Open the window, Vladimir.
It’s cold.
Please.
He rolled it down an inch. Laika thrust
her nose at the gap, whole body wagging.
It won’t be painful. And it will
be quick.
Quick? Seven days? And barely able
to move?
Vladimir reached for Irina’s right
hand. She curled it into a fist and jammed it against her mouth to keep from
punching him.
---
How long was Laika able to view the
thin blue horizon as Sputnik-2 orbited the earth? Not nearly as long as planned.
But Vladimir didn’t tell Irina that. Let her swallow the Party's more palatable propaganda.
Oh, what a fantastic perspective on this (rough) story. Heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I think about poor Laika, I remember the glorious movie "My Life As A Dog." Do you know this movie?
ReplyDeleteI do now, and I just reserved it from the library (yes, I still have a DVD player; in fact, I still have a VCR, gasp!).
DeleteI hope you enjoy it. Back in the dark ages, when theaters only played one movie at a time, "My Life As A Dog" stayed for weeks in Washington, DC, making quite a splash for a very small foreign film. Lasse Hallstrom went on to direct huge movies but always managed to have a really sweet human core in them.
DeleteI too, think about My Life as a Dog when I think about Laika, Kim. And Dean and I saw that movie at a theater in DC!
DeleteI think I knew this - but now I'm going to have to go to your link.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't ready for this! That story always makes me sad. I agree with Kate, interesting perspective though!
ReplyDelete