The Sea Noose

The Sea Noose


“Nnngh...” I tried swatting at whatever had awoken me. A loud whining made me opened my eyes. I sighed. “What do you want, Vitas?” he whined and nudged my side. His eyes were pleading. I rolled over and out of bed, Vitas barked happily and jumped down after me.

I raised an eyebrow at him. I pointed at the door.

“You're the one leading me where you want to me. Go.” he raced out of the room and I followed at a slower pace, yawning. I found him scratching at the door leading to the porch impatiently. I rolled my eyes and opened the door, flicking a switch, causing the outside light to turn on. Vitas bolted outside, heading straight for the golden grass. I closed the door quickly as a light breeze of freezing cold air came through the door.

I danced into the kitchen, checking the time and went into the living room, adding yet another log into the fire. It was almost five in the morning. Cian wasn't kidding when he said I'd be getting up earlier. I stood in front of the fire, warming my hands as the fire started burning the new wood. A scratching at the door let me know Vitas was done with his business. I opened the door wide enough for him to squeeze through and hurriedly closed it once he was back inside.

I grabbed another can of food from the kitchen and opened it. His bowl was still next to the fire place from last night and I poured his breakfast into it. He began to hungrily eat up his food. I threw the can away and poured some water into a new bowl and brought it into the living room, setting it next to his food. He lapped up the water once he was done with his food.

I stretched, reaching my arms up as high as I could get them and then sat down on the couch, curling up into a slight ball. Vitas yawned and stretched, too, his butt sticking up in the air, his front paws reached out in front of him. He shook himself and bounded over to me, hopping up in the couch. I reached out a hand and started petting him in long strokes, down his back. He shivered and wedged his nose underneath my leg and relaxed into the couch.

I continued petting him until I nodded off, my hand resting on his back.


Vitas once again woke me up, though this time it was to play. I stretched, rolling my shoulders again, a slight stiffness had settled in from the way I was positioned as I dozed. Vitas was wagging his tail happily, I was awake now and he could have someone to play with. I smiled and walked slowly to the spare room where all of his toys lay on the floor. He followed behind happily, ready to start playing. I picked up a good sized ball, bright red and bounced it on the floor a few times.

Vitas crouched down low, wriggling his butt as he watched the ball as it went up and down countless times. His muscles tensed ever so slightly, his fur quivering over them. His tail went ridged, stilling where it was. His eyes were trained on the ball, watching it intently. I moved my hand up higher, slowing how fast the ball was bouncing. He shifted on his hind legs, his eyes never leaving the ball.

I switched hands, moving the ball over a foot. His head snapped towards it, his tongue flicking out momentarily. When the ball came up the next time, I caught it, not letting it drop back down. He shook his head, not seeing where the ball had gone to. I bounced it once more, his eyes snapping to it, and I threw the ball out into the hall way.

Vitas twisted his body as fast as he could, his nails clawing against the floor and chased after the ball. He hit the wall on his way down the hallway, the ball was hitting enough surfaces to keep bouncing further away from him.

After a few minutes of hearing his nails scratch against all of the wood floor, he proudly strutted back into the room, the ball in his mouth. I smiled and rubbing his head.

“You're such a good boy! Yes you are!” I scratched underneath his chin and he closed his eyes, one of his hind legs scratching against his side in pleasure. I laughed softly and took the ball from his mouth, bouncing it again. He looked up at me happily, his tongue lolling from his mouth. His tail wagged happily as I threw the ball once more and he trotted after it, having a fun time stalking it and bringing it back to me.

We spent a few hours playing with each other, throwing the ball and then moving on to his squeaky toys. After a while, though he went back over to the door and started scratching at it.

“Have to go out again?” I opened the door and stepped outside as he ran into the golden grass again. I shivered softly, the cotton shorts and tank top not doing much to keep me warm. Vitas stood at the gate, staring at me.

“What?” he turned in a quick circle and looked at me again. I smiled and walked over to him, patting his head. Vitas took that as his cue to shoot off, down the worn stone path towards the beach. I rolled my eyes and followed him, closing the gate behind me softly.

Vitas was at the end of the stone path, sniffing around the grass, waiting for me. I patted his back and he jumped, not knowing I was there. He smiled a dog smile at me and trotted down the small sandy hill. I followed behind him, my feet sinking into the still warm sand. I wasn't paying attention to what Vitas was doing, staring off into the distance as I walked slowly, so I was taken by surprise when he bounded up to me, carrying a large stick.

I smiled and picked up the stick from where he had laid it at my feet. He ran in a small circle, waiting for me to throw it. I tossed it from hand to hand and Vitas fidgeted, wagging his tail. I tossed the stick into the small waves washing up into the sand. Vitas happily chased after it, trotting through the ocean water. He grabbed one end of the stick and proudly brought it back to me.

I kept throwing the stick out into the small waves that came up onto the sand as I kept walking, Vitas was more than happy to keep bringing it back to be throw once more. By the time I patted Vitas' head and scratched underneath his chin, turning us back around towards the house, his legs were covered in ocean water and sand. He contently trotted in front of me back to the house, nudging the gates latch open when we reached it, hidden behind all the golden grass.

He waited for me at the door, shaking himself free of sand and water before I reached him. I opened the door and he slowly padded into the house, making a bee-line for the fire once more. I yawned, closed and grabbed another can of his food. I opened it and poured it into the bowl next to the fireplace, returning to the kitchen to throw the can away. There was still water in his bowl, so I didn't have to worry about that.

I curled up on the couch after putting a log into the fire, the last one nearing its death. Vitas slowly ate his food, the day of playing making him tired. He yawned when he finished and curling into a ball in front of the fire. My eyes hurt slightly as I sat there and watched the flames.

I stayed awake the whole night, old memories haunting my mind. Vitas feel asleep, the fire lulled him into slumber.