The Neighbors Who Served 'Mystery Meat' Chapter 1

I was carrying a heavy bag of dog food upstairs when my new neighbor, a short, stout man, blocked my path.

"You feed your dog this garbage? Do you even deserve a dog?"

"Why are you so lazy? You should be cooking for it with premium ingredients!"

"This is basically animal abuse. People like you, pretending to be virtuous, make me sick."

Before I could react, he slashed my bag of dog food open with a pair of scissors, spilling kibble everywhere.

"Consider this a warning," he sneered, turning to leave.

I grabbed his wrist.

"That bag cost me $250! You either pay up now, or we're going to the police station!"

* * *

I'm a volunteer at the local animal shelter.

I help trap strays for TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) and medical care. Sometimes, I dip into my own pocket to foster injured animals.

Lately, the stray population in our neighborhood has exploded. I couldn't help but take in a few more wounded souls.

Animals eat a lot and poop a lot. My wallet was hurting.

Suddenly, something furry brushed against my leg. It was Fuzzy, a stray dog I'd recently rescued, begging for cuddles.

I scooped him up and gave him a big sniff. Mommy loves you! Mommy's gonna buy you food right now.

Because I need so much food, I order in bulk directly from a local breeder who gives me a discount to support my rescue work.

I drove my Mini Cooper to pick up a 100-pound bag of dog food. That should last a few months.

I was struggling to drag the bag toward the elevator when my new neighbor, Roger, appeared out of nowhere.

"You feed your dog this garbage? Do you even deserve a dog?"

I was stunned. Our neighbors are usually lovely people who support my rescue efforts. This was the first time someone had pointed a finger in my face.

My temper flared.

"Who the hell are you? None of your business what I feed my dogs! Jealous no one's feeding you?"

I thought that would shut him up.

Instead, he put his hands on his hips and launched into a tirade.

"You don't deserve a dog! Why are you so lazy? You should be cooking for it with premium ingredients!"

"This is basically animal abuse. People like you, pretending to be virtuous, make me sick! The most disgusting thing about 'dog lovers' like you is how cheap you are. Dogs love meat! They need the best meat! Who said you could feed them this starch-filled crap?"

I snapped.

"Did you skip your rabies shot? Dogs are omnivores! They need vegetables too! This kibble is high quality, used by professionals for years."

"Stop pretending you know what you're talking about, you idiot!"

I shoved past him. "Move! You're lucky I'm an animal lover, or someone might mistake you for a wild boar and turn you into bacon!"

I tried to drag the bag to the elevator. 100 pounds of kibble vs. my 140 pounds of body weight was a struggle.

I barely took two steps before someone kicked me from behind. I stumbled.

Roger stepped over me, whipped out a pair of scissors, and slashed the bag open.

"Let's see you feed them now!" he roared, slashing repeatedly.

Kibble spilled all over the floor. My blood boiled.

He smirked, triumphant. "Next time, cook real food! Premium beef! If I catch you feeding them this trash again, I'll destroy it every time!"

He turned to leave.

I laughed in disbelief. Who did he think he was?

I grabbed his wrist.

"That bag cost me $250! You either pay up now, or we're going to the police station!"