Ubermas 05' - I'll Be Home For Christmas (1000 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.96 on 28 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by ahumblefool (View user info) at 2005-12-08 18:41:45 EST
This was by far his favorite time of the year. Although he enjoyed springs and summers, the man, woman and girl were always happier, kinder and rewarding during this season. It was a time of warm fires, scraps from the table, and his fill of pigs ears, his favorite treat.
The soft caress of snowflakes tickled his fur, sending a delicious chill throughout his old body. He followed with a slow gait, trying to walk where they walked; it was easier to traverse the field of chest high snow. He always thought it peculiar to go out and cut a tree down to bring into the home. Memories of his nose being slapped for urinating on the tree sent a brief tremor of fear into his heart. He knew now that it was wrong to pee on the inside tree, but it was okay to pee on a tree outside, although it confused him, he did not like the sensation of being smacked by his people. The sudden soft stroke of a hand on his golden fur calmed him and eased his trembling, his girl had grown with him and he felt a strong connection to her.
Out of the corner of his eye he caught motion. His head turned to follow, while the rest of his body tensed, tail stiff, ears pointed forwards. This animal he had seen many times, they were fast, but an instinct welled within him, one that told him to take chase. It was the same instinct that sometimes would build when the girl would rough house with him, a need to dominate, the overpowering urge to bite and tear. He was so often torn by these feelings, a need to attack and a strong need to love. This time, maybe it was age or his desire to feel like the puppy again forced him to take chase, the need to feel what he felt when he was younger.
His keen ears listened as the man called his name, telling him to come back. The deep snow forced him to lunge, to use every muscle in his body to push through the snow. The chase was on, and for the moment he was more alive. The creature pressed ahead, into the trees, he followed and the sounds of his girls frantic calls disappeared into the winter hush. His ears flapped in the wind, the cold bite stung his nose and eyes, but he could not control the actions that flowed through every nerve of his body. In time he grew tired and had to stop, he was grinning as all of his breed would do, panting heartily enjoying the moment. As he stood amongst the trees, the cold began to seep into his bones and a sense of dread began to seep into his mind. His ears perked listening intently for the call of his name, he could easily hear his women's voice from a great distance, the mans whistle would hurt his ears greatly, but he could hear no noises.
On tired and weakened legs he began to follow his own scent back the way he had come. Occasionally stopping to mark territory, and to mark his way should his senses cause him to circle. He continued to listen for the sounds of his girl but could hear nothing. Soon he realized that he must have run much farther than at first thought. Looking ahead he could see that the snow was beginning to once again fall so he tried to increase his speed. In time he reached the spot where he had started, his people were no where to be seen. His nose traveled in circles, he could smell panic from his girl, and he could sense the smells of anger and frustration. His tail instinctively tucked under his bottom, and he released a small drizzle of urine. He knew from these smells that he was going to be punished, and he was afraid. But as he circled he also smelled a deep sadness, the smell of tears. He knew this smell well because as he and his girl had aged, many times she would bury her face into his coat and cry. Although he did not understand the circumstances, he knew, as only an animal with the bond he carried, that she was hurt, and that hurt him worse than the punishment that he would be dealt.
Time was moving, his body could feel the drop in temperature, and his eyes began to see the break from light to darkness. Perhaps they could hear him, so he called to them, softly at first and then with more perseverance. Occasionally he would stop and listen, but no return calls reached his ears. He decided to follow the strongest scent and search for those who were lost. The snow began to fall harder, causing him to shake the cold flakes from his wet fur. As the day wore on, the scent became less obvious, and his older nose was having a harder time tracing the scent. The snow was falling heavily now, barely could he make out the shapes of objects around him. As night approached, he called once again to his people, and this time something replied, it was not them. The sound was forlorn, distant. Something within him suggested he should return the call, but something much deeper warned him that this call was not one of friendship. His hackles rose, and a growl escaped from between his teeth. Again the call sounded, but it was closer this time. He needed to move on.
Night left him afraid and cold. No familiar sounds to ease his fears and no warm bed next to a crackling fire to heal his body. Strange feelings crept throughout his body, his tail tucked underneath and the sound of whimpers from within his throat was the only companions he had. Finding an area that was snow free, he curled himself into a ball to conserve warmth and tried to sleep. The night crept by slowly, but somehow he was able to fall asleep.
The next day was like the day before. The scent of his people no longer existed. He followed the direction he believed was right. It had snowed heavily, so he tried to keep within the trees to avoid the deeper falls. The pads of his feet were painful with cold, and he had a deep need for water. Eating snow was not helping, and it only tended to make him colder. His body also suffered from a need for food. His life was a pampered one, and he was used to two meals a day. Throughout the day, his hackles would raise and he would emit a low growl. Something followed him, from a distance, and he could not tell if it was friend or foe, but it was not his girl. Night came and went as the night before and the following day as the one before it, determined to return to his home, the love of his girl.
On his third day, weak from a lack of food and water, he traveled, limping towards a destination he could not fathom, but one that he could not ignore, a deep feeling of need pushing him onward. He was also aware that whatever was following him was becoming braver, and he was afraid it would take advantage of his weaknesses soon. As night approached, he sensed a change in the follower's behavior, and he knew that it was going to attack. With swiftness he could not have imagined the attacker approached through the trees. He was thrown off his legs and found himself on his back, teeth gnashing, legs kicking. He yelped as his side was scratched. This creature smelled like the creature in his home, the one that taunted him, but muskier, angrier. He rolled to avoid the next attack, but his body was cold and tired. The creature bit into his hind quarters, and with the last of his strengthen he turned and bit down on its face. The creature howled, but he hung on as he was dragged backwards. When the creature let him go, he released his grip. If it attacked again, it was over, but it turned and ran. Falling to the ground, he licked his wounds, whimpering, as pain coursed through his body. He slept as best as he could.
