1 KILL, KISS AND RESCUE

October

I reapply my lipstick, no way I'm gonna let Dalton see me without fresh lipstick, before I bound away from my table of friends. "Dalton", I say making sure that my cleavage showed clearly as I bounded up to him. "Um hey, I uh am actually late for meeting coach, see you later October.", he says walking away. Shit. "Kk see you later then.", I call after him as flirty as I can manage. I strut back to my table full of friends not showing how dejected I really am, they part and let me through. I sit in my chair, almost throne-like with all of the other kids that are friends of friends gathered around me. I prop my chin on my fist and try to block out their droning on about how cute my shoes are and how they think my makeup looks almost too good. I know what they are doing, I have heard the rumors. My family has always been well off, leading to rumors like that I have a personal stylist and makeup artists, that I get my clothes made for me. I don't understand where that one comes from because I wear hand me downs from my sister, clothes from seasons past. The other two I worked for. My shoes came from me working at the animal shelter, not because my parents are assholes, simply because I believe that if there is anything worth having that it can only be achieved by hard work. My makeup I've always done myself.

My best friend Colt walks in and I immediately perk up. He is a few years older than me, I'm not gonna lie he is handsome. His warm perfect tooth smile reaches me across the room. The only part of my life that I haven't heard covered in rumors is my friendship with Colt, something I am more than happy for. His face is sweet and honest, and his smile is warm and inviting and big and beautiful, his hair is a light brown, not like the dark brown of mine but not quite dirty blonde. His eyes are so beautiful, almost like little puddles of warm chocolate. He isn't six-pack and rippling muscles fit but he only has a little tummy on him that I absolutely think is adorable. I smile and think about how lucky I am to have him as a best friend. He is wearing his fire rescue shirt. He has been fire rescue for about three years. We had been driving to the next town over and witnessed an accident go up in flames, without even thinking about it Colt threw the car in park, snatched the fire extinguisher, and ran to help without a second thought. He had gotten the girl and her baby out about an hour before the emergency services had got there.

I smile as he walked up to me, "Hey October, you remembered your shirt didn't you?" My smile dropped and Colt laughed. "I'm sorry I totally forgot.", I say causing the crowd to erupt into 'its ok' and 'your ok everyone forgets'. He slides his bag in front of him and holds it out to me. I unzip and pull out an old shirt that he brought in case I didn't bring mine. "They're letting me bring destiny.", Colt says excited. Destiny is Colt's dog, she was his dads rescue dog but when colt's parents split his dad gave him the dog. "That's awesome! They're letting you do the demonstration?", I say excited. The crowd 'all fens excitement 'Oh I love him' and 'he's such a good dog'. I roll my eyes and tap my nose me and Colts 'get me out of here' sign. He nods and grabs my bag instead of his. We have picked up little ticks ever since I got into the ninth grade and suddenly caught everyone's eye, one of these was getting bags so similar that we could pretend that he took mine instead of his own, then he would go to our trucks and I'd 'find out' he'd grabbed the wrong bag and go after him. "Yea they are. I gotta run, see you in second.", Colt says trotting off. I reach down for my bag after he runs off completely knowing he took mine, "Crap, Colts got my bag.", I say sliding out of my chair. "This happens all the time you think y'all would just stop getting the same color bags.", Savanna says giggling. "I picked mine first this time.", I say running out.

I get out the door that lets out to the parking lot eyes focused on the trucks, when a pair of arms wrap around making me squeal. Colt sets me back on my feet laughing his head off. I smack his chest, "Are you crazy?", I huff. He continues laughing. After a minute I realize it was kind of funny and begin laughing too, "Ok smart guy come on lets go to the trucks, I gotta change anyway. He hands me my bag and walks with me out to our trucks. We open our doors making me a little makeshift changing room by throwing the spare blankets from our trucks over the doors. I pull my shirt over my head, not worried about colt seeing me in my bra. "WHOA WHOA WHOA!", Colt says covering his eyes. "Colt you've seen me in my bathing suit before whats you're problem?", I say standing there with my hands on my hips. Assuming I now had a shirt on colt uncovers his eyes, but then quickly realizes that I don't and closes them back. "October put your clothes on. There is a definite difference between bathing suit and birthday suit", he says. I roll my eyes and put on the shirt he gave me. "Does it fit?", he says uncovering his eyes. "This shirt is way too big", I say. "Turn around.", he says. I do as I am told and he takes my hair down, and uses my hair bow to tie the shirt back. His fingers graze my back as he tucks the tail unto the shirt. We take down the blankets and go on to class.

