Fiction Fragment Friday
This is where I usually tell you what inspired the story you are about to read. I honestly have no idea where this one came from. The idea just materialized in my head and demanded to be written.
50,000 Volts of electricity coursed through Stephen’s body the moment he touched the doorbell. Two tiny metal prongs hidden inside the button pierced his skin completing the circuit. His body stiffened before dropping to the ground along with the ByteBites Food Temperature Preservation Container he had been holding in his left hand. He hated calling an insulated bag by such a ridiculously grandiose name, but it was strict company policy. Even gig jobs like food delivery had requirements you needed to follow or lose access to the app.
From inside the house came the sound of paws running down the stairs accompanied by wild barking and snarling. The front door of the house shook with the impact of something large slamming against it. Still struggling to regain control of his motor functions, Stephen crab-walked backwards on the porch feeling his heart pounding against his chest.
“Back, Back, GET BACK!”
In the moment the yelling man opened the front door Stephen could see the dog fighting to slip out onto the porch. It was a single dog, but the dog had three heads each with a different colored collar and nametag. The man barely managed to get the door closed behind him and it continued to rattle as the dog made impact. With wild white hair, goggles, and a long white lab coat the man towered over the prone Stephen.
“I have your food order?” Stephen said with his voice cracking and the statement sounded more like a question. His mouth was dry, and muscles were still too weak to support him. He barely had the strength to hold the food back up towards the man.
“Did you even bother to read my instructions?” He grabbed the bag from Stephen’s hand and started digging through it. “If you crushed my nachos when fell I’m going to reverse charges on my tip.
Stephen pulled his phone out of his pants pocket and opened the ByteBites app. He was thankful that the shock and subsequent fall didn’t damage it. There in the delivery notes was a message that he indeed had not read. Leave food on bench by door. Do not knock or ring the doorbell. It upsets my dog. “S-Sorry sir. I m-missed the instructions.” It was hard to focus and put the words together with his head in a fog. He also noticed on the app that the man had only put in a two-dollar tip to begin with.
“That’s the problem with you kids these days. Can’t even bother to read simple instructions and if you do ya still screw them up.” He pulled his food from the ByteBites Food Temperature Preservation Container and tossed the bag onto Stephen’s chest. “Worthless the lot of you,” he said as he opened the door to go back inside.
This was what the three-headed dog had been waiting for. It lunged through the crack in the door and pounced on Stephen. With his vision filled by the furry beast he braced himself for the pain of being violently ripped apart. Instead, he found himself coughing and choking as two of the three heads relentlessly licked his face trying to get into his nose, ears, and mouth. The other head pointedly did not lick him but kept stealing glances to see if Stephen was looking at him. Unfortunately, the head was disappointed because the other two were not allowing the human to see anything.
“Snuggles, Bitey, Steve, get back. Come on, inside.” The older man stood on the porch pointing towards the open front door and stomping his feet to get their attention. “You are the worst guard dog ever.” The dog lowered its heads and whined. “No, those sad puppy dog eyes do not work on me. Inside.” He punctuated the word with another stomp on the porch.
Stephen gasped in relief as the heavy dog climbed off him and entered the house. His ribs hurt from the impact and his heartrate still had not returned to normal.
“Where’s my drink?”
“Oh, sorry sir. I forgot it in my car. I’ll get it now.” Stephen managed to rise on shaky legs and stumble towards his car.
“You didn’t read the instructions, did you?” Blocking his way at the yard’s front gate was another ByteBites driver. Instead of the typical Food Temperature Preservation Container she had a large back of dogfood under his right arm and a small paper bag under her left.
“Hey Doctor Splicer. Hope you don’t mind I picked up a couple treats for the babies at the pet store. My treat, not extra cost.”
The man’s face lit up seeing the new driver. “Jennifer how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Gene.” He turned to look at Stephen. “You could learn something from her young man. She knows how to follow instructions and would never forget my drink in her car.”
She looked down at Stephen shaking her head at him. “You forgot his drink too?”
“And he crushed my nachos,” he said holding his food up for her to see.
“You aren’t going to turn him into some kind of mindless slime creature, are you?”
“No, no, no. Well not now that you’re here and have seen him.” He turned back to Stephen. “Thank her now, you miserable waste of flesh.” The words were sharp and had a command to them.
Stephen found himself babbling before he even knew what he was doing. “T-Thank you miss. I’m very grateful.”
Stephen reached his car and collapsed against it. He tried to calm his breathing. His hands shook as he retrieved the drink from his cup holder. The ice rattled in the cup. With great trepidation he returned to the front door where Dr Splicer and Jennifer were laughing.
The dog was back on the porch sitting back with its front two paws lifted. “Stay, stay, stay,” Jennifer repeated as she put a treat on each head’s nose. “Get it” All three heads in unison tossed their heads up flipping the treats and catching them in snapping jaws. “Good boys.”
“Here’s your drink sir.” Stephen was proud his voice didn’t crack this time. All three dog heads turned towards him making him fight the urge to run for the gate. The cup was still shaking as he held it out. The dog moved to put itself between Stephen and Jennifer, growling at him.
“Oh, her you protect.” Dr Splicer shook his head again. “Worst guard dog ever.” He took his drink and then addressed Stephen. “Learn from this. Do better.”
Without another word Stephen ran for the gate. Moments later the sound of squealing tires could be heard as the young man left the house as fast as his car would take him.