The evening when the mayor’s assassination plans were to take place, Freddy was home unusually early. By unusually early, however, what was meant was around 10 PM, rather than his current habit or arriving home at 1 or 2 in the morning. Looking through information about matching campaign funding from the state government, Freddy sat on the living room couch alone and began to ponder how much his campaign could receive in tax payer money. Pondering over the information in front of him, he let out a sigh.
One of the benefits of Diya’s donation was that it allowed him to purchase a new communication device. He wrote it off as a campaign expense, seeing as he had to possess one in order to stay in touch with his team of advisors at all times. It was a nice, upgraded model from the one he previously had. Purchasing it with campaign cash made Michael nervous, however, as he wondered whether Freddy would be able to keep it once the campaign was over. Regardless of whatever the rules and regulations were, he simply appreciated having a communication device once again.
As Freddy continued to pour over the details from the state website, Michael came in to the living room.
“Are you going to bed soon? Michael asked curtly. “It’s getting late and I’d like to go to sleep soon. I don’t like you coming in late at night into our bed. It wakes me up and I have a hard time falling back to sleep.”
“I’ll be up in a little while” Freddy replied, waving his hand dismissively. “Just let me pore over this information first.”
“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”
“No. I have to read this over tonight to make sure the campaign submits the proper documentation tomorrow. We’d like to get as much money from the state as we possibly can.”
“Haven’t you had a lot of time to pore over this stuff before tonight? If you knew the deadline for reporting was tomorrow, then why didn’t you have this prepared way in advance?”
Freddy shut off his communication device and looked at Michael with an irritated, almost angry expression on his face.
“Michael, I’ve had a million and a half other things going on at the moment. This is not on the top of my priority list, but if we can swing it, then I’d like to get this money.”
“Why can’t you have your staff work on this kind of stuff? Isn’t that what you pay them for? To do work like this?”
“They’re overburdened and I figured I’d give them a break.”
“Why don’t you give yourself a break, Freddy? Come to bed and work on this tomorrow.”
“I need to have the information ready to give them tomorrow morning when I head into the office. I have to organize this now.”
“Freddy.”
Michael sat down next to Freddy on the couch, hoping that his husband would make eye contact with him. Despite this not happening, with Freddy going back to looking at his communication device, Michael sighed and continued to speak anyway.
“Freddy, you’re working yourself to the bone here. You really need to make sure you get enough sleep at night.”
“I get enough sleep, Michael” Freddy replied, not looking at him as he spoke. “I just have to go over this information and make sure I have all the proper documents ready to be submitted tomorrow. It’ll take me less time to do this if you aren’t interrupting me.”
“Freddy, I just wish you’d at least try to get a decent night’s sleep.”
Freddy shut off his communication device again and looked at Michael with a serious expression on his face.
“I don’t have time for sleep right now, Michael. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re less than three weeks away from election day and I’m in a time crunch right now. I have to be working long hours to make sure we did everything I possibly could to win. My staff gives me 100%, so I intend to give 150%. I have to be work hard, so that they are motivated to work even harder than me.”
“Freddy, is this how it’s going to be from now on? Is this going to be the new normal in our lives? If you win the race next month, is this going to be our new normal? Or are you going to actually slow it down after this and be there for me and Evan like you promised us you would?”
“Michael.”
Freddy held Michael’s face in his hand and asked him to make eye contact with him.
“Michael” Freddy continued. “I know I made a promise to you that if you supported me in this campaign of mine, that I would make the time for you and Evan that you deserve afterwards. Win or lose, I intend to keep that promise.”
“How do you suppose you’re going to do that, Freddy? If this job keeps you busy like this, then you’re never going to be present in your child’s life. Our marriage is hanging by a thread here and I can’t take it anymore.”
“Michael, hard work counts for something. I’m not a slacker.”
“Are you saying that I’m a slacker?”
“Diya…”
Freddy paused, as Michael looked at him with an angry expression on his face. Michael took Freddy’s hand off of his face and glared at him angrily as he spoke.
“Diya what, Freddy?” Michael asked him coldly.
“Michael” Freddy replied nervously, not wanting to further upset his husband “I didn’t say anything.”
“I know what you were about to say, asshole. You were going to say that Diya was right and that I’m just a giant slacker.”
