10
Valerie led John by the leash along a stone pathway. The kennels lined up, three on each side. She was sure to tell him that they only had two dogs, but her husband insisted they were going to get three more, which they never did, and a sixth kennel was just as cheap as five to install. He understood, she was sure, that an even three on each side was more aesthetic for their estate.
Much like the rest of the their land, trees and bushes lined individual portions of the property from each other. This forest along the back property line blocked out any view from outside the perimeter.
The closing of the kennel gate and hearing her thongs slap against her heel as she walked away was a welcome sound. It was almost five o'clock. Quiet at last. The kennels were well shaded from the sun. The ground under John was of a comfortable temperature.
The two dogs wagged their tails at him uplifting his spirits in some odd way. The one right next to him, a Doberman, was sniffing at him through the chain link fence. He would have told the animal to go away but with the ball gag he was as mute as any animal. John began to feel the panic as his value was dwindling down to that of a measly animal. Damn these chains!
He sat back against the chain link to fight back the anxiety attack. He told himself it would all be over in a few days. In just a few short days he would be walking on his hind legs again...like a real person. Perhaps Ashley would leave him, but he would handle that anxiety when it happened.
After a few minutes John lifted himself to all fours. His front paws could lift just high enough to reach the simple gate latch holding the chain link door shut. He chuckled to himself, 'dumb broad.' Okay, so now he was free, but where would he go? It wasn't like he was like a real person anymore.
John wandered up the path on all fours for a ways just to see where it led. He found out when the path led to a tall wooden gate. The latch was much too high for him to reach in his dog-like state. Just then he heard the thongs flip flopping against her heels.
"John! John! What are you doing, John?"
Valerie came around the brush on the pathway. "Bad dog!" she said. "Bad dog! What do you think you are doing leaving your kennel?" She grabbed him by the collar with her fingers and began to drag him back to his prison. "Gosh," she said, "I turn my back for one moment and look what you do."
John choked slightly at her motivating pressure.
Once back at the kennel, she swung the door open and led him back in with her hand. "You know what? This just isn't going to work." She reached down and tugged on his swimming trunks until they were down and off of him. "There," she said, "that's much better for long term."
Long term? What did she mean by that, John thought.
Waving a long finger at him Valerie said, "Now don't do that again. I'm watching you." With the other hand she pointed at a camera mounted on a light post. It was aimed at the kennels. "I've got an internet connection on my wireless phone so that I can see what you are doing any time of day."
