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"submission_right_thumb_large_y": "200", "submission_right_thumb_medium_x": "120", "submission_right_thumb_medium_y": "120" } ], "description": "Josie was ankle-deep in swamp muck when she saw The Thing. Chained up, filthy and abandoned, it had been left to guard the dead cars of a wreckers yard. It looked very dangerous. But something about its sad eyes drew Josie back...", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Josie was ankle-deep in swamp muck when she saw The Thing. Chained up, filthy and abandoned, it had been left to guard the dead cars of a wreckers yard. It looked very dangerous. But something about its sad eyes drew Josie back...", "writing": "[b]The Thing in the Junkyard[/b]\n\nTheo S. Bernard\n\n- 1 -\n\nJosie was ankle-deep in swamp muck when she saw The Thing.\n\nShe had parked discreetly, slipped her feet into sturdy rubber boots, and marched through a deserted industrial park until she reached the vacant lot by the river. It was early on Saturday morning, and the streets were empty. \n\nGnarled mangroves grew close together along the muddy banks of the tidal channel. She turned down-stream and squeezed between their leathery leaves, following a fence of ugly corrugated iron which marked the back boundary of “Rick’s Auto Dismantler’s”, the specialists (according to the faded sign) in Ford and Mazda parts, along with flagrant abuse of the apostrophe. Many people thought the mangroves were an ugly weed, but Josie admired their tenacity and their rugged beauty. They softened the harsh man-made lines in the back-waters of the city, and held back silt and pollution, filtering the water which eventually flowed out into the sparkling blue harbor. To an ecologist like Josie, they were far more interesting than the sterile white of the sandy beaches. Armed with notebook and camera, she walked the banks and assessed their health.\n\nA boggy wetland separated the fence from the mangrove trees. A bare area caught Josie’s attention, and she sloshed towards it. She frowned when she saw the rainbow sheen of oil on the surface of a stagnant pool. She traced its path until she came to the corrugated iron of the fence. A panel was missing, and through the gap she could see piles of smashed and rusting car bodies. Engine blocks and transmission cases spread like dismembered organs, and broken safety glass lay in drifts like old snow. Here was the dirty underbelly of private transportation, far from the latest-model low-interest no-deposit glamour of the showroom. The stench of oil and old rubber wafted on the breeze. Greasy liquid dripped and trickled across slabs of broken concrete, collected in a gutter, and oozed out under the fence. Rick was definitely not following the council requirement to contain hazardous runoff.\n\nJosie reached for her camera to document the mess. A scraping sound caught her attention, and she looked up. She froze as something rounded the nearest car wreck. It looked like a huge dog, and she caught a glimpse of snarling teeth as it leaped towards her. She threw up her arms, expecting the thing to crash into her, and its jaws to close on her flesh. But then came a rattle and a thud, and the thing stopped dead and crashed to the ground, brought up short by a sturdy chain which ran back from a thick collar and disappeared among the car bodies. \n\nThe Thing crouched just inside the iron fence, straining against its chain. Josie’s panic subsided. So, Rick had a guard dog. But was it a dog? Now that it was stationary, she could get a better look at it. Its head was very dog-like, with wide jaws like a Rottweiler. Its ears were small and round. It had four legs and a tail. But its body was wider than a dog, and a row of spines ran along its back. It had leathery skin covered in patches of thin black fur. It was filthy, and its rank smell reached Josie even over the odors of the decaying cars. She could see sores on its legs and flanks, and it looked malnourished and lackluster despite its straining muscles and fearsome snarl. \n\nJosie forgot her fear and stepped closer. She was partly motivated by a surge of pity, but mostly by scientific curiosity. Could it be some strange mutated canine, or perhaps an exotic species she’d never heard of?\n\nA strange thing happened as she moved closer. Perhaps the thing perceived her lack of fear, for its demeanor changed. It sat down on its haunches, and its snarl softened. It was dirty and probably diseased, and yet for a moment she saw a spark of life in its sad eyes. But as she stepped towards it, she saw anger and fear well up again, and a deep growl brought her to a stop. \n\nThen the thing stiffened and cowered down, casting a furtive glance over its shoulder. Footsteps approached between the car wrecks, and Josie realised that she was inside the fence. A surly figure stumped into view. His threadbare overalls were nearly black with grime, and his boots left oily prints on the concrete. Perhaps this was the apostrophe-abusing Rick of Rick’s Auto Dismantler’s. \n\n“Oi!”, he barked by way of greeting. “This ain’t a tourist attraction!” \n\n“Ah, sorry”, the woman stammered. “I was just photographing the mangroves.”\n\nHe stared at her with open suspicion, not comprehending why anybody would waste time on such a pursuit. \n\n“Well there’s plenty more of them so you don’t need to do it here. You’re just lucky the mutt was tied up.”\n\nJosie seized the opportunity. “Surely that’s not a dog, is it?” she asked. \n\n“Well it’s not a cow, that’s for sure.” Rick sniggered at his own humour. “I dunno what breed it is, but it’s too fuggen ugly to be any use.”\n\nJosie watched in horror as he aimed a kick at the thing’s ribs. It cowered down, but she didn’t miss the look of hatred it directed towards the man. \n\n“Git inside!” he yelled, and it slunk off and vanished behind the cars, its chain rattling over the concrete. But as it left, it caught Josie’s eye with a look of pleading and despair. Rick didn’t seem to notice as he turned back to her. \n\n“Makes a good guard-dog, though. Keeps the riff-raff out. Now, clear off, if you please. I have work to do.”\n\nHis expression left no room for further small-talk, inquiry or argument, so she had little choice but to gather her dignity and retrace her steps. It wasn’t until she was out of sight and safely among the mangrove trunks that she remembered the camera in her hand. She had not thought to photograph the strange animal, let alone the leaching pollution which had been her original target. \n\nRattled by her encounter with the repugnant and non-compliant wrecking yard owner, Josie abandoned mangrove exploration and retired to a cafe. She researched obscure canine variants on her phone over coffee and cake, but found nothing that fitted the description of the strange thing. \n\nBetween clothes shopping and lunch with her mother, she didn’t think much more about it for the rest of the day. But that night, while she lay in bed alone and sleepless, the baleful look in its eyes came back to haunt her. She told herself not to romanticise the animal, and yet she couldn’t help but think of it as intelligent. She hated to see unnecessary suffering in any creature, and the Junkyard Thing deserved far better, she was sure. She pictured it huddled in a rusting car body, shivering in the cold and damp of the night. Alone... like her. \n\nBy 1am, she had convinced herself that it deserved to roam free and majestic through the city, and damn the consequences. Better that than another day in the muck, prisoner of the cruel junk yard owner. She dressed in camouflage cargo pants and a black woolen jersey, and her heart fluttered in anticipation as she slipped a flashlight into her pocket. She parked several streets away from the junk yard, and sat for a moment. Everything was quiet apart from the ticking of the cooling engine and the distant murmur of motorway traffic. Doubts filled her mind. What if “Rick” caught her snooping around again? What if the thing attacked her – or went on a vicious rampage? But then she remembered the pleading look in its eyes, and she knew she must set it free.\n\nAt the edge of the mangrove forest she waited, watching and listening. Orange street lights glowed in the distance, but here all was dark. The shadowy hulks of car bodies poked up here and there beyond the fence. She could see a security light pointing back towards the street from the office at the far side of the yard, but the rest of the building was unlit. Surely the owner didn’t stay the night at his lot. The smell of used oil drifted through the cool air. Steeling herself, and treading carefully so as to be nearly silent, Josie crossed the marshy ground until she arrived at the fence, where she used her flashlight to find the gap. She shielded the beam with her hand, shuttering it down to a pinpoint of light. \n\nShe heard the rattle of a chain, and she crouched behind the rear quarter of a generic hatchback with no windows. Had it heard her? What would it do? \n\nFootsteps and clanking chain indicated that it had heard her. She had to see. She flicked on her light and swept the beam across the expanse of oily concrete. Something lunged towards her, and there was a resounding clang as the chain snapped taught against the metal side of a car. There it was, it’s jaws open in a snarl, straining at the end of the chain but blinded by the flashlight. Josie lowered the beam.\n\n“It’s OK” she crooned, “You remember me!” \n\nThe thing seemed to relax. She sidled closer. She swung the flashlight around to show her face to the creature. The low growling stopped, and its ears swiveled forward, but its teeth were still bared. She pulled a chunk of salami from her pocket. Just how smart was this thing? Would it be enticed or insulted by such a bribe? She extended her hand slowly, and watched as the thing’s furred face changed. Its head leaned to one side as it eyed the tasty morsel in her fingers. It tensed as she stepped towards it, but then relaxed again. She was sure there was more curiosity than anger in its dark eyes. Those eyes watched her hand as she lowered her arm then tossed the salami towards it. It caught the chunk with ease and gulped it down. Then she saw its tail move in the smallest of wags, and she risked moving into range of its teeth. \n\nIt cowered to one side as she reached out a hand, and now she could tell that its fierce demeanor was born of bravado and desperation: it did not know any other way to react, and yet it sensed her interest, and was confused. Her resolve hardened: she would set it free. Her fingers brushed its head-fur, and it did not pull away or snap at her, although its ear flicked forward and back.\n\nShe shone the flashlight on its collar, seeing old leather dotted with rusty studs. A heavy clip attached the collar to the chain. \n\nIn the distance, she heard the distinctive sound of a ranch-slider opening, and a light flicked on beyond the rows of car bodies. So the proprietor did live in the oily filth of his yard! Josie switched off her torch and stood absolutely still, her hand on the thing’s collar. Footsteps scraped across concrete. Panic rose in Josie’s throat. She fumbled with the clip, struggling with the rusted catch. It ground open, and the chain fell to the ground. \n\n“Come on!” she whispered, and scrambled back towards the dark silhouette of the fence, not daring to risk her torch. She tripped over a car part which clattered away into the darkness. A spotlight came on at the other side of the yard, its beam projecting a tangle of shadows through the stacked wrecks. Glancing back, Josie saw the Thing, crouched low and staring back towards the light in fear and indecision. “Come on!”, she cried again, willing it to follow her. \n\nThen claws scrabbled on concrete, and she knew it had decided. It raced up behind her as she reached the fence, and at the same time, the sweeping spotlight caught them in an avenue between the cars. There was a staccato mechanical clack sound from the direction of the spotlight, and the thing gave a very canine yelp and tumbled over into the marshy ground beyond the fence. It took Josie a moment to recognise the sound of an air rifle. Gods, she thought, we’re being shot at!