The Day It Caught Up To Him

Thinking back to the moment we found him, just lying there so helpless and cold. Everyone gathering around him not saying a single word. How could this have happened? Not here, not like this. We are all friends here. I really liked him, he was nice to most of us and always brought snacks with him when he came to visit. I begin to look into the eyes of everyone standing around. Someone must have seen something, someone has to know who did this. "Did anyone see who did this?" I shouted. Everyone just started to glance at everyone else. Whisper's all around. No one saw anything. Hard to believe in a rundown old barn with boards missing here and there that not a single living soul saw a thing. Something doesn't add up. "Well, if no one saw or heard anything, then I guess it's time to let grandpa know what we found." Still not a word from anyone. I begin to head up to the main house. That's where I sleep with grandpa, Anthony, Alphonso, and Qtip. As for everyone else, they all sleep in the barn or outside somewhere. It's a big farm but with so many of us, someone had to have heard something, anything. I make it to the back door of the main house and quickly run inside to let the family know what has been discovered outside. I run up the stairs barking as loudly as I can. A light goes on in grandpa's room, then Anthony's door flies open. "What's wrong? What's going on?" I continue to bark and gesture to follow; grandpa's door opens as he attempts to put on his robe. "What's all the noise?" Grandpa grumbles. Qtip storms out, "what is it? What's happening? Tell me, tell me, tell me!" Qtip as hyper as ever barks. Anthony runs back into his room then quickly runs out with his shoes on. "I think she wants us to follow her, maybe someone is outside." I run down the stairs, Qtip and Anthony quickly follow; grandpa eventually catches up. As Anthony swings open the back door to run outside he shouts. "What the hell!" It was Alphonso about to unlock the door. Alphonso shouts at the same time. As startled as I became, I ignore both and continue to bark and run past them. Alphonso seems confused but follows as he notices Anthony and Qtip running after me and grandpa trying to catch up with a shotgun in hand. As soon as I reach the old barn I run up to the body and whimper, as I sit next to him. Anthony's jaw drops as he falls to his knees, both hands on each side of his head. Alphonso runs in, "what is it?" He then sees. Grandpa finally catches up ready to shoot, he then realizes what all the commotion was about. Grandpa drops his gun to the ground; Alphonso runs over to grandpa. He is grabbing at his chest as he stumbles down. Anthony still hasn't moved from the side of the body. Qtip as hyper as she always is, is finally silent as she looks on next to Anthony. They look as confused as I did when I discovered the body. I now know they have no idea who could have done this.

The cops finally left after the body was removed. There is only a single detective left behind. He is inside with grandpa and the boys. I stayed behind in the barn. I hear Harley talking about it with the others. "Shut up Paco, you talk too much, you dumb old goat." Harley nays as he back kicks his stall. "Did you see all the bloody slash marks?" Squishy oinks. They all seem to not know anything. How is it possible? "So, I know for a fact one of you rancid creatures know what happened!" Qtip aggressively barks. I snap at her to stop so I can get a word in. "Okay, everyone seems to have been asleep when one of our families' friends ended up in this barn." I pace back and forth. "Someone in here has to know something." I demand. They all might be to scared to come forward. I have to find out more. I run up to the house just as the detective was leaving. Grandpa was sitting in his chair, but seemed to be okay given everything. Alphonso was sitting across from grandpa rubbing his face in disbelief. Anthony was headed back to the living room after escorting the detective out. "I can't believe it. I can't believe he's gone." Grandpa sniffles. He was a very close friend of grandpa. They had known each other since elementary school. Anthony sits on the arm of the sofa next to grandpa. "Who could have wanted him dead grandpa?" Alphonso asked worriedly. The boys look at their grandfather with concern in their eyes. Both probably wondering the same thing. Does someone want to kill grandpa or are they trying to frame him for the murder? I have to keep digging, I can't let anything happen to any of them.

