that I posed little threat if any, for he quickly went back to eating. Maybe it wouldn't

matter how big of a threat I was. Hunger was hunger and food was food.

Breathing had begun to hurt. With every inhale, I found a pain. I didn't want to breath. It hurt. Badly. Worse than anything yet.

And I had thought the ankle was bad enough.

To not want to breathe, it was a feeling barely explainable. I began to wish to die right there than to have to take another painful, ragged breath in.

It didn't take long for the puppy to notice this.

He rubbed his nose against my arm. I groaned slightly at the pain. And then again at the pain of groaning. Luke whimpered slightly, getting under my

arm to snuggle with me.

I lightly stroked him, trying hard not to put any pressure on my already painful stomach. Luke fidgeted, trying to make himself comforted as well. I

groaned louder than expected at the pain.

Oh gosh. I took shorter breathes to see if that would help.

A bomb of thunder rattled the room. I jumped, surprised at how suddenly the storm had started. I could hear the faint fall of rain from the outside.

Luke jumped as well, catching my arm with his paw. I cussed under my breath at the additional and unnecessary pain, trying to calm him down.

It didn't work.

By the second crack of thunder, Luke raced off to the corner, cowering in fear. I couldn't see him after that.

I was alone in the first thunderstorm since being kidnapped.

And I was scared as hell.

~*~

"Ellie?" I heard a deep voice call. I didn't move, finally in a position where I got the least amount of pain possible.

"Are yo...." A crack of thunder sounded, drowning out the rest of his words. As soon as it stopped, my ears picked up feet walking down the accursed

stairs.

"Ellie?" the voice called again. I was breathing in and out slowly, hoping to fool whoever it was into thinking I was asleep.