the difference between a loved and unloved dog.
two dogs meet at a bend in the road.
one is well groomed with a collar and leash, tongue lazily hanging out of its mouth as it soaks up the afternoon sun.
the other is bone thin and scruffy, teeth clenched in fear, leg cut to the bone.
l: where are you going?
u: i dont know. everywhere. nowhere. Is anyone really going anywhere, or are they just moving to trick themselves into believing they exist?
l: you look hungry.
u: i am hungry.
l: ...youre bleeding.
u: i was hungry.
l: was it worth it?
u: life is not about worth. i would fight again and again for the sweet sensation of a full belly.
l: you might die from those wounds.
u: dying is just another way to pass the time. one day you will learn.
l: why dont you just go home?
u: home is a privilege, not a right.
l: i dont want to watch you die.
u: then dont.
l: you dont have to fight. you can be gentle.
u: dogs like me fight their way through life. you have teeth for a reason, those arent pearls stuck in your gums.
l: you deserve to be warm and full. you deserve to be loved.
u: a lot of things are a lot of things. that doesnt change reality.
u: im going to lay down now.
l: goodnight. im sorry.
u: goodbye.