“Michael, I didn’t say that.”
“But you were going to say it though, weren’t you Freddy?”
Freddy paused for a moment, as tears began to form in his eyes. Michael continued to stare daggers at him, turning a bright shade of red in the face. His anger was simmering into to a full on boil.
“You were about to say just now that Diya was right about me being a slacker” Michael stressed coldly.
“Michael, I—“
“Save it, Freddy! I don’t need to hear any more of your excuses. Just like Diya, you don’t take your commitments to your family seriously. Your priority is to your job, not to us. Well, just like her, I hope you rot in hell and die!”
“Michael, wait!”
Michael stormed upstairs, as Freddy tried to get his attention. When Freddy tried to grab Michael’s arm, it was rebuffed with a cold smack on the face.
“I didn’t say it, Michael! Please don’t be mad at me! I held my tongue so I wouldn’t hurt your feelings! Please Michael. I’m sorry I upset you!”
“What’s going on out here?” Evan asked groggily, as he slowly stepped out from his bedroom.
“Nothing, Evan” Michael replied sternly. “Go back to bed, now.”
“Why is papa yelling, though?”
“Because he’s a maniac. Now go back to sleep.”
Michael went into his bedroom and slammed the door behind him.
“Michael” Freddy called out, as he knocked on his bedroom door. “Michael, open up please.”
“Papa?” Evan asked. “What’s going on?”
Freddy tried to compose himself, but found his tears wouldn’t stop flowing from his eyes. Walking over to his son, he bent down and looked at him directly in the eyes.
“Papa really hurt your dad’s feelings and he’s really sorry about it. Your dad is just upset at me right now. He has every right to be, but I’m sure everything will be fine in the morning.”
“Papa, how come you don’t spend enough time with me?”
Freddy teared up, as Evan looked at him quizzically.
“Because I’m a terrible father and I don’t deserve a wonderful boy like you.”
“You’re not a terrible father, papa. You just need to be there for me more.”
“I know and I’m so sorry I haven’t been there for you. I missed your birthday party like an asshole. I missed your last day of school in June. I’ve been totally absent from your life and I’m really, really sorry.”
“The past is the past now, papa. I just wish that you’d be there for me in the future. It’s been so hard without you here in the house.”
“Well, your dad doesn’t seem to want me here.”
“He does, papa. He just wishes you would place more attention where it really belongs. On me. On us. On our family.”
“Well, he doesn’t act like he wants me around anymore.”
“And even still, even if he doesn’t want you around, which I know he does, then you should know that I want you around. Actually, I need you to be around, papa. I’ve been feeling suicidal lately.”
“Don’t say that, Evan. No. Please don’t say that.”
Freddy gave Evan a great, big hug, as tears continued to flow from his eyes down onto his face.
“Don’t say that Evan” Freddy whispered into Evan’s ear. “Don’t ever say that again, you hear me? You don’t know how much saying that hurts me and your dad. We couldn’t live anymore if you did that to us. Don’t ever say you’re going to do that again. Understand?”
“Life is just so hard, papa” Evan replied, as he slowly pushed Freddy off of him. “School is so hard. Bullies are really mean to me. You’re not around to help me deal with this stuff. I’m having a hard time dealing with all of this with just dad around. He tries, but you just have a way of making me feel better and helping me feel confident in myself. I just wish you’d be there for me more, that's all. You being here makes a huge difference to me.”
“I promise you that when this is over, I will make more of an effort to be there for you, Evan. Even if I have to drag you into the office I'm working in after school so you are under my watch until dinner, I will do what I need to to be more present in your life from now on. Just please let me finish this campaign and I promise you things will get better between us. It’s only a few more weeks, now. Just hang in there for me. Please, Evan. Please don't try to commit suicide. I'd never be able to live with myself if you did that to us.”
Evan sighed, as he looked up at Freddy, who was still sobbing hysterically.
“I guess I’ve waited this long” Evan replied reluctantly. “What’s a few more weeks.”
Freddy sniffled, as he hugged Evan tightly again, before he got back up and tried again to open his bedroom door.
“It’s locked” Freddy said, as he struggled to get it open.
“Papa” Evan replied, as he gently pushed his father to the side “let me try to talk to him. Maybe I can get him to let you back into the bedroom.”
