The Human Pet: A Sci-Fi Romance

Part 13

Tarak

Even though Your Human and You recommend some activities (like bathing) once a day, I do this multiple times a day. More must be better, especially for my pet.

It is when I restudy Your Human and You that I realize that I have not been a good pet owner, because I discover I have been negligent.

The Hydra Veterinarian Unit recommends exercising your human a minimum of two times per day. The benefits of exercise include but are not limited to stimulating your pet's nervous system, socializing your pet, and maintaining your pet's mental and physical health.

It is after I see the number of recommended walks that I cannot stop thinking about this. I am failing my pet! What about her health? Will she get sick, all because I have not done my duties?

My eyes keep going to that part of my wall. I clench my fists. I need to take better care of my pet.

"Kata," I say as I approach the door. When my pet comes to me, I attach her leash and tell her our destination, "Kepr."

She excitedly bounds down the hallway, and I rush to keep up with her.

As soon as we walk through the pet gate, I release the leash. She bounds away, playing with those butterflies again. I consider teaching her to dominate other pets so she would be more like a proper scourge pet, but she seems so content out there playing and frolicking that I let her be.

Maybe I should get my mind off what my pet is choosing to do. I sit on a bench and open the communication tab of my wrist unit. I flick through the Zon ordering page and I click on the cart, ordering at least a dozen more boxes of berries since my pet did seem to like them. Strange how those berries had arrived at my door. The all-knowing Zon must have done it.

I open the most important file of all, Your Human and You. I'm relieved I can get this information inside the park because this means I can study how to better take care of my pet. Reading about pet care engrosses me.

When I suddenly hear my pet cry, I jolt and scan the environment. She's by the patch of trees where she sometimes chases butterflies except...

Loviatar is holding her arm. She's twisting, trying to get away.

My mind screams. My pet is in danger. I rush toward them.

Somehow, she gets away and starts to run. He reaches to grab her by the collar, but she turns, clamping onto his hand with her mouth. He howls and they separate. He draws his hand back as if he will strike my pet.

Never. I leap, tackling him to the floor. He yells about how my pet bit him and the only thing I can think of is how he scared my pet.

I shove him to the floor, and hit him, repeatedly, but I stop when I hear my pet whimpering. Hearing my pet cry makes me so upset I let Loviatar go.

I scan the surrounding area. This time, my pet is under the park bench. I call her, and she runs straight to me. Her eyes are doing that leaky fluid again (crying). I pick her up and carry her back to my quarters. Once there, I do the things that she likes. I get out the berries and even when I offer them to her in my open palm, she won't eat them.

Not being able to care for her properly makes me feel broken, a failure as a pet owner. How can I not do the minimum she needs, which is feeding her and keeping her safe?

I clench my hands in frustration and move to the next soothing task, a bath. I carry her, leaving her at the pool's edge while I do all the proper preparations: adding pleasant scents to the water; increasing the steam setting; and finally, laying out fluffy towels.