Weeks have gone by and still no word as to who killed grandpa's childhood friend. All has been really quiet around the barn since. Everything is slowly getting back to normal. As the boys and grandpa work around on the farm, I continue to do some work myself. For the past few weeks, I have been asking everyone on the farm questions about that night. And the same thing from everyone, nothing. I've talked to all the chickens and all the cows and they each point fingers at everyone else. I'm at a loss. I would ask the rooster but as the chickens have said, Val, grandpa's dead friend took him before he was killed. From talking to everyone, I am beginning to think that the ones inside the barn know something. They all seem to get quiet every time I enter. But it might be just me. The next morning the family is at the breakfast table eating and chatting like usual. I hear the conversation is about Val. "The cops said he was stabbed seven times on the face, hand, and chest. Along with random cuts on his arms and hands, like he had been fighting off whoever did this." Alphonso stated. Grandpa shakes his head and puts down his coffee mug. "It's horrible I tell ya, he was a good man but often found himself in some bad places. I remember back in the day he would always find himself in some kind of trouble one way or another. I always told him it would catch up to him." Grandpa said about his friend Val. Anthony just sat and ate his breakfast in silence. I guess he took the death a little harder since that was his godfather. I sat down next to the table and listened for any clues. But they seemed as lost as I was. Maybe it was time to just let this one rest, maybe it was possible some random evil person killed Val and just left him there to die. But why here? Why this barn? No, I couldn't just let this go I had to sniff around until I found something, I needed answers! Another night has passed of not knowing what happened. All is quiet; the farm animals are all asleep, the sounds of crickets echo through the night. I lie on the patio by the front door to keep watch over the family as they sleep. Just until they find the monster that did this. As I lie here, my eyes become heavy; just then a rustling comes from the side of the house in some bushes. I stand there listening, then again, the sound of movement from the left side of the house. I run as fast as I can toward the sound. Maybe it's the man that murdered Val. Maybe he's back to kill grandpa or the boys. I have to stop him! As I reach the bushes the sound is gone, nothing, just silence. I stand there listening. Still utter silence. I begin to sniff around but the smell of all the farm animals is too strong as they were roaming free earlier in the day. I continue to sniff for a new scent but all I smell is chickens and the rooster. Maybe I was dreaming, maybe there was never any sound at all. I decide to walk around the farm just to be sure everyone and everything is okay. I won't be able to sleep until I check. All seems to be in order, the cows are all fine, the pigs all asleep, the chickens all sung in their coop. As I walk towards the barn to check on the horses, something shiny glistens and catches the corner of my eye, it's Chuck, the mean old rooster just standing there on his usual post. I guess grandpa went and got him from Val's house. I ignore him as he was busy with his feathers. All looks good in the barn, the horses all asleep, and once again Paco and Squishy are in the barn asleep. Those two never stay where they're supposed to. I go back up to the house to sleep since I did my rounds and everything is good. Soon the morning light rises and I hear Chuck crowing. All of a sudden, the back door flies open and grandpa comes storming out. He looks so confused; he's scratching his head and mumbling something. He goes back inside and moments later he returns, this time the boys join him. Anthony holds a cloth in his hands as Alphonso and grandpa each put on gloves. I have no idea what is going on but I follow. They seem to be walking towards Chuck. "Come here boy, good boy Chuck." Anthony tells him as he positions the cloth over the rooster. "Be careful, grab him, get his legs!" Grandpa shouts. Alphonso quickly grabs at the cloth to get Chucks legs but pulls back just as quickly. "The damn thing cut me!" Alphonso yells as blood drips down his hand. Grandpa grabs Chucks legs and ties them together with a small rope he had in his hands. They all take Chuck inside with them and leave him tied and covered. I watch in confusion but follow with curiosity. They all enter the kitchen, Chuck in hand, and place him in the sink. I hear grandpa on the phone talking to someone. I watch as the boys finally remove the cover from over Chuck and untie him. Alphonso then throws Chuck outside. The boys are now both staring into the sink as grandpa tells them not to touch it. An hour later there are police and the detective at the farm once again. They finally found out who murdered Val. Val had a bad habit of entering rooster fights at the sleaziest places and a habit of tying a knife to one of the roosters' legs when they fought. It seems he had taken Chuck without anyone knowing and then tried to return him but the rooster turned on Val before he could take the knife off of his leg. Grandpa always told Val that one day something bad would catch up to him. It turns out, that day finally came in our rundown old barn.