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When she saw him, she knew she loved him.
The boy dressed in weird clothing that smelled like blood and sweat and fear, who picked her up with ease while most humans struggled to hold her back. She usually could break free pretty easily from their grip, but he held on tight. His voice was comforting, young. Unlike the harsh, rough words of the people that kept her chained in the backyard. She was glad when the man left her in a park that smelled like many many dogs late at night, and she ate from bins that was full of delicious food humans threw out.
She knew the word 'trash.' The woman would yell at the man to 'take out the trash' and he came out with a bag that wafted delicious smells her way.
So she figured that the way the boy called her 'trash dog,' he loved trash the same way she did. She was happy to be his trash dog.
She got to go for a car ride with the boy! He left for a little bit and she was alone in the car, which made her nervous that he wouldn't come back, like the mean man that left her in the park. She didn't want him to go forever. The longer he was gone, the more anxious she got, whining evolving into lightly woofing and then full-on barking. She stared out the window he'd left cracked open, baying and howling until she saw his slim figure emerge from the building. As he approached the car, she sat back and greeted him with a light bark.
"Hi, girl," he said as he got in the car. She wagged her tail. Hi, boy.
"I'd think of a name for you, but I'm probably not going to be able to keep you," the boy said, his tone sad. She dropped her ears and tail to match the sudden change in tone. She didn't want him to be sad, but now she was sad that he was sad. "But it's okay!" he exclaimed. "We'll find you a home!" She perked up at his excited tone, but he was obviously pretending to be happy. She was just happy he stopped being sad.
At the end of the car ride, they went in a ride in a big box that smelled bad. The boy called it the elevator, and she was kind of nervous. But not wanting to make the boy sad again, she rode in it, tail tucked and ears back. It was a very small space with no means of escape. She hated it, but the boy seemed to love it. He was excited about everything, and she loved him.
Then they got to the boy's home, and he put her in a big tub and washed her with water and foamy stuff that tasted bad when she licked it. This was called a bath, he said. She'd never gotten a bath before, just a stream of water from a hose directed at her by the man. Her boy laughed when she shook herself dry and drenched him, and she shivered with the pleasure of his laugh and his hands running through her fur.
After the bath, they climbed in the boy's bed and she lay on his back while he watched a small box of light emitting random sounds. Occasionally the boy laughed at it, and she relished in the sweet sound of his joy. After he fell asleep the box played sounds and colors for a while, but eventually it stopped. She climbed off his bed and splayed out on the floor, falling into a deep sleep, comforted by her boy's breathing. In… out… in… out…
Suddenly she sat up. There was something wrong with the boy. There was something off. She whined.
Her boy's heart started to beat way too fast and his breathing was wrong. She whined louder, and woofed nervously.
He called out suddenly, and she barked in surprise and concern. Was he in danger? But he was only in his bed. How could he be in danger in his bed?
The boy's arms and legs thrashed, and his blanket wrapped around him. He yelled, struggling against his blankets and she did the only thing she could think of.
She jumped on his bed, and gently eased herself onto her boy. She knew he could take her weight- he was stronger than any human she'd ever encountered. As she lay on him, he stopped thrashing and yelling. His heart slowed down and his breathing evened out.
Her boy woke up momentarily and said,"thanks, Millie." then crashed back to sleep, resting peacefully again.
Millie.
Somehow, she knew. That was her name.
The next day, a woman named May and a large boy named Ned called her boy Peter a lot. She figured that his name was Peter. But nobody called her Millie. They didn't know her name, she guessed.
The boy named Ned stayed at Millie's home after Peter left in the weird clothes again. She lay on the couch with him and the big box played sounds and showed pictures. Ned called it "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and then "Umbrella Academy" and after that, "The Great British Baking Show." He yelled and groaned at the last one but the first two made him laugh a lot.
It was a while before Peter came home. He was sweaty and had a purple bruise on his cheek. She whimpered in concern when she saw blood trickling down his leg, but he assured her that it would heal soon. Millie licked it clean just in case. He called to Ned, who answered back, and Peter got in the shower again.
A shower is just like a bath but the water pours down on you. Millie was learning all sorts of new things at her new house with the boy.
Later, the woman called May came home, and Millie could tell that she loved Peter and he loved May. So Millie, though she wasn't sure that May loved Millie, loved May because Peter loved her. She greeted her happily but cautiously because she sensed that May was uncomfortable with her.
"Um, about the dog," Peter started, but May cut him off.
"We'll talk about it later." Peter seemed confused by this exchange, and started talking to Millie. A lot.
I have no idea what you're saying , she thought. But I still love you because you're my boy. And I'm your trash dog!
"Don't tell anyone, trash dog," Peter finished. Millie wagged her tail violently. Okay .
And then, something amazing happened. They got bacon for dinner and Millie got half a slice! Then a man who smelled like oil and grease and stuff humans put on because they thought it smelled good came over. Peter called him Tony and Tony made Peter happy so Millie was happy.
Tony crouched down to look into Millie's eyes. "Wow, she's a monster, isn't she," he remarked. Peter laughed.
Then Tony gave Peter something that jangled and made her boy silent for a while. She couldn't get a read on his emotions and that made her nervous, so she sat next to him and whined.
"A… collar?" Her boy whispered. "I can… I can keep her?"
Peter's excitement was building up, and he exploded when Tony and May both simply nodded. He shouted and jumped up and down in joy, and she did the same, barking along with him. Somehow he stuck to the ceiling and she went crazy, barking like mad. He laughed and dropped down, calming her almost instantly.
The boy was so happy and she was so happy, even when he put something around her neck that jingled whenever she moved.
"You're my Millie now," he crooned. "My trash dog, my Millie, Millie, Millie, Millie."
Everytime he said her name, a shiver of pleasure traveled down her spine. She loved him more than anything in the world. He was her boy and she was his girl.