"Will October Grayson and Colt Johnson please report to the gym, I repeat will October Grayson and Colt Johnson please report to the gym. Thank you." I gather my things and walk into hall headed to the gym. "Hey hold up October.", I hear Colt yell from behind me. I turn and smile, "Hurry up ya old man." He runs to me and scoops me up into a fireman's carry. I laugh and he carries me out to the gym. We finish setting up and Colt walks out to chief's car. Students begin to file into the gym, and pile into the bleachers. The school does this every month, they bring someone to talk to the kids about careers. They wanted me and Colt to be part of the presentation this time I guess to show that it's not too early to think about careers.

Chief Rebecca steps up and the room falls silent. "Good morning everyone, I'm Rebecca, I'm the chef of the fire department. This is Mark, Jeff and Andy. I'm sure you all know this young lady over here, this is October, she has been with us for almost a year now so she is fairly new.", she pauses so I can step up and wave, "Now the last two I have to introduce are Colt and Destiny.", she holds up a hand towards the door and colt walks out alone. He grins and waves and takes his spot next to me, "Hup" he calls. Destiny charges at him, and stops abruptly at his feet. From this close I can see they put the rubber things on her claws to give her some traction. "Now Destiny it a special dog, she is a rescue dog. She is trained to search for and rescue civilians. Colt here is her handler. She is trained to listen to him. Colt go ahead.", chief says taking her seat.

I say, "Hup" so destiny will sit in front of me. "Destiny is a three year old German Shepard. She was my fathers and now she is mine, in fact she is the first fire rescue dog in the county, and she is a special girl. October I'm gonna need you to use your acting skills.", colt says reaching for my hand. I walk to the front with colt and take his hand as destiny stays put and looks at us. "Destiny has known October from the time she was a puppy, but that wouldn't stop her if I tell her to kill.", Colt says. I walk to the end of the mat they put out. Colt walks to Destiny and takes her collar, "KILL." Destiny's sweet face morphs into a growling barking monster pointed at me. Colt lets her go and she charges at me. I put my arms up the way I was told and destiny's paws hit them with enough force to knock me backwards. I hear a few screams from the crowd. She keeps me pinned to the floor. "KISS.", colt commands instead of attacking me like everyone believes she begins to lick my face viciously. I squeal and giggle and kick my feet. "HALT", Colt says. Destiny stops abruptly. "Hup", he commands making her come to him. Colt takes my hand and helps me up. "Now if I had given Destiny the 'death' command she would have mauled October till I told her to stop." I walk back to the front of the room and Jeff helped me suit up. "DEATH", Colt commands. Destiny charges at me once again but just as she is about to pounce "HALT", Colt commands out of the blue. I stand there confused, but Colt walks over an helps me out of the suit as he was suppose to. "Destiny is trained to recognize violence and to protect her handler and who ever she is commanded, very helpful in violent situations." Colt takes my hand and leads me back toward the mat and snaps for Destiny to follow. "PROTECT", he says pointing at me and she rounds a circle at my feet before laying between me and Colt. I see Jeff suiting up. "Now because I told her to protect October if anyone including my self tries to harm her she will not let it happen, however she will not attack until she believes something is gonna harm October. I'm gonna yell at October and she is gonna pretend to cry.", Colt says,"SHUT UP OCTOBER!" I put my face in my hands and make sobbing sounds. Destiny backs into my legs and growls at Colt. "It's ok Destiny, I'm ok. Good girl.", I say to her. She perks up and her tail wags. Colt walks behind me and she keeps herself between us. Jeff grabs me from behind and I scream. Destiny bites his arm and he releases me. She pins him and bites at his throat. "Now because I told her to protect October she will not listen to anyone but her until October gives her the safe command.", colt says suiting up his self. "Now if there are more than one person attacking October she will try to remove October from the situation.", Colt says throwing me over his shoulder. Destiny takes notice and runs behind us. She charges between Colt's legs causing them to buckle and him to drop to his knees. She bites his wrist and he releases me. I fall and Destiny gets between us. "October run to the door.", Colt says. I do as I'm told running with Destiny right beside me. I stop at the door and Destiny lays facing Colt and Jeff. "Call her off October.", Colt says. "HAUL", I say she turns to me and I pat her. She follows me back to the front where colt was un-suiting. "In the event October would have been knocked out Destiny would drag her away.", Colt says and I convincingly drop to the floor. Destiny bites the shoulder of my shirt and drags me towards the door once again. "Good girl.", I say when we get to the door. She sits between me and colt once again. "October is gonna give me back control and we will demonstrate her search and rescue skills.", Colt say. "SAFE", I say and she goes back to him. I walk to the front with them. Mark takes Destiny out the door and Colt pulls a shirt out of his bag. It's my shirt that I was wearing this morning, "October is gonna walk around and then she is gonna get into the bleachers with all of you, then we will bring in Destiny in." I walk to the far corner of the gym and lean against the wall for a second and then I walk over to the mat and then to the door and then made my way to the middle of the crowd in the bleachers and sit next to Dalton. "Mark bring her in.", Colt said loud enough for Mark to hear. Mark opens the door and Destiny trots in happily. Colt rubs her affectionately and then hold out the shirt for her to sniff, "This shirt has October's smell on it. I'm letting Destiny smell it so that she can lock in on her smell. October left a scent trail everywhere she walked, Destiny is gonna track her every step and bring her back down to me." Destiny's tail begins to wag and she barks a couple of times. "TRACK.", Colt says. She traces my tail and ends up in front of the bleachers. She bounds up the stairs and kids around me giggle as she squeezes down the isle and sits at my feet and barks three times. "RETRIEVE", Colt calls. She takes my shirt in her teeth and pulls me sideways till I stand then she puts her paws on my butt to push me to the stairs. I get on the stairs and she starts rounding me up like a sheep until she gets me back to Colt, "Now if October would have tried to get away from her, Destiny would have bitten her." He takes my wrists and pins them behind me. Destiny lays at my feet and he takes me to the tunnels. "We are gonna place October into this maze now.", Colt says closing me into the box at one end of the maze. The maze was painted Plexiglas with a clear roof that we called the tunnels and everyone could see the inside. "October is 'trapped in a fire' and we are sending Destiny in to rescue her. Because this is only a fake fire we are gonna have to give her the scent, but in a real fire she would smell smoke and go in to look for civilians.", Colt says holding out the shirt for her to smell. Destiny goes to the entrance and waits for her command. "RESCUE", colt says. She wiggles her way through the maze and soon her nose pops around the corner. She turns her tail to me barks three times and army crawls back through for me to follow. We get out and Colt puts me back on my feet, and brings me back to the front with Destiny beside us. "Lets give Destiny and October a round of applause." Colt turns to Destiny and claps, and she sits back on her haunches and does her paws like she was clapping and the crowd erupts in awes and cheers.