\n\nThe light wavered as the shooter reloaded. She could hear the thing, back on its paws and crashing through the reeds beside her. A rush of exhilaration swept through her as she raced across the open ground, her breath steaming in the chill air. They reached the shelter of the mangrove trees long before the man got his rifle loaded again.\n\nShe could see nothing beneath the thick canopy, so she used her torch – well covered by her hand – to find her way back along the bank. As soon as she dared, she stopped and waited for the thing to catch her up. It was limping, but it did not look seriously hurt. She had thought that it might run off – had been prepared for such an outcome – but it was definitely following her, and she was pleased. “Come on!” she whispered. “We’ve got to keep moving.” She noticed that it was trembling, but its tail was held a little higher.\n\nJosie was very glad now that she’d parked further away. There was no sign of pursuit along the river bank, but the junk yard owner would be likely to search the road near the front of his yard. Josie skirted the empty lot at the end of the street, keeping in the shadows at the edge of the mangroves, and then past a concrete retaining wall at the back of another industrial block. So it was that they rounded a bend in the river and scrambled up a grassy slope which led to the street, and her car. She waited for a few moments as her heart pounded, but all was quiet. The thing hesitated in the shadows for a moment, then limped after her, its spines rattling softly. She fumbled with her keys in the dark, wondering how she would get it into the car. But cars were something it knew well, perhaps even something it felt safe around – it had been living in a car wreck for who knew how long, after all. When she opened the back door, it climbed casually in. Belatedly, she realised that she hadn’t covered the back seat with anything. She closed the door carefully, then got in to the drivers seat. She finally relaxed as she pulled away and accelerated down the street, heading away from the junk yard - just another small and innocuous car heading home late. \n\nGlancing into the back seat, she noticed just how large the strange creature was. Now that she saw it in the confines of her car, it was as big as one of the giant dog breeds, perhaps a Newfoundland or Saint Bernard. It sat up, haunches on the back seat and forepaws on the floor, looking from side to side with nervous fascination. She guessed that it wasn’t used to cars which moved. Its smell was rank, and Josie wound her window down to let some air circulate. Hopefully, it just needed a bath. \n\n- 2 -\n\nJosie was proud of her house. It was an old cottage up in the rambling western suburbs, where the city dissolved into steep hills covered by thick forest. It was small and rustic, with “great potential” - real estate code for drafty and rotten. She’d rolled her sleeves up and taught herself how to paint and plaster and install insulation, and now it was cheerful and cosy. It had a feral back yard screened by an exuberance of native ferns and shrubs.\n\nShe parked in the carport and stopped the engine. The thing looked around in the silence, ears forward and shoulders hunched. Josie opened the passenger door very carefully, and stooped to look at it. “It’s OK!” she whispered. “We’re home!” \n\nHome? She had a moment of serious doubt. Was she crazy? Did she want this thing in her house, in her life? She knew so little about it. But when she looked into its eyes, she saw again the hint of intelligence and feeling that had drawn her to the creature. She extended her hand to touch the matted fur on the side of its face, and it’s gaze swiveled to stare at her. She had found an old leash in the back of her laundry, and now she raised the clip, meaning to clip it to the thing’s battered collar. But its lip curled as the sight of the restraint, and, quick as a flash, its jaws snapped shut millimeters from her hand. \n\n“Fair enough”, she said, tossing the leash to one side. “I guess you’ve had enough of that.” And anyway, her intent had never been to detain the Thing against its will. She was sure it was too smart for that. However, allowing it to run off free had seemed much less problematic when it was back at the junk yard. Here, it was in her suburb, her home. \n\n“OK then. Would you like to come in?”\n\nShe doubted whether it would understand, but still, she liked talking to it. She stepped away from the car and waited. The thing climbed down from the back seat, graceful despite its bulk and suddenly dignified in defiance of its dirty and gaunt appearance. It stood with tail tucked in and ears swiveling too and fro as she closed the car door. Then it followed her as she crossed the path, climbed three wooden steps, and unlocked the back door. \n\nIt stood in the bright light of the hallway, its gaze roaming. She doubted whether it had ever been inside a house. Now that she could see it properly, it definitely looked malnourished, its thin coat matted and patchy. But it had a proud profile and a hansom face. If only it wasn’t so dirty… She didn’t want to put it outside in the cold, but it was already leaving greasy prints on the hallway linoleum. She would have to give it a bath.\n\nWhile she ran water into the bath tub, she heard tentative steps and the click of claws as it explored along the hallway and into the kitchen. It was back in a minute, and she felt its bulk behind her as it edged into the bathroom and peered over her shoulder. \n\nJosie was just wondering how she would coax it into the half-full tub when it pushed forward, its blunt muzzle sniffing at the warm water and tail swishing from side to side. It glanced at her, as if to ask permission, then scrambled right into the bath and splashed down on its belly. The look of joy on its face was enough to make all the evening’s risks seem well justified. “You like that!” she said, and it shook its head and sneezed happily in answer. \n\nShe grabbed soap and a cloth, and began – with some trepidation – to wash the thing’s back. It stiffened for a moment, then she saw it relax. Its spines were light and flexible, more like thick hairs, and in the bright light she could see an iridescent sheen to their dark colour. It stretched out its neck and closed its eyes as she sponged at the grime on its shoulders, dabbing gently around its open sores. It had a fresh welt on one leg where the air gun pellet had ricocheted off its tough skin. She worked up to its ears and face, terrified and enthralled by its powerful muscles and the raw strength which lay docile beneath her hands.\n\nIt seemed to understand what she was doing, for as she finished her cleaning efforts on its top half, it rolled lazily over, sloshing water onto the floor. Now it lay languid on its back, and Josie’s eyes widened when she saw prominent testes between its muscular rear legs, and a shapely sheath extending along its belly. If its biology bore any similarity to known life, then the Junkyard Thing was definitely male.\n\nJosie tried to look away as she sponged its – his – flanks and belly, finally working her way out to his oil-covered paws, to which she applied extra soap. The Thing had thick toes and stubby claws on his rear paws, but she noticed that his front paws had two thinner toes – or were they fingers – on the inner side, almost like a thumb and index finger. They were not as dexterous as a human hand, but – Josie’s analytical mind studied the paws as she scrubbed them clean – this thing could run like a four-footed animal, but also manipulate objects. It was evidence of a higher level of evolution than a typical earth carnivore.\n\nThe Thing was as clean as he was going to be, and she sat back and contemplated him for a while. He eyed her as she wrung out the wash cloth and hung it over the taps. Then he wriggled upright and stood up. He looked around, and then – before she could stop him – he shook himself in canine fashion, spraying the walls and the woman with dirty bathwater.\n\nJosie grabbed a large bath towel and held it up as the creature scrambled out of the tub. He cowered back as she edged closer, suspicious eyes fixed on the cloth. But he held still as she rubbed him dry, and by the time she had finished, he was leaning against her. \n\nHe still wore the studded collar, and it looked tight and uncomfortable. He flinched as Josie reached out to touch it, but he let her examine it. A tight loop of rusty wire encircled the buckle, defying her fingertips. The thing watched with interest as she fetched some wire cutters from her tool cupboard, and finally the wretched collar slipped off his neck and clattered to the floor. He shook his head, reveling in the new sensation of freedom. His tail gave a definite wag, and he leaned forward to give Josie’s hand a lick of thanks. Even in his disheveled state, he was far too noble a Thing to wear such a monstrosity, and she smiled to see him free of it. \n\n“Now for some dinner, I suppose!”, she told the Thing. She was pretty confident that he would be hungry. But what would he eat? She knew that his previous keeper – Rick from the junkyard – had assumed that he was some kind of dog, so it was a good bet that he’d been fed meat and other dog foods, although it didn’t look as if the quantity or regularity of meals had been very high. Josie checked in her fridge, and discovered a raw steak and some left-over roast chicken and potatoes. The Thing sat in the doorway with his tail curled around his feet and ears forward, and watched as she placed things on the bench. She made herself a sandwich with some of the cold chicken, and as she loaded a bowl with the steak and potatoes, she heard occasional splashes as drool dripped from his jaws in anticipation. Remembering that cooked chicken bones were dangerous for dogs, she stripped the remaining meat from the chicken carcass and added it to the bowl. She placed it on the floor, and pushed it towards the Thing. \n\nHe stepped forward, then stopped and looked up at her, perhaps wondering whether such generosity could really be meant for him, or what kind of cruel trap it could be.”Go on!” she said, trying to sound encouraging. She took a bite of her own sandwich to show him that it was OK. \n\nThe Thing gave her another look, then decided to make the most of the opportunity. Josie munched on her chicken sandwich and watched as he sat in front of the bowl and took a deep sniff. She expected him to stick his muzzle right into the bowl and start munching, dog or cat like. Instead, she watched in amazement as he picked up the steak daintily with the opposable thumb and finger of one front paw, and lifted it to his mouth. There was nothing dainty about his powerful jaws, however, and the steak was gone in a moment. \n\nHe’d finished the bowl before Josie had finished her sandwich, and she chuckled when he picked up the bowl like a human, then licked it clean with a huge tongue like a dog. He leaned back and licked his lips, and his tail gave another wag. \n\nJosie yawned, and realised that it was after 3 am and that she was very tired. The Thing followed her into her bedroom, and as she looked down at his broad face with its deep brown eyes, she felt safer and less alone than usual. She spread a blanket on the floor beside her bed, and pointed towards it. The Thing dutifully sat down on the blanket, and watched her. Embarrassed, she turned away while she stripped off her clothes and pulled on a nighty. \n\nShe climbed into bed, while the Thing sat, upright and watchful, on the blanket. She was reaching for the light when he gave a little snort and a shake of his head, then, having decided to push his luck, he clambered up onto the bed, turned around once, and lay down beside her. \n\nShe was going to chase him off, but he gave a blissful sigh, and his warm bulk felt comfortable beside her. Carefully, she stroked the iridescent spiny hairs or hairy spines that ran down his back. They were softer than she expected. He still smelled faintly of old motor oil, but her duvet was a dark colour, and due for a wash anyway. \n\nShe’d always wanted a dog, and now it seemed she’d got… well, something, anyway. She ought to be afraid of the Thing, but his calm eyes reassured her. She listened to his soft breathing after she turned out the light, and was soon asleep.