“I don’t think it’ll—“
“Dad”
Evan banged on the door, as Freddy’s tears began to dry up.
“Dad” Evan called to Michael from the other end of the door. “Please open up. Papa wants to go to sleep now. He can’t do that if you won’t let him in with you.”
“Let him sleep on the couch, like the animal he is!” Michael yelled from his bedroom.
“Evan, don’t—“
“Dad. Please. Papa isn’t an animal. He hasn’t been a dog in six months. Maybe the curse is over with now.”
“I highly doubt it, seeing as we never got the ring back! But that’s not the point, Evan! Your papa is a man who cares about everyone else but us!”
“That’s not true, Michael” Freddy interjected. “I love you very much and I love Evan very much too.”
“Please, dad. Please let papa in. I know he loves us and cares about us. He’ll go to bed now and stop doing whatever he was doing before you guys got into a fight.”
“Evan, I never said—“
Michael opened the door, still appearing as angry as he did before.
“Are you really going to stop doing your work now?” Michael asked coldly.
“I—“
“Papa, say yes please.”
“Evan, don’t have your papa—“
“Yes, Michael.”
Michael calmed down for a moment, as he appeared dumbstruck by Freddy’s answer.
“What?” Michael asked, with a confused tone in his voice.
“Yes, Michael” Freddy answered again. “I said I’m done for the night. I want to come in to go to bed with you now. I’ll just have to get up early in the morning and try to finish this up before I head off to the campaign headquarters for the day. Now come on, Michael. Let me come in so I can go to bed."
Michael let out a loud groan, before he stepped aside from the door frame. Reluctantly, he allow Freddy passage into their bedroom.
“Thank you, dad” Evan said.
“Whatever” Michael replied dismissively. “Now go to bed, Evan. It’s really late.”
“Night dad.”
“Night Evan.”
Evan walked back into his bedroom, as Michael closed the door to his own behind him.
“You’re not going to try to do work in bed while I’m trying to sleep, are you Freddy?” Michael asked bitterly.
“No, Michael” Freddy replied. “I left my communication device downstairs, so I have no way of doing the work now anyway. I’m all yours for bed time now. Just don’t expect me to be lying next to you in the morning. I intend to finish what I was doing as soon as I get up. Fair?”
“Fine. Now let’s get to bed.”
Michael got under the covers and Freddy followed him. When they were lying next to each other, Freddy reached over to spoon his husband.
“You’re not going to throw me off you, right Michael?”
“No Freddy. Just get some sleep, please.”
A few minutes after they settled into their usual sleeping position, spooning on their sides, both Freddy and Michael dozed off. Outside of their house, a stirring could be heard. A masked man, in an all black outfit, quietly examined the front door of the house.
“Can’t barge my way in so brazenly” the masked man thought to himself. “I have to find an entrance that won’t set off an alarm.”
The masked man walked around the house, scanning all of the windows and doors. Finally, in the backyard, he noticed a window leading into Freddy and Michael’s bedroom.
“That might work” the masked man determined in his head, as he pulled out a gun looking object from his belt.
Aiming it for just below the window frame, the gun popped out a hook and rope, securing itself under the window of the bedroom. Pushing the button again, the masked man flew up onto the side of the house and secured himself to the facade with suction cups from his outfit.
Taking out a blowtorch, the masked man worked to melt around the window pane, the device letting out a light hissing noise as it did so. Finally, when he blew it around the entirety of the window frame, the pane popped out, which the masked man took in his hand. Looking in all directions outside, the masked man quietly slipped his way through the window and into the bedroom inside.
Quietly putting the window pane onto the bedroom floor below him, the masked man quietly spotted Freddy and Michael lying together in bed, peacefully dreaming away.
“My orders were to kill just the one” the masked man thought to himself, as he got out a needle from his belt. “But if the other one sees me, then I have to kill him as well.”
Just as the masked man began to tip toe across the floor, he tripped over an item lying on the floor.
“Shit!” the masked man hissed out loud, as he dropped the needle from his hand and looked down at the object below him. “What was that?”
“Huh?” Michael moaned, as he suddenly stirred awake. “What was that?”
“Oh shit” the masked man thought to himself, as he pulled out a gun from his belt. “I’ve been spotted. He has to go.”
