Free Hope In Every Raindrop by Wesley Banks Page B

something definitely felt wrong.
    How is it that the one thing I’ve come to hate each morning is also the one thing I’ve counted on?
    Without hesitation, she took off for the barn. 
    As she walked, she couldn't stop her mind from guessing what could be wrong.
    Is one of the dogs hurt?
    She walked faster.
    Has something happened to Doc?
    She began to jog.
    Is Kyle okay?
    She broke into a run.
    Moments later, Katie reached the barn nearly out of breath. She looked into the barn, but Kyle wasn’t there. A second later, she heard the familiar squeak of the screen door opening and she saw Kyle exiting Doc’s house. For a moment she smiled, mostly in relief at the realization that he was fine. Maybe she had finally earned his trust and there weren’t going to be any more stupid chores.
    Her smile quickly faded. 
    His demeanor seemed as collected as always, but when he looked at her she noticed the calm in his eyes was gone. He didn't say a single word, but kept walking past her towards the barn.
    And then she saw his hands.
    He was carrying one of the steel toolboxes that held medical supplies for the dogs—the same ones she’d cleaned out earlier this week. But what alarmed her were the red stains that streaked down each forearm. What alarmed her was the blood.
    Katie quickly scanned the empty lot near the house, where Doc parked his truck. It wasn’t there. Figures. Before she knew it, her legs were moving as she followed Kyle into the barn.
    "Kyle," she called after him.
    He didn’t stop walking, but yelled over his shoulder. “Not now, Miss Price.”
    Katie jogged after him anyway.
    He turned abruptly to face her. She almost ran right into him. The look in his eyes was like a heavy weight pressing down on her.
    “Kyle, what’s wrong?”
    As much as he may not have wanted her there, she could tell from the look in his eye that he needed her help. “I don’t have time to explain. But if you are going to stay, you need to do exactly as I say. Understood?”
    Katie didn't say a word, just nodded and followed Kyle to the other end of the barn, where Belle lay dying.

Chapter 13
     
    For what it was worth, Katie tried to listen to Kyle. She tried to follow his detailed instructions, each one crafted as if today her note was simply verbal, not written. But from the moment she saw Belle, she froze. 
    The dog lay in the corner of the stall near the same recessed hole that Katie had seen her in for the past few days. Only this time, Belle looked different. She lay on her side, breathing hard. White foam had formed around her lips. She tried to lift her head off the dirt floor to look towards Katie, but Kyle gently pushed it back down.
    "Calm, girl. Calm."
    His voice broke her trance and Katie knelt next to Kyle. "What's wrong with her?"
    Kyle didn't respond. "There's another black medical bag on top of the bench, by the tools," he said, motioning to the other end of the barn. She knew exactly where it was, since she was the one who’d put it there.
    Katie stood immediately, but before she could turn she saw something lying just a few feet from Belle. There were three small, dark objects curled up in the hay. Motionless. She took a step forward and suddenly realized what they were. Puppies.
    She had never seen puppies so small in her entire life. Curled up that way, they could easily fit in one of her hands.
    "Are they..." Katie started, but Kyle cut her off.
    "The bag. Now."
    Katie came running back with the bag seconds later. Kyle was still on his hands and knees. He had pulled on a pair of latex gloves and felt softly up and down Belle’s side.
    Kyle immediately unlatched the bag as Katie set it down. He handed her a bottle of antiseptic surgical hand wash. “Wash both hands and put these on,” he said, passing her a pair of clear latex gloves.
    By the time she’d finished, he had pulled out what looked like a small turkey baster and several towels. He looked at her intently and spoke slow and clear. “Belle