Hell Hath No Fury like a Woman Stalked

“911, what’s your emergency?”

“Yes, hi... um… my dog is missing and I think he might be in danger.”

“Ma’am, a lost pet is not an emergency.”

“No, you don’t understand; I think he was kidnapped!”

“Ma’am I need to keep this line open for emergencies, good bye.”

“No! Please! There a ransom note and his collar is on the tab---”

*CLICK*

“Hello? HELLO??? Damn it!”

I slammed my phone down on the table next to Jax’s collar as I weighed my options and tried to breathe. Who would do something like this? HOW did they do something like this? My next option was to call the local police and, once they stopped laughing, their solution was to put up “LOST PUPPY” signs around my neighborhood. I knew they were joking but I had seen enough crime documentaries to know that drawing attention to the napping was the last thing I wanted to do if I ever wanted to see my dog alive again.

Think.

THINK!

I could hear the bold, purple letters mocking me.

“A smile a day keeps the doctor away. 1/3”

What did it mean? A smile? The numbers? I consider myself to be an intelligent woman but no matter how long I paced back and forth in my kitchen or how many Google searches I made, I couldn’t decipher the code and I passed out from exhaustion with my face on the kitchen table. While sleeping, I had a dream. I saw Jax sitting alone on a frozen pond with a muzzle over his mouth. “Come here buddy!” I yelled while patting my thighs. “Come to mama!” He began to run but my eyes opened before he reached me.

Wait.

I know that pond. Jax loves swimming in it this time of year before it freezes over in the winter, usually while I sip a latte and watch from a picnic table. The answer was in my subconscious the whole time…

10 minutes later, I was panting on the bank of the pond looking for clues. I couldn’t see Jax anywhere and there was nobody around. Looking up, I noticed my favorite coffee shop across the street.

Something told me to go in so I walked across the street and joined the line, waiting to order my regular. I glanced up and that’s when I noticed the handwritten quote on a chalkboard behind the counter. “A smile a day keeps the doctor away.” My heart dropped to my gut. What the hell was going on??

Their newest hire, Melanie, handed me my latte and, after noticing my name, pulled out a stuffed manila envelope exclaiming, “This was left outside the door this morning with your name on it! Maybe from a secret admirer??” We both chuckled for different reasons and I ripped it open as soon as I sat down. What I found should have been a relief but it made me queasy. It was the framed picture of me and Jax that I kept on my desk at work under a sticky note with “2/3” written on it. I could feel myself going into shock… The person who took him knows me and knows where I go every. day. My whole body began to shake and I puked up what little I had in my stomach into the garbage can next to me.

Hold on.

Was this a joke? Do I have any friends who would be sick enough to do this? I don’t remember making anyone a key to my new place yet…

The office wasn’t open today but I knew that’s where I needed to go. I would be alone.

While walking home, I stared at my favorite photo of Jax that was still clutched in my trembling hand and that’s when I noticed my coffee cup. The time 7:15 was written on it in the same purple ink used on the sticky notes and ransom letter. I dropped everything, shattering the frame, and ran back to the coffee shop.

“Where’s Melanie?!” I screamed at the barista.

“Where is she?!”

“Sh-she left for the day!”

“Which way did she go?!”

“Ou-out the back door! She said she wasn’t feeling well!”

I ran around the building to the back alley but she was nowhere to be found. I could feel tears begin to well up in my eyes before kicking a rock against the concrete wall and squatting to sit on the curb. To this day, I have never seen “Melanie the barista” again.

I looked down at my phone. 6:06 pm. Time for another commute. I guess it could be my last one…

It probably took me 12 minutes to get my hands steady enough to unlock the office door. I opened it inch by inch and slowly reached for the light switch while clutching the Louisville Slugger I grabbed from under my bed at home. “Hel- Hello? Is anyone there?” I stammered. “Hello?? Anyone? Give me my dog back damn it!” No answer. Why the hell did I come by myself?

Every step to my desk felt like walking through quicksand and no one was around to save me. I sat down in the same chair I sit in every day for my mind-numbing 9-5 but I had never prayed harder for time to speed up. 7:04.