\n\n- 3 -\n\nJose awoke to an unfamiliar rumbling sound, and she jumped when she saw a strange dark shape on her bed. It was the Thing, of course, now lying on his back against her legs with his paws in the air, snoring peacefully. The morning light shone in through the curtains, and her eyes traced the leathery curves of his balls and sheath. They looked full and firm. The snoring stopped and one eye opened a little, as though he had sensed her gaze. Embarrassed at her own impropriety, she looked instead at his face, and almost giggled at the way his upper lip sagged in a leer. He sneezed, then rolled over and assumed a more dignified pose, ears forward and nose sniffing at her hand. His iridescent spines rustled as he stretched. \n\nIt was Sunday. The Thing followed her dutifully as she went to the bathroom, either out of curiosity or fear of abandonment. Suddenly shy, she shut him outside the bathroom door before she undressed and turned on the shower. This wasn’t exactly fair, considering that she’d been staring at his private parts, but then he was used to being naked. He scratched at the door a couple of times, but then she heard him lie down on the floor, confident that she wasn’t going anywhere. \n\nWhen Josie emerged from the bathroom, robed and toweling at her damp hair, the Thing was no longer in sight. A bit concerned, she checked the kitchen and then noticed that the back door was open. She found him in the back yard, sniffing around between clumps of unkempt flax. It was probably more greenery that he had seen in his entire life. He trotted back when he saw her. “Interesting back yard?” she chuckled, and his ears twitched at the sound of her voice. “I think its time for breakfast!”. \n\nShe gave the Thing some mince for breakfast – the last of her meat supply – and sat down at the table with a plate of cereal. The Thing had started eating his meal, holding his nose close to the bowl and scooping up mince with a paw. After a minute, she noticed that he had stopped and was watching her. Then he stood up, picked up the metal bowl with his teeth, and sauntered over to the table. Once there, he reared up on his hind paws with a smooth grace which belied his size. He plopped the bowl neatly on the table beside the woman, then dropped back to the floor and shouldered out one of the chairs from under the table. He scrambled up and sat down on the chair, his tail hanging over the side, and resumed his breakfast. \n\n“Well!” said Jose, quite astonished. “You’re full of surprises! But I guess the floor isn’t very clean!”. His tail twitched at her words. \n\nA trip to the supermarket was needed after breakfast, but Josie did not feel confident taking the thing with her. She decided that she would have to leave him at her house, and hope that he didn’t run off, or make a mess, or eat the neighbours, or any other of other concerning things she could think of. She wasn’t even sure whether he was toilet-trained, although he did show an uncanny intelligence. She left the back door open for him, and hoped he would figure it out. She also switched on the TV to give him some entertainment. His ears perked up at the burble of voices from the speaker, and he bumped his nose on the screen in an attempt to get a closer look. Realising that it was nothing but coloured dots at that range, he moved back, then sat with his head tilted to one side and watched the shifting pictures. Josie grinned as she picked up her reusable shopping bags: he was definitely interested. \n\nHe saw her crossing the room, and followed her out to the back door. She held up her hand. “Wait here,” she told him. “I’ll be back soon!”\n\nShe hoped that her tone would reassure him. Indeed, looking in the rear view mirror, she saw him turn and amble back into the house, just as if he’d always lived there. \n\nForty five minutes later she was home again, laden with bags of groceries. She gambled that he would eat more than just meat, so she’d bought plenty of potatoes and greens as well, along with an assortment of other things to try. It was actually quite exciting –she didn’t always eat very well, and having someone else to cook for gave her a reason to make an effort. \n\nThe Thing greeted her at the door, and his tail was wagging in a very dog-like fashion. His nose twitched and snuffled as he realised what she was carrying, and next thing she knew, his muzzle was poking into the nearest bag. “Hey you!”, she chided. He immediately raised his head and sat obediently, looking up at her. \n\nHe watched with intense interest as she distributed the food between the fridge, freezer and cupboards. Was he figuring out how to open them, or was it just her imagination? After his antics at the breakfast table, she wondered whether the provisions would be safe from his prying nose. Just how smart was he? \n\nShe decided that it was time for some exercise for them both – after all, that’s what you were supposed to do with a dog. Her unkempt back yard sloped down into a gully, and beyond that the bush-covered hills swept up towards a craggy peak festooned with radio masts. There was a path of a sort, but it was overgrown, and the chance of meeting anyone else was minimal. \n\n“Come on!” she encouraged the Thing as she laced up her walking shoes. He sat beside her on the step, and she patted his warm flank. She was sure that his thin fur already looked shinier than it had when she first saw him, although his ribs still showed. \n\nShe had bought a new XL size dog collar, thinking that at the very least he ought to look like he had an owner. He was looking out towards the forest as she leaned over to slip it around his muscular neck. However, as it touched his fur, his head whipped around, and a deep growl rumbled from his throat. Josie suddenly found her hand between his jaws, and he squeezed just hard enough that she felt the pressure of his teeth. He could crush her bones like a corn chip, and she was suddenly aware just how powerful he was, and how little she really knew him. Lesson learned, though: he would not be accepting a collar any time soon. \n\n“OK,” she said, shaken. “We don’t really need that thing.” \n\nThe Thing released her hand with a precise dignity, and she threw the collar on the shelf. The Thing sat still, and regarded here with his dark eyes. What thoughts lurked in those depths? She couldn’t be sure, and she resolved to be more careful and not assume too much.\n\nJosie set off across the yard, and the thing trotted after her. He seemed nervous at first, and she wondered whether he had ever been on a walk in the forest. However, his confidence and excitement grew as they scrambled down towards the stream, and soon his tail was high and his nose busy as he explored the sides of the trail. By the time they were half way up the winding path on the other side of the gully, he was bounding about and sniffing everything he could find. His chest was soon heaving and his tongue hanging out as he panted hard, obviously not accustomed to so much exercise. Josie wasn’t in the best shape either, and when they came to a clearing, she sat down on a grassy bank and looked out over the forest below. The Thing flopped down beside her. \n\n“Enough for today, eh?” she grinned at him. \n\nThe rumble of thunder overhead made them both jump, and she looked up to see dark clouds rolling in over the hills. Curtains of rain already hid the distant ridges. \n\n“Uh oh! Time to head back!” she said. The Thing seemed to understand as they set off back down the trail into the valley. They were soon hidden beneath the thick trees, but the fading light and smell of approaching rain told Josie that they were not going to beat the storm. Sure enough, heavy drops were pattering down around them as they crossed the stream, and then the heavens opened. They were both soaked within minutes, and the Thing’s spines rattled as he shook torrents of water off his back. Water-logged brush sagged over the track and saturated ferns clutched at their sides as they clambered back up out of the gully, and by the time they sloshed across Josie’s back yard, her clothes were plastered to her skin and the Thing was muddy and disheveled. Thunder echoed again through the valley as they reached the safety of the back porch. \n\nThe Thing sat panting as rivulets ran off his back, and a puddle formed around the woman as she kicked off her shoes and socks. They left a trail of wet footprints as Josie headed for the bathroom with the Thing close behind her. \n\nShe turned on the shower, and then paused with her usual feeling of embarrassment in the face of his cool gaze. But her clothes were cold and wet, so she clamped down her shyness and pulled them off. Her underwear fell to the floor, leaving her naked in front of the thing. \n\nThe shower was mounted over a big cast-iron bathtub, and Josie climbed in and immersed herself under the hot cascade. The Thing immediately scrambled into the tub as well, confirming his love of hot water. He looked up into the shower spray and sneezed at the unexpected mist from above. \n\nJosie pulled the shower curtain along its rail, and they were enveloped in their own little enclave of steam and splashing water. She leaned down with a bar of soap and started to wash the Thing’s muscular neck and back, running her hands over his hairy spines. Her fingers brushed the firm curve of his sheath, and she realised that she didn’t feel as shy anymore. A little thrill passed through her at the nearness of his strong, wild presence. \n\nShe started to wash herself, relaxing under the warm water. Her eyes were closed when she sensed a warmth near her. The Thing stood before her, and his broad nose was raised towards her crotch. Her heart gave a flutter as she remembered the power of his jaws and the pressure of his teeth on her hand. This is inappropriate, she thought. I should stop it! But she didn’t make any move. The Thing noticed her gaze, and he froze, eyes on her face. But still she made no move to stop him, and his nose quested forwards once more. She could see his flanks quiver as he sampled her scent, and then a flash of pink appeared as his tongue traced oh-so-delicately around her vulva. She had to steady herself against the wall as an unexpected rush of excitement spread through her. \n\nThe Thing had a tongue, and he knew how to use it. Josie was having trouble focusing on rational thought. It really didn’t seem like a good idea to let the Thing carry on, but damn, she couldn’t bring herself to stop him. Instead, feeling slightly giddy, she eased herself down until she was sitting on the side of the tub, the old enamel cool beneath her backside. The Thing lowered his muzzle to follow her movements, and now, with her legs apart, he had easy access to his goal. Now his tongue slid deeper into her, and somehow he knew how to tickle her clit. She was hardly aware of the water which drummed on her shoulder and trickled down over her breasts and over the Thing’s glossy back. His muscled flank pressed against her inner thigh, hot and wet. She grabbed his neck with both hands, and felt his muscles rippling as he lapped at her opening. How did he get to be this good? Was it merely instinct? She wondered as tension grew in her. Then she was clenching and pulling him tight as he brought her to an unexpected orgasm. She gasped as the wave of pleasure washed over her, and it was all she could do to stop herself from thrusting her hips into his licking – and probably falling into the tub. \n\nHer gasps subsided, and the Thing lapped eagerly at her dripping entrance. Well, that hadn’t happened in a while. He raised his nose to look up at her, his tail swishing gently from side to side. \n\n“Good boy!” she said, petting his ears, and thinking that he definitely deserved some praise for his skills. They sat together for a few minutes before Josie felt steady enough to get out of the tub. Her shyness was gone now, and it felt nice to get a big bath towel and dry them both off. \n\nNonetheless, her feelings were confused as she put on dry clothes and headed for the kitchen. She felt a certain revulsion at what he’d done – at what she’d allowed him to do. He was a strange-looking animal from a junk yard – just a dumb beast, really. Or was he? She hardly dared to admit the raw animal attraction she felt, but she couldn’t deny what he’d managed to do for her. She blushed thinking about it.