Blatant LOPE Ripoff (Where is Everybody?) Twelve.

I don't know what I should do. I've been stuck here in this vacant, mostly deserted world for twelve days now, almost two entire weeks, and not another soul have we seen for days, in spite of our efforts. Actually, I have noticed something. There are twelve of us, and twelve days have passed since everybody vanished, and we few have reappeared. Me, Anthony, Angela, Will, Vinnie, Sam, Pickering, the Hadleys, Sweet Stuff, Val De Lump, and Joanna. Yes, the dog has a name. Shall I tell about it?

It was now June fifth, and the morning was dreary. I uncharacteristically got up at dawn, and there was an odd feeling on my chest. I opened my eyes to find I had been flipped onto my back and was facing a bright ceiling lit by daylight. On top of me was Sam whose hands were all over my chest and whose rear was on my abdomen.

"Gah-ya! Get off of me!" I shoved her off, and she smirked at me. "Alright. I thought you might want some early morning company."

"I'm good, thank you very much!" I then rolled over off of the bed and landed on all fours, then continued to walk my way to the restroom.
When I came out, there was a sound coming from the kitchen. I came in to find Val foraging though the freezer.

"This thing is damn near empty. It hasn't been replenished in five flipping days, certainly not after the power went out. You cannot very well go to the grocery and take what you need unless you only want nuts, liquor and moldy bread, possibly canned goods. Or anything pickled in salt or vinegar."

"I know, Val. I'll get me cart out and start filling it with seeds of any kind I know. I'll fill every jar, can and bottle with them."

Then the sound of padding was heard, and the dog came in. She looked up at us, and had her head slightly tilted. Was she pleading with us? Then our friend Vinnie came in. "I don't know about you, but she probably wants to take a walk. After being cooped up in here for three days, immediately after being set free of her last prison, I expect she intends to bask."

I said before that her eyes were lighter than that of every non albino dog I had ever seen. I may not have said she is also the brightest I have met.

Because after I opened the door and released her outside, the pekingese took off full speed ahead after giving us a yip and giving Samantha a glance. Sam told us she was most likely fetching something. What, we wouldn't find out till the afternoon when she came back.

I heard a distant yipping, and a distant padding was detected. I was out on the porch relaxing for the afternoon after finding nopo- nobody again. Then I heard it. I couldn't see her, as she was well beyond the vanishing point, but my now overtly sensitive ears could pick up things I could never hear before. I bolted into the house to inform the others she was coming back. When I was telling Monica, I could hear the door opening, and Samantha was carrying her in her arms.

What was odd about this was she had a dog collar in her mouth. Upon closer inspection, the aluminum plate had the name Joanna etched into it. What was even stranger was what she told me after I pulled my long, swanlike neck back from Sam again. "This cutie is named Joanna! Ain't that something? She went all the back to her house and fetched the good old collar just to bring it back to us."

I spoke: "How? How would you know she didn't find that someplace random and just picked it out of any old house with an open door?"

That's when Pickering, who had come in next to the real dog and the dog faced woman said: "How many of the houses--" "Have you seen with the doors left hanging open during your searches?" Monica interrupted. "Yes, that's what I was going to say." She glared at him. "But I was also going to add that where she went was betrayed when she looked into Sam's eyes. Somehow, it was conveyed without having to say a word. This is a bright dog, the brightest one I have ever met. How many dogs do you know nod their heads when you ask them a question?"

I then asked Pickering and Sam: "Did you ask her if Joanna was her name?"

Sam: "Yes, I did. In fact when she clearly bobbled her noggin, I was taken aback, and asked her if she understood what I was saying. She responded in the affirmative. Then Pickering told her to tap thrice if she could still grasp our words."

Pickering: "She tapped three times. I told her to hop into my arms, which she did in haste. I could do this standing, but not walking. I handed her over to Pickering when we came in."

That's when Vinnie, Anthony and I went into Sweet's room and told her this news. She hadn't come out, as she said she didn't feel inclined to leave her room.

"Hey, Sweet Stuff! Our dog had a name! It's Joanna."

"Well, that doesn't surprise me, Alex. She has shown herself to be remarkable bright. But she cannot speak English to my knowledge. How do you know her name?"

"Because," Anthony stated, "She gave Sam a dog collar with a metal plate with her name etched into it. You should see it."

Sweet raised a brow. "Alright. Let's see her."

She came into the den with us and found the exhausted dog sleeping in Pickering's arms. She was rubbing Joanna's head gently. She looked up and behind her when she heard three sets of hoofsteps and a soft pair of footsteps come down the short set of steps into common room.

Vinnie: "So, is she alright? She's run a long way to get this."

Pick: "Yes, she is. She just needs a good, long rest. Speaking of which, you've had plenty enough of, haven't you, Sweetie?"

She remained quiet and just stared. "Yes, she has," Anthony claimed. "You may want to leave her alone for a while. Monica and I heard the insect horse talking to Torrez yesterday, and Sweet managed to walk into the conversation. The conversation went to our bitterness toward Will." Pickering seemed to go pale at the mention of this. "When Sweet Stuff asked why that was, Torrez decided to show them what we had all seen. When the video was shown to them, they both went into a state of withdrawal, hers being the worse one."

Nothing more needed to be said. The mare in question went back up the small steps and rested in her bed.

I hope her family got off easy. I hate to think they got charred in the head. I think I may need to coddle Joanna in the future. I'm glad to know her name, and the fact she can primitively communicate with us.

Tomorrow, I'll try to get Sweet (and myself) out of the house. There are non perishable groceries to find, supplies to fetch, and so fourth. I hope she won't refuse, or we'll have to force her out, even if we must carry her. Get some UV. I could detect UV outside before dusk and saw no clouds in sight. She needs this as do I.

Yours truly, Alex Chance Torrez.