Author’s Note: Hi! Here’s the second and final part of Lucky. Enjoy!

If you missed Part 1

“@$%#&^?” I sit up. New Person is awake. Mom is still gone.

“#@%&*^!$!” I sigh. New People always make so much noise when they wake up.

“!@$#%^*&%$^&#*@!” New Person is getting louder and louder. Her noises are higher and screechier too. I put my paws over my ears. Stop! Stop! Stop!

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Stop! Mom’s not here! Stop!” I beg her. I don’t know if she hears. She does stop after a while.

#

Mom’s home! “Mom! Mom! Mom! You’re back! New Person is so loud! Mom!”

“&%$#@! Lucky!” Mom scratches me. She looks over at No-Lucky Room. “@$!%@#%%&#&*&@!?”

New Person hasn’t made any noise in a while. She doesn’t now either. I give Mom Look to make her forget New Person.

#

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” New Person is making Bad Noise again. I watch closed No-Lucky Room door. Mom went in there forever ago.

“@%#%&” New Person makes a begging noise. Mom never makes any noise in No-Lucky Room.

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Back to Bad Noise. New People are weird. Mom is Best Human Ever and they get all her attention. They should be happy.

#

After a while, New People stop making noise when Mom isn’t home. New Person is same. I forget she is there until Mom comes home.

“Mom! Mom! Mom!” Mom gives me a pat and goes straight to No-Lucky Room.

#

I wake up when Bad Noise stops. Door to No-Lucky Room opens. Mom staggers out of No-Lucky Room. She rubs her eyes and stumbles upstairs.

Mom forgot to close No-Lucky Room Door. I sniff at opening. It smells…

Upstairs I hear sound of water. Mom is bathing herself. I turn back to No-Lucky Room. I know smell. What is smell?  I follow nose into No-Lucky Room and downstairs.

I know smell. Smell is taste of Time I Caught Rabbit. Smell is taste of Time I Got Thorn in Paw. Salty and Tangy. Blood.

Human leashed to wall is covered in blood.

My fur bristles. Tail goes still. New Person’s head is drooped in Leash. I push nose against New Person’s face. New Person does not wake.

“Lucky!” Mom is angry. Drop into crouch and lower head. Tail hides under legs. “Bad Dog! @#%$!” She charges at me. Run.

Upstairs. Out of No-Lucky Room. To bed in corner. Lay down. Head low. Tail lower.

Mom comes out of No-Lucky Room and closes door. She looks at me.

Head lower. “Sorry.” Whimper.

“Stay.” She orders.

Obey.

#

“Lucky?” She’s home. Slink back to bed in corner.

“Lucky.” She sighs. She moves toward me. Scooch backward. Lower head.

She slows, crouching to make herself smaller. “Lucky. @#^%!%#$” She makes soothing noises. She holds out a hand to smell.

Sniff slow. Careful. Mom!

“#$@% Lucky.” Mom continues to make soothing noises. Tail thumps once. Kiss hand. Mom makes a happy sound and happy face.

Mom! Mom! Mom! I jump into Mom’s arms. Tail wags. Kiss Mom’s face.  Mom smells so good!

“$^!*&#@% Walk Lucky?”

Walk? Walk! Oh boy oh boy! Ohboyohboyohboy!