“Michael” Freddy said, sounding incredibly groggy. “What are you doing?”
When Michael’s eyes could see in front of him, he let out a loud gasp.
“Shit!” he exclaimed. “Freddy, watch out!”
Michael pushed Freddy off the bed, as the masked man attempted to shoot him. A loud bang was heard, which missed its target while Freddy fell onto the floor. In a split second decision, Freddy shimmied his way under the bed, as he heard the masked man and Michael going at it above him.
“Get out of here, you!” Michael yelled, as he sprayed a can of mace in the masked man’s face.
“Agh!” the masked man exclaimed, as he dropped his gun onto the floor. “You son of a bitch!”
As Michael went to went to pick up the gun, the masked man went down with him. A struggled ensued, as the two men wrestled with each other to try to get possession the gun.
“Son of a bitch!” the masked man hissed through strained breath. “Get off of my gun!”
“Get out of my house!” Michael yelled in a muffled tone in response.
Freddy watched the scene before him, as he panicked under his bed. He was worried for Michael’s safety, handling an armed robber or some sort of assassin all by himself. He felt entirely powerless in that moment. He wished he could do something to help his husband out. Staring at the men fighting for control of the gun from under his bed, his body began to feel itchy.
“Damn, I itch” Freddy thought to himself, as he began to scratch his arm.
Looking down at it, he could see that it was beginning to grow a coat of brown fur.
“Excellent” Freddy thought to himself, as he began to shed off his pajamas. “Or maybe not, because that means the curse hasn’t been broken yet. Still, in this moment, I’m not complaining too much. If I’m not able to do something, then maybe Buddy can help Michael out.”
As Freddy finished slipping off his pajamas, his body began to rapidly mutate. It began to sprout fur all over, though he couldn’t see any of it in the dark. His hands shrunk into paws and he could feel his back legs form into the hind legs of a dog. Allowing himself to just let the changes happen, he rapidly shifted back into Buddy the dog. In a faster time than Freddy had previously remembered, he was a dog again.
Just as Buddy's tail came in and he finished changing completely, the masked man grabbed the gun from the floor.
“Oh no” Freddy thought to himself, as Buddy got up onto all fours. “It’s now or never, I guess.”
Buddy dashed out from under the bed and bit the masked man’s leg.
“Ow!” the masked man exclaimed, as Buddy continued to tear into the side of his leg. “How did this dog get in here?”
“Oh no” Michael thought to himself, as he attempted to take the gun from the masked man. “Freddy changed back into Buddy again. It may be a help to me now, but it’s going to be a problem afterwards. That is, if we can even fend off this killer.”
Michael struggled to take the gun, while Buddy continued to sink his sharp fangs into the masked man’s leg. Despite being weakened from the bleeding Buddy was causing, the masked man would not relinquish control of the gun. A struggle continued to ensue, as the masked man pushed Michael against the now open window. As he slipped, Michael nearly fell out of his bedroom window.
Panicking as saw the backyard below him, the masked man shook Buddy off of his leg and rapidly composed himself. The would be assassin moved to the window and pointed his gun at Michael’s chest.
“I didn’t want to have to do this” the masked man said coldly “but you’ve left me no other choice.”
Just as he was about to fire his gun, Buddy sank his fangs into the masked man’s other leg.
“Ouch!!!!” the masked man yelled, momentarily slipping the gun out of his grasp.
In an instant, Michael caught the gun and stood back up into his bedroom. Aiming the gun with the intention to shoot, Michael shot the masked man three times in the chest. In an instant, the would be assassin fell onto the floor. As adrenaline rushed through his veins, Michael began to panic. As Buddy let go of the masked man’s leg, the dog let out a whimper. Blood dripped out from his mouth and onto the floor below him.
Michael stood over the masked man, who was lying in a pool of blood. He was not responsive and seemed to stop breathing. Michael leaned down to try to check his pulse. There was no sign of life, as far as Michael could tell. In that moment, Michael had done something he had never done before or thought he’d ever have to do.
“I murdered a man” Michael nervously thought to himself, as he began to internally panic.
Buddy continued to whimpered, as he trotted over to Michael's side.
“What am I going to do now?” Michael thought to himself, as he stood up to try to compose himself.
Buddy looked upwards and watched Michael closely.
In that moment, Michael decided to….