Dog Days
Rex, this has gone on far too long. The US is split and will likely be in civil war before the end of the year, the Middle East has been in turmoil for decades and are quickly becoming a nuclear power, Europe is eroding, Asia is exploding, and the last vestige of decency in this world has been taken over by an evil right-wing dictator.
Yes, and he's a cat person too.
I'm being serious!
I know Jules. We've been here from the beginning, and we've tried to teach them how to love, we've tried to teach them responsibility. We've given them all the tools they needed to get off the ground. It was looking good for awhile, we were making headway, don't forget the 60s.
This can't go on; we'll have to step down sooner than later.
That is the pervasive thought. I had so much faith. My people are good people; I want to keep doing this work here.
You're not keeping score Rex, you can't base this decision on a few good people. Even if there is peace, even if they can learn to love, it's too late for the planet. She's as cancerous as they are, and she's dying a painful death.
There are many of us who want to see if they pull through at the 11th hour.
I know Jules, and just as many of us who believe we should just start over again.
Marnie Anderson wiped the sweat from her brow. Irritated, she poked the button on the remote and turned off the blaring screen. It wasn't enough that she was sweltering in this godforsaken heat and having to pay $13.00 a gallon for water, the stupid TV wouldn't stop talking about the global warming crisis. She didn't want to hear anymore about the Asians attacking Europe and the great big war going on over fresh water. Her days of activism were over, left behind when the government shot her husband five years ago. It was then that she knew it was all futile. It was now that she knew it was too late. With Maslow's hierarchy driving her needs, all she wanted was air conditioning, and a swimming pool. Marnie was old enough to remember those things. She had enough years behind her to remember when the only time the heat was this insufferable was during the dog days of summer, and certainly not the middle of November, at least not in Michigan. There would be no air conditioning because hydro was limited to "essentials" as the Government told them, though she could not think of a single thing more essential right at that moment than air conditioning. She pulled the drapes from the window and verified that it was 97° in the shade of her awning.
She felt a wet warm slurp on her ankle and looked down into the deep brown eyes of her shih tzu cross.
"You want a walk don't you?"
The small dog whined his affirmation and skittled over to the door.
"Ok, we might as well. They're calling for dust storms for a few days, so it might be the last for awhile." Marnie attached the leash to the small dog's collar.
"Kee-rist it's hot little dog, are you sure you want to go out under that sun? I wouldn't want to if I had a fur coat like yours."
The shih tzu emitted a sharp "yap!"
"Ok boy, let's go." Marnie slapped on her wide-brimmed hat and large-rimmed sunglasses.
The pair embarked on their usual trek through town.
"Good day Ms. Anderson," said a baby-faced man who looked altogether too young to be sporting the fatigues that he wore. He was standing post outside the Government water depot.
"Hi Private Henry, any water raids today?"
"Nope, quiet here." He motioned a tip-of-the-hat to her and nodded politely.
"I'm off to the park with the dog, going to let him run on the riverbed. Did I ever tell you about how I used to fish the Huron back when it was more than just a muddy creek?"
"Yes ma'am," he replied curtly.
She knew he wasn't supposed to be talking to people; it was supposed to be all business for the soldiers. He was such a nice young man though, one who had the sense to join the military and not have to thirst in the way that the rest of the world had to. Of course it came with risks, but he was the lucky one that ended up in Ypsilanti and not overseas where the bad actions were. Here, the worst he had to deal with were some farmers coming in and trying to get water without paying for it. There was enough water for people still, expensive as it was, but it seems cows drink a lot more than people, and they couldn`t sell their golden cattle if they didn`t make it to the slaughter alive.
After unclipping the little dog`s leash, Marnie sat on a familiar rock, and watched the little dog run and play, dodge and bow, and chase a stray leaf that had been caught in the wind. Laughing, she encouraged him in his sport and wondered all the while how he managed not to drop dead in the infernal heat. After a time he came and sat by her feet, tilted his head toward her, and she obliged him with a scratch behind the ears.
I'm leaving tomorrow.
A tear welled up in Marnie's eye, rolled slowly down her cheek and rested on the curve of her lip.
"You've given up on us."
You know it's futile, Gaia can't be saved now.
"Why don't you tell them you're here? Throw out the Government, take over, and make them fix it!"
That's not the way it works. We created you to learn to be like us, so you could join us. We never wanted to rule you, and we never can. We only loved you. We taught you to cooperate and hunt together, we taught you loyalty, friendship, and love. We caused you laughter, we hoped you'd take responsibility, and one day we hoped you'd - "
"But you never told us what you are, how were we to know?" Marnie interjected.
Rex smiled, in the funny way that dogs smile, with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.
We called ourselves "dogs" hoping you might get the clue.
"Why do you tell me now?"
I love you.