I took Dolly into my house a few days ago, the same day Douglass started to get sick. He’d never been one for animals, or even visitors for that matter, but I hardly had any friends before meeting Dolly so I didn’t think he would mind. Still, I decided not to tell him I brought her home, lest he tell me to get rid of her.
Dolly for the most part was very well behaved. She hardly moved or made noise, so I didn’t think there would be much of a problem. The basement room in the house I share with Douglass had a small side room, which was the perfect place to hide her. I knew I had to be careful about bringing her food. Douglass has a sensitive nose, like a bloodhound. The first few hours after I hid Dolly away, Douglass started complaining about headaches. He asked me if I bought any cologne or perfume, but I just shrugged my shoulders. I learned rather quickly that I could stuff a cloth under the basement door to block out Dolly’s scent, and soon enough Douglass stopped bringing it up.
The week went by without a problem, minus the occasional grumble from Douglass about his constant migraines. I told him it was stress and he shouldn’t worry so much. I developed a small routine with Dolly. I’d wait for Douglass to go to work, then immediately race down the stairs into the basement and feed Dolly. Unfortunately, Dolly barely had much of an appetite. I worried that she wasn’t getting enough nutrients, but I could do little to genuinely help the situation. On a very rare occasion, she drank the water I gave her, then she would immediately rest once again. I sat with Dolly for hours, talking to her about all of my interests and plans for the day. It felt incredible being able to actually speak with someone about my ailments. I adored the attention I got, even if Dolly wasn’t awake to truly listen to me.
After around a month, I could do nothing to prevent Douglass from discovering Dolly. His sense of smell was far too sensitive. He spent every day wondering about the smell, questioning how it seemed to get worse and worse. His migraines returned whenever he entered the house, only to leave as soon as he stepped outside. He started lashing out at me, asking me what the scent was. I told him I didn’t know. I begged him not to look. Douglass was too smart for me, however. He saw the twinge of guilt on my face. He noticed the small corner of bunched up fabric peeking out from under the door.
Sitting here, I find myself lonely. As lonely as I felt before, the isolation I have can’t be satisfied by any means. The room is comfortable, with soft walls and a warm floor, but there is such a strong sense of emptiness within me that I can hardly bear. Douglass never wants to speak to me again and they took Dolly away. I told them I didn’t do anything to her. I told them I found her. I discovered her in a back alley way. I told them she was well behaved.
Hopefully, she gets well-fed in the morgue.
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