We walk to our trucks at the end of the day and I hear someone giggle. I roll my eyes knowing its the rumors again. "Hey Colt, why did you call off Destiny's death command?", I ask as we get to our trucks. He looks like he is about to say something but in the reflection of of the window I see the flash of a camera. They are taking pictures of me now? I turn to see two girls faces pale camera still pointed at me. "Why are you taking pictures of me?", I ask them. "Wanted a picture of you.", the girl with the camera says. "Why?", Colt asks them. "Y'all are cute together. Look at you wearing his shirt with his last name on it, your like a story book couple or something.", the other girl says giggling. "We are not a couple", I say sternly, "So please delete that." I roll my eyes and get into my big black truck. I don't even wait for Colt to pull out before I leave the parking lot.

When I pull into my yard there's a moving truck in the yard. "What the hell is going on.", I say to myself. Colt's truck pulls in next door and he burst out of his door and runs to my truck. I climb out and meet him at the back, "Did you know about this?", we say simultaneously. I stomp into the house with Colt in tow. "MOM.", I growl looking for her in the bare house. "Yea honey.", she says in my room I walk in to see her packing all of my pictures up into a box. "WE'RE MOVING?!", I yell. "I knew she would be mad baby.", my dad says. "I'M NOT MAD I'M LIVID! WE BETTER NOT BE MOVING AWAY TO A DIFFERENT TOWN!", I say. "Calm down drama queen. We are just moving into a bigger house.", dad says. "CAN IT FRANK! MOM ARE YOU SERIOUS? WE GREW UP HERE!", I say exasperated. "Baby frank and I agreed you need a change in scenery. Your gonna love it I promise.", she says in a soothing tone. "What is Tobe yelling about?", Lilly says walking around the corner and leaning on the door frame. "LILLY FRANK IS MAKING US MOVE.", I yell. "Stop calling me frank October.", dad says. "I knew that, they didn't tell you?", Lilly says. "No because we knew she was gonna act like this.", dad tells rubbing his face. I roll my eyes and push past them. "Tobe where you going?", Lilly says. "I just can't be here right now Lil.", I growl walking past her and Colt. "OCTOBER!", Mom calls from behind me. I don't turn around I just go to my truck.

