Last night I woke up in a cold sweat.
I dreamed of a boy holding a dog.
She was dying,
and he wouldn't let anyone near her.
Because she was his dog,
and he was her boy.
When the other dogs came sniffing,
the boy pushed them away.
When his brother came smiling,
the boy hit him.
When his mother came calling,
the boy screamed at her.
And the dog shook,
and took ragged little breaths,
and then she stopped.
And the boy cried.
He cried so hard.
I don't remember crying like that.