\n\nOne thing she knew, anyway – she was hungry, and she was sure he was too. Outside, the downpour had eased to a steady drizzle, and it pattered down as she got out bread and ham for their lunch.\n\nJosie had to go to work the next day, and she worried about whether the Thing would be alright. Going out for an hour to do shopping was one thing, but work meant being away all day. As before, she left the TV on and the back door open for him. The Thing seemed less concerned as she waved goodbye and climbed into her car – in fact, he looked quite at home. Nonetheless, she spent the day worrying about whether he would still be there when she got home, and if he was, what the state of her house would be. \n\nShe needn’t have concerned herself: as she drove up the driveway, he appeared at the back door, tail swishing the air. The afternoon sun gleamed off his iridescent spines, and his lean muscles rippled beneath his fine coat. His sores were healing, and already he looked vastly improved compared to the dirty and bedraggled Thing she had rescued only a couple of days earlier. \n\nHis sheath swayed as he wagged, although he seemed quite unaware of his naked state or his raw sexuality. Inside, she found the house still perfectly intact. The fridge seemed suspiciously less full than she remembered, but there was no mess or signs of prying noses. When she looked at the Thing, he was looking innocently in the other direction. \n\nThey established a routine over the next few days, including a walk in the gully when she got home from work, and sitting together to watch TV shows in the evening. It was reassuring and comfortable to have him next to her on the couch, and she liked to stroke his shoulders, where his coat was looking shinier and fuller with each passing day. Every evening he curled up beside her on the bed – always on top of the covers and a modest distance away. She caught herself eyeing his sheath or his balls once or twice, but she put such thoughts out of her mind. \n\nOne evening, she was taking her empty glass back to the kitchen when she heard the toilet flush. The door was slightly open, and she watched in stunned surprise as a paw pulled it open and the thing wandered nonchalantly out into the hallway. She had noticed him watching her as she went in and out; It seemed that he’d figured out not only how to use it the loo, but even how the flush worked! She’d never owned a dog, but she was pretty sure that this went beyond normal canine toilet training.\n\n- 3 -\n\nJosie was late home on Friday evening, due to the usual end-of-week nibbles and drinks at her office. It had been a difficult day dealing with recalcitrant business owners who thought that their little bit of industrial run-off ought to be exempt from the city council rules. Her manager was, despite immaculate qualifications, a misogynist at the best of times, and after enduring his tasteless jokes for the whole day, she’d had to ignore a hand on her shoulder which had strayed a little too far to be comfortable, but not far enough to warrant a complaint. She shivered as she remembered it. Kicking off her shoes, she poured a glass of wine and collapsed on the couch. The TV was playing a current affairs show, but she hardly comprehended it as the Thing clambered up and sat beside her. \n\nShe felt a surge of warm affection for the Thing, and his tail swished as she stroked his ears. “At least I don’t have to put up with trashy talk from you!” she giggled, and hugged him close. Thanks to a week of regular bathing, his scent was was finally free from the lingering odours of waste oil, and now he smelled warm and earthy. She filled her lungs with his aroma and felt herself relax. A slurping sound issued from her wine glass as the Thing lapped at it. She let him sample it, and he sneezed and shook his head. \n\n“Ha, serves you right!” Ignoring the drool he’d left on the edge, she drained the glass and plonked it on the side table. The heat pump blew a warm breeze towards them, and a pleasant buzz suffused through Josie from the wine. Her austere work clothes were not very comfortable. She eased off her blouse, and then her skirt, and threw them to one side. The Thing watched with interest as she sprawled back in nothing but her bra and panties. She smooched up to him, and his fine fur felt wonderful against her bare skin. She put her arms around him, and he raised his nose and touched her mouth with his tongue. This thrilled her, so she opened her mouth a little and let him kiss her. She gagged for a second at the alien taste that assaulted her senses, but after a moment she realised that it was no worse than some guys she’d been with. Returning the kiss, her own tongue slid over his teeth and his cool nose bumped against her cheek.\n\nPanting for breath, they parted. She wanted to feel more of his muscular flank against her. She slipped off her bra, and snuggled close to him again. The wine must really be affecting me, she thought. I should be more sensible. But she didn’t want to let go of the warm Thing pressed against her. And she couldn’t deny the desire that rose through her. \n\nAlmost beyond her control, her hand moved down to stroke his belly. He licked her face again. “Come on, then.” she whispered, and made her way to the bedroom, swaying only slightly along the way. The thing padded behind her. \n\nShe sat down on her bed, and the Thing jumped up beside her, licking his lips, his tail swishing. Then, folding his spines flat along his back, he rolled over with his head on the pillows. His dark eyes looked up at her with an invitation. Kneeling beside him, she stroked his tummy with both hands. \n\nAnd now his maleness was stretched out before her in all its naked glory. The wine was definitely affecting her because her hands moved down his flanks and then over his sheath, so utterly inhuman and yet so wonderfully suggestive. Her fingers explored his balls, round and firm between his splayed thighs, and heavier than she expected. \n\nHer body tingled in expectation even though she had no conscious plan, and even though a small part of her kept insisting that such intimacy with this Thing was weird and immoral. Already she could feel a wetness and a tension between her legs, and a thrill swept through her as she eased her panties down and kicked them off. Now they were both naked in the soft lamplight, and before she knew it, she had slipped her leg over him so that she straddled him. She stroked his neck as her crotch moved against his belly. \n\nHis breath quickened along with hers, and she felt a felt a firmness growing within his sheath. Fascinated, she reached back to caress him again, her fingers moving over his balls, teasing him. She bent down, pressing her bare skin against him, feeling his heat beneath his fine fur. She opened her mouth to lick at his muzzle, hungrily this time, all her initial disgust forgotten. His thick tongue slid over hers as he licked back into her kiss.\n\nThis wild, muscular body which she held so close, this Thing, spoke directly to her primeval desires, and it spoke more strongly of strength and virility than any human male she had known. It was the wine, of course, but still her body ached with need for him to take her, to fill her. Now she felt something hard pressing against her vulva. Groping, her fingers felt the swelling shape of his cock within his sheath. Suddenly it was all very real, amazing and terrifying all at once. But still she pressed back against him, and her fingers guided his slick shaft into her entrance. \n\nHe thrust against her, gently but firmly, and a thrill rushed through her as his cock slid into her. He was actually inside her! And it felt amazing. Hot and firm, it swelled even as he thrust into her again. Gasping, she pressed herself down against his belly and backwards, trying to take as much of his length as she could as her labia pressed his sheath far back. He locked his front paws around her, and his claws scratched at her back, but she hardly noticed as the feeling of his thrusting body overwhelmed her. \n\nNow his member felt huge and hard inside her, stretching her with a wonderful slick fullness. Her muscles clenched around him as he pulled her close and drove deeply towards her cervix. She was consumed by animal passion, aware of only his hot body beneath her and his thick cock inside her. She kissed hungrily at his muzzle as their bodies moved in unison. \n\nHis thrusts grew harder and more urgent, and his breathing became ragged. She could feel a bulge growing at the base of his cock, tying him inside her. It pressed against her clit, stretching her, filling her, almost but not quite painful. And then he gave a gasp, and his paws held her tight as he thrust hard one more time, and his hot cum gushed into her. Ecstasy rose and washed over her as he pulsed into her again and again, and her own muscles clenched with a rhythm to match his, drawing his seed deeply into her. \n\nHis thrusting stopped, and his paws eased their grip a little. He lay back, and she caressed his ears and kissed him on the nose. His hard cock still pulsed inside her, so she adjusted her cramped knees to a more comfortable angle, and they lay there, locked together. Bliss seeped through Josie, rose, ebbed, rose again. The last of the evening twilight faded outside the curtains, and Josie heard the soothing patter of rain on the roof.\n\nQuite a while later, she felt his member shrinking, and he slipped out of her. The Thing gave a deep sigh and rolled over on his side, where he spent a while licking their combined juices off himself. Then he stretched out, head on the pillow. Josie pulled the duvet over them both and snuggled up to his warm back. She turned off the light, and lay in sated contentment, listening to the sound of the rain outside. \n\n“We should really give you a name,” she told the Thing, but the only answer she got was a contented snore.\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "The Thing in the Junkyard

