Vet Wolf

Mark sped down the road, one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the windowsill.

A toothpick hanging from his mouth dangling from left to right unrythmically.

Taylor knew this was his way of blowing off steam without speaking, so she just let him do his thing while she stared at the trees.

She too didn't like how he frequently had to get her from work so late at night, but she couldn't help it. A pregnant dog needed her help, and she couldn't postpone its delivery.

Smiling, she recalled the little puppies that the dog had birthed. The guilt she felt for Mark seemingly evaporated.

Spitting out his toothpick, Mark was finally ready to speak. "What are you smiling about?"

Now noticing she was smiling, Taylor turned to him with a straight face. "I'm sorry, it's just..."

"It's just what, Taylor?" He cut in. "Don't you know the meaning of work hours?"

"You get me so worried, I'd have to come get you from work myself!" Mark spoke at the top of his voice while his eyes occasionally moved from the road to Taylor's sorry-looking face.

"All for the sake of those animals!" He spoke knowing fully well that Taylor hated it when he referred to them with such disdain.

"What happens when we have kids?! I'm not sure I can get married to someone as irresponsible as you!" He spoke and became silent feeling that he'd said the wrong thing.

Upon hearing this Taylor's brows furrowed. "Irresponsible?!" She repeated.

"How's saving lives irresponsible?" Taylor spoke tearing up.

"Lives?! You... You just!" He stepped on the gas pedal harder, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Seeing how fast they were going, Taylor held onto her seat, "You going to get us killed, Mark!"

He immediately turned to her "At least then...."

"Watch out!" Taylor screamed and Mark subconsciously stepped on the breaks.

With a screech, the car came to a stop, but not after colliding against something.

"What was that?!" Mark asked as he stretched over the steering wheel to see what was hit.

Taylor quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door.

"Where are you going?" He asked alarmed, surprise Taylor dared open the door.

"You hit an animal!" She said concerned as she walked to the front of the car.

"An animal? Do you know what...?" His eyes widened as he began to sweat, looking at Taylor.

"Get in, Taylor!" He yelled unsure what to do.

On seeing its tail and hairy back, Taylor quickly rushed back to the car.

"What's it?" Mark asked ready to start driving.

"It's a dog!" She announced as she picked up her kit from the back of the car.

"So?!" Mark opened his hands agitated.

"I'm going to save it!" She said sternly looking at him and walking towards the front of the car.

Before she could get there, the dog bolted into the woods. With her kit, she chased after it.

"Taylor!" Mark yelled as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

She stood in at the edge of the road staring into the woods.

"Taylor, come back!" Mark yelled still too scared to open the door to get down.

"Taylor!" He yelled again.

"What?!" She yelled back with tears in her eyes.

"No animal can survive that impact. Are you happy? You just killed a dog!" She yelled at him.

Staring stupified, Mark looked at her wondering how and why he was ever attracted to her because of her passion for animals. Had he known she was this crazy, he never would have taken things further.

She picked out some pills from her kit and walked into the bushes gently.

"Tay!" Mark who was almost crying in confusion called. On one hand, he was angry at her and on the other he was worried.

She stopped and placed the pills on the floor making several weird sounds with her mouth.

After standing there for a few seconds she turned and was about to walk back to the car when something caught her skirt.

Shocked she turned back and found a branch stuck to it. In an attempt to get the skirt out of the branch, it tore, revealing a small of her lap.

Seeing this, Mark hit his forehead annoyed but unsure what to say.

With a sigh, she aggressively walked back into the car.

Mark just continued to stare at her, not sure how to express himself.

"Drive!" She said not even looking at his face.

After a sigh, he stepped on the gas pedal and they were back on the road.

Staring at the leaving car, a figure stepped out of the bushes holding a red piece of cloth in one hand and some pills in another.