Achilles

For Cafe Writing and WI.

July 2006: He is so tired of this life. He wakes up most days wishing it were his last. This animal that owns him has a dark, evil spirit inside of him. He requires too much of him; he requires his life. He fights to live, not by choice, but by instinct. And he hates himself and the world for it.

He remembers the day the Evil Force came into his life. He was so innocent then not knowing that beasts like him existed in this world. That day he took him away from his mother and brothers while he yelped, wishing he could understand him: I don't want to leave! Please leave me with my family! And he brought him to his new home. Soon, the beatings started. His body became the outlet for their frustrations, anger and sick games. The more he would show them love, the more they would beat him. Killer - that was the name they gave him - sensed they had an aura of hate surrounding them; they despised themselves and everything in this world. In time he learned to become aggressive to survive because any show of love was quickly dealt with a subsequent beating; hate and anger were the only languages they understood.

A year later Killer was officially initiated into the world that would become his life and cause him further pain. Having been deprived of food for many days, he was hungry. And at last his meal was brought - in the form of a kitten. It was his initiation into the dark world he would soon come to know. They took him to a room in the basement, beat him one more time for good measure and showed him the terrified kitten that will forever live in his mind. Killer could taste the kitten's terror and salivated with hunger at this easy prey; a half hour later, with the blood of the innocent smeared on his face, Killer had put the kitten's life to rest. Killer feared he had crossed that line; he didn't want to become a wild, lethal animal desensitized to the pain and cries of others. Yet, this is what they were forcing him to be. He would never be trusted and he most certainly would be feared. Yet, this was not him. This was not his nature. The Evil Force pet him for the first time in his life, "Good boy...now we can begin." He hated him and he hated himself most of all for having been the tool of this cruel act. But he had been so hungry and so angry.

Soon after, the Evil Force would take him to visit friends who had others like him. He noticed the Others were just as aggressive and Killer felt that he couldn't trust any of them to be his friend. His own kind hated him. Right after, the professional fights began. He would be taken to a room filled with people, cheering him and his Other on. They would throw him in a cage. Then the Other would be thrown in the cage. They all came at him, some bigger, some smaller, but none as powerful and hungry as he. Killer became the favorite and at the end of each battle, the Evil Force would pet him. Strange because he didn't feel love.

His this became his life. He earned his owner's keep and he had to keep himself alive. It was them or him. And with each kill, a little piece of him died. He fought some that he had met and considered friends in his heart because he knew the pain they lived with as well. And each time he killed them he would cry. And each cry would bring another beating. He could never show tears or cry. These things were bad.

But now he was tired and he no longer had it in him. He wanted this to end. His body had been bit so many times the cumulative wounds were taking their toll. Tonight he hoped it would finally be him. Let the other have the victory. He wanted release. He no longer wanted to live, he no longer wanted to kill another one of his own. But his instincts, skill, and powerful frame always guaranteed victory. He wished hard tonight his survival instincts would not win over.

Hours later, he had killed another. And then he heard sirens. He noticed the people quickly scattered and disappeared, including the Evil Force. He heard sounds of approaching footsteps but couldn't stand up to run. He had been injured badly.

"In here! I got two in here!" A man approached him, quickly nuzzled him and started petting and talking to him. "Oh God, look at you." He turned to scream, "Quickly! In here!" Another man came onto the scene with a bag. "Oh man, he's badly hurt. This one's already dead, but this little man right here just might make it."

Killer looked at the man with tears falling from his eyes, I killed my friend. I'm sorry I'm crying but I can't do this anymore. I can't kill another friend. Please don't beat me. Just leave me here and let me die. Tonight is my night to die. I'm ready.

The man picked him up and Killer noticed there were tears in his eyes as well, "You're going to be okay, boy. I promise. You're going to be okay."


October 2007: Achilles was admiring the beauty of the day and how his life had turned around. Sam was stroking him as was his habit to do. Sam was his very best friend in the whole wide world. Sam had the aura of goodness and love surrounding him. All of his friends had the same aura. He loved them all so much.

Sam was his savior. He was the one that came that day and carried him out of that life forever and away from the Evil Force. He took him to a hospital where many good people took care of him. He had forgotten that there were still people in the world who cared. He understood their language by the way they spoke to him and treated him. That was a universal language that all animals and beings in this world understood. And Achilles was a smart dog and soon put two and two together. In this world, they did not like aggression. And now he wanted to live because he felt better and started to feel hope. But it looked like this was all up to him. For him to live, he now had to love and not hate.

Sam would come every day to visit and ask the doctor about his progress. Sam was going to adopt him and take responsibility for him. He liked Sam a lot. The first thing Sam did was rename him; he renamed him Achilles. He said Achilles was a great warrior like him. And, like Achilles the Greek warrior, he also had a vulnerable spot: "You know what that was boy?" Achilles wagged his tail. "You know what your Achilles Heel was? You want to hear the story again don't you boy!" Achilles loved to hear his story and licked Sam's face tentatively but eagerly, still a little afraid of a human's reaction, but he knew deep down inside that Sam would never hurt him. Sam carried the aura of goodness around him. Sam laughed then hugged and kissed Achilles for his show of love. "That right there is your vulnerability, Achilles. Your vulnerability is your love. The thing those monsters couldn't beat out of you. And that is the very thing that saved you in the end. Ironic, huh? And you held on boy, you held on because you and I were destined to be very best friends."

And so Achilles became a part of Sam and his world. He became rehabilitated as Sam knew he would and he became Sam's very best friend. They went on walks together every day, went to the park, he even slept on Sam's bed. And he sat here today thinking how much he loved him and how much he loved his life.

"What are you thinking about boy? Sam asked as he stroked him gently and lovingly as he was proned to always do. Achilles turned around. Just thanking the Universe Sam, my very best friend, for having brought me to you. I love you. And with that Achilles licked Sam's hand, except this time, no longer afraid.