Page 14

FOURTEEN

I arrived at Obie's bay rested and with a new plan and that plan was pepperoni.

It wasn't exactly something that could be a permanent staple in his diet but since he needed to gain some pounds and this was the only thing that got a reaction, it was worth it.

And since his digestive system was quite robust, it shouldn't do him the same harm as it would to a regular dog.

Obie was asleep in his fluffy bed for once and opened his eyes when he saw me but remained where he was, a really good sign that he was feeling more relaxed.

"Good morning, big guy," I said, realising I also felt a lot more at ease around him. "Look what I brought. A treat that's terrible for your health. I don't even really know what pepperoni is made of."

He gave me a look that implied he didn't either.

I turned the packet over to read the ingredients. "Pork, pork fat, salt. Oof, that's a lot of salt. Some flavourings and spices. Oh, and no artificial ingredients or preservatives. Not bad, not bad."

He crossed his front legs and tilted his head in a way that was so doglike, it was adorable. He flinched at the harsh sound of me opening the packet of pepperoni but perked up when the slightly salty smell rose up in the air.

"Oh, you like that, huh?"

I rolled one of the slices of pepperoni and tossed it towards him. It unfurled mid-air and landed with a plop in front of him. He gave it a tentative sniff, an inquisitive lick, and left it where it was.

"I swear, if it has to be cooked pepperoni---" I threatened, relieved when he ate it after all. "That's better."

He licked his lips and sniffed the ground, like he was looking for more. I grabbed another slice which made the packet crinkle. This time, Obie looked up expectantly.

"You want another piece?" I asked, waving it through the air.

His gaze followed it and this excited giddy feeling spread through me. He was reacting to something I did, a positive reaction as well. These were the very first steps towards forming a genuine connection, something I was looking very, very forward to.

I kept throwing him pieces of pepperoni, amazed by how fast he gobbled them up. Something about it was really jiving with him because he was really going for it.

"You're a strange creature. I'd love to know who developed your taste for pepperoni."

Obie looked at me with those big red eyes of his, a pleading look. With his soft fluffy ears and his adorable face, and no fire that could burn down a forest, he didn't deserve to be called a hellhound. He was far too cute for that.

I tossed him the next piece of pepperoni, deliberately making it land in the middle of his enclosure. If he wanted it, he would have to crawl closer. And if I could get him to follow a trail of pepperoni into a moveable crate, we could finally get him out of Quarantine.

He stared at the slice, then at me, then back at the slice. It was hard to read his expression but he looked confused. Or maybe even a little judgemental.

"You've got to work for it," I said, shrugging as I crouched down. I was quietly begging him to shuffle forward. Just a little bit. I didn't feel like I was asking for much, it wasn't like I was trying to feed him by hand.

Obie let out a puff of air, tried to reach the pepperoni by stretching his neck, and sniffed that sweet pepperoni air. He lipped the edge, not quite managing to reach it.

"Just a little more," I whispered, quietly encouraging him.

After what felt like the longest second in my life, Obie got up from his position, took the two steps to eat the pepperoni, and returned to his corner.

Victory!

I pumped my fist to celebrate and accidentally dropped the other packages. They clattered on the floor and startled Obie. He scraped his paw over the floor and the sparks flew up into his fur where they caught on fire.

Damn it. Just when I was making progress.

I vacated the room, frustrated at myself for messing up such an important moment. If I hadn't spooked him, who knew how much progress we could've made. The loud fire alarm only underlined my disappointment.

One of the permanent staff stuck their head out of their office, their frustrated expression directed at me. "Hellhound?"

"Hellhound," I confirmed.

He nodded. "Figures. I can't wait for him to get out of here."

"I'm working on it," I said, finally able to think when the blaring alarm stopped. I couldn't blame the others for being fed up with it but it wasn't like poor Obie was trying to be a bother on purpose.

He probably didn't like the loud alarms either.

I stayed outside of the room, unable to do anything but wait for him to burn up all his sweat. I had no idea what it did to the oxygen levels in the room but Obie didn't seem bothered by it so that was something at least.

He looked so sad pacing nervously while flames engulfed him and I wanted to give him a hug to let him know everything was going to be alright. Somehow.

Maria came out from an adjacent room and waved when she saw me. "Hellhound?"

I nodded. "Hellhound," I confirmed again.

"He's proving quite a challenge." She paused in front of me. "Making pizza?"

"Sorry?"

She pointed at the half-empty package of pepperoni in my hands. "You making pizza?"

"Oh, no. This is the only food that Obie seems interested in. I know it's not very good for him but being in Quarantine isn't good for him either."

Maria chuckled. "I totally understand. It's like pregnancy cravings. What's good for someone in the long run and short run are two very different things but sometimes, to make it to the long run, we need to make compromises in the short term."

Relief washed over me that she understood and that I wasn't some horrible person and caretaker for feeding Obie salty processed meats.

Her walkie-talkie crackled and she shot me an apologetic look that meant she was done socialising and had some pressing matters to take care of. I moved out of the way and checked if Obie was burned out yet.

I had work to do.