Happy New Year everyone!
Let’s celebrate with some writing prompt fiction. This one was inspired by the above photo and the random word “slow” for the title. No changes except to typos and punctuation and deleting stuff. Enjoy!
“We need to go,” she said.
Benji wagged his tail from the basket.
Normally he ran to the door. There was a park with birds, rabbits and picnic leftovers. Today he just grinned with his tongue falling out one side of his mouth.
“I’m late,” she said. “If we don’t go now then we’re not going.”
Benji rose, ambled down the hall. She had her boots and jacket on, a roll of little plastic bags in her pocket. Benji let her hook the leash around his neck.
Her phone rang. Her boss wondering where she was, wondering if the report was finished. Wondering if he’d made a mistake asking her back. She had everything ready, just needed to get the dog to do his business and then she’d jump in the bus. Be there in no time.
“Come on, Benji!” All month he’d been lively and full of beans. This morning he would barely move. She looked at him. His head was low but he was looking up at her with his orange eyes. A sly look, from that angle.
He probably just sensed something was different, he didn’t like change. Didn’t like it when she’d left to move out on her own.
“This is a good place, Benji.” They were in the park, off to one side of the entrance. He often did his business here. She waited, scrolling through her phone.
Emails from work. Lots of them. They didn’t think she was up to the job. There was an undercurrent in all of them
…if you get a chance
… not sure it’s something you’re across…
happy with your decision but…
Benji was grinning at her.
She let the leash drop, started running. Sometimes she could trick him into moving a bit quicker. “Look!” she said. “Look, look, look!”
Benji turned, walking back out of the park.
“Benji!” She grabbed his leash. She pulled and he looked at her, Once. She apologised immediately
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Their flat was on the ground floor. Dark, she rented it for the bit of garden it had. She’d thought it would be perfect for Benji. Give him a chance to run around, be outside by himself when she was working. He hadn’t used it.
Inside the flat he went straight to his bed and lay down.
“No poo, Benji?”
No.
She hesitated at the door.
“Will you be okay? I’ll just be gone for a few hours.”
He rolled over and snorted.
No.
She squeezed her keys in her hand until it went numb. “I could stay here with you?”
No.
She went out to the garden, sat on the green plastic chair with its corroded ashtray. Slowly the tears came.
Is that Benji saying no?
Well, what do you think?