Theo S. Bernard

- 1 -

Josie was ankle-deep in swamp muck when she saw The Thing.

She had parked discreetly, slipped her feet into sturdy rubber boots, and marched through a deserted industrial park until she reached the vacant lot by the river. It was early on Saturday morning, and the streets were empty.

Gnarled mangroves grew close together along the muddy banks of the tidal channel. She turned down-stream and squeezed between their leathery leaves, following a fence of ugly corrugated iron which marked the back boundary of “Rick’s Auto Dismantler’s”, the specialists (according to the faded sign) in Ford and Mazda parts, along with flagrant abuse of the apostrophe. Many people thought the mangroves were an ugly weed, but Josie admired their tenacity and their rugged beauty. They softened the harsh man-made lines in the back-waters of the city, and held back silt and pollution, filtering the water which eventually flowed out into the sparkling blue harbor. To an ecologist like Josie, they were far more interesting than the sterile white of the sandy beaches. Armed with notebook and camera, she walked the banks and assessed their health.

A boggy wetland separated the fence from the mangrove trees. A bare area caught Josie’s attention, and she sloshed towards it. She frowned when she saw the rainbow sheen of oil on the surface of a stagnant pool. She traced its path until she came to the corrugated iron of the fence. A panel was missing, and through the gap she could see piles of smashed and rusting car bodies. Engine blocks and transmission cases spread like dismembered organs, and broken safety glass lay in drifts like old snow. Here was the dirty underbelly of private transportation, far from the latest-model low-interest no-deposit glamour of the showroom. The stench of oil and old rubber wafted on the breeze. Greasy liquid dripped and trickled across slabs of broken concrete, collected in a gutter, and oozed out under the fence. Rick was definitely not following the council requirement to contain hazardous runoff.

Josie reached for her camera to document the mess. A scraping sound caught her attention, and she looked up. She froze as something rounded the nearest car wreck. It looked like a huge dog, and she caught a glimpse of snarling teeth as it leaped towards her. She threw up her arms, expecting the thing to crash into her, and its jaws to close on her flesh. But then came a rattle and a thud, and the thing stopped dead and crashed to the ground, brought up short by a sturdy chain which ran back from a thick collar and disappeared among the car bodies.

The Thing crouched just inside the iron fence, straining against its chain. Josie’s panic subsided. So, Rick had a guard dog. But was it a dog? Now that it was stationary, she could get a better look at it. Its head was very dog-like, with wide jaws like a Rottweiler. Its ears were small and round. It had four legs and a tail. But its body was wider than a dog, and a row of spines ran along its back. It had leathery skin covered in patches of thin black fur. It was filthy, and its rank smell reached Josie even over the odors of the decaying cars. She could see sores on its legs and flanks, and it looked malnourished and lackluster despite its straining muscles and fearsome snarl.

Josie forgot her fear and stepped closer. She was partly motivated by a surge of pity, but mostly by scientific curiosity. Could it be some strange mutated canine, or perhaps an exotic species she’d never heard of?

A strange thing happened as she moved closer. Perhaps the thing perceived her lack of fear, for its demeanor changed. It sat down on its haunches, and its snarl softened. It was dirty and probably diseased, and yet for a moment she saw a spark of life in its sad eyes. But as she stepped towards it, she saw anger and fear well up again, and a deep growl brought her to a stop.

Then the thing stiffened and cowered down, casting a furtive glance over its shoulder. Footsteps approached between the car wrecks, and Josie realised  that she was inside the fence. A surly figure stumped into view. His threadbare overalls were nearly black with grime, and his boots left oily prints on the concrete. Perhaps this was the apostrophe-abusing Rick of Rick’s Auto Dismantler’s.

“Oi!”, he barked by way of greeting. “This ain’t a tourist attraction!”

“Ah, sorry”, the woman stammered. “I was just photographing the mangroves.”

He stared at her with open suspicion, not comprehending why anybody would waste time on such a pursuit.

“Well there’s plenty more of them so you don’t need to do it here. You’re just lucky the mutt was tied up.”

Josie seized the opportunity. “Surely that’s not a dog, is it?” she asked.

“Well it’s not a cow, that’s for sure.” Rick sniggered at his own humour. “I dunno what breed it is, but it’s too fuggen ugly to be any use.”

Josie watched in horror as he aimed a kick at the thing’s ribs. It cowered down, but she didn’t miss the look of hatred it directed towards the man.

“Git inside!” he yelled, and it slunk off and vanished behind the cars, its chain rattling over the concrete. But as it left, it caught Josie’s eye with a look of pleading and despair. Rick didn’t seem to notice as he turned back to her.

“Makes a good guard-dog, though. Keeps the riff-raff out. Now, clear off, if you please. I have work to do.”

His expression left no room for further small-talk, inquiry or argument, so she had little choice but to gather her dignity and retrace her steps. It wasn’t until she was out of sight and safely among the mangrove trunks that she remembered the camera in her hand. She had not thought to photograph the strange animal, let alone the leaching pollution which had been her original target.

Rattled by her encounter with the repugnant and non-compliant wrecking yard owner, Josie abandoned mangrove exploration and retired to a cafe. She researched obscure canine variants on her phone over coffee and cake, but found nothing that fitted the description of the strange thing.

Between clothes shopping and lunch with her mother, she didn’t think much more about it for the rest of the day. But that night, while she lay in bed alone and sleepless, the baleful look in its eyes came back to haunt her. She told herself not to romanticise the animal, and yet she couldn’t help but think of it as intelligent. She hated to see unnecessary suffering in any creature, and the Junkyard Thing deserved far better, she was sure. She pictured it huddled in a rusting car body, shivering in the cold and damp of the night. Alone... like her.

By 1am, she had convinced herself that it deserved to roam free and majestic through the city, and damn the consequences. Better that than another day in the muck, prisoner of the cruel junk yard owner. She dressed in camouflage cargo pants and a black woolen jersey, and her heart fluttered in anticipation as she slipped a flashlight into her pocket. She parked several streets away from the junk yard, and sat for a moment. Everything was quiet apart from the ticking of the cooling engine and the distant murmur of motorway traffic. Doubts filled her mind. What if “Rick” caught her snooping around again? What if the thing attacked her – or went on a vicious rampage? But then she remembered the pleading look in its eyes, and she knew she must set it free.

At the edge of the mangrove forest she waited, watching and listening. Orange street lights glowed in the distance, but here all was dark. The shadowy hulks of car bodies poked up here and there beyond the fence. She could see a security light pointing back towards the street from the office at the far side of the yard, but the rest of the building was unlit. Surely the owner didn’t stay the night at his lot. The smell of used oil drifted through the cool air. Steeling herself, and treading carefully so as to be nearly silent, Josie crossed the marshy ground until she arrived at the fence, where she used her flashlight to find the gap. She shielded the beam with her hand, shuttering it down to a pinpoint of light.

She heard the rattle of a chain, and she crouched behind the rear quarter of a generic hatchback with no windows. Had it heard her? What would it do?

Footsteps and clanking chain indicated that it had heard her. She had to see. She flicked on her light and swept the beam across the expanse of oily concrete. Something lunged towards her, and there was a resounding clang as the chain snapped taught against the metal side of a car. There it was, it’s jaws open in a snarl, straining at the end of the chain but blinded by the flashlight. Josie lowered the beam.

“It’s OK” she crooned, “You remember me!”

The thing seemed to relax. She sidled closer. She swung the flashlight around to show her face to the creature. The low growling stopped, and its ears swiveled forward, but its teeth were still bared. She pulled a chunk of salami from her pocket. Just how smart was this thing? Would it be enticed or insulted by such a bribe? She extended her hand slowly, and watched as the thing’s furred face changed. Its head leaned to one side as it eyed the tasty morsel in her fingers. It tensed as she stepped towards it, but then relaxed again. She was sure there was more curiosity than anger in its dark eyes. Those eyes watched her hand as she lowered her arm then tossed the salami towards it. It caught the chunk with ease and gulped it down. Then she saw its tail move in the smallest of wags, and she risked moving into range of its teeth.

It cowered to one side as she reached out a hand, and now she could tell that its fierce demeanor was born of bravado and desperation: it did not know any other way to react, and yet it sensed her interest, and was confused. Her resolve hardened: she would set it free. Her fingers brushed its head-fur, and it did not pull away or snap at her, although its ear flicked forward and back.

She shone the flashlight on its collar, seeing old leather dotted with rusty studs. A heavy clip attached the collar to the chain.

In the distance, she heard the distinctive sound of a ranch-slider opening, and a light flicked on beyond the rows of car bodies. So the proprietor did live in the oily filth of his yard! Josie switched off her torch and stood absolutely still, her hand on the thing’s collar. Footsteps scraped across concrete. Panic rose in Josie’s throat. She fumbled with the clip, struggling with the rusted catch. It ground open, and the chain fell to the ground.