With my eyes closed, I tried to breathe and focus on the sound of the rain picking up outside. Wringing my hands around the bat, I began to realize how exhausted and hopeless I really was. I still didn’t know the identity of the monster lurking in my shadow. Why would they go after my dog of all things? Why wouldn’t they just take me if they were so obsessed? Why… Why… Why…

*BRRRING! BRRRIIIIING!*

The fax machine rang at 7:15 on the dot. I jumped in my seat for it seemed louder than normal and I flew to answer it while having what felt like a heart attack. Out came another nonsense clue but one that I decoded immediately. “Let’s meet where we met, down the street from the vet. His favorite place, to finally embrace. 3/3”

The dog park.

It was getting dark but I peeled out of the parking lot, almost backing into a jogger I didn’t see through the rain. “Sorry!” I yelled out the open window. I wiped the cold rain off my face only to have it replaced with more tears. Jax had been through it all with me; the marriage, divorce, new jobs, the move, everything. He was my rock and he had to be so scared. I just wanted to hold my baby again and know that we were safe. I could hear every one of my heart beats through the thunder as I got closer; they seemed to be in sync with my high-speed windshield wipers. I didn’t even turn off the car when I pulled in as I needed as much light as possible and a quick escape route.

As I laced keys through my fingers, I kept my other weapon behind my back. I entered the fenced pit of sand and grass, deliberately feeling the ground beneath each step I took. “I’m here!” I sobbed. “What do you want?! I’ll do anything! Just give me Jax!” 30 seconds later, a tennis ball slowly rolled to my feet.

I was paralyzed.

“Who-who’s there?”…

“WHO’S THERE!!!” I screamed.

A few seconds later, Jax came running into my arms. I cried with joy and held him tighter than I ever had before. He didn’t seem to be hurt or scared, but he did seem changed. That’s when I noticed the hooded silhouette staring at us from across the park. It stepped into the dim street light and the reason behind all of this became clear.

It was Mike. Mike from the dog park. Mike from the dog park who sat too close and complimented me too much. Mike from the dog park who I went on one date with but never called back.

“Hi there!” He shouted with an enthusiastic wave and toothy smile. “I’m so glad you finally got my messages!”

My blood ran cold with anger.

“What do you want Mike? What the hell is wrong with you?? How could you do this??” So many questions…

“I just wanted a chance to redo our first date because I seem to have ruined it the last time and this was the only way I could think to get your attention.”

“That’s never going to happen you sick son of a ---”

“No, no, no! Hear me out!” He exclaimed while taking two steps closer. He was gesturing with weaponless hands but I still took two steps back with Jax.

“Clearly, I upset you somehow and I want to make up for it!”

“What makes you think I would EVER go out with a disgusting stalker like you, especially after you kidnapped my fucking dog?! How did you even get into my HOUSE?? Get away from us! I swear I will kick your ass!” Jax began to bark and lunge at the assailant but stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Mike whistle through his teeth. I couldn’t believe Jax’s reaction. What had he done to my dog?

He put his hand up to Jax and slowly looked up at me again. He was a few feet from me now when he stopped to pull out a bottle of Merlot and two glasses from his jacket. “Remember this one?” He asked through his thin, wiry lips. “We had it on our first date at the winery in Dundee and I know it’s your favorite. I’ll never forget the wrinkle you got in your nose whenever you smelled a new wine.” He chuckled. “It—ha ha--- it was so cute!” “Would you like a glass? I know it’s raining but rain can be so romantic….”

He leaned in closer and whispered, “Don’t you think?”

He was just inches away when I slashed him across the cheek with my car key. “You BITCH!!!” He shrieked in pain and stumbled backwards, shattering the bottle and glasses as Jax and I ran to the car. Two feet from the car, his pale, slithery hand grabbed my pony tail and pulled me to the ground. Jax jumped into action again and began biting my attacker’s legs and lunging at his face. I was pinned to the ground with Mike on top of me for what seemed like an eternity but Jax’s diversion allowed me to escape his grasp.

*CRACK!*

One swift swing to the back of his head was all it took to knock him out cold. One swift swing and we were safe. “You sick bastard,” I uttered through broken breaths.

“Never come between a bitch and her dog.”