Morning came, he was weak and sore. He wanted to lie down and sleep longer, but something told him no. He could not walk on his back left leg, so he began to hobble through the trees and snow on three legs. He would fall over and over again, moving as quickly as his hurt body would go. Sometime during the day, his ears picked up the sound of his girl. At first he thought it was an illusion, like thinking the glass door was open and running right into it, bruising his nose. But the sound grew louder, and as he cleared the trees and came into a large clearing, he could see her, and she saw him. He watched as she ran to him, screaming his name. He could no longer stand as his legs buckled underneath. She came to him, and when her hand touched his body, he felt a heat that surrounded his body in love. She fell in the snow next to him, and he put his head in her lap. He could smell the tears coming from her, and the soft carress of her hand on his fur. As the heat from his body ebbed away like the waves of the ocean that he had played catch in so many times, he knew that he would be safe, and he would be going home for Christmas.
User Reviews
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-11-22 13:23:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
For God so loved the world, he gave us his one and only humblefool.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2005-12-12 00:06:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Why haven't I reviewed this already?
I thought I had.
This was excellent.
I wish I could just say it's because I've had dogs in my life since I was a kid, and that was to blame for my love of the story, but damned if you didn't write a wonderful story that succeeded in doing what the majority of the stuff I've read in my life has failed to do: pull at my heartstrings.
This was both sentimental and effective, and it was a joy to read.
Submitted by B-Nizzo (user info) at 2005-12-11 14:49:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for Christmas!
Submitted by fried-green-potatoes (user info) at 2005-12-10 23:29:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-12-09 10:48:49 (#)
Ranking: 2
Very Jack London but without the racism.
---
And without some guy trying to make a sleeping bag out of the pooch.
Reminds me of a nice "dog's perspective" passage in Ken Kesey's Sometimes a Great Notion.
Submitted by BadAssJulie (user info) at 2005-12-09 20:40:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Aww I love teh doggies. Auto +2.
Submitted by wardy (user info) at 2005-12-09 16:32:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i'm such a filthy linkwhore... http://www.ubersite.com/m/80712
Submitted by runswithscissors (user info) at 2005-12-09 15:45:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Damn you for making me cry...........got me thinking about my old black lab of years ago.
Very well done.
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2005-12-09 14:05:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This seemed about right. Damn fine work. I have nothing else to say.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2005-12-09 12:32:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This was soooooooooo good.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-12-09 12:19:43 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2005-12-09 11:16:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Professional_Peon (user info) at 2005-12-09 11:09:24 (#)
Ranking: 2
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!
Auto +2
----------------------------------------------
WHAT?!?? No, eff you! I was born on this day 24 years ago!!
Submitted by Professional_Peon (user info) at 2005-12-09 11:09:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!
Auto +2
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-12-09 10:48:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Very Jack London but without the racism.
Submitted by Confuzitron (user info) at 2005-12-09 10:37:32 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I thought I reviewed this already. Antways, great work. This was great.
Submitted by pen_name (user info) at 2005-12-09 09:01:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by avolkert (user info) at 2005-12-08 23:11:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Nice ... very nice ... not my genre, but a good read. Thank you.
You have some talent (from my untrained eye anyway), but hey -- based on the abstract, I'd buy the book.
I wish you well.
Submitted by Lmarie22000 (user info) at 2005-12-08 22:51:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-12-08 21:26:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by DudeThatsBOSH (user info) at 2005-12-08 21:05:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
bosh
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2005-12-08 20:30:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
SWEET HOLY MOSES.
I think I'm toast.
Humble, man, that was...just too damn excellent. You have truely put me to the test here. Now to get back to work on mine...
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2005-12-08 20:21:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Everything you ever wanted to know about ahumblefool
User id: 22005
Registered on or around: 2005-09-16 12:32:32
# Messages posted: 28
# Reviews written: 382
# Times these posts have been reviewed : 1253
# Hits: 47941
Average rating of all messages: 1.78
_______________________________________________
Does this fool suck, or what?
Who has a higher rating? No one?
Well, DUH!!
Submitted by Lucylou (user info) at 2005-12-08 20:16:09 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This made me well up! I'm just so glad no one walked into my office.
Awesome. Pure and simple.
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2005-12-08 19:59:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You call that a story, fool? Holy shit man, my dog writes better shit!
May a thousand devils slap your ass, dude.
If, by any stroke of luck, I win in round one and you and I come
up against each other, I plan to lie, cheat, steal, and find you
and KILL YOU!!
Humble, this was ungodly good. I see now why you are probably the top
rated author on this site. This post was one of the finest things I
have read here. GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2005-12-08 19:35:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
this rocked man.
i need to get to work on mine.
heh.
Submitted by PokeyPecker (user info) at 2005-12-08 19:03:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I know you're a man and all, but will you berf my chilluns anyway?
Submitted by fudgepacker (user info) at 2005-12-08 18:57:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
yeah, you'll win this thing.
Submitted by punkerrjess (user info) at 2005-12-08 18:46:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Wow. Just, wow.
I miss the dog I had when I was growing up.
Submitted by ruthless (user info) at 2005-12-08 18:46:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Awww...