“Come on!” she whispered, and scrambled back towards the dark silhouette of the fence, not daring to risk her torch. She tripped over a car part which clattered away into the darkness. A spotlight came on at the other side of the yard, its beam projecting a tangle of shadows through the stacked wrecks. Glancing back, Josie saw the Thing, crouched low and staring back towards the light in fear and indecision. “Come on!”, she cried again, willing it to follow her.

Then claws scrabbled on concrete, and she knew it had decided. It raced up behind her as she reached the fence, and at the same time, the sweeping spotlight caught them in an avenue between the cars. There was a staccato mechanical clack sound from the direction of the spotlight, and the thing gave a very canine yelp and tumbled over into the marshy ground beyond the fence. It took Josie a moment to recognise the sound of an air rifle. Gods, she thought, we’re being shot at!

The light wavered as the shooter reloaded. She could hear the thing, back on its paws and crashing through the reeds beside her. A rush of exhilaration swept through her as she raced across the open ground, her breath steaming in the chill air. They reached the shelter of the mangrove trees long before the man got his rifle loaded again.

She could see nothing beneath the thick canopy, so she used her torch – well covered by her hand – to find her way back along the bank. As soon as she dared, she stopped and waited for the thing to catch her up. It was limping, but it did not look seriously hurt. She had thought that it might run off – had been prepared for such an outcome – but it was definitely following her, and she was pleased. “Come on!” she whispered. “We’ve got to keep moving.” She noticed that it was trembling, but its tail was held a little higher.

Josie was very glad now that she’d parked further away. There was no sign of pursuit along the river bank, but the junk yard owner would be likely to search the road near the front of his yard. Josie skirted the empty lot at the end of the street, keeping in the shadows at the edge of the mangroves, and then past a concrete retaining wall at the back of another industrial block. So it was that they rounded a bend in the river and scrambled up a grassy slope which led to the street, and her car. She waited for a few moments as her heart pounded, but all was quiet. The thing hesitated in the shadows for a moment, then limped after her, its spines rattling softly. She fumbled with her keys in the dark, wondering how she would get it into the car. But cars were something it knew well, perhaps even something it felt safe around – it had been living in a car wreck for who knew how long, after all. When she opened the back door, it climbed casually in. Belatedly, she realised that she hadn’t covered the back seat with anything. She closed the door carefully, then got in to the drivers seat. She finally relaxed as she pulled away and accelerated down the street, heading away from the junk yard - just another small and innocuous car heading home late.

Glancing into the back seat, she noticed just how large the strange creature was. Now that she saw it in the confines of her car, it was as big as one of the giant dog breeds, perhaps a Newfoundland or Saint Bernard. It sat up, haunches on the back seat and forepaws on the floor, looking from side to side with nervous fascination. She guessed that it wasn’t used to cars which moved. Its smell was rank, and Josie wound her window down to let some air circulate. Hopefully, it just needed a bath.

- 2 -

Josie was proud of her house. It was an old cottage up in the rambling western suburbs, where the city dissolved into steep hills covered by thick forest.  It was small and rustic, with “great potential” - real estate code for drafty and rotten. She’d rolled her sleeves up and taught herself how to paint and plaster and install insulation, and now it was cheerful and cosy. It had a feral back yard screened by an exuberance of native ferns and shrubs.

She parked in the carport and stopped the engine. The thing looked around in the silence, ears forward and shoulders hunched. Josie opened the passenger door very carefully, and stooped to look at it. “It’s OK!” she whispered. “We’re home!”

Home? She had a moment of serious doubt. Was she crazy? Did she want this thing in her house, in her life? She knew so little about it. But when she looked into its eyes, she saw again the hint of intelligence and feeling that had drawn her to the creature. She extended her hand to touch the matted fur on the side of its face, and it’s gaze swiveled to stare at her. She had found an old leash in the back of her laundry, and now she raised the clip, meaning to clip it to the thing’s battered collar. But its lip curled as the sight of the restraint, and, quick as a flash, its jaws snapped shut millimeters from her hand.

“Fair enough”, she said, tossing the leash to one side. “I guess you’ve had enough of that.” And anyway, her intent had never been to detain the Thing against its will. She was sure it was too smart for that. However, allowing it to run off free had seemed much less problematic when it was back at the junk yard. Here, it was in her suburb, her home.

“OK then. Would you like to come in?”

She doubted whether it would understand, but still, she liked talking to it. She stepped away from the car and waited. The thing climbed down from the back seat, graceful despite its bulk and suddenly dignified in defiance of its dirty and gaunt appearance. It stood with tail tucked in and ears swiveling too and fro as she closed the car door. Then it followed her as she crossed the path, climbed three wooden steps, and unlocked the back door.

It stood in the bright light of the hallway, its gaze roaming. She doubted whether it had ever been inside a house. Now that she could see it properly, it definitely looked malnourished, its thin coat matted and patchy. But it had a proud profile and a hansom face. If only it wasn’t so dirty… She didn’t want to put it outside in the cold, but it was already leaving greasy prints on the hallway linoleum. She would have to give it a bath.

While she ran water into the bath tub, she heard tentative steps and the click of claws as it explored along the hallway and into the kitchen. It was back in a minute, and she felt its bulk behind her as it edged into the bathroom and peered over her shoulder.

Josie was just wondering how she would coax it into the half-full tub when it pushed forward, its blunt muzzle sniffing at the warm water and tail swishing from side to side. It glanced at her, as if to ask permission, then scrambled right into the bath and splashed down on its belly. The look of joy on its face was enough to make all the evening’s risks seem well justified. “You like that!” she said, and it shook its head and sneezed happily in answer.

She grabbed soap and a cloth, and began – with some trepidation – to wash the thing’s back. It stiffened for a moment, then she saw it relax. Its spines were light and flexible, more like thick hairs, and in the bright light she could see an iridescent sheen to their dark colour. It stretched out its neck and closed its eyes as she sponged at the grime on its shoulders, dabbing gently around its open sores. It had a fresh welt on one leg where the air gun pellet had ricocheted off its tough skin. She worked up to its ears and face, terrified and enthralled by its powerful muscles and the raw strength which lay docile beneath her hands.

It seemed to understand what she was doing, for as she finished her cleaning efforts on its top half, it rolled lazily over, sloshing water onto the floor.  Now it lay languid on its back, and Josie’s eyes widened when she saw prominent testes between its muscular rear legs, and a shapely sheath extending along its belly. If its biology bore any similarity to known life, then the Junkyard Thing was definitely male.

Josie tried to look away as she sponged its – his – flanks and belly, finally working her way out to his oil-covered paws, to which she applied extra soap. The Thing had thick toes and stubby claws on his rear paws, but she noticed that his front paws had two thinner toes – or were they fingers – on the inner side, almost like a thumb and index finger. They were not as dexterous as a human hand, but – Josie’s analytical mind studied the paws as she scrubbed them clean – this thing could run like a four-footed animal, but also manipulate objects. It was evidence of a higher level of evolution than a typical earth carnivore.

The Thing was as clean as he was going to be, and she sat back and contemplated him for a while. He eyed her as she wrung out the wash cloth and hung it over the taps. Then he wriggled upright and stood up. He looked around, and then – before she could stop him – he shook himself in canine fashion, spraying the walls and the woman with dirty bathwater.

Josie grabbed a large bath towel and held it up as the creature scrambled out of the tub. He cowered back as she edged closer, suspicious eyes fixed on the cloth. But he held still as she rubbed him dry, and by the time she had finished, he was leaning against her.

He still wore the studded collar, and it looked tight and uncomfortable. He flinched as Josie reached out to touch it, but he let her examine it. A tight loop of rusty wire encircled the buckle, defying her fingertips. The thing watched with interest as she fetched some wire cutters from her tool cupboard, and finally the wretched collar slipped off his neck and clattered to the floor. He shook his head, reveling in the new sensation of freedom. His tail gave a definite wag, and he leaned forward to give Josie’s hand a lick of thanks. Even in his disheveled state, he was far too noble a Thing to wear such a monstrosity, and she smiled to see him free of it.

“Now for some dinner, I suppose!”, she told the Thing. She was pretty confident that he would be hungry. But what would he eat? She knew that his previous keeper – Rick from the junkyard – had assumed that he was some kind of dog, so it was a good bet that he’d been fed meat and other dog foods, although it didn’t look as if the quantity or regularity of meals had been very high. Josie checked in her fridge, and discovered a raw steak and some left-over roast chicken and potatoes. The Thing sat in the doorway with his tail curled around his feet and ears forward, and watched as she placed things on the bench. She made herself a sandwich with some of the cold chicken, and as she loaded a bowl with the steak and potatoes, she heard occasional splashes as drool dripped from his jaws in anticipation. Remembering that cooked chicken bones were dangerous for dogs, she stripped the remaining meat from the chicken carcass and added it to the bowl. She placed it on the floor, and pushed it towards the Thing.

He stepped forward, then stopped and looked up at her, perhaps wondering whether such generosity could really be meant for him, or what kind of cruel trap it could be.”Go on!” she said, trying to sound encouraging. She took a bite of her own sandwich to show him that it was OK.

The Thing gave her another look, then decided to make the most of the opportunity. Josie munched on her chicken sandwich and watched as he sat in front of the bowl and took a deep sniff. She expected him to stick his muzzle right into the bowl and start munching, dog or cat like. Instead, she watched in amazement as he picked up the steak daintily with the opposable thumb and finger of one front paw, and lifted it to his mouth. There was nothing dainty about his powerful jaws, however, and the steak was gone in a moment.

