The Final Day
It was 4 a.m. I woke up early today, even before Riley did. I was just sadly lying in the bed, imagining the beautiful face of Riley, all those super fun moments with him, playing in front of my eyes. And then, suddenly, I could feel my hand getting wet. Riley was licking it, smoothly, tenderly, as if I am a baby. This wasn’t how Riley usually woke up. He would start barking and running around the whole room in order to wake me up. But, not this time. He was just letting me sleep today, not like other days. He was gazing at me, with those big blue eyes, solemnly, filled with the pressure of carrying the heavy weight of a sad truth. He had been like this for the past few days. Riley was only five years old, a strong young lab.
I started thinking about how I found him. He was running around in a deserted alley, a month old lab, all brown with mud, following any occasional random passenger walking in the street. I somehow took that street for no reason as such. Now, I think it’s part of my destiny that I had to take that path. The reason is clear to me now. It was so that I could meet him, that little puppy, barking out of hunger. I took him into my hands that day and he’s licking those very same hands in my house after five years now. I can’t ever forget all those moments I had with him. Too sweet, but ironically, too sad, at the same time. I was pulled back to the present by Riley’s teeth, dragging my blanket off me.
It was still dark outside. We went out for a walk, the streets shrouded with fog so thick that things beyond a five feet radius were a complete mystery, just like one’s fate. We sat on a bench there, him in my lap. There was an ice-cream shop open. I got two scoops of butterscotch. Riley loves it. I let him eat it rarely.
“There’s not much time left.”
“But, how can it be, doctor?”
“We’re sorry but nothing can be done.”
This part keeps playing in my head. I’ll have to let Riley go, I thought, tears rolling down my eyes. I came back to my senses as Riley kept wagging its tail with the frisbee in his mouth. We played for a while and then walked back home. I called Arjun for help. I knew I can’t look at Riley as it happens. I prayed for one last time “God, make sure Riley is happy, wherever he is.” I gave him one last kiss on the forehead and let Arjun take him back to his place.
I just took a few strolls after that and sat back in my garden, looking at the blue sky, inhaling the fresh air.
Now, I just need to sit here, waiting for my death.
I know Arjun would take good care of Riley.
He’ll be sad for a while, but he’ll eventually forget. I hope he does.
Goodbye, Riley!
