4 BLUE’S PROPHECY peered at him with the same intensity and then slowly walked toward him Robo so sure of himself so suspicious of humans found he couldn’t move even when she slowly petted him and checked him for a collar and tags He didn’t even move when she slowly checked his back leg for a telltale heart in his fur and she gently said Oh Robo I’ve missed you so much His family immediately encouraged him to join them calling him to jump into their white minivan He did His love for his first pack his first kind humans was so powerful he didn’t even consider the magnitude of his decision to leave his dog pack He was just so happy Too happy He didn’t need to worry about survival any more On most days he and Becca explored the lake in their sub division with Becca pretending that he was a horse and she was the mighty warrior looking to save the injured birds that they would sometimes find He would watch her at night as she slept He wouldn’t fit in her small mahogany twin bed but instead he slept on a thick shag rug next to her blissfully content Honestly most days were spent chasing squirrels And that’s how it happened he had jumped on the deck at a squirrel only to tumble down the stairs Robo was hurt badly When Becca found him he could barely move wheezing in pain As they loaded him back into the van his breath became shallow and he could see fear in Becca’s eyes And now they were here He on the examining table Becca draped on his neck with tears streaming down her check Robo had never seen any human as distressed as she was
BLUE’S PROPHECY 5 He felt her warm tears soak through his fur and his throat tightened His eyes began to burn and he quickly closed them to cool them down It didn’t help He moved his large head to nuzzle her and she grasped it in a desperate hug You can’t just die she whispered into his huge pointed ear You just can’t He started to lick her tears She lifted her hand and scratched behind his ears Hardly able to move Robo howled in frustration his fur standing on end Becca’s mother looked at her and hugged her Robo had always been close to Becca’s mom but like most moms she hadn’t been able to spend the time with him that Becca had Even so Robo had always loved sitting under the table near the kitchen island where her mom with green eyes and dirty blonde hair would toss him pieces of cheese when no one was looking She also used to take Robo running less often now than when she was younger But like Robo she had strong legs often covered up by the jeans and cooking aprons she wore daily She was a good match with Becca’s dad an alpha whom Robo respected He had named Robo when he first landed in their home With black hair brown eyes and a broad smile her dad was a gifted mechanic who had originally named Robo Robot for his silky short gray fur that looked almost metallic in the right light But Becca couldn’t pronounce it shortening it to Robo and it stuck Robo looked up and realized this was the first time he had ever seen Becca’s dad cry Suddenly a door opened and a man in a white coat walked in with determined long strides his hands behind his back Tall
6 BLUE’S PROPHECY with broad shoulders the doctor had slick black hair and light blue eyes Robo suddenly realized that he knew this man and he had unfinished business with him Mustering all his strength he snarled and growled at the man But strangely his pack of humans ignored his warnings and walked right to his enemy Is there anything you can do Becca said her voice unsteady The man stared at the papers attached to his clipboard Trying to act important aren’t you Robo growled at the man The man ignored him It was no use He was a dog and they were all humans The man slowly took off his black-rimmed glasses and sighed I’m sorry your dog has had a massive heart attack and I’m not sure I can save him Just listen he’s growling in pain Robo looked at the man What was he doing Robo knew just knew he had lied Mom and Dad both looked at Becca Honey let’s hope for the best her mother said gently arms wrapped around Becca Becca looked deeply into Robo’s eyes searching for clues Robo Robo what should I do she sobbed Robo howled from another wave of pain through his chest Becca wrapped her arms around him Save him she whis pered to the man in the white coat Mom and Dad agreed and slowly patted Becca’s back Come on honey let’s go and give the doctor some time And with that each of them each of his beloved human pack hugged him around the neck gently telling him how
BLUE’S PROPHECY 7 much they loved him and treasured him They stroked his fur and patted his giant head tears in their eyes Then they were gone Robo’s heart dropped as he watched his family just leave him there His chest was burning in pain and he was having difficulty breathing The man turned to him and smirked Robo I’m not very happy with you I had great plans for you and instead this silly little family got to you first But now now that you are mine our destiny will finally be fulfilled Robo growled This man this evil evil human This was Dr Dexter Rune the man who had murdered his mother Of course we do have to fix that broken rib Dexter said lightly It was convenient that it happened so near your heart So easy to tell them that it was a heart attack a heart attack I’m afraid they will believe you did not survive He smiled his white canines looking unnaturally sharp for a human Putting his glasses back on Dexter slowly reached for a syringe that looked just like the one that had killed Robo’s mother Holding it up Dexter slowly drew liquid in and gently tapped it before plunging it into Robo who was still strapped down Time to sleep for now Dexter said as he slid the syringe in between Robo’s shoulders Robo started to kick and fight as much as he could but his hearing started to have a strange echo as if he were underwater and his vision blurred His legs
