Guts

The stray wandered through the dark alley, trying to sniff out her master. A breeze drifted down the street and the dogs hackles rose, she gave a menacing growl. The bad man was coming for her.
Not long ago when Carl (her master) and his parents had been away for a few days the bad man had broken into their house. When they returned, everything was gone, including Dew.
The bad man stood in the mouth of the alleyway. His crooked nose and dull eyes the same as when he had first taken Dew from home. The bad man seemed angry that she had escaped, Dew didn’t care though, Dew was a good dog, and she would find her way to her master.
Dew was frightened of the bad man but she made up for it in loud growls and wide eyes. Teeth bared she started to make her way toward the bad man. She had to slip by him to get home and she wasn’t about to give up.
“You ungrateful little mutt! I take you out of that disgusting rat hole, feed you, care for you, and how do you repay me? By running away! By shunning my kindness!” The bad man yelled at her.
Dew replied with an extra fierce snarl. The bad man roared, “You flea bitten slime! I ought to put you down for the trouble you’ve caused me!”
Conflicting feeling battled in her head the first was that she wished Carl was there to help her but then again, she didn’t want the bad man to hurt him.
The bad man approached Dew and swings at her with his steel toed boot. She tried to dodge but he is too quick. Her screech echoes out through the streets, waking many from a peaceful slumber.
Dew lay on the ground, trying to scramble to her feet, she could smell Carl coming now and she wanted to get away before he got hurt. Blood splattered her previously pure white fur and she held back a whimper.
The bad man swung his leg back for another kick and Dew let out a quiet whine. He was here. The bad man froze, Carl’s blade pressed against the back of his neck. “If you ever hurt her again I swear to God I’ll kill you. Don’t you ever even think of hurting my dog again.”
The bad man laughed and Dew cocked her head slightly. “You don’t have the guts to kill me kid.”
“Try me.”