Closed Confessions of a Cynophobe

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty sat on Ava's sofa, sipping a glass of wine. He had possibly had one too many, because he could feel several confessions staggering about in his brain, making their way closer and closer to the bit in charge of moving his mouth. "Can I tell you something awful?" he asked. Bugger. Now he was committed.

 

[Ava King]

Drinking wine with Monty and/or Cyndi was a definite favourite activity of Ava's. She giggled as Monty asked to share a secret. "Please do." She slurred the words out.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

"Well, you know I'm scared of dogs," Monty began. Ava was the only person who knew he was scared of dogs. "Saveli got a dog. I haven't been to the farm in... two months. Two months! I told her it's because I'm allergic, which, yes, is true, but it's not the whole truth, Ava. I'm scared of the dog." He sighed looked into his wine glass. "I don't want to tell her."

 

[Ava King]

Ava nodded her head enthusiastically, stopping quickly when her head hurt. She gasped loudly when Monty said it had been two months. "Monty monty monty." Ava said, putting her wine glass down. "I'm a dog. I can - we can - I can be a dog, and you can be okay with me, and boom! We solve the problem." Ava said sloppily, definitely thinking it was going to be that easy.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

The look on Monty's face said exactly how he felt about Ava's idea. But he was quite drunk, and after a few seconds it began to sound like, if not a good idea, then at least one worth trying. "I don't know..." he said. "Well, can we have a - you know - a what's-it-called - a safe word?"

 

[Ava King]

"Yes of course but you won't need it because you will be cured of your fear." Ava sat up onto her knees, readying herself.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty put his wine down on the coffee table and took a deep breath. He couldn't even bring himself to look at Ava. "I don't think it'll be quite that easy, but - go on, then."

 

[Ava King]

"Okokok, safe word is 'Ava stop i don't like you anymore"." She giggled. "Just 'member, it's just me, I'm not going to hurt you!" Ava said as she readied her brain, trying to focus and turning herself into a golden retriever.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

"Ava stop I don't li-" Monty grinned and chanced a glance at his friend. Big mistake. "Oh, God," he said, putting his face in his hands. Absolutely not. It's Ava, it's Ava, it's Ava. Yes, but it's Ava in the body of an enormous dog. Please don't move. Stay there. Don't come any closer.

 

[Ava King]

Ava watched as Monty put his face in his hands and she slowly took a step forward, nudging his hand with her nose, before sitting in front of him and giving what she thought was a smile.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty couldn't look. Really. Even if he'd wanted to remove his hands from his face, they were frozen there. He took another slow, deep breath. It was only Ava's cold wet nose on his wrist. She wasn't going to hurt him. "I really don't like this," he said. "I don't think I can do it. Please stop. I'm not saying the whole thing - just stop please."

 

[Ava King]

Ava paused as Monty spoke, before quicky transforming back into her normal self. She leaned forward and put a hand on his arm. "Monts, it's okay, it's me, I'm here."

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Ava's voice was the sound of failure to Monty's ears. He took several more seconds to clear the anxiety from his face before looking up, though he still couldn't meet her gaze. "Sorry," he said. "I know it's irrational. It's just... it's something about..." He gestured but couldn't find the words. "Could we try again? If you don't mind, obviously. You don't have to."

 

[Ava King]

"It's not irrational. Of course we can try again." Ava smiled, moving back away from Monty to give him some space. "And when you're comfortable with me, I can always come with to Saveli's...as a dog, if you'd like." She said, before transforming again, but this time keeping her distance.