Vet

She wasn’t in this to make friends

            To meet Fido

                        To help Star

                                    To heal

The money she got from fights was ludicrous

            Padded her salary generously

She could make a calm dog explode in the ring

            A sensitive one ignore a fatal wound

            A reserved one snarl

If they could pay the right price

It was romantic

            She supposed

Doctor by Day - Drug Dealer by Night

            If the dog survived losing the injury treatments were great as well

            Straight up front cash, and she always knew they’d be back

So if she got a call from a strange number at two in the morning

            She answered it, almost eager despite tiredness in her eyes

There was a fight going down tonight, a big one

            She recalled the dogs, both had seen her

                        Pitting two of her cases against each other

                        She didn’t play sides unless there was profit

            Rottweiler and Doberman

                        Successful, fearless, drugged not for aggression

                        But for muscle, the added pounds useful to a starved dog

It was a rescue

Not odd, always at odd hours - always low pay

            It would look odd if she refused

Her eyes widened when she met them at the shelter

            The Doberman

The fight had been broken up

            She smiled to herself at the idea of those searching to collect their fee

            She was always paid in advance

She looked well enough, and the vet knew if she stuck a needle in

            exactly what it would test positive for

Her hand skimmed over the matted fur

What did they want? A few gashes stitched up?

She did it quickly and exacted her fee

The dog snarled softly at her on her way out and all she did was smile

There was power there

            Power over mind

            Power over body

Making the body go on, make the body fight

            While the mind fought the body

A tempting fantasy

            she had learned from the best after all

                        Hard eyes, big muscles, and sharp mind

                        Her mentor had taught her quickly how the business worked

She learned about the conventional things

            But she also learned other sciences

The power over these mongrels was intoxicating

            The world was infatuating

            The business ludicrous

More than she could ever hope to do in her day job

            At times it seemed boring, a boring job and a boring day.