The boy had always wanted to be a soldier. When the draft came he was the first in Olalla to sign up.

“Why’d you SHOOT him?”
“I don’t know, he jumped out”
“For Fuck Sake he’s still alive”

He ran to the dog lying in the dirt road.

“How do you know he’s alive?”
“He’s still moving a little. His legs”
“Maybe he’s asleep and dreaming”
“ASLEEP? He’s fucking dying”

The dog’s legs were twitching like when dogs run in their sleep. The boy sat on the ground. He pulled the dog onto his lap.

“Jesus Christ he’s bleeding all over you”

He stroked the dogs head, briefly the dog looked into his eyes. In those eyes were all the dogs of his youth Kona, Sasha, Satin. He remembered running with them through the fields, eating blackberries, jumping in the lake, chasing cats. The smell of tall grass, taste of a sweet berry, feel of cold water, the sight of fear in the cat’s eyes. He didn’t see that fear now but he felt it. He stroked the dogs head, the dog closed his eyes.

The boy wished he was asleep and dreaming.