Best Friends

The Jackal returns with a vole in its jaws which it eats while watching the Alsatian. The great dog has been limping for a while now. It barks and takes off in the direction of the static city, and the other three dogs keep up.

They follow the motorway over frozen traffic until they reach the buildings, where the stream of dead vehicles spreads. The Jackal is the only one without a collar. It keeps its distance but is always near. The Collie spots a cat and gives chase but returns with a cut paw, which the Dalmatian licks.

It starts raining so they sleep in a shop amongst dusty clothes, and in the morning they set off east again. The Jackal finds a dead bird which it devours and the Dalmatian whines whilst urinating.

The city is rich with scents so they take their time. The Jackal heads off on his own adventure and the Collie and Dalmatian fight then mate then nap. In one building the Alsatian locates a sachet of powder in a coat pocket, and in another the Collie knocks over a jar of marbles sending the dogs running.

The clouds part and the sun emerges which is no better. The Alsatian finds a bottle of water and bites at it until it bursts, then they lick it up. At one point the streets become so clogged with vehicles and debris they have to climb through the roof of a tipped bus and exit through a window. Shortly after, the Jackal returns with a bone and gets into a fight with the Collie over a deflated football.

They enter the subway and eat their fill of rats, but eventually retreat from the sheer number of them. A plane demands their attention as it tears overhead. Near an old cinema, the Collie spots the same cat and has a seizure and the others watch.

In the outskirts of the city they pinpoint the human. He is a little larger than they imagined so they monitor from a distance, but this makes no difference. There is a crack and the Jackal goes down and the rest of them scatter.

The dogs spend the night watching the horizon crackle and thump and flash. In the morning the Alsatian gets to work in acquiring another scent, while the other two fight then mate then the Collie digs a hole. Eventually the Alsatian blinks its milky eyes and barks. It takes off south with the others in tow.