31
Prose
The Day that Was
Chandrika R Krishnan
26th December,2004 and I knew they were about to make a mistake.
I dug my heels in, pulled at the little girl’s shorts, wanting her to go back to building the sand castle with her brother while their parents were having their morning coffee sitting on the deck of their room. I danced around the boy, throwing up a long and deep howl.
But then they all laughed at my antics except for the mother. She looked at me and said, “it looks as if he is trying to tell us something.”
I loved her for it and gave a short bark. I forgave her the uncharitable remark she made about me on the day they entered the resort a week back. She had stopped her children with a sharp, “don’t touch the stray dog!”
The man who was following them into their room with their luggage said, “He is gentle, ma’am. He is vaccinated. He will also not enter the room.”
But today, I had to warn them. “Don’t,” I barked and yapped around them. I felt the water look dark, different. Something wasn’t right. I could not put my paw to it… It was eerily calm. I had an ominous feeling.
But the tall man ran ahead, scooping up his squealing, curly-haired doll and hoisted her onto his shoulders. The seven-year-old gave a long jump just clearing the castle that they had built a few minutes ago and gave them chase, hooting.
I stood looking back at the woman telling her to stop them, but she called out, “I want to have a relaxing bath in your absence.”
I too ran behind them, barking and telling them to return. My friend seeing me told me with a short growl, “something is wrong with the water today. You don’t go. They are just visiting the resort and they would go back soon, leaving you behind.”
I hesitated then. Yes, they technically weren’t my parents. I just liked them for their kindness. The kids loved me and I fell in love with them in return. They had spent the last few days on the beach making me fetch the Frisbee each time it flew past me. The children never seemed to get enough of the beach.
But that morning, when the waves hit the land, I had just managed to get myself onto the higher level. Both my friend and I ululated, adding to the commotion. We saw people trying to outrun the gigantic waves that tossed them and demolished everything that was on its path, like mere twigs. I saw the curls tossed around and the boy being swept away. The man was the last to go into the waters, tumbling after his little princess and prince. Hundreds disappeared as the humans behind us started wailing.
I turned back and ran into the flooded room and barked non-stop at her bathroom door till help came and took the dazed woman to the hospital. She never ever spoke. I was with her till my end.