Scratching

It was late afternoon and the room was that horrible warm where it's impossible to do anything but lie down and close your eyes, to sink into your bed and forget your sorrows and your problems just for a moment. And then I heard a scratch scratch scratching at my door. 'Alfie!' I cried out, muttering 'that dog' to no one in particular but myself. I rolled over and rubbed my eyes, my hands a mix with tears to streak makeup down my face and onto my waiting pillows. Scratch scratch scratch. I ignored the sounds as I sobbed, hoping my cries would drowned out that infernal noise. Scratch scratch scratch. Alfie always knew how to get what he wanted and normally I'd have caved, if the vet hadn't put him down this very morning.


I wrote this this morning on the train after seeing a dog. Inspiration comes in the most mundane of places. It isn't the best twist and you can kind of see it coming but for 11 minutes I was quite pleased.