The Last Man by Ryan King Read Free Book Online Page A

pulled the vehicle right up onto the front lawn nearly crashing the vehicle into the front porch.
    He left the dogs in the SUV while he went to the door with the crow bar and hammer. Adrenaline made the lock easy work. Sam rushed through the house and found the clinic in the back. He flashed his light over a medicine cabinet and after several frantic moments saw vials for Imrab Large Animal Rabies Vaccine. Sam didn't bother trying to pry the case, simply smashing the glass with the hammer. He pulled out the vial setting it on the table and then found a syringe. The vial had no directions on dosages, so Sam just decided to wing it, drawing about a fourth of the vial into the syringe. He ran back outside to the vehicle and found Scotch either sleeping or comatose. He plunged the needle deep into the dog's flank and injected the medicine.
    Scotch whimpered slightly and Sam carefully remo ved the dog and carried him through the house to the clinic in the rear. His back would be sore or maybe even locked up the next morning, and he knew he was lifting the gigantic dog mostly on adrenalin. He proceeded cautiously by memory through the house since he'd left his flashlight in the clinic. Once inside, he laid Scotch carefully on the table and went back out to the SUV for his pack and the oil lantern and ensured the other three dogs were inside the house.
    Sam went back to the big wolfhound with the lantern and stroked his head. He seemed drowsy and Sam hoped that was a good sign. He found some antiseptic and bandages and cleaned the wounds and , as best he could judge, none were deep enough to need stitches. Just to be safe he also gave Scotch an injection of antibiotics, hoping the dosage was close to correct.
    He looked around, not sure what else to do. There was an actual fireplace in the living room and a neat stack of wood. Sam used some lighter fluid and started a quick fire for light and to take the chill out of the house. He again staggered under Scotch's considerable bulk and laid him on a blanket near the fire. Sam dropped down close to him and hugged the dog tightly.
    After a few minutes he felt the other three dogs settle in close around them. Eventually they all fell into a troubled sleep.
    *******
    Sam had never been much of a coffee drinker, but he needed some the next morning. His back, arms, and legs were killing him and he threw down two aspirin before he could even begin the process of making coffee. He'd heard of cowboy coffee , although he'd never paid much attention to how it was made and had stuck exclusively to instant since the end. After boiling water with immersed coffee grounds over the veterinarian's gas grill, he sipped the concoction with trepidation and admitted it wasn't bad. The old vet even had some powdered creamer and sugar.
    He had awoke n that morning to the familiar groaning and fake growling that indicated the dogs were playing, though not too rough. Sam smiled, then remembered where he was and what had happened the previous day. He rolled over and saw Scotch was still lying down, awake now and with mouth open growling up at a prancing Raven in mock combat.
    Relief flooded through Sam. He didn't know if the dog was out of hot water, but he looked much better and that was enough for now. Sam coaxed Scotch up onto his feet and saw he could walk slowly at first, and then more firmly. He took the dogs outside so they could go to the bathroom and then brought them back inside for a breakfast of pasta, rice, and beans cooked on the gas grill.
    After the dogs ate he laid Scotch back down by the fire which had grown low and wasn't needed with the rising sun. Sam went into the clinic and looked at the rabies vaccination in the light of day and eventually found an unopened box of the same medicine with a small paper pamphlet accompanied by more directions. He discovered the Imrab Large Animal Rabies Vaccine was actually for large farm animals like cows or horses and each vial was a dose. Sam did a quick