Infinity and beyond

Another car passed by, another pair of strange eyes glanced towards him, full of pity. Yet none stopped to offer him food, or clothes or a company. Marghoob belonged to the streets, since the time he could remember. He was the prince of these streets, they belonged to him. He knew every nook and crevice of this place.

Marghoob was found in a trash can in a small road in Seattle. A small orphanage adopted him and he survived. He had friends with whom he grew up, all poor orphan kids. Everyday, someone would adopt one of his friends. Everyday, the rest would sit in hope that it's their turn today. A family with a house, warm food and parents to love. Parents: that was the biggest dream each one of them resided in their hearts. As the count of kids grew in the orphanage, the chance of getting adopted reduced with them growing old. 

Orphanage was a small and poor place. It was run on funds from a wealthy businessman. Over years, the funds reduced and so did the living conditions. It became as pathetic as the slimy streets. Dirty washrooms, torn clothes, smelly beds and pittance of food. Small kids cried into the nights with their bellies aching with food. Marghoob had grown into his seventh year. Seven years of seeing the poverty and conditions deteriorating year after year. Whenever he would feel gloomy, he would go out into the streets and roam around. He scraped for food from the trash bins, anything to keep his stomach from grumbling. And people did throw all kinds things, delicious cakes, rotting fruits like berries and plums, that he could have only imagined tasting. He read about them in the books that orphanage offered.

He had been roaming these streets since the time he could remember, probably from when he had learnt to walk. He had a friend too. They both started out when they were little and their bond kept growing strong with each day. Marghoob found him taking shelter under a small polybag from heavy rains, that someone had placed over him. This cute little tiny puppy who was his accomplice now. They trotted around the streets together in hunt for food, chasing pigeons and playing together. 

Marghoob wasn't allowed to bring his friend into the orphanage because it was a street dog. So everyday, his friend would wait outside in the morning for Marghoob to join in their adventures. Such a friendship it was that they shared every item of food they found. Two innocent hearts connected by love and loyalty towards each other. Marghoob had built him a small house from the cardboard boxes he found in the trash.

It was raining heavily that day. It had been pouring down all day long yesterday and it hadn't stopped today. Marghoob glanced out the door of his orphanage. His friend wasn't there today. He was starting to get worried about him. He didn't know how long it's house will hold. He wasn't allowed to go out of the orphanage because of the heavy rains and flood warnings. But he had to see if his friend was okay. May be he could persuade people here to allow him to bring his dog inside. Hours passed by and there seemed no indication of the rains stopping. He was scared to go out alone. As usual, children were crying again, the smaller ones always did.

He couldn't wait any longer. Evening was about to come, sun was almost setting in. He plucked up his courage and ran out the doors before anyone could stop him. His friend wasn't there where he had built the house. The cardboard box was sodden and in pieces. Marghoob panicked. He had to find his friend. He ran through the streets they had so often covered together. He checked across the lanes, behind the dumpsters, even around the drain pipes. Dog was no where to be found. Soaked down to the bones, cold and hungry, Marghoob started crying. Where was his friend, his companion of all these years. It was getting darker. He was not allowed to stay out late. Rain was pouring down incessantly. 

Tired, cold and hungry, he kept roaming the streets in one last hope of finding his dog. His orphanage was round the corner when he saw his friend lying on the pavement, shivering and crying. It was probably trying to get to Marghoob, but just like his human friend, the dog was too wet and extremely cold. Marghoob ran to him and placed his tiny hands on his friend's head. The dog opened it's eyes slightly, saw Marghoob, and with a yelp, went cold. 

Marghoob sat there for hours, not knowing what had happened to his friend. Another car passed by, another pair of strange eyes glanced towards him, full of pity. Yet none stopped to offer him food, or clothes or a company. Just like any other day. Yet today, he was really alone. His friend wouldn't open his eyes. Marghoob did not want to leave him alone lying there, on the side of the road. He placed his head on the cold head of his dog and closed his eyes, remembering all the times they ran down the streets together. He never felt when the eternal sleep came in.

It stopped raining the morning after and people found a child and a stray dog lying side by side on the road, dead. Newspaper headlines read, "Eternal bond of friendship between man and dog, in life and to Infinity and beyond".