Nor were humans.
Kevin and I have each other now.
Rok has nobody. He’ll never find his brother.How could anybody locate any one particular individual on foot? It had taken months before she’d encounteredanypeople.
Because the Progg murdered them all.Why should I care if an alien is lonely?Even if he wasn’t directly responsible for any deaths, he’d participated in the invasion. She shouldn’t spare him a single thought other than to wish he met with a bitter end.
Except she didn’t. She couldn’t.
Could an individual be acquitted of the crimes committed by the many?
For god’s sake, forget him!
She collected several sets of battery-power dog clippers. The charge was weak on all of them; she figured it might take more than one set to get through the haircut.
She patted the grooming table. “Kevin, here, boy!” To her surprise, he jumped onto the table. “You’ve done this before, I take it?” She attached the leashes to keep him from jumping off or falling.
He remained mostly still as she gently sheared off the clumps and trimmed his coat to a short-do and removed a couple of ticks. “You’re such a good boy. Yes, you are!” Carefully she shaved his face and feet and then trimmed his claws.
With fur gone, she could see how truly skinny he was, and it broke her heart. “We’re going to fatten you up, I promise. No more missed meals.”
She set him on the floor and let him run around while she cleaned up. Then she removed his collar and carried him to the basin. “The water will be a little chilly—I’m sorry. I’ll try to work fast.”
She gave him a flea-and-tick bath then sluiced him off. As dirty lather rinsed away, she noted with surprise his fur was white. He’d been so dirty, she’d thought his fur was brown. She patted him with a towel; there was no electricity for a blow-dry. He shook himself, flinging water everywhere. She rewarded him with a generous measure of doggy treats, and, leaving him to shake and rub, she went into the rear storage room.
She collected some flea-and-tick meds for later—the bath would kill existing bugs, but he’d need to be treated long-term. She also picked out a new collar, a leash, and a box of dog treats. Luckily, she found a large cloth shopping bag printed with the salon’s name.Have to get another backpack soon.
Kevin trotted in. After transferring his tags to the new collar, she buckled it around his neck. “Aren’t you handsome! The wet look is on trend right now.”
With a newly coiffed Kevin at her side, she strode toward the front of the store.
Outside the shop, face pressed to the window, Rok peered inside.
Chapter Thirteen
She isn’t happy to see me.
Rok’s spirits sagged, although he’d anticipated her reaction. Given the opportunity to leave, she’d grabbed it. She wanted nothing to do with him.
After they’d separated, he’d wandered around the deserted town, the impossibility of his task forcing a bitter acceptance. If by an act of Zok, Grav was still alive—which he probably wasn’t—how would he find him without a means of communication? Wander through town after town shouting his name? That would alert vengeful humans a Progg was in the area. He’d given away his vaporizer—for nothing. The gesture had failed to soften the woman’s heart.
He hadn’t planned to follow her, but after wandering aimlessly, he found himself moving in her direction. She caused him tofeelin ways he never had. He even kind of liked the dog.
He ended up in a vacant grassy quad surrounded by buildings, the purpose of which he couldn’t fathom.It struck him that finding food would prove difficult since he couldn’t read the language. Individual houses would have consumables—but identifying food he could digest would be hit or miss. He’d have to smell everything.
He scanned the area, but there was no sign of Chloe.Maybe she didn’t head this way after all. Or maybe she’s inside a building?
Strolling around the quad, he peered into windows. Inside one shop, he spotted a wet scrawny dog with short white fur running around. Kevin? He’d recalled the animal as having matted, almost-woolly brown fur. The animal scampered to the back and disappeared.
Minutes later, a smiling Chloe appeared.
As soon as she saw him, the smile fell off her face. She and the dog exited the shop. “Are you following me?”
“Not intentionally. I sort of ended up here, and then I saw Kevin. I wasn’t even sure if it was him. I remembered him as being brown.”
Tight lips relaxed into a slight smile. “I thought he was brown, too.”
The dog sat on his haunches, watching them.