He’d finished the bowl before Josie had finished her sandwich, and she chuckled when he picked up the bowl like a human, then licked it clean with a huge tongue like a dog. He leaned back and licked his lips, and his tail gave another wag.

Josie yawned, and realised that it was after 3 am and that she was very tired. The Thing followed her into her bedroom, and as she looked down at his broad face with its deep brown eyes, she felt safer and less alone than usual. She spread a blanket on the floor beside her bed, and pointed towards it. The Thing dutifully sat down on the blanket, and watched her. Embarrassed, she turned away while she stripped off her clothes and pulled on a nighty.

She climbed into bed, while the Thing sat, upright and watchful, on the blanket. She was reaching for the light when he gave a little snort and a shake of his head, then, having decided to push his luck, he clambered up onto the bed, turned around once, and lay down beside her.

She was going to chase him off, but he gave a blissful sigh, and his warm bulk felt comfortable beside her. Carefully, she stroked the iridescent spiny hairs  or hairy spines that ran down his back. They were softer than she expected. He still smelled faintly of old motor oil, but her duvet was a dark colour, and due for a wash anyway.

She’d always wanted a dog, and now it seemed she’d got… well, something, anyway. She ought to be afraid of the Thing, but his calm eyes reassured her. She listened to his soft breathing after she turned out the light, and was soon asleep.

- 3 -

Jose awoke to an unfamiliar rumbling sound, and she jumped when she saw a strange dark shape on her bed. It was the Thing, of course, now lying on his back against her legs with his paws in the air, snoring peacefully. The morning light shone in through the curtains, and her eyes traced the leathery curves of his balls and sheath. They looked full and firm. The snoring stopped and one eye opened a little, as though he had sensed her gaze. Embarrassed at her own impropriety, she looked instead at his face, and almost giggled at the way his upper lip sagged in a leer. He sneezed, then rolled over and assumed a more dignified pose, ears forward and nose sniffing at her hand. His iridescent spines rustled as he stretched.

It was Sunday. The Thing followed her dutifully as she went to the bathroom, either out of curiosity or fear of abandonment. Suddenly shy, she shut him outside the bathroom door before she undressed and turned on the shower. This wasn’t exactly fair, considering that she’d been staring at his private parts, but then he was used to being naked. He scratched at the door a couple of times, but then she heard him lie down on the floor, confident that she wasn’t going anywhere.

When Josie emerged from the bathroom, robed and toweling at her damp hair, the Thing was no longer in sight. A bit concerned, she checked the kitchen and then noticed that the back door was open. She found him in the back yard, sniffing around between clumps of unkempt flax. It was probably more greenery that he had seen in his entire life. He trotted back when he saw her. “Interesting back yard?” she chuckled, and his ears twitched at the sound of her voice. “I think its time for breakfast!”.

She gave the Thing some mince for breakfast – the last of her meat supply – and sat down at the table with a plate of cereal. The Thing had started eating his meal, holding his nose close to the bowl and scooping up mince with a paw. After a minute, she noticed that he had stopped and was watching her. Then he stood up, picked up the metal bowl with his teeth, and sauntered over to the table. Once there, he reared up on his hind paws with a smooth grace which belied his size. He plopped the bowl neatly on the table beside the woman, then dropped back to the floor and shouldered out one of the chairs from under the table. He scrambled up and sat down on the chair, his tail hanging over the side, and resumed his breakfast.

“Well!” said Jose, quite astonished. “You’re full of surprises! But I guess the floor isn’t very clean!”. His tail twitched at her words.

A trip to the supermarket was needed after breakfast, but Josie did not feel confident taking the thing with her. She decided that she would have to leave him at her house, and hope that he didn’t run off, or make a mess, or eat the neighbours, or any other of other concerning things she could think of. She wasn’t even sure whether he was toilet-trained, although he did show an uncanny intelligence. She left the back door open for him, and hoped he would figure it out. She also switched on the TV to give him some entertainment. His ears perked up at the burble of voices from the speaker, and he bumped his nose on the screen in an attempt to get a closer look. Realising that it was nothing but coloured dots at that range, he moved back, then sat with his head tilted to one side and watched the shifting pictures. Josie grinned as she picked up her reusable shopping bags: he was definitely interested.  

He saw her crossing the room, and followed her out to the back door. She held up her hand. “Wait here,” she told him. “I’ll be back soon!”

She hoped that her tone would reassure him. Indeed, looking in the rear view mirror, she saw him turn and amble back into the house, just as if he’d always lived there.

Forty five minutes later she was home again, laden with bags of groceries. She gambled that he would eat more than just meat, so she’d bought plenty of potatoes and greens as well, along with an assortment of other things to try. It was actually quite exciting –she didn’t always eat very well, and having someone else to cook for gave her a reason to make an effort.

The Thing greeted her at the door, and his tail was wagging in a very dog-like fashion. His nose twitched and snuffled as he realised what she was carrying, and next thing she knew, his muzzle was poking into the nearest bag. “Hey you!”, she chided. He immediately raised his head and sat obediently, looking up at her.

He watched with intense interest as she distributed the food between the fridge, freezer and cupboards. Was he figuring out how to open them, or was it just her imagination? After his antics at the breakfast table, she wondered whether the provisions would be safe from his prying nose. Just how smart was he?

She decided that it was time for some exercise for them both – after all, that’s what you were supposed to do with a dog. Her unkempt back yard sloped down into a gully, and beyond that the bush-covered hills swept up towards a craggy peak festooned with radio masts. There was a path of a sort, but it was overgrown, and the chance of meeting anyone else was minimal.

“Come on!” she encouraged the Thing as she laced up her walking shoes. He sat beside her on the step, and she patted his warm flank. She was sure that  his thin fur already looked shinier than it had when she first saw him, although his ribs still showed.

She had bought a new XL size dog collar, thinking that at the very least he ought to look like he had an owner. He was looking out towards the forest as she leaned over to slip it around his muscular neck. However, as it touched his fur, his head whipped around, and a deep growl rumbled from his throat. Josie suddenly found her hand between his jaws, and he squeezed just hard enough that she felt the pressure of his teeth. He could crush her bones like a corn chip, and she was suddenly aware just how powerful he was, and how little she really knew him. Lesson learned, though: he would not be accepting a collar any time soon.

“OK,” she said, shaken. “We don’t really need that thing.”

The Thing released her hand with a precise dignity, and she threw the collar on the shelf. The Thing sat still, and regarded here with his dark eyes. What thoughts lurked in those depths? She couldn’t be sure, and she resolved to be more careful and not assume too much.

Josie set off across the yard, and the thing trotted after her. He seemed nervous at first, and she wondered whether he had ever been on a walk in the forest. However, his confidence and excitement grew as they scrambled down towards the stream, and soon his tail was high and his nose busy as he explored the sides of the trail. By the time they were half way up the winding path on the other side of the gully, he was bounding about and sniffing everything he could find. His chest was soon heaving and his tongue hanging out as he panted hard, obviously not accustomed to so much exercise. Josie wasn’t in the best shape either, and when they came to a clearing, she sat down on a grassy bank and looked out over the forest below. The Thing flopped down beside her.

“Enough for today, eh?” she grinned at him.

The rumble of thunder overhead made them both jump, and she looked up to see dark clouds rolling in over the hills. Curtains of rain already hid the distant ridges.

“Uh oh! Time to head back!” she said. The Thing seemed to understand as they set off back down the trail into the valley. They were soon hidden beneath the thick trees, but the fading light and smell of approaching rain told Josie that they were not going to beat the storm. Sure enough, heavy drops were pattering down around them as they crossed the stream, and then the heavens opened. They were both soaked within minutes, and the Thing’s spines rattled as he shook torrents of water off his back. Water-logged brush sagged over the track and saturated ferns clutched at their sides as they clambered back up out of the gully, and by the time they sloshed across Josie’s back yard, her clothes were plastered to her skin and the Thing was muddy and disheveled. Thunder echoed again through the valley as they reached the safety of the back porch.

The Thing sat panting as rivulets ran off his back, and a puddle formed around the woman as she kicked off her shoes and socks. They left a trail of wet footprints as Josie headed for the bathroom with the Thing close behind her.

She turned on the shower, and then paused with her usual feeling of embarrassment in the face of his cool gaze. But her clothes were cold and wet, so she clamped down her shyness and pulled them off. Her underwear fell to the floor, leaving her naked in front of the thing.

The shower was mounted over a big cast-iron bathtub, and Josie climbed in and immersed herself under the hot cascade. The Thing immediately scrambled into the tub as well, confirming his love of hot water. He looked up into the shower spray and sneezed at the unexpected mist from above.

Josie pulled the shower curtain along its rail, and they were enveloped in their own little enclave of steam and splashing water. She leaned down with a bar of soap and started to wash the Thing’s muscular neck and back, running her hands over his hairy spines. Her fingers brushed the firm curve of his sheath, and she realised that she didn’t feel as shy anymore. A little thrill passed through her at the nearness of his strong, wild presence.

She started to wash herself, relaxing under the warm water. Her eyes were closed when she sensed a warmth near her. The Thing stood before her, and his broad nose was raised towards her crotch. Her heart gave a flutter as she remembered the power of his jaws and the pressure of his teeth on her hand. This is inappropriate, she thought. I should stop it! But she didn’t make any move. The Thing noticed her gaze, and he froze, eyes on her face. But still she made no move to stop him, and his nose quested forwards once more. She could see his flanks quiver as he sampled her scent, and then a flash of pink appeared as his tongue traced oh-so-delicately around her vulva. She had to steady herself against the wall as an unexpected rush of excitement spread through her.