Colt

I can't get a hold of October, shes not picking up her phone. I'm not entirely worried about her though. I love her but she does this a lot. "SEARCH AND RESCUE... WE GOT AN ACCIDENT OFF 418... CALLER SAYS TRUCK WENT THROUGH THE GUARD RAIL...", My pager says. "HUP. Come on girl lets go save some lives.", I tell Destiny. I open my door and she jumps in. We speed down the road towards 418. When we get there chief takes me by the arms, "Colt I don't think you need to do this one." I look at her Whatever it is I think I can handle it.", I say pulling towards the guardrail. "Colt, we think it's October.", she says slightly shaking me. Without another word I race to the guard rail. Destiny races down the steep hill past me; I just slide down and race to her truck, the truck rolled and if she was in there..... "No she's not dead.", I yelled to no one in particular. Destiny scratches whats left of the door obviously worried about the same thing. They use the jaws of life to break the door open and I crawl through despite the protest of the others, But..... she wasn't there. Her seat belt had snapped. "SEARCH", I yell crawling out so Destiny could get the scent from the truck. She barks wildly and darts off into the woods. I chase her terrified of what I might find.

Destiny picks up speed leaving me in the dust. Then I hear her begin barking and whining frantically. I race to her and see October laying there. "OVER HERE!", I scream dropping to my knees beside her and checking desperately for a pulse. Nothing. I flip her over so I can begin compression. "Come on October.", I beg her. I press my lips to hers and pitch her nose. Destiny whimpers and paws at her leg as I give her air. I start compression again. I put my ear to her chest and listen for her heart. I hear a few faint thumps, that gives me the motivation to begin compression again. Destiny puts her head on Octobers stomach. I feel tears run down my face, the dog is giving up on her. I put my lips to hers once again and give her air before starting compression once again, "Please October stay with me." Destiny closes her eyes. I put my face to October's chest again and the heartbeat is strong now, as if she had never been injured.

I had to carry Destiny back up the hill and to the truck. She refused to move, she went into this weird sleep like state that I guess was brought on by seeing October like that. We followed the ambulance to the hospital, when they finally got her set up to everything and they let me come in she didn't look herself. Her soft brown locks were rusty with dried blood and tubes suck out of her everywhere. I grasped her hand. She was no longer wearing my shirt, and now was not wearing anything but the thin blanket that they draped over her. They had said it was because they couldn't put her gown on because of all the tubes, for some reason that made me think of earlier when she was pretty much half naked in front of me. I lean down and kiss her forehead, "See what I mean, birthday suits are different.", I whisper. I tuck her hair over the tubes at her chest. "There, I fixed it. Now you don't look as bad.", I say slumping to the floor next to the bed wanting more than anything to hear her giggle and feel her slap my arm and tell me that she always looks good. I put my face to my knees and feel my tears soak into my pants. "Oh honey, It's ok shes gonna be fine.", someone says putting a hand on my shoulder. I look up, "I hope so, she's my best friend. If anything happens....." She runs her hand though my hair, this nurse has known me since I was a kid as a result of being friends with my mom. This nurse was a sweet coffee colored woman who always made me call her Mimi. When I ever got hurt as a kid mom would call Mimi and she would take care of me, part of that was her running her hand through my hair with her long fake nails to calm me down. "Your almost getting to big for this, bear.", Mimi says using her nickname for me and pulling me against her chest. "Mimi are you sure she's gonna be alright?", I say looking up at October. "Yes bear, shes gonna be fine. You are the reason she's gonna be fine. They are gonna keep her asleep so she can heal, then when she's all better she will wake up.", she says kissing the top of my head, "Now you get home and go to bed. You got school tomorrow. She will be here when you get back." We stand and I hug Mimi, "Keep me posted?" She hugs me back, "Yes baby. I'll take good care of her, bear." I turn to October and take her hand, "I'll see you tomorrow chika.", I say kissing her cold cheek and me and Mimi walk out.

I carry Destiny into the house and put her on my bed. "Whats wrong with Tiny?", my little brother Brantly says. "October was in an accident. She was flung from her truck. She was unresponsive when Destiny found her. She's been like this since.", I say. My sister Kate walks in without a word and hugs me tight. Brantly follows suit and I feel myself tearing up again. "Go get in the shower, Colt.", Kate says kissing me on the cheek. I do as I'm told and when I get out, throw on some clean underwear. Destiny hasn't moved. So I pull the blanket and place her beside me on the pillow. "Tiny they said October is gonna be fine.", I say rubbing behind her ear. She don't move, her steady breathing calms me a little bit. I kiss her on the fur between her eyes and tuck her in next to me. I drift of to sleep to the sound of Tiny's soft breathing.