Chapter 14: The Kennel

The afternoon sun hung low over the suburban sprawl, casting long shadows across the cracked parking lot as Jake pulled his truck into the gravel drive of the kennel. School had dragged on that day, my mind a fog of replayed horrors from the night before, Dad’s casual grocery lie twisting like a knife in my gut. I stared out the window, picking at the hem of my skirt, the one that barely covered the fresh bruises on my thighs. Jake glanced over, his hand squeezing my knee. ‘You look down, Mei. Got a plan to cheer you up. Trust me.’ His voice carried that mix of command and care that always pulled me in, even now. I nodded weakly, forcing a smile. Puppies, I thought. He knows I love animals. Something innocent to wash away the filth.

The kennel squatted on the edge of town, a low brick building with chain link fences stretching out like veins, enclosing runs where barks echoed sharp and eager. The air smelled of wet fur, kibble, and earth, a far cry from the sterile classrooms or the reek of cum soaked truck beds. Rocco waited at the gate, his burly frame filling the doorway, tattoos snaking up his arms, that same leer from the piercing shop twisting his scarred face. ‘Jake, my man. And the little slut. Back for more fun?’ My cheeks burned, memories of his needles through my nipples and labia flashing hot, but Jake just clapped his shoulder. ‘Show her the garden out back. Rottie’s been asking for her.’ Rottie. The name sent a shiver down my spine, that massive beast from the alley, his red rocket still vivid in my nightmares and secret dreams.

They led me through the dim interior, past cages where dogs paced and whined, to a side door opening onto a fenced garden. Sunlight spilled over patchy grass, bordered by wooden fences and a line of overgrown shrubs. In the center, a dozen large bowls scattered around a concrete trough, water sloshing as tongues lapped greedily. The dogs turned as one, ears perking, tails wagging in a frenzy of anticipation. A dozen of them, all breeds, all massive. Two other Rottweilers besides Rottie, their black and tan coats gleaming, muscles rippling under short fur as they stood nearly to my chest. German Shepherds prowled with sleek gray saddles, intelligent eyes locking on me. A pair of St. Bernards lumbered forward, their barrel chests and drooping jowls making them tower when they rose on hind legs, easily topping my five foot four frame. Dobermans stretched long and lean, sleek black hides shining, pointed ears flicking. A Great Dane mixed in, spotted coat loose on his elongated body, and a Mastiff with folds of skin and a perpetual slobber trail. They bounded toward me, playful at first, paws thumping soft earth, noses sniffing my legs with wet snorts.