The Thing had a tongue, and he knew how to use it. Josie was having trouble focusing on rational thought. It really didn’t seem like a good idea to let the Thing carry on, but damn, she couldn’t bring herself to stop him. Instead, feeling slightly giddy, she eased herself down until she was sitting on the side of the tub, the old enamel cool beneath her backside. The Thing lowered his muzzle to follow her movements, and now, with her legs apart, he had easy access to his goal. Now his tongue slid deeper into her, and somehow he knew how to tickle her clit. She was hardly aware of the water which drummed on her shoulder and trickled down over her breasts and over the Thing’s glossy back. His muscled flank pressed against her inner thigh, hot and wet. She grabbed his neck with both hands, and felt his muscles rippling as he lapped at her opening. How did he get to be this good? Was it merely instinct? She wondered as tension grew in her. Then she was clenching and pulling him tight as he brought her to an unexpected orgasm. She gasped as the wave of pleasure washed over her, and it was all she could do to stop herself from thrusting her hips into his licking – and probably falling into the tub.

Her gasps subsided, and the Thing lapped eagerly at her dripping entrance. Well, that hadn’t happened in a while. He raised his nose to look up at her, his tail swishing gently from side to side.

“Good boy!” she said, petting his ears, and thinking that he definitely deserved some praise for his skills. They sat together for a few minutes before Josie felt steady enough to get out of the tub. Her shyness was gone now, and it felt nice to get a big bath towel and dry them both off.

Nonetheless, her feelings were confused as she put on dry clothes and headed for the kitchen. She felt a certain revulsion at what he’d done – at what she’d allowed him to do. He was a strange-looking animal from a junk yard – just a dumb beast, really. Or was he? She hardly dared to admit the raw animal attraction she felt, but she couldn’t deny what he’d managed to do for her. She blushed thinking about it.

One thing she knew, anyway – she was hungry, and she was sure he was too. Outside, the downpour had eased to a steady drizzle, and it pattered down as she got out bread and ham for their lunch.

Josie had to go to work the next day, and she worried about whether the Thing would be alright. Going out for an hour to do shopping was one thing, but work meant being away all day. As before, she left the TV on and the back door open for him. The Thing seemed less concerned as she waved goodbye and climbed into her car – in fact, he looked quite at home. Nonetheless, she spent the day worrying about whether he would still be there when she got home, and if he was, what the state of her house would be.

She needn’t have concerned herself: as she drove up the driveway, he appeared at the back door, tail swishing the air. The afternoon sun gleamed off his iridescent spines, and his lean muscles rippled beneath his fine coat. His sores were healing, and already he looked vastly improved compared to the dirty and bedraggled Thing she had rescued only a couple of days earlier.

His sheath swayed as he wagged, although he seemed quite unaware of his naked state or his raw sexuality. Inside, she found the house still perfectly intact. The fridge seemed suspiciously less full than she remembered, but there was no mess or signs of prying noses. When she looked at the Thing, he was looking innocently in the other direction.

They established a routine over the next few days, including a walk in the gully when she got home from work, and sitting together to watch TV shows in the evening. It was reassuring and comfortable to have him next to her on the couch, and she liked to stroke his shoulders, where his coat was looking shinier and fuller with each passing day. Every evening he curled up beside her on the bed – always on top of the covers and a modest distance away. She caught herself eyeing his sheath or his balls once or twice, but she put such thoughts out of her mind.

One evening, she was taking her empty glass back to the kitchen when she heard the toilet flush. The door was slightly open, and she watched in stunned surprise as a paw pulled it open and the thing wandered nonchalantly out into the hallway. She had noticed him watching her as she went in and out; It seemed that he’d figured out not only how to use it the loo, but even how the flush worked! She’d never owned a dog, but she was pretty sure that this went beyond normal canine toilet training.

- 3 -

Josie was late home on Friday evening, due to the usual end-of-week nibbles and drinks at her office. It had been a difficult day dealing with recalcitrant business owners who thought that their little bit of industrial run-off ought to be exempt from the city council rules. Her manager was, despite immaculate qualifications, a misogynist at the best of times, and after enduring his tasteless jokes for the whole day, she’d had to ignore a hand on her shoulder which had strayed a little too far to be comfortable, but not far enough to warrant a complaint. She shivered as she remembered it. Kicking off her shoes, she poured a glass of wine and collapsed on the couch. The TV was playing a current affairs show, but she hardly comprehended it as the Thing clambered up and sat beside her.

She felt a surge of warm affection for the Thing, and his tail swished as she stroked his ears. “At least I don’t have to put up with trashy talk from you!” she giggled, and hugged him close. Thanks to a week of regular bathing, his scent was was finally free from the lingering odours of waste oil, and now he smelled warm and earthy. She filled her lungs with his aroma and felt herself relax. A slurping sound issued from her wine glass as the Thing lapped at it. She let him sample it, and he sneezed and shook his head.

“Ha, serves you right!” Ignoring the drool he’d left on the edge, she drained the glass and plonked it on the side table. The heat pump blew a warm breeze towards them, and a pleasant buzz suffused through Josie from the wine. Her austere work clothes were not very comfortable.  She eased off her blouse, and then her skirt, and threw them to one side.  The Thing watched with interest as she sprawled back in nothing but her bra and panties. She smooched up to him, and his fine fur felt wonderful against her bare skin. She put her arms around him, and he raised his nose and touched her mouth with his tongue. This thrilled her, so she opened her mouth a little and let him kiss her. She gagged for a second at the alien taste that assaulted her senses, but after a moment she realised that it was no worse than some guys she’d been with. Returning the kiss, her own tongue slid over his teeth and his cool nose bumped against her cheek.

Panting for breath, they parted. She wanted to feel more of his muscular flank against her. She slipped off her bra, and snuggled close to him again. The wine must really be affecting me, she thought. I should be more sensible. But she didn’t want to let go of the warm Thing pressed against her. And she couldn’t deny the desire that rose through her.

Almost beyond her control, her hand moved down to stroke his belly. He licked her face again. “Come on, then.” she whispered, and made her way to the bedroom, swaying only slightly along the way. The thing padded behind her.

She sat down on her bed, and the Thing jumped up beside her, licking his lips, his tail swishing. Then, folding his spines flat along his back, he rolled over with his head on the pillows. His dark eyes looked up at her with an invitation. Kneeling beside him, she stroked his tummy with both hands.

And now his maleness was stretched out before her in all its naked glory. The wine was definitely affecting her because her hands moved down his flanks and then over his sheath, so utterly inhuman and yet so wonderfully suggestive. Her fingers explored his balls, round and firm between his splayed thighs, and heavier than she expected.

Her body tingled in expectation even though she had no conscious plan, and even though a small part of her kept insisting that such intimacy with this Thing was weird and immoral. Already she could feel a wetness and a tension between her legs, and a thrill swept through her as she eased her panties down and kicked them off. Now they were both naked in the soft lamplight, and before she knew it, she had slipped her leg over him so that she straddled him. She stroked his neck as her crotch moved against his belly.

His breath quickened along with hers, and she felt a felt a firmness growing within his sheath. Fascinated, she reached back to caress him again, her fingers moving over his balls, teasing him. She bent down, pressing her bare skin against him, feeling his heat beneath his fine fur. She opened her mouth to lick at his muzzle, hungrily this time, all her initial disgust forgotten. His thick tongue slid over hers as he licked back into her kiss.

This wild, muscular body which she held so close, this Thing, spoke directly to her primeval desires, and it spoke more strongly of strength and virility than any human male she had known. It was the wine, of course, but still her body ached with need for him to take her, to fill her. Now she felt something hard pressing against her vulva. Groping, her fingers felt the swelling shape of his cock within his sheath. Suddenly it was all very real, amazing and terrifying all at once. But still she pressed back against him, and her fingers guided his slick shaft into her entrance.

He thrust against her, gently but firmly, and a thrill rushed through her as his cock slid into her. He was actually inside her! And it felt amazing. Hot and firm, it swelled even as he thrust into her again. Gasping, she pressed herself down against his belly and backwards, trying to take as much of his length as she could as her labia pressed his sheath far back. He locked his front paws around her, and his claws scratched at her back, but she hardly noticed as the feeling of his thrusting body overwhelmed her.

Now his member felt huge and hard inside her, stretching her with a wonderful slick fullness. Her muscles clenched around him as he pulled her close and drove deeply towards her cervix. She was consumed by animal passion, aware of only his hot body beneath her and his thick cock inside her. She kissed hungrily at his muzzle as their bodies moved in unison.

His thrusts grew harder and more urgent, and his breathing became ragged. She could feel a bulge growing at the base of his cock, tying him inside her. It pressed against her clit, stretching her, filling her, almost but not quite painful. And then he gave a gasp, and his paws held her tight as he thrust hard one more time, and his hot cum gushed into her. Ecstasy rose and washed over her as he pulsed into her again and again, and her own muscles clenched with a rhythm to match his, drawing his seed deeply into her.

His thrusting stopped, and his paws eased their grip a little. He lay back, and she caressed his ears and kissed him on the nose. His hard cock still pulsed inside her, so she adjusted her cramped knees to a more comfortable angle, and they lay there, locked together. Bliss seeped through Josie, rose, ebbed, rose again. The last of the evening twilight faded outside the curtains, and Josie heard the soothing patter of rain on the roof.

Quite a while later, she felt his member shrinking, and he slipped out of her. The Thing gave a deep sigh and rolled over on his side, where he spent a while licking their combined juices off himself. Then he stretched out, head on the pillow. Josie pulled the duvet over them both and snuggled up to his warm back. She turned off the light, and lay in sated contentment, listening to the sound of the rain outside.

“We should really give you a name,” she told the Thing, but the only answer she got was a contented snore.
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