Horrortober - Halloween Horror Fiction

Since Charles has been posting some cool Flash horror stories in celebration of October, and Avery, Stewart , Miladysa, L.A. Mitchel and Laughingwolf are joining in, I feel inspired and compelled to join the fun. Halloween's my favorite holiday, too.

All right, Gramlich. I'll play your little October game. This is inspired by Charles's "Spot."

Having His Say

Shuck is my only friend. The old man dragged him in by the scruff of the neck one day when he was just a little squirt and tossed him in the corner beside me.

He’s not the first dog I’ve had. That was Blue. I loved Blue, but he messed the floor until he had to be punished.

The old man didn’t do the punishing. He made me do it. He said Blue and I both had to learn.

Shuck has been a little better. I knew what the cost would be if he didn’t learn, so I made sure he was paper trained quickly. He knows now he should only make when we go into the back yard—we’re only allowed to go in the back yard. The fence is electric there. The old man knows we can’t get past it.

But, yeah, Shuck is a fast learner, especially now that he’s not a puppy anymore. He’s grown big. He’s getting bigger, and I think he understands real words.

He’ll fetch the ball I throw, and he’ll heel.

Pretty soon we’re going to test a new word he’s learned.

“Shuck, THROAT,” I’ll say.

Then we’ll go out the front door, and the old man won’t have any say any more.

He literally won’t have any say.