**********TRIGGER WARNING**********

This story is fiction from the author’s mind, but themes contained within are the kidnapping of an adult woman and animal cruelty and abuse (Forced dogfighting. Physical and verbal abuse). If such themes may be upsetting, please read with caution.

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The woman dries off from her bath, puts on a thick robe, and leads Roscoe to her bedroom.

She hurriedly closes the door behind her. Sighing, she notices Roscoe is tucking himself into a ball and trembling.

Roscoe has never been in a bedroom. The man only allows him in the hallways and bathrooms. Fearing the worst, he crouches and anticipates heavy blows from the woman.

She kneels to his level and gently strokes his head.

“I want to help you, but that man… he scares me. Big Ken doesn’t mind destroying others to get what he wants. He’s a terrible person. Has he hurt you?”

Roscoe lifts his head, then abashedly turns away from her sympathetic eyes.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to press you for details. I’m sure you’re suffering more than me. No animal should have to go through this, especially if they are as sweet as you.”

His head turns towards her direction again, his face looking surprised.

“Your name is Roscoe, right? You Seem like a lover, not a fighter. I love that about dogs.”

Roscoe nods his head and thumps his tail in agreement.

“My name is Shelby,” she whispered. “Big Ken thinks my name was Donna. If he knows my real name, he can track me down if I ever escape from here. I never want to tell him. My name is the only true part of me I have left.”

Tears well up in her eyes as her voice begins to break.

“I don’t want to dump anything else on you. You’re so sweet. I want to protect you, and I don’t care what happens to me anymore. I know you’ve been through more pain than I will ever experience.”

Roscoe sits up. Staring into Shelby’s eyes, he notices a red mark on her cheek. It looks like a knife wound from a tiny switchblade Big Ken would use to punish Roscoe for losing a match.

His heart stops.

Shelby tries to cover the scar but realizes he already knows.

“I was given a glimpse of your pain by Guy. I didn’t want to go to breakfast, and he got impatient, I should know better than to test their patience.”

Roscoe puts his paw on her knee and nuzzles her cheek.

“Thank you so much,” Shelby whispers. A small smile crosses her face.

Roscoe thumps his tail on her lap.