Arcadia's Gift - By Jesi Lea Ryan Page 0,27

Lucy. My fingers trailed the markings of her brindled fur. Just under the ribcage on her right side I felt the hum vibrating strongest. Cold floated up from the spot, so that even with my hand six inches above it, my fingers quivered. Some instinct inside me was telling me the dog was in pain, which made no sense at all. Lucy appeared completely normal. When I touched the cold spot on her side there was something distinctly foreign about whatever was inside of her. That thought nagged at the base of my skull, and I grew anxious.

Cupping Lucy’s muzzle, I stared deep into her golden-brown eyes. They were as clear and bright as any other day, but I was convinced something was gravely wrong. I scooped Lucy up in my arms, yanked the other two leashes free from the bush and rushed the pack back to the clinic.

My chest was huffing and sweat dampened my body by the time I made it to the yard. I'd run most of the way, only slowing enough to accommodate Tank's short stride.

My fingers fumbled with the kennel keys, but the lock clicked open easily. I rushed Tank and Murphy inside, not stopping to remove the leashes from their collars. With Lucy still in my arms, I hurried to find Dr. Kristy.

The doctor had changed into her surgery scrubs and stood in her office going over charts with her assistant, Gina. Their faces shot up in surprise when I bounded into the room holding Lucy out toward them.

"What is it, Cady?" Dr. Kristy asked, her brow heightened in surprise. "Is something wrong?"

I nodded and set Lucy down on her desk. "Feel...her..." I huffed, trying to catch my breath. "Here." I took the doctor's cool hand and placed it on the vibrating spot on the dog's chest. "Do you feel it?"

"Feel what?" she asked. Both doctor and dog stared at me like I was nuts.

"There’s something there. In her chest," I insisted. "Right here!"

Dr. Kristy patted Lucy down, checking her bones, palpitating her organs. "I don't feel anything."

"That's because it's under the rib cage," I explained. "On her lung."

Dr. Kristy exchanged a glance with Gina, who stepped forward and began feeling around also.

"I don't feel anything, either," Gina confirmed.

"Please!" I insisted. "You have to believe me! Something’s in there and it's bad!"

I started pacing in circles, trying to find a way for them to understand. The truth was I didn't know myself how I knew Lucy had a lung problem —I just did. I was as sure of it as I was my own name.

"Cady, maybe you should sit down," Dr. Kristy said in a calm, compassionate voice that agitated my fragile nerves.

"Don't do that!" I pleaded. "Don't patronize me! Don't talk to me like I'm losing it. You know how much I love these animals, right? Do you think I would lie to you? Would I make up something that could be harmful to Lucy?"

Both the doctor and Gina shook their heads.

"Just take some x-rays and look. It doesn't hurt to look."

Dr. Kristy thought about it for a moment before replying, "Okay. I'll take a look. Gina, can you help me check Lucy out?”

I knew she was only doing it to humor me, to appease the grieving girl, but I didn't care. I knew deep down in my gut that there was something in Lucy that shouldn't be there.

The doctor picked the jolly terrier up off the desk. "Cady, you can go back to work. I'll come get you as soon as I finish with Lucy."

I reluctantly returned to the kennel to remove the leashes from Tank and Murphy. In the few minutes that I'd been gone, Tank had managed to drag his through his water bowl, soaking it.

"It's okay, boys," I whispered, patting them both on their sides. "Lucy's going to be okay. Dr. Kristy's on the case."

I tried to busy myself filling water dishes and sweeping out kennels, but my heart wasn’t in it. I wanted to know what was wrong with Lucy. My head snapped up when the clinic door opened. Gina was waving at me.

"Come ‘ere," she called before turning back inside. I dropped the broom to the ground and rushed in to find her and the doctor examining black and white scans against a backlight on the wall.

Dr. Kristy's lips were tight, and a deep line formed between her pencil-thin brows. She cast me an odd glance at my entrance.

"Cady, come look at this," she said, pointing to