Zu Zhun

 

It was a rundown dilapidated district of back -to -back terrace housing, alleyways, yards and neglected spaces. Nan occupied an upstairs back bedroom overlooking a corner. She was bedbound, through old age and illness, and had herself raised enough to look through the window and see part of that quarter.

Mostly she saw the back of Mr Cotton’s house, which had an eight foot fence along the rear, paths, and uncared for gardens. Old man Cotton had a dog, a big cross of some sort, as mean as himself what with his harsh treatment of it, that would jump the fence and terrorise the alley. It was always snapping and growling after anyone who used those back lanes.

Cotton had to do something because the inhabitants were scared of being mauled. So he tied the dog with a length of chain and went and got drunk most days. But a dog does not know how long a chain is because when it jumped the fence again it was hung up and even at full stretch that dog’s back leg’s wouldn't touch the ground.

Nan didn't see directly, what with one thing and another, but when she did , she got all agitated and concerned as she could’nt abide cruelty to any living thing. Yet what could she do, being housebound as she was, till Clara came along later to check on her. Nan said, ‘The dog hung there with its tongue all out looking to die in front of me’, and she turned away.

When she looked again saw the animal was’nt hanging so much. That’s when she noticed the foreign girl, underneath that beast, holding it up to keep it from hanging itself. Nan knew it was the child, she recognised those dark kohl doll eye’s and blue black hair, against the red fur of the dog. Nan said, ‘The girl held that dog two hours at least cos of the time when Clara came to check in on me’.

Clara ran straight away to Cotton’s and banged and shouted till he answered and as inebriated as he was went and released the animal and dragged it back into the yard. He never chained the hound again. It still jumped the fence. That dog was never sweet, but kept its peace since the child’s kindness, and would only grumble deep in its chest at anyone who passed. It knew when the kid was coming, as dogs can, and would wait till she came and the girl would play and mess with it and the dog would act like a puppy and roll on its back like it never knew anger in its life. It’s unclear what happened to them because everyone was moved out with the demolition of that downtown area. 

 